Chron: New 4-3 scheme has Texans' defense ready to attack

[nWo34Life]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3793535.html

By JOHN MCCLAIN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Now that the Texans are deep into their offseason program under new coach Gary Kubiak, the defensive players are certain that switching to a 4-3 scheme was the right thing to do.

After playing a 3-4 for four seasons under former coach Dom Capers, the defensive players are excited about the change under new defensive coordinator Richard Smith.

Smith, who was Miami's co-defensive coordinator last season, has built a reputation as an aggressive coach who wants his players to attack rather than read and react.

"I'm ready to strap on my boots because the linemen in a 4-3 get to fire off the ball," said tackle Travis Johnson, last year's No. 1 pick who was ill-suited for end in a 3-4. "The 4-3's ideal for me because I'm agile, mobile and hostile."

When Johnson came to the Texans from Florida State last season, he wrote "trespass" and "danger" on his wristbands.

"Playing in a 4-3 this season, I'm going to get charged with trespassing a lot," he said. "If God's blessed you with gifts that suit a certain style, you can't just sit and catch blockers all day.

"The 4-3 is really suited for all of us on the defensive line. We are going to cause some havoc."

Like Johnson, Robaire Smith has moved inside to tackle from end in the 3-4. Smith played tackle in Tennessee's 4-3 before leaving the Titans to sign with the Texans.

"It's sort of like riding a bicycle in that once you've done it and that's what you love to do, it's going to be easy to pick it back up," Smith said of the change. "This (4-3) is more about using your natural talent.

"Instead of sitting and waiting and reacting to somebody, which we did in the 3-4, we can get off the ball and penetrate. As long as you're knocking your guy backward and controlling your gap, you're going to do well in a 4-3."

The tackles aren't the only defensive players breathing sighs of relief at the switch.

Antwan Peek and Jason Babin, who started at outside linebacker in the 3-4 and dropped down in passing situations, are competing at right end. Ideally, in passing situations, Babin will play left end, and Anthony Weaver, the free-agent addition from Baltimore, will move inside to tackle.

"I'm sure looking forward to it," said Peek, who has to gain weight and continue to get stronger to play end on a full-time basis. "It's going to be a big difference."

Peek's strength is his quickness to get off the ball and get after the quarterback. His quickness and aggressiveness will cause him to make some mistakes when he gets fooled, but it also will help him make big plays.

"It was frustrating," he said. "In a 3-4, you don't get enough opportunities to rush to set up your moves. In a 4-3, you get so many more chances to rush. There'll be so many more opportunities to utilize what I do best.

"The first thing the coaches talked to me about was putting me in the best position to make plays. They want me to go hard every down and get that ball."

Babin, a No. 1 pick in 2004, started every game as a rookie and had four sacks. Last season, he suffered a shoulder injury in training camp, missed a lot of time and was never 100 percent. He still had four sacks.

"I get to go back to defensive end, where I played in college," he said. "It's more natural for me than linebacker.

"When I had to drop back and read pass coverage, it was a little hard for me to learn at first. Naturally, I want to go forward and attack."

It's not just the linemen who are ecstatic about the 4-3.

"It's a new beginning, and this system allows us to play more than having to spend so much time thinking," cornerback Dunta Robinson said. "Any time you switch coaches, a lot of changes are going to be made. Sometimes, change can be exciting."

[JamesC]

I'm glad to see them in a 4-3 scheme. Like its been said, guys like Travis Johnson and Robaire Smith have no business playing defensive end.

[ROXRAN]

I really like the excited expressed, it shows the confidence in the 4-3 scheme, and it will mean better productivity. It should be exciting to watch as well!...

[ima_drummer2k]

Good riddance, 3-4!!

I heard an interview with Gary Walker a few months ago and he was saying that, to a man, everyone on the defense hated the 3-4. I thought it was just sour grapes on his part, but after reading the quotes in this article, it sounds like he was right. Seems like every lineman and every linebacker was playing out of position. Great way to coach there, Dom. :rolleyes:

This adds more ammo to my theory that 2-14 had more to do with coaching schemes than roster talent, despite what MadMax thinks. My prediction is 7 or 8 wins this year, then playoffs next year.

We kept Dom on 1 year too long, but now we're back on schedule.

[MadMax]

Good riddance, 3-4!!

I heard an interview with Gary Walker a few months ago and he was saying that, to a man, everyone on the defense hated the 3-4. I thought it was just sour grapes on his part, but after reading the quotes in this article, it sounds like he was right. Seems like every lineman and every linebacker was playing out of position. Great way to coach there, Dom. :rolleyes:

This adds more ammo to my theory that 2-14 had more to do with coaching schemes than roster talent, despite what MadMax thinks. My prediction is 7 or 8 wins this year, then playoffs next year.

We kept Dom on 1 year too long, but now we're back on schedule.

i'm in your head!!! :cool:

i so hope you're right.

[swilkins]

Good riddance, 3-4!!

I heard an interview with Gary Walker a few months ago and he was saying that, to a man, everyone on the defense hated the 3-4. I thought it was just sour grapes on his part, but after reading the quotes in this article, it sounds like he was right. Seems like every lineman and every linebacker was playing out of position. Great way to coach there, Dom. :rolleyes:

This adds more ammo to my theory that 2-14 had more to do with coaching schemes than roster talent, despite what MadMax thinks. My prediction is 7 or 8 wins this year, then playoffs next year.

We kept Dom on 1 year too long, but now we're back on schedule.

In hindsight, it is easy to say that we kept Dom 1 year too long. Dom expected so much from the players and the players didn't fit the scheme.

I think it is both. For players to criticize the 3-4 doesn't surprise me. The same has been said about the offense. Dom pitched his philosophy when he was hired. Owner and GM moved forward and obtained the type of players best suited for the scheme. In the end, they failed. Dom got the axe and Cass will be next. I'm not saying that the players won't show improvement this year. I believe they will, because their going back to their natural position. I'm saying that the players looked lost sometimes. Out of focus. The coaches scheme only works when everyone understands their position and the coaches prepare them for upcoming games.

The 3-4 failed. It's everyone's fault, but it's Caper's scheme, so you gotta start at the top.

[Baqui99]

Another reason why the Texans are a loser franchise. Passing on DJ.

http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/images/photo_galleries/2003_04/tech_111503/images/johnson_derrick.jpg

[swilkins]

Another reason why the Texans are a loser franchise. Passing on DJ.

I wanted him too, but they were looking for a DE and he didn't fit their needs.

Had we fired Dom and Cass 1 year sooner, we might have drafted him to fit the 4-3. Of course we might not have had a 2-14 record and Bush this year.

Woulda coulda shoulda at it's best.

[ima_drummer2k]

In hindsight, it is easy to say that we kept Dom 1 year too long.
You're probably right. Hard to fire a coach when the team has gotten better each year he's been here (4-12, 5-11, 7-9).

Then again, the thing that everyone said about Dom before he got here was that he is a good man to build a team from scratch, but when you're ready to take the next step, you probably want someone different. At the end of the 2004 season, it could have been argued that we were ready for the next step. We were a few bad plays in the Cleveland game away from being 8-8....in our 3rd year of existence. :eek:

I don't think anyone could have predicted 2-14 the next year.

It's pretty obvious that the players quit on him after the first 4 or 5 games in 2005. I think they could see the handwriting on the wall and figured "why should we put out for this guy when we don't like his schemes and he's not even going to be here next year?" We can argue about whether or not that's the right thing to do, but it is what it is. At least in my opinion. I honestly think that's what happened.

That's why (with a new staff, a few new players, a new philosophy and a new attitude) I really think the Texans are going to surprise a lot of people (like MadMax ;) ) this year.

[IC2000]

Another reason why the Texans are a loser franchise. Passing on DJ.

http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/images/photo_galleries/2003_04/tech_111503/images/johnson_derrick.jpg

Is he even that good? This is nothing against him or UT! I just always hear how we should have gotten him. How has he been doing?

[MadMax]

Is he even that good? This is nothing against him or UT! I just always hear how we should have gotten him. How has he been doing?

after 2 seasons, he's already very solid. yes, he's good.

[rikesh316]

after 2 seasons, he's already very solid. yes, he's good.

He only was a rookie last year. Still too early to see if they Texans did wrong drafting TJ over DJ.

[MadMax]

He only was a rookie last year. Still too early to see if they Texans did wrong drafting TJ over DJ.


tha'ts what i meant...he was a 2 year rookie. because he was like red-shirted..because the Chiefs wear red shirts, and all. and he was like...really good. so they like called him a 2 year rookie. weird, huh?

[SamFisher]

tha'ts what i meant...he was a 2 year rookie. because he was like red-shirted..because the Chiefs wear red shirts, and all. and he was like...really good. so they like called him a 2 year rookie. weird, huh?

I agree with this statement, though am unsure what it means.

[gucci888]

Is he even that good? This is nothing against him or UT! I just always hear how we should have gotten him. How has he been doing?

95 Combined Tackles (72 solo)
2 Forced Fumbles
1 Fumble Recovery
2 Sacks

[MadMax]

I agree with this statement, though am unsure what it means.

it means he's really, really good.

[swilkins]

He only was a rookie last year. Still too early to see if they Texans did wrong drafting TJ over DJ.

They're not even the same position, so how are you going to compare them?

[rezdawg]

95 Combined Tackles (72 solo)
2 Forced Fumbles
1 Fumble Recovery
2 Sacks

He started off hot, but fizzled out big time...over his first 5 games:

41 Combined Tackles (36 solo)
2 Forced Fumbles
1 Fumble Recovery
1 Sack

So, basically, over the last 11 games of the season, he had less than 1/2 of the output he had during the first 5 games. His last 11 games were extremely weak...

54 Combined Tackles (36 solo)
0 Forced Fumbles
0 Fumble Recovery
1 Sack

[IC2000]

He started off hot, but fizzled out big time...over his first 5 games:

41 Combined Tackles (36 solo)
2 Forced Fumbles
1 Fumble Recovery
1 Sack

So, basically, over the last 11 games of the season, he had less than 1/2 of the output he had during the first 5 games. His last 11 games were extremely weak...

54 Combined Tackles (36 solo)
0 Forced Fumbles
0 Fumble Recovery
1 Sack

Thats what I thought I remembered hearing. He is made out to be like passing on Demarcus Ware or Shaun Merriman

[MadMax]

Thats what I thought I remembered hearing. He is made out to be like passing on Demarcus Ware or Shaun Merriman

yeah...we were much better going in the direction we went.


the guy was a ROOKIE!!!

[IC2000]

yeah...we were much better going in the direction we went.


the guy was a ROOKIE!!!

Travis Johnson could be good, He was only a Rookie!!!!!

We passed on other good players too

[MadMax]

Travis Johnson could be good, He was only a Rookie!!!!!

We passed on other good players too

Travis Johnson didn't have HALF the season DJ did.

[H-Town Info]

Travis Johnson didn't have HALF the season DJ did.

travis johnson played 3-4 DE where u just clog the lanes and gaps. he also didnt start til late in the season. DJ played and started pretty much every game for KC. he also played 4-3 olb

[gucci888]

I was pretty disappointed we passed on DJ for T. Johnson, but I don't think we can fully evaluate TJ from last season. He played out of position (kinda funny how we've skipped players because they don't fit the system, but we don't hesitate to draft players and play them out of position).

[JamesC]

I was hoping the Texans would have drafted DJ too especially after losing Jay Foreman and Jamie Sharper. Going into last season after the team went 7-9 I thought they had a chance to make some things happen, but after their offseason moves I was dissappointed. I also thought cutting Billy Miller was a mistake because he was the second best reciever on the team after Andre Johnson. After he was cut, it was basically Andre Johnson against the secondary. Right now I'm glad to see Kubiak trying to fix last offseasons blunders.

[percicles]

If TJ came out in this draft he would be the 5th or 6th D-tackle taken. Definetly not the 1st round.

This is why the Texans organization is the laughing stock of the NFL. How can you not forsee this. Shouldn't organizations evalute Senoirs and Juniors when they're scouting?

[rezdawg]

If TJ came out in this draft he would be the 5th or 6th D-tackle taken. Definetly not the 1st round.

This is why the Texans organization is the laughing stock of the NFL. How can you not forsee this. Shouldn't organizations evalute Senoirs and Juniors when they're scouting?

TJ was the highest rated DT in his draft class. With his talent and skill level, if he was in this draft, he'd still be a 1st rounder. You cant evaluate a 3-4 DLineman based on the stat sheet. He was a solid pick.

[Jrazz]

Travis Johnson only took up space in the worse defense in the NFL. He talks like an All Pro and plays like an undrafted no name.
We will know if he is a player this year, if he actually has some affect on the games. Will the offensive linemen worry about him, maybe think of double teaming him? Will the offensive coordinaters have to consider his effect on their game plans. I have some hope for Travis this year with the new coaches and new schemes.

[rezdawg]

I have faith in TJ...I give him this upcoming season to show me something before I lose that faith.

Lets look at Florida St current DT, Brodrick Bunkley, who will probably be a top 10 pick. Comparing the two (when TJ was entering draft):

Bunkley is 6'3 and 306 lbs.
Johnson is 6'4 and was 298 lbs.
Bunkley ran the 40 in 5.01.
Johnson ran the 40 in 4.92.
Bunkley did 44 reps on the bench.
Johnson did 23 reps on the bench. (ouch)
Bunkley jumped 32.5 inches.
Johnson jumped 34 inches.

The only red flag here is TJ's bench...I would hope that a year of NFL training has helped him in that regard.

Im anxious to see how he performs.