re: Question for ppl who know football: 4-3 vs 3-4

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I think the best would be if we could run a 4-2-5 with our talent. We’d be able to have 4 down lineman and with our lack of experience at LB not force the young guys to play early. This would also enable us to have Stingley- Todd Harris- Kary Vincent- Jacoby Stevens- and Elias Ricks(if he proves he’s ready) on the field at the same time. We’d be able to stop spread offenses and stop the run with our depth at D Line

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I'm a fan of the 4-2-5 because I also like a 4-man rush at all times. You can work an OL to death if you've got two athletic DE's, which LSU usually has no trouble finding. However, if you're base defense is a 3-4, you can run multiple variations of other formations like a 3-2-6, 3-3-5, and even a 4-2-5 or 4-3.

Hybrid players are the norm, and a 240-lb. DE with good speed and agility can help in disguising what you're doing in the front seven.

Not that you can't do that with a 4-2-5 or 4-3, but as you mentioned, the lack of depth at LB is a concern. The only way to alleviate any concerns is to get those guys on the field. If you leave a young, inexperienced MLB on an island in coverage or run support (in a 4-3 or worse yet, a 4-2-5), you don't know how he's going to respond. There's a lot of merit in surrounding young players with veterans. Get them in there and let them coach one another up on the field. Having another MLB (or ILB in a 3-4) is a plus.

It's the same principle as having a true freshman come in and play center or guard. He's got 4 other guys there to rally around him. They can't block his guy, but trust me, they all feed off one another.