Can someone explain why our 3rd down defense is so porous?

They cover no one

And they get no pressure on the opposing qb which makes it look like a fricking prevent but it is not one just shitty defense

Because most of the time we still have Barrow and Welter on the field.

THIRD AND CHAVIS IS NOT FREAKIN FUNNY ANYMORE! It has cost us our last 4 losses. I am done with the Chief! Time for new philosophy, ie new D.

Giving the WRs all day to get open and the QB all day to throw by rushing 4 is a big part of the problem at times.

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We play a zone defense behind 3 or 4 rushing lineman and a defensive back blitzing around the OT who never gets any pressure. Then the LB's fake a blitz and back into zones, but the receivers are all past them at that point, so it doesn't work.

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Spot the frick on. Its the only thing we do on 3rd down

Chavis runs a lot of loose zone on third and longer. The thought it to prevent a big play and also allow his DBs to make plays on the ball.

The problem is, teams know we are doing it, and know how to attack it.

Case in point - I saw this at least three times last night on 2nd or third and long.

Ole miss has two WR to one side. WE have a LB "lined" up on the WR - but he's lined up five yards inside of him. WE have a CB lined up five yards off of the outside WR. The Safety is 12-15 yards back (i.e. already way beyond the first down). The outside WR runs a deep deep, bringing CB deeper. The inside WR runs an out right at the first down marker.

The Safety has no shot to make the play (and most likely has deep coverage anyway). Even if he did, the WR/CB running the deep route keeps him from being able to get there to defend - he has to go through them.

The timing of it makes it so that the CB, if his responsibility is to hand off the deep running WR to the safety, doesn't have time or the awareness to instantly pick up the guy thats just entered his zone. The ball has already been thrown before he even knows he has a man to pick up.

So regardless of whether the CB is playing deep route or the safety is, the two possible coverages with that lineup make it impossible to stop a well executed throw. Ole Miss executed it.

Easy play
Easy Throw
Easy Catch
Easy First Down
Easy Momentum

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Lack of talent.

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Completely agree which is contrary to most of what people think here. Every f'ing tackle is a shoestring tackle in the secondary - it's atrocious.

Third and long is particularly bad for us. Chief never brings more than 4 guys to pressure and since our d-line is one of the more overhyped d-lines in the country with Freak and Ego being good but not great, we get no pressure on the QB.

This, in turn, causes our DBs and awful linebacking corps to cover for longer and defend a pass from an unharrassed QB. Most SEC QBs are too good to let sit in the pocket and see the field so well. And for whatever fricking reason, our DBs sit back in zone well passed the first down marker. Throwing a ten yard out route or crossing pattern becomes pitch and catch against our guys sitting 13 yards deep.

Here you go. This was when he was at Tennessee. Nothing has changed. LINK