Why was Mustang package so dismal?

[#1fulmerite]

For some of you more astute fans, why was Chavis’ Mustang package on 3rd and 4th downs so terrible? Was it lack of pressure on QB’s or too deep of a zone?

 

[NighthawkVol]

For some of you more astute fans, why was Chavis’ Mustang package on 3rd and 4th downs so terrible? Was it lack of pressure on QB’s or too deep of a zone?

Way too much cushion.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

For some of you more astute fans, why was Chavis’ Mustang package on 3rd and 4th downs so terrible? Was it lack of pressure on QB’s or too deep of a zone?

I admit ignorance, because I don't even remember what the galloping pony looked like. My uninformed opinion is that it was bad because Chavis was stubborn, dense, and inflexible. When something doesn't work, stop doing it and do something else. He didn't, and so....Forrest Gump's mommy was right.

 

[NATHAN05]

Waaaaayyyyyy too much cushion........QB had all day to wait for a WR to find his way open. I agree, Chavis was a bit stubborn (as was Fulmer in retrospect).

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

During that period I would rather the D be facing a 3rd and 1 or 2 rather that a 3rd and 22. Chances of stopping the 3rd and 2 were much higher.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Not enough power with the V6.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

For some of you more astute fans, why was Chavis’ Mustang package on 3rd and 4th downs so terrible? Was it lack of pressure on QB’s or too deep of a zone?

It wasn't great, but it was better than 3rd and Sunseri.

 

[pimo1]

For some of you more astute fans, why was Chavis’ Mustang package on 3rd and 4th downs so terrible? Was it lack of pressure on QB’s or too deep of a zone?

The Mustang was an early attempt at countering spread offenses and what was then novel people putting their best/fastest guy at slot. It was a prevent with pressure. The thing is, to make it happen you have to have a lot of athletes. tweener safety/linebacker types Stars. It's a dime package with stars in the slot. You need a very deep, talented, athletic secondary to pull that off.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Because we’d rush 3 and drop 8 and get no pressure and let (insert Florida QB or David Greene) have all day to find holes in the zone.

 

[GAVol]

The Mustang was an early attempt at countering spread offenses and what was then novel people putting their best/fastest guy at slot. It was a prevent with pressure. The thing is, to make it happen you have to have a lot of athletes. tweener safety/linebacker types Stars. It's a dime package with stars in the slot. You need a very deep, talented, athletic secondary to pull that off.

Great description. Most of the time it was just a heavy dime look that let us play prevent with some wrinkles.

 

[Jax_Vol]

Too deep of zone imo

 

[Brave Volunteer]

For some of you more astute fans, why was Chavis’ Mustang package on 3rd and 4th downs so terrible? Was it lack of pressure on QB’s or too deep of a zone?

Playing not to lose is never a sound philosophy.

 

[FlintstoneGAVol]

Playing not to lose is never a sound philosophy.

I was thinking that in that period that was Fulmer's philosophy

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I was thinking that in that period that was Fulmer's philosophy

Florida 2006 immediately comes to mind.

 

[Hulavol]

I loved Chavis.

 

[VolBricks]

it was horribly named, it should have been something like the "we don't want to hurt you" package.

 

[pimo1]

Great description. Most of the time it was just a heavy dime look that let us play prevent with some wrinkles.

Thats most special packages TBH there are really what 34, 43, 42, 33, 32 and 52 (super rare outside of goal line) so 6 defensive fronts. sometimes you'll see 42 in a nickel package. The fancy packages are all just them swapping in a linebacker for a DE or a DE for DT or a linebacker for a safety etc. Just like a Leo is just a DE fast-playing linebacker. Star was most defenses is a lb/safety tweener now its basically a guy that would have been a free safety back in the day. Just like Rose is just white-zinfandel with a higher price tag. Change the label on something and you can bring something plain everyone's forgotten and act like its new and charge more for it.

 

[wmcovol]

The best pass rushers were on the field but DBs played too far off WRs. Chavis had a philosophy that DBs don’t try to knock WRs off their route. Unfortunately that philosophy worked great by our opponents against Vol WRs.

 

[Orange-U-Glad]

I was at the David Greene game. We were putting him under pressure for most the second half. Despite his getting good field position, we were stopping them. Then we scored on a long run, and Chavis went into his Mustang package. Greene picked us apart. I’ve hated prevent defenses ever since. I also recall the Florida game when we went into prevent, and their receiver went through our patchwork d-backs like they were there.

 

[Voltopia]

Time is the measuring stick for great QBs. What often separates good QBs from average QBs is the time they need to make decisions and find throws (see also: Hendon Hooker). The greatest QBs don't need a lot of time. Good QBs can play great if they have a little more time - (think of teams with superior OL who win big with "game manager" type QBs). And average QBs can often look pretty good if they have enough time.

If you don't have dominant DL talent that can beat OLs and get to the QB, or even if they're dominant but they just can't get to the QB at the end, then the QB is going to have all the time in the world to find someone to throw to. Then you're throwing to WRs who have room to catch short passes ... so it's all on the DBs to play perfectly and bend but never break.

2006, JaMarcus Russell threw three picks under pressure in Knoxville; the book on him before that game was that he made bad decisions under pressure, so big shock there. End of game, Tennessee with a small lead, and the Vols dropped back into those giant cushions instead of pressuring Russell ... and Russell found a guy and made the throw to win.

2008, Norm Chow said after UCLA came back to beat Tennessee that they were never worried at the end of regulation, and their staff had discussed that if they were within a score at the end they knew they could drive it down the field by playing a short passing game. Straight up said it on the radio. UCLA knew Tennessee would drop into that deep cushion in the secondary, and they used passes underneath to carve Tennessee apart.

2001, UGA, David Greene, well, anyone who was there had that game seared into their brains for all time. Lot of time, lots of room.

 

[FLVOL_79]

Not enough power with the V6.

To quote Ted Kaczynski, "there is no replacement for displacement".

 

[LordBolton]

It wasn't great, but it was better than 3rd and Sunseri.

3rd and Sunseri was a myth. As I recall, no opponent ever got to 3rd down against his D, they had already moved the chains or scored before that. The worst defense in the history of college football. Another Gump saboteur like Cornbread Pruitt.

 

[Vol8188]

3rd and Sunseri was a myth. As I recall, no opponent ever got to 3rd down against his D, they had already moved the chains or scored before that. The worst defense in the history of college football. Another Gump saboteur like Cornbread Pruitt.

I will just assume blue font here


Edit: disregard. I misread. Was still thinking 3rd and Chavis

 

[Vol8188]

Does anyone have any data to show we were bad on 3rd down under Chavis

 

[Stacmot]

Coverage was way to soft. It used to drive me nuts. Now that I think about it, still does with WM and Banks units back there. Like stated already, I think Chavis was to bullheaded to change