LOS ANGELES It was clear for most of fall camp. The Aggies also ranked fourth in the country in sacks in 2014 with 50. Pac-12 reporter and columnist Jon Wilner, on the first episode of our USC Trojans: Wired Podcast, responded to those questions as follows: The two units that require the highest level of cohesiveness take quarterback out are the offensive line and the secondary. Arizona State just out-executed the Trojans defense in the run game. Phone. I just feel 3-4 didnt let us showcase our abilities the way we wanted to. Johnson and Wheeler added another 17 run stuffs combined as the linebacker position went from being a major deficit to a team strength. After the Sun Devils started to have success on the ground midway through the second quarter, USC started employing a 4-3 front at times. I think its a smart move. A safety begins with his role in installation before even glancing at another spot. Though Todd Orlandos (DC, USC) time at Texas came to a screeching halt after the 2019 regular season, one thing is clear, the man can create pressure. The beauty within Orlandos use of interchangeable players allows him to stay within packages, but get different pre-snap looks. If the guard decides to climb for the Mike (illustrated), the 4i can easily get penetration and maybe even block or negate the pull (I have a clip of this later vs TCUs 11p single-back Power). Aggressive DCs like Orlando weren't having that for long, and his response is to teach his players to show a blitz to trigger the sideline glance and check from the offense before bringing another call entirely. Todd Orlando remembers feeling bad for Tom Herman. Innovation comes from desperation, and in the offensive gauntlet that is the Big 12, it has created an evolutionary playground for defensive (and offensive) football. A good run defense has been a calling card of. When you get players who can make throws and can run, you have to be mindful, Orlando told reporters on Wednesday morning. Its very unique, added Texas senior safetyP.J. Thats what practice is about. Continue reading Simulated Pressures From a Positionless Defense (2019 Sugar Bowl). Even further, turn on a Cowboys or Seahawks game and you are likely to see multiple ways to run the Zone or Arc Read. One of the areas in which Orlando has excelled as a teacher is in the art of disguising pressures and dictating to opponents with stop calls. And with depth limited at linebacker, Ralen Goforth and Kanai Mauga have emerged as top candidates to start alongside Palaie Gaoteote in roles theyve had to learn on the fly. Orlando's rover is typically one of the team leaders in sacks as a result of this strategy. But those arent the only areas that were to be evaluated starting Wednesday. But Orlando paid Herman, a former QB coach, an even higher compliment than that. He finished with three tackles and one tackle for loss, which counts as a quiet night for the sophomore linebacker. Its not likely to last forever. The Trojans defense shifted into different looks, sometimes showing two down linemen with Jackson and defensive end Nick Figueroa standing up. In this particular instance shown above, the Jack backer walls the play by climbing to the RB. Theyre not only making plays, but theyre trying to help other guys. LOS ANGELES USCs season-opening 28-27 win over Arizona State offered a glimpse of what first-year defensive coordinator Todd Orlandos defense will look like. The reason for this is the design of Orlando's defense, which favors speed over size at the middle linebacker position. Since Texas Longhorns head coach Tom Herman dismissed defensive coordinator Todd Orlando two and a half months ago and even before, to some extent its become clear just how much defensive line recruits and players disliked the front used by Orlando in his 3-3-5 defense. Orlando utilizes a number of disguised blitzes and coverages out of his 3-4 front, which can cause havoc for an offense trying to sort through things quickly. Orlando now resides in Los Angeles with the USC Trojans and it will be interesting to see how the PAC 12 chooses to attack the Orlando system. Then, facing the ultra-explosive Oklahoma State offense, he made a big change to his defensive structure that probably revolutionized his own philosophy and perhaps changed prevailing best practices across the college game from here on out. Lincoln RileyandKliff Kingsburycome from the Air Raid tree, but their systems look quite different in the same way Kansas States pro-style, option-heavy scheme varies from Oklahoma States spread. Roach believes that Orlandos odd front didnt let the defensive line showcase their abilities. Orlando, 48, spent the last three seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Texas, where he was one of the highest paid assistants in college football. What is the current state of play for one of the elite QB prospects on the board? He spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons under Mario Cristobal and FIU, where he won a share of the Sun Belt title and a bowl game victory. If you practice soft, youre going to play soft, Orlando said. New USC defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, shown during his tenure at Texas, didnt let the COVID-19 shutdown stop him from familiarizing the Trojans to his defense. One of the key subplots to USC's season opener against Arizona State is the performance of the Trojans' defense, more specifically the secondary. Drake Jackson, who spent last season as more of a strict defensive. Ryan Kartje is the USC beat writer at the Los Angeles Times. Like Iowa State, Texas has a three-safety Dime package that they utilize against pass-heavy offenses (think Kingburys Tech) or in obvious pass downs where Orlando wants to drop eight and flood the zones. The arrangement wasnt ideal for anyone involved, least of all the new defensive coordinator tasked with toughening up a unit that, for seven months, was barred from standing next to each other, let alone colliding. Pili underwent surgery last week on some broken fingers, which forced him to miss the game. But returning veterans on the roster like safety Isaiah Pola-Mao and defensive end Nick Figueroa have made a point of helping the young players come along and be ready to contribute in 2021. Gambling problem? To me, thats recruiting. USC needs more size, speed and athleticism at every level of its defense. That wasnt happening before Hermans arrival in Austin. One was down and distance. USC had problems getting aligned on Saturday, and one of its alignment busts led to an Arizona State touchdown in the second quarter. He joined The Times after six years with the Southern California News Group. I feel the 4-3 will help those guys to show their talents and more people will come out of Texas.. Orlando usually sent four rushers when he used this package early in the game, and Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels took advantage of the pressure on the first drive by ripping off a 38-yard run. We continue to progress in the pass, Orlando said of the group. Hands-on coaching was limited to distanced learning. Most offensive schemes in the Big 12 didn't have many built-in answers for a versatile safety floating in the middle of the field and thwarting their route combos or coming unblocked against the run game. During his time as defensive coordinator at Texas, his defense forced 65 turnovers and ranked in the top 10 nationally for . Figueroa served as the single down lineman and was joined on the line of scrimmage by Jackson, Echols and one USCs more traditional linebackers, either Ralen Goforth or Palaie Gaoteote. The time is now! Click here to buy a copy today or visit your local newsstand! Aside from one spring practice, the intricacies of his scheme were installed only over Zoom. Texas didnt do much to stop the onslaught late in the game (no one did), but there are some definite takeaways. It left a big void in our defensive line, experiencewise, Pili said. Though Iowa State and their base Broken Stack that features a three-safety Dime Robber scheme has become the most popular scheme within the league, in truth, it is Todd Orlando at Texas that has made his mark around the country behind his use of a positionless defense and defending the wide-open schemes found in the league. The trickle-up effect is in full swing. Safeties coach Craig Naivar, whos been working with Orlando since 2015, described the defense with that exact word a few weeks ago. Todd Orlando has plenty of experience arriving at a new school and installing his defensive scheme for the first time. Theres a reason why he was let go. It took a toll on our bodies, Locke said. Now they brought in a new staff, giving those guys the opportunity to rush the passer and show what they have.. Some of the stuff he was about to say, I was already thinking. But full contact could always force further change. Before arriving at Utah State in 2013, Orlando traditionally ran a four-down front. Texas goal is to play fast on defense, forcing opposing QB to play slow. Playing defensive end Marqez Bimage in a similar role produced better results for Texas late in the season. Texas run defense didnt suffer in that time either. Theyre helping us as a coaching staff and that stuff, you cant put a price on those things.. Theres a little bit of schematics into it. Weve got to be mindful of the stuff were doing or asking him to do. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at: The time is now! Until you go against live, at the end of the day youre not going to trick everybody in terms of your scheme, Orlando said. He also coaches the linebackers. Orlando said USC utilized 70 to 75 percent of its defensive package against the Sun Devils. A good run defense has been a calling card of Orlandos units at his previous stops. Among current players, defensive end TaQuon Graham was something close to ecstatic about the potential for rushing the quarterback in Ashs defense following the Alamo Bowl win over Utah. If youre thinking in football, youre playing slow.. Facing an offense that averaged 45 points per game, fourth nationally, Orlando reversed one of the core principles of his defensive philosophy. Orlandos players have a different term for that distinction. Orlando turned down that job, too. No. Redshirt freshman Max Williams was the extra defensive back on the field in these packages. The defensive line lost more bodies in the offseason when Jacob Lichtenstein opted out of the season, and it was announced that Trevor Trouts season (and possibly his career) would be over with a back injury. Even for much of spring camp. As of Thursday morning, it has apparently filled out the rest of its coaching staffit has apparently filled out the rest of its Thats where adaptability comes into play. The inside LB corp consists of a Mike and what is referred to as a B backer. The defense made the final stand to seal the victory, but it also gave up some big plays and surrendered 258 rushing yards to the Sun Devils. A little has to do with the pace of the game too. Even the NFL saw many of its teams embrace a more open style of play. A clearer picture of USCs new defense should crystallize in the coming days, with contact no longer limited. 20 Southern California, however, has been different because of the coronavirus pandemic. Sean McVay and his 11 personnel under center (UTC) offense has taken over the league en route to a Super Bowl appearance. I dont know how theyre going to play it, but thats going to be worth watching against a quarterback (Jayden Daniels) who is a veteran.. Orlando, despite his concessions against the pass, said the beauty of the lighting package is Texas numbers up front still cover up against the run. Pola-Mao returns and has been a stud in camp, causing chaos in blitzing situations and making plays on the ball in pass coverage that he has not made in the past. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Orlando said the Big 12 is unparalleled nationally when it comes to offensive playcalling. It comes as no surprise that in a league that is at the forefront of the evolution of the Spread would feature unique defenses within the league to counter the offensive onslaught. Those disguised blitzes cause an opposing quarterback to think, which is critical against tempo. One of his favorite ways to do this is with his overload blitzes off the edges. "We are excited to have. . Jackson played with his hand in the ground a bit, just not as frequently as he did last season. End Jacob Lichtenstein is expected to be a contributor this season, and freshman Korey Foreman will be ready on third down early in the season. Mason Rudolph, a third-round pick of the Steelers, failed to clear the 300-yard mark only twice in 2017. The guy could be a linebacker coach. If you take what he says at face value there, maybe they shouldnt be too worried about the additional wrinkles making things confusing or leading to miscommunications. You get those guys in the program, they make us all look great. Orlando's favorite scheme against the run in his multiple 3-4. His defenses would mix in three-down looks, but that was only about 20 percent of the time. Orlando walked into the interview room and saw his Aggie defensive film already on the screen. It was during his time at Utah that he learned to assemble the 3-4 pressure package that made him an attractive hire for Herman and then a successful coach at Houston. MQ takes a look at Texas 3rd Down pressure package versus Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. When we sat down and started to talk it was just so similar, Orlando told 247Sports. And Charles Omenihu won the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year award in 2018 with 9.5 sacks playing in the same scheme that ultimately limited Orlandos last defense in Austin. Every week is a challenge. Thats in large part due to the variance of the offensive minds. When Tom Herman hired Todd Orlando to be his defensive coordinator at the University of Houston, Herman was looking for a coach who could teach the kind of defense that always gave him fits. This article appeared in Athlon Sports' 2018 Big 12 Regional Football Preview Editions. Herman knew within 10 minutes of talking with Orlando hed found his defensive coordinator. The Longhorns are taking away a weapon (the QB), while also preventing running backs from getting behind them for big gains. He brings a passion, energy, toughness and discipline to his coaching, Helton said, and those characteristics were evident in our discussions. After leaving FIU, Orlando went north to coach Utah State, where their defense ranked 7th and 12th in scoring defense during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, respectively. Drake Jackson will man the hybrid outside backer position again this season. Texas blows lead against Cal State Fullerton in 6-5 loss. Herman isnt shy about issuing compliments to his defensive lieutenant. And then Jamars just played that his whole life. Orlando took a linebacker off the field, added a third safety and unveiled Texas lightning package.. Follow Antonio on Twitter @AntonioCMorales. You look toward the tail end of the game, our intent was to bring enough guys we could go at least six (defenders) for six (blockers) on them and force them to throw the football.. One thing to not overlook is the away side 4i who has leverage on the away side tackle. Drake Jackson, who spent last season as more of a strict defensive end, shed 25 pounds and shifted into a hybrid linebacker role. Just the traditional tailback running game, if youre not doing good you have no chance of playing elite defense. Are they going to be too complicated in the first game and have to scale things back, or are they going to keep it simple and then gradually add layers of intricacy? I just feel like now that burden is on me, being the veteran.. (Liberty vs Arkansas 22), Dec. 22 Blitz of the Month Georgias Pod Alignment, Blitzing from the Odd Stack vs a Pro Style offense (Ole Miss vs Kentucky 22). Visit our online store to order your copyto get more in-depth analysis on the 2018 season. At the three traditional LB spots, converted safety Raymond Scott has grabbed control of the outside backer spot while Kanai and Ralen Goforth return inside. There are a lot of questions about how the Trojans offensive line will perform, but having Brett Neilon at center and Alijah Vera-Tucker at left tackle should help. Saban has finally embraced the change as well, throwing the ball more than he ever has before with Tua Tagovailoa. No. We have the same mentality, Orlando said. If the Trojans are going to take a step forward as a program this season, its going to need its defense to make some serious progress. If you allow that to happen and know its going to happen, thats a crime in my opinion. That will change Saturday, as USC takes on San Jose State in the 2021 season opener. The use of small ball to counteract the space created by Spread offenses is understandable. As the season progresses, look for true freshman Raesjon Davis to sneak his way into the starting lineup. Lack of preparation, scheme and just overall performance is all tied in, but it hasnt been a good effort whatsoever. Coach Orlando is a real guy, Johnson said. Herman wanted a coordinator capable of calling a multiple defense, and Orlando fit that bill. Feb 18, 2023 . With his ability to teach fundamentals to raw athletes, train and equip defenders to attack offenses with disguise and pressure and adapt his tactics around the strengths of his roster, Orlando is proving to be a cutting-edge coordinator. The coaches threw the entire . But for now Orlando is sticking around in Austin to work with Herman. Todd Orlando's defense has been getting exposed all year long Share this article 31 shares Matt Wadleigh October 13, 2021 4:15 am PT After the opening weekend for USC, things looked good for. Herman brought Orlando along with him to Texas, where a brilliant Year 1 netted the Longhorns defensive coordinator a raise to $1.7 million per year through the 2021 season. Were not going to know the answer to that question until Nov. 7, but Todd Orlando seems very confident this defense will have everything straightforward and understood., Sign up for the Trojans Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. The 404 alignment does several things for the box: 1) the offensive line cant climb because of the 4is, and 2) it frees up at least one of the inside linebackers (if not both). Today will be the day, Orlando said Wednesday morning. Defensive coach Todd Orlando of the Texas Longhorns reacts during play against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second . Call 1-800-GAMBLER. The 2019 National Championship saw a battle of Spread teams that featured two of the most efficient offenses in the country (and two of the best QBs as well). The pairing, if things break right, could bring Texas back to where it expects to be annually. One need only look at Texas Oct. 21 matchup with Oklahoma State for an example. In fact, Todd Orlandos defense is towards the bottom of the conference in points allowed per game, per SportsPac12s latest. Aggressive, physical, unfearing. That establishment between Orlando and his team started in earnest following the Longhorns worst defensive effort of the season, a 51-41 loss to Maryland in Week 1. Clancy Pendergast there wasnt a lot of mystery to his defense. The Times first reported his hiring Monday.