defending "money downs

[aubiefifty 18,231]

Derek Mason tasked with repairing SEC's worst third-down defense

ByNathan King

5-6 minutes

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Biggest Questions Around The SEC In 2021 (Late Kick Cut)

AUBURN, Alabama — Don't blame Zakoby McClain for Auburn's lowly third-down defense last season.

The Tigers finished the 2020 season dead last in the SEC in third-down conversion percentage (50.3%). It was the first time since 2012 that an SEC defense allowed more than half of the third downs it faced to be converted (Kentucky). Of course, that was a different defense than the one Auburn has now, and one metric doesn't tell the whole story.

But McClain's not the one to ask about improving third-down stops. Not yet, at least.

"I wasn’t out there on third downs, so," Auburn's senior linebacker said over the weekend with a smile. "Me, I’m going to be playing more third downs. It’s going to make a big difference with me out there."

What will be different about Auburn's approach to defending "money downs" in 2021? New defensive coordinator Derek Mason has some ideas on personnel groupings to be better equipped to succeed on third down, as McClain alluded to, but to him, it's more about succeeding on the previous parts of a given drive.

"Hallmarks for successful third-down defense: put 'em in unmanageable situations," Mason said Monday. "That's really what it comes down to. If you're in a lot of 3rd-and-3, a lot of 3rd-and-1-through-3, those numbers go against you. And as you move up the chart — when you start to go 4-to-6 (yards) or 7-to-10 or 11-plus, those numbers start to fall in your favor."

Only six teams in college football were worse than Auburn at defending third downs last season; half of them (UMass, Bowling Green and Louisiana-Monroe) failed to win a game all season.

"When you get them in those opportunities on third down where, you know, they're 7-plus, you've got to go," Mason said. "You've got to get off the field. It's about getting off the field. And when you do that, it creates energy and momentum. When you stay on the field, it generally leads to points."

Auburn was No. 8 in the country in third-down defense in 2019. How did it drop 113 spots in a year? The loss of Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson, dominant defensive linemen who opened up opportunities for the rest of the defensive front, especially in pass-rush situations, proved to be costly. The Tigers' pressure rate — the percentage of plays on which an Auburn defender affected the opposing quarterback with some sort of pressure — fell from No. 3 in the SEC to No. 11, according to SEC StatCat. The Tigers also had the conference's fifth-worst three-and-out rate.

The troubles of replacing their two All-American defensive linemen also made life for difficult for a secondary that had plenty of previous experience but still struggled at times as it replaced four starters. Even when Auburn backed offenses up, opponents still converted 41.3% of their third downs with 7-9 yards to go, and 30% with 10 yards or more to gain.

Auburn hopes an improved pass rush holds the key to more consistent success on passing downs. The Tigers were third in the SEC in sacks per game (2.5), yes, but affecting the quarterback wasn't a consistent trait over the course of games, and they weren't breaking down the pocket often on non-sacks, either. They averaged only 2.9 quarterback pressures per game.

At defensive end and edge rusher, Auburn returns its two sack leaders in Colby Wooden and Derick Hall, and it adds Northwestern transfer Eku Leota, Kansas transfer Marcus Harris and four-star recruit Dylan Brooks.

"We're going to be dangerous this year," Wooden said last week of the pass rush.

Of course, Mason is still in the early stages of evaluating his defense. Auburn's fourth day of preseason camp is Tuesday. The Tigers put on pads Thursday and scrimmage for the first time Saturday.

As his unit focuses more on in-game scenarios as camp rolls on, however, Mason will preach his hallmarks for success on third down.

"As we start to transition from some of the everyday camp installs to more situational installs, that starts to become exactly what we focus in on," Mason said. "Right now, it's about foundation: first and second down and some short yardage. Now it's going to start getting into those situations where we're going to start competing against each other — some mock scrimmage situations in practice. And what you try to do is get, like, the offense to third-and-unmanageable, and that's 7-plus for us."

4COMMENTS

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[bigbird 60,939]

Last year's D was painful to watch...almost as bad as the offense.

[USATiger 741]

Taking the best player off the field in any key situation just didn't make sense, especially, when the strategy was getting us crapped on.  Anyway, It's a new day baby!  

[steeleagle 2,945]

3 minutes ago, USATiger said:

Taking the best player off the field in any key situation just didn't make sense, especially, when the strategy was getting us crapped on.  Anyway, It's a new day baby!  

Maybe the reason is they needed 1 fast LB(Pappoe the fastest), and then subbed the LB for another DB for coverage and speed again. Makes sense. You can't keep 2 LBs out there...on 3rd down.

[USATiger 741]

4 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

Maybe the reason is they needed 1 fast LB(Pappoe the fastest), and then subbed the LB for another DB for coverage and speed again. Makes sense. You can't keep 2 LBs out there...on 3rd down.

Thanks for the defense 101 lesson, I had no idea.  I'm new to football.

Anyway, coaches that use strats because that is "by the book", isn't adapting to their personnel and their strengths.  Fortunately, Mason sees Zakoby for what he is a talented MLB and a play-maker.  If I had to guess, as I know Steele is a good DC, it was more about making sure Zakoby got some plays off.  We were beaten on the ground on 3rd downs as much as we were in the air.  

As far as speed goes, give me a slower MLB who reads and reacts quickly, over a guy with an impressive 40 time.

 

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

46 minutes ago, USATiger said:

Thanks for the defense 101 lesson, I had no idea.  I'm new to football.

Anyway, coaches that use strats because that is "by the book", isn't adapting to their personnel and their strengths.  Fortunately, Mason sees Zakoby for what he is a talented MLB and a play-maker.  If I had to guess, as I know Steele is a good DC, it was more about making sure Zakoby got some plays off.  We were beaten on the ground on 3rd downs as much as we were in the air.  

As far as speed goes, give me a slower MLB who reads and reacts quickly, over a guy with an impressive 40 time.

I agree with one exception Zakoby is not a slow middle linebacker.

[JDUBB4AU 5,287]

This metric has been tough .

hope Mason can fix it 

[steeleagle 2,945]

15 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I agree with one exception Zakoby is not a slow middle linebacker.

To be fair, I think he said 'slower' not slow bc he was comparing him to Pappoe who is the fastest.

What MCClain brings is his LB IQ and his ability to react so quickly and find the ball. He was a ball seeking missle and that was his strength and showed on the number of tackles. He is not your normal thumper in the middle like Davis was, and many times he could get pushed out of the play bc he is lighter. 

But in this new defense, I think the DC wants Zakoby to be a 3 down LB, because he is so smart, and maybe with the new defensive schemes he can play 3 downs on critical possessions.

[USATiger 741]

55 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I agree with one exception Zakoby is not a slow middle linebacker.

Absolutely not, I was just saying in counter to the LB’er that was quoted.  Zakoby’s pick 6 should’ve removed that idea.  I have to believe it was to get the guy some rest, they banked on the other guys getting off the field.  Always thought it was a bad move.  Understandable with Britt but not Zakoby

[toddc 13,197]

7 minutes ago, USATiger said:

Absolutely not, I was just saying in counter to the LB’er that was quoted.  Zakoby’s pick 6 should’ve removed that idea.  I have to believe it was to get the guy some rest, they banked on the other guys getting off the field.  Always thought it was a bad move.  Understandable with Britt but not Zakoby

I agree. When KJ got hurt these two were playing the entire game pretty much. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,317]

1 hour ago, toddc said:

I agree. When KJ got hurt these two were playing the entire game pretty much. 

I really thought they should have played Steiner and Riley more last year as they could have given the other two a breather and I think both had the skill set to help the team.

[toddc 13,197]

3 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I really thought they should have played Steiner and Riley more last year as they could have given the other two a breather and I think both had the skill set to help the team.

Me too brother