Aranda’s One Gap System

Looking at the talent across our starting D Line and their relative ineffectiveness versus bigger offensive lines, I think there’s an argument to be made that the one gap 3-4 isn’t the best fit in the SEC. My reasoning is this- LSU’s run defense held up better the last two years in the same system. However, they were also running the one gap with enough guys playing out of position at DE from our previous 4-3 to made a difference.

This is really the first year that Aranda has had a line made up of guys who are all the prototype size and athlete for the way he wants to play the 3-4. Unfortunately, this is also the most we have seen them get pushed around as a group, and it’s also by far and away the weakest we’ve seen the pass rush. Not every team has been able to pull it off, but Bama, Florida and Georgia (when they actually ran the ball) did. State did at times. Even Ole Miss rushed for a lot more yards than they should have been able to.

I think Dave Aranda is one of the brightest minds in football, and this system of his has worked fine everywhere else he’s taken it. It hasn’t been been weak this year, by any means. However, I also don’t think any of us can say we expected to see this highly touted line get pushed around at the point of attack the way they have by big O Lines.

Is the problem talent, or system? I think there is a noticeable drop off in talent and production between starters and subs on this year’s D Line, but do you really think guys like Alexander, Lawrence and Fehoko are overrated? Or is the system and the smaller guys it tends to put on the field in the front seven the problem? Maybe some of both?

If Aranda thinks the scheme needs tweaking, I’m sure he will do it. I’m just saying that I wouldn’t be surprised to see the staff bringing in some bigger guys up front and using more two gap 3-4 in the future to help with this.