Orlando has a long coaching career with multiple stops across the country. Every time USC football scrimmaged, there was one side of the ball that dominated much of the live periods: the defense. One question I am asking to college football experts is this: Should Todd Orlando emphasize complexity of scheme or simplicity of scheme against Jayden Daniels and the Sun Devils on Saturday? 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. Orlando said he's already adjusted his scheme, which relies on mixed fronts and aggressive blitzing, to fit USC's personnel. Through spring and summer, the physical, hard-nosed brand of defense Todd Orlando promised to bring to USC remained strictly theoretical. He finished with three tackles and one tackle for loss, which counts as a quiet night for the sophomore linebacker. 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. Ryan Kartje is the USC beat writer at the Los Angeles Times. That was the biggest thing that we got caught up in, not using our weapons to our full advantage. Orlando used it during his media availability on Wednesday, too. Orlando has always been multiple, but it seemed like in the end there was just too much going on which was evident by Head Coach Tom Hermans decision to go with Chris Ash as the DC who is known for a simpler style reflecting Ohio State (with more of a Quarters base). Behind them, USC has transfers like Xavion Alford and Chris Thompson, not to mention a slew of freshmen. The following offseason after Houstons Peach Bowl victory over FSU, Orlandos alma mater, Wisconsin, offered him its defensive coordinator role when Aranda left for LSU. I think its a smart move. There has been a critical error on this website. Orlando has also recently had stops at Texas (2017-2019), Houston(2015-2016), and Utah State (2013-2014). Orlando walked into the interview room and saw his Aggie defensive film already on the screen. His defenses would mix in three-down looks, but that was only about 20 percent of the time. Some of the stuff I was about to say, he was already thinking. In this years (2018) THSCA Football Lecture, Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart attributed his use of the Tite Front and how he played the secondary behind it to his meeting with Texas own, Todd Orlando. After holding Oklahoma State to 10 points in regulation, Orlando set about tweaking and retooling the base defense around the 3-2-6 lightning package and the robber coverage. "We are excited to have. In reality, Texas players say their responsibilities change little from week to week. Simulated Pressures From a Positionless Defense (2019 Sugar Bowl), on Simulated Pressures From a Positionless Defense (2019 Sugar Bowl), View @matchquarterss profile on Instagram, Simulated Pressures From a Positionless Defense (2019 Sugar Bowl), article discussing how teams attack the Tite Front, Georgia and Texas used the front and similar coverage schemes as a base, BCfToys.coms top 10 in Defensive Efficiency, Using an EXIT stunt to combat a zone heavy offense. At the same time, it causes a lot of controversy for the guys on offense.. in the 80s, most NFL defenses also carry a hybrid DE, regardless if basing out of a three or four-down defense. This is something, until this year, fathomable only on a 3rd and Long or an end of a half situation in the NFL. It's pretty common for coordinators to double up as position coaches for the most important position on their unit. Hybrid players allow an almost endless amount of ways to blitz and pressure an offense without losing coverage ability (youre dropping a speedy LB/DB instead of a rigid D-lineman). The rotation should expand when Pili returns, but at the moment USCs defensive personnel is what it is. Los Angeles Times USC beat writer Ryan Kartje offered this extended answer: Its important to remind everyone listening that I havent actually seen Todd Orlandos defense other than one practice during the spring Weve seen it all over the country that these offenses are running roughshod over defenses. Rigid positional structures are giving way to a more fluid style of play. FAU brings back a solid core talented defenders in their front seven and have also added numerous former blue-chip transfers to solidify their front seven. Sometimes when youre a good player, youre just worried about yourself and making your plays, Orlando said. However, Orlando was stubborn in keeping his defensive ends playing heads up on opposing offensive tackles instead of giving them early-down opportunities from the five technique like James Lynch enjoyed at Baylor. Then the injuries and attrition reduced depth at linebacker while inexperienced players tried to fill in, resulting in Orlando moving his best natural pass rusher, B-backer Joseph Ossai, to multiple positions around the field that kept him from attacking downhill. It has been quick to the ball, aggressive in its pass rush situations, effective at creating interceptions and disruptive in clogging the line of scrimmage on run plays. 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. Saban has finally embraced the change as well, throwing the ball more than he ever has before with Tua Tagovailoa. The result was a defense that failed to take advantage of the pass-rushing talent of players like Graham, Ossai, and Roach because once the scheme that Orlando spent the offseason developing was no longer effective, its extremely difficult to make those changes once the season begins. Herman's offense is a spread system focused on running the ball downhill, primarily with inside zone runs, and he found 3-4 defenses that played quarters coverage like Orlando's to be the toughest schemes to deal with while at Ohio State. He beats the tackle clean, forces the throw fast and its an incomplete. There's no better way to demonstrate that than to look at howTexas defended the run. Drake Jackson will man the hybrid outside backer position again this season. That safety, last year played by the hard-hittingJason Hall, helped support the run defending on his read. The "mac" or middle linebacker helps call the defense and serves as the "first responder" for the defense against the run, looking to plug gaps and spill blocks to the outside linebackers (or nickel and dime defenders as the case may be) and his partner the "rover" linebacker. Get your first month for $1. Apr 5, 2021. Todd Orlando, who has 16 years of experience as a collegiate defensive coordinator, was named USC's defensive coordinator in January of 2020. Were going to have to work the heck out of this. One of the key subplots to USCs season opener against Arizona State is the performance of the Trojans defense, more specifically the secondary. Orlando sorts film breakdown by position. 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). 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. The more you put in, the more you get out.. The Longhorns base out of a 3-4 that utilizes the Tite Front (404) and a stand-up hybrid DE to the weak side, or away from the passing strength (this is Mint in Saban-speak). Visit our online store to order your copyto get more in-depth analysis on the 2018 season. perspective, he's found Orlando to be a gem of an assistant for a variety of reasons. Those disguised blitzes are a favorite ploy. That style of play didnt transfer to the NFL and the NFL didnt understand what type of player this guy was. 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. Gone were the experienced players in the secondary who could force the quarterback to hold the ball for an extra second or two. 'He's a guru': How Todd Orlando transformed the Texas defense - 247Sports Its going to be real interesting to see how that unfolds in the Pac-12 with USC and everybody., Its a legitimate question in terms of how Orlando is going to play it early in the season, right? As defensive coordinator at Houston in 2015 and 2016, he oversaw a defense that finished 20th and 13th in the nation in yards allowed. Their rotation would be a bit deeper, too. Against the more run-heavy approaches from USC, Oklahoma and Kansas State, Orlando utilized his traditional blend of nickel defense, moving quarters coverages and zone blitzes. Today will be the day, Orlando said Wednesday morning. - Darnold completed 57.1 percent of his passes against Texas (third worst of the year) and threw a season-high two picks. One was down and distance. Tackling has been an issue, (as has) lots of defensive miscommunication. Without a Spring Camp to provide real first-hand understanding of Todd Orlando's defensive scheme as well as Vic So'oto's preferences as defensive line coach, these are best guesses. 3. Orlando believes the only way a team will play fast and hard is if they do so in practice. The numbers back up that decision, as Texas tied for 66th nationally with 27 sacks in 2019, down five from 2018. Texas didnt do much to stop the onslaught late in the game (no one did), but there are some definite takeaways. Hands-on coaching was limited to distanced learning. The play is ultimately killed. USC's new defensive coordinator didn't waste time schooling Trojans on new scheme New USC defensive coordinator Todd Orlando didn't let the COVID-19 shutdown stop him from familiarizing the Trojans to his defense. Orlandos players have a different term for that distinction. You would think its hard to learn, but he made it so simple.. A look at how Texas defenders fit in Todd Orlando's scheme 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. But players say Orlandos greatest strength is the ability to break down complicated concepts into digestible pieces. Yet, because of the way the Longhorns fly to the ball, it doesnt much matter that the numbers are pushed back. Lack of preparation, scheme and just overall performance is all tied in, but it hasnt been a good effort whatsoever. Texas finished 7-5 and Orlando was fired as part of a staff overhaul. Contact drills were reduced to virtual cues. If that sounds like the start of a football romantic comedy, it isnt you wont find two more hard-nosed personalities than Orlando and Herman. You get those guys in the program, they make us all look great. From a core principle perspective thats not too far off. USC coach Clay Helton says hes noticed benefits from the Trojans unprecedented start to an unusual, pandemic-shortened season. Gambling problem? Herman wanted a coordinator capable of calling a multiple defense, and Orlando fit that bill. College football was temporarily revolutionized when hurry-up spread teams began to perfect the art of sending signals from the sideline to the field, allowing coordinators to make audibles and adjustments on behalf of their players. 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. Orlando has previously doubled as linebackers coach, a position that USC split last season between Johnny Nansen, who coached inside linebackers, and Joe DeForest, who coached outside linebackers. Under Orlando's direction last season, Texas run defense jumped to eighth nationally from 76th the year prior. 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. But while Herman's motives started from a simple "What gave me fits as an offensive coach?" 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. . When we sat down and started to talk it was just so similar, Orlando told 247Sports. He brings a passion, energy, toughness and discipline to his coaching, Helton said, and those characteristics were evident in our discussions. Figueroa had a breakout 2020 season and since then has added 15 pounds of muscle to give himself the flexibility to line up at his natural defensive end position or slide inside to play tackle. Before joining Tom Hermans staff at Texas, Orlando was viewed as a rising defensive mind in college football. 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. Before heading to Utah State and learning the art of disguised zone blitzes and modern 3-4 defense from the Kyle Whittingham coaching tree in the early 2010s, Orlando was a traditional 4-3 coach. The former is built on repetitive contact. Todd Orlandoremembers feeling bad forTom Herman. Before that, his inaugural Utah State defense ranked seventh in points allowed. But when asked what separates Orlando from other defensive coaches, Herman pointed out a single aspect of Orlandos repertoire: Its just his creativity, his adaptability.. USC's Todd Orlando encouraged by progress in defensive scheme - Los We see how he got his start c. Then well get an idea of what the defense is truly capable of after losing contributors like DT Marlon Tuipulotu, CB Olaijah Griffin and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Talanoa Hufanga. Todd Orlando sees USC defense as work in progress USC defense showed positive signs in opening win over ASU Coach Todd Orlando of the USC Trojans during USC football practice at the. The Cowboys averaged more yards passing than any team in the country. Orlando is widely considered a fast-rising coach in the industry, and players, like Roach, say Orlando should be a head coach someday. 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. Last. From there, the hits dont stop. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. You hear about soggy eggs and burnt toast. Orlando's new USC defense set to debut after pandemic delays And as Saturday showed, thats a group with a long way to go. Before arriving at Utah State in 2013, Orlando traditionally ran a four-down front. Orlando was fired by head coach Tom Herman on Dec. 1 and Naivar the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the Longhorns who has worked with Herman across four different stops (Sam. (Roger Steinman / AP) Ryan Kartje (LA Times) -- Through spring and summer, the physical, hard-nosed brand of defense Todd Orlando promised to bring to USC remained strictly . He joined The Times after six years with the Southern California News Group. USC has officially found the new face of its defense. But mostly, Halls role was to stay in the middle of the field to aggressively close on the many quick-hitting passes the Cowboys employed and discourage the posts that defined the offense. When interim defensive coordinator Craig Naivar finally allowed Ossai to play that role, Ossai produced three of his five sacks in the Alamo Bowl. 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. He wants his defenders to fly to the football. 9 Texas hosts No. 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. Eventual Florida defensive end signee Princely Umanmielen cited the three-man front as one of the reasons why he decommitted from Texas back in October. A good run defense has been a calling card of Orlandos units at his previous stops. The result was a hurried throw from Daniels, an incompletion on fourth down, and a victory for USC. "I feel like I need to take some time for my wife, kids and grandkids while also looking to see if I can help college football on a larger scale," Patterson told Horns247. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). We have the same mentality, Orlando said. In 2019, that all fell apart. If youre thinking in football, youre playing slow.. From Georgia in the SEC to the Longhorns and Cyclones in the Big 12, the new-age Double Eagle took flight as one of the top ways to contain high powered Spread offenses. 1 overall pick), Rudolph (3rd-round pick),Will Grier(preseason All-American) andDrew Lock(projected first-round pick). The use of small ball to counteract the space created by Spread offenses is understandable. A Michigan native and University of Michigan graduate, Kartje previously wrote for Fox Sports Wisconsin and the Bloomington (Ind.) But Barry and USC opted not to continue their discussions, and Orlando became the leading candidate. You know, he was a linebacker previously, and hes really strong, so being able to move in this system is really a high priority, defensive line coach Vic Sooto said. Then Utah States defensive coordinator, Orlando flew to Columbus, Ohio to interview with Herman for Houstons defensive coordinator job in January of 2015. 3 Kansas. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) Youre in this area and theres some really good high school players in this area, the top guys. 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.. Now they brought in a new staff, giving those guys the opportunity to rush the passer and show what they have.. Arizona State still had some success against this front with a 17-yard touchdown run in the third quarter against the look. And sometimes they went with a 3-4 look with its normal defensive line (Figueroa, Marlon Tuipulotu and Caleb Tremblay) and Jackson and Hunter Echols as outside linebackers. 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. 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. Enter your email address to follow this blog & make sure to follow on MatchQuarters.substackcom. Roach believes that Orlandos odd front didnt let the defensive line showcase their abilities. He said of Orlandos teaching, He has one of those play calls where its constant blitzes. Weve changed that.. He was also inheriting a schedule that included Sam Darnold and USC, Jesse Ertz and Kansas State, Baker Mayfield and Oklahoma, Mason Rudolph and Oklahoma State, Kenny Hill and TCU, Will Grier and West Virginia and ultimately Drew Lock and Missouri -- essentially, some of the cream of the crop in terms of modern spread offense and spread quarterbacking. Continue reading Simulated Pressures From a Positionless Defense (2019 Sugar Bowl). 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. As the season progresses, look for true freshman Raesjon Davis to sneak his way into the starting lineup. We try to take the philosophy of trying to make people one-dimensional, run the football on you and control the clock, because, in my opinion, there are less mistakes made on you when you turn around and hand the ball off and they can get seven or eight yards.. Hell then put on a video with several examples. Todd Orlando has plenty of experience arriving at a new school and installing his defensive scheme for the first time. Antonio Morales covers USC football for The Athletic. We need everyone to execute at the utmost level to make things work. We all saw how that worked. It left a big void in our defensive line, experiencewise, Pili said. If the guard stays on the 4i (double team), both the Mike and Will are left free to flow with the play and what DC doesnt want is ILBs free-flowing to the ball? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Most people know what to expect from USCs offense from game to game. Two Former NBA Players Receive Prison Sentences For Fraud Scheme. In an effort to get more speed and versatility on the field, Orlando moved Jefferson to mac linebacker, inserted Johnson, a sprinter, at rover and replaced senior B-backer Naashon Hughes with a sixth defensive back. The Tite Front was all the rage during the 2017 season. Herman just needed to know if the pair would mesh personally. Get full team previews, schedules, scouting reports, conference predictions, and national rankings. Phone. Owl fans had seen this defensive scheme recently when defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer coached FAU in 2019 as part of the 11-3 Conference USA and Boca Bowl championship season. Orlando will get his first chance to determine the impact of the tradeoff when the Trojans begin their truncated season . 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. Defenses that base out of the Tite Front dont mind the bounce because their speedy (and usually free)LBs can now chase down the RB while its overhangs box everything back inside (think of them like the Double Eagles wide-9s). Texas goal is to play fast on defense, forcing opposing QB to play slow. In Orlandos scheme, the Mike is the plugger and will go away from the Nose. I do think that is the gambit this season with the defense: You have to risk the fact that while there may be some miscommunications, and maybe its getting a little too complicated, also that complication is what could give this defense a leg up from past defenses USC has fielded. So in addition to having a blitz package, Orlando teaches his rover how to disguise insert blitzes through the A and B gaps. Pili underwent surgery last week on some broken fingers, which forced him to miss the game. One of the key subplots to USC's season opener against Arizona State is the performance of the Trojans' defense, more specifically the secondary. He did some things out there that were pretty special.. Los Angeles. Orlando said the Big 12 is unparalleled nationally when it comes to offensive playcalling. Owl fans had seen this defensive scheme recently when defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer coached FAU in 2019 as part of the 11-3 Conference USA and Boca Bowl championship season.