3 Reasons why Wisconsin's 3-4 Defense dominated MSU
Many college football fans are still wondering how and why Michigan State struggled to score points and move the ball versus Wisconsin last Saturday. The three reasons are as follows: (1) They shut down the run game, (2) Wisconsin disguised their blitzes and forced MSU to keep RB's in to block on pass plays, (3) Wisconsin played excellent coverage behind their blitz combinations. I will explain a few concepts that Wisconsin executed well in great detail and why they created havoc on MSU QB Tyler O'Conner and the MSU running game.
Let's start with the run game. As you watch the clip below you will notice that Wisconsin is in a 3-4 defense (3 DL & 4 LB). The elementary football minds would call this a 5-2 (5 DL & 2 LB) but there are 4 Linebackers on the field (2 OLB & 2 ILB). Every gap in the run game is covered and the Free Safety at the top of the screen comes down in the box to create an 8 man front. The 2 cornerbacks are playing press man to man coverage. The 3 big ole DL clog up the middle and the 2 OLB secure the edges of the defense. There is nowhere for MSU to run the football because of the wall Wisconsin built at the line of scrimmage. Wisconsin did this all day and forced MSU to become one dimensional on offense leaving the pass game as their only option.
In the clip below, MSU is lined up in a formation called trio, or 3 WR and 2 RB. When teams try to spread out Wisconsin's defense they take out a DL and bring in a 5th DB, keep 3 DL in and mix up their blitz combination with the remaining 3 LB. The 3-4 defense allows the defense to bring the 4th and 5th blitzers from various places on the field (you will notice Wis LB moving around, standing up, bluffing, etc). MSU chose to stay in a 7 man protection (5 OL + 2 RB) versus this defensive look because they don't know where the blitz is coming from and this formation gives them the best chance of protecting the quarterback. The problem with this is that it only allows MSU to release 3 WR down the field and Wisconsin has 5 DB to cover 3 WR. Wisconsin is playing what's called combo 11 coverage. Combo 11 means the both safeties will double team the #1 WR to their side. The slot is single covered by the DB and that's where MSU should have thrown the ball, but the WR couldn't get any separation from the DB. As you watch the clip, you will see that MSU QB Tyler O'Conner doesn't have anywhere to throw the football. Wisconsin does a great job of disguising the blitzes and coverages.
Here is another example of how Wisconsin lines up versus the same exact formation, but this time they are playing zone coverage. They disguise the blitz once again but this time they have 2 LB standing and bluffing like they are going to blitz, but they drop off into coverage while the blitz comes from the top 2 LB. MSU is in another 7 man protection because they don't know where the blitz is coming from and they only release 3 WR once again. MSU QB Tyler O'Conner should have noticed that the blitz was coming from the wide side of the field because there are 2 defenders lined up in the same area right on top of one another. It really doesn't matter because Wisconsin is playing Cover 2 which is the perfect call versus this route combination. The CB at the top sits on the corner route, the safety at the top plays the post, and the safety at the bottom is responsible for 1/2 of the field at the bottom. The CB at the bottom gets a great jam on the WR and takes away the underneath route while the safety is over the top in his deep 1/2. Once again there is nowhere for MSU QB Tyler O'Conner to throw the football.
