Quinton Coples in the 4-3 Defense

[Villain The Foe]

New York Jets: Quinton Coples in the 4-3 Defense

 

 

There is a lot of excitement around the fan base right now, and for good reason. We have a new general manager in Mike Maccagnan, the John Idzik era is over. We are starting a new day on the field as well, with head coach Todd Bowles. The Jets landed one of the top assistants in the game to run their team. It’s OK to be a bit pumped up for the future.

Todd Bowles runs a 4-3 base defense (four down linemen, three linebackers). That is a departure from recent years, as under Rex Ryan, the Jets ran a 3-4 base defense (three down linemen, four linebackers). Obviously, with a new concept coming, there will be a learning curve. But one guy that should excel is Quinton Coples.

Quinton Coples is in his wheelhouse with his hand in the dirt, in a 4-3 system. With the Jets, Coples has stood up as an outside linebacker, and put his hand down. His experience was as a down lineman, and it showed when he had the chance last season. With the base defense becoming a 4-3, Coples has the chance to dominate. He certainly looked good this year.

We are going to breakdown one of his 6.5 sacks to show you. Let’s go back to week 8, to a play from the third quarter at MetLife against the Bills. Let’s take a look.

 

On this play, Coples is lined up at right end, as indicated by the circle. He is going to rush the passer, and take on the left tackle, one on one, when he moves back to block him. The tight end flashes across the tackle to block down, and break open for a possible short pass reception (both moves are shown with lines). Let’s look at the matchup as Coples engages with the tackle.

 

Can you see Coples in the circle? Do you notice that he has his left hand up under the tackle’s shoulder pads? What he is doing there is getting leverage on him. Coples is getting his force underneath his opponent, so he becomes the guy that is moving the tackle where HE wants him to go, not vice versa. He is going to push his opponent right back into quarterback Kyle Orton. He does this to set up the move that puts Orton into his clutches. Let’s move ahead.

Look at this picture, compared to the previous one. Coples has already driven his opponent, the left tackle, across the hashmark, as he continues his quest towards the quarterback. It’s hard to see, but his left arm is starting to push downward as he does a “swim” move. It’s a pass rush move where the inside arm pulls down, and the outside arm goes over the top, like the crawl stroke, henceforth the name the “swim move”. Done right, it gets your weight to inside position quickly leaving the offensive lineman helpless to stop you.

Watch how it plays out for Coples.

Can you see the position that Coples has now? In just one fell swoop with the “swim” move, Coples has nearly half of his body past the lineman, with a clear shot at Kyle Orton. The lineman still has a hand on Coples, but if you look at his position, he is powerless to stop him without committing a penalty.

What was the result?

The result is a sack for Quinton Coples.

Look for a lot of this from Coples in the near future. The system is one that he is set to excel at. If his play so far is any indication, look for Coples’ star to ascend quickly, and hopefully he will become the star that the Jets saw when they drafted him.

[JustInFudge]

Hmph and here I thought he preferred the 3-4 but changes up his scheme week to week similar to Rex.

Coples is a beast.

[Villain The Foe]

Hmph and here I thought he preferred the 3-4 but changes up his scheme week to week similar to Rex.

Coples is a beast.

If Coples is able to  get back on the Dline we're going to be even better up front. Cant even imagine any of the three (Wilk, Rich, Coples) on one-on-ones. Pass rush is going to be pretty. 

[BRONX DUDE]

why the fascination with this underachiever?

[Gas2No99]

A 4-3 base is a preferential system for the current talent and strength of this roster.

All the know-it-alls clamor that in today's NFL it doesn't make a difference. Let this year's new base system show whether or not that claim is true if we do truly commit to a 4-3 base.

I'm curious to see how Bowles starts to put his style into this defense.

[Gas2No99]

why the fascination with this underachiever?

Because based on his measureables alone, he is a top 5 talent.

His most productive & natural position is on the D-line with his hand in the dirt.

[Villain The Foe]

why the fascination with this underachiever?

He's been underachieving out of position. Rex was an idiot 

[Jetlife33]

Hold up. Bowles runs a 3-4...

[Jetdawgg]

QC is a Down lineman. I hope the new staff realizes thst. Could have been a lot better against the pass if QC was on the DL last season. If we are still weak at CB we need to go 4/3

[Jetlife33]

Hmph and here I thought he preferred the 3-4 but changes up his scheme week to week similar to Rex.

Coples is a beast.

I'm pretty sure he runs a 3-4.

[flgreen]

Hmph and here I thought he preferred the 3-4 but changes up his scheme week to week similar to Rex.

Coples is a beast.

 

Your right.

 

Interesting about Bowles is he runs a very similar defense as Rex.  Flex between 3-4 (base)  and 4-3

 

heavy dependence on man to man  CB's in exotic blitz's

[New York Mick]

why the fascination with this underachiever?

Because it's always the coaches fault. It's never the fact the player just sucks.

[DRJETS]

If this one of those loling? Az base defense is a 3_4. Rex's base defense is a hybrid 3_4. What more can be say about Couples? Rex expertise is the DL. He tried with this guy. The guy is just lazy, it was the knock on him coming out of college. Who knows, maybe this year he comes more motivated playing for Bowles. Maybe that was what the guy in the article was trying to convey.

[OuttaSightPF]

New York Jets: Quinton Coples in the 4-3 Defense

We will be running a 3-4. I agree ... with Mo, Sheldon, Snacks and Coples I'd prefer a 4 man front. We need to overhaul our OLB's ... and our secondary, so if we wanted to switch it would be easy. Demario Davis can play inside in either a 3-4 or a 4-3.

Either way, Coples is NOT a LB. He needs to have his hand in the dirt.

But I'm 95% sure we are staying in the 3-4, and if we do we don't need Mo, Sheldon and Coples. I'd resign Snacks, use Richardson and Coples at DE and see what we can get for Mo on the trade block.

 

 

There is a lot of excitement around the fan base right now, and for good reason. We have a new general manager in Mike Maccagnan, the John Idzik era is over. We are starting a new day on the field as well, with head coach Todd Bowles. The Jets landed one of the top assistants in the game to run their team. It’s OK to be a bit pumped up for the future.

Todd Bowles runs a 4-3 base defense (four down linemen, three linebackers). That is a departure from recent years, as under Rex Ryan, the Jets ran a 3-4 base defense (three down linemen, four linebackers). Obviously, with a new concept coming, there will be a learning curve. But one guy that should excel is Quinton Coples.

Quinton Coples is in his wheelhouse with his hand in the dirt, in a 4-3 system. With the Jets, Coples has stood up as an outside linebacker, and put his hand down. His experience was as a down lineman, and it showed when he had the chance last season. With the base defense becoming a 4-3, Coples has the chance to dominate. He certainly looked good this year.

We are going to breakdown one of his 6.5 sacks to show you. Let’s go back to week 8, to a play from the third quarter at MetLife against the Bills. Let’s take a look.

 

On this play, Coples is lined up at right end, as indicated by the circle. He is going to rush the passer, and take on the left tackle, one on one, when he moves back to block him. The tight end flashes across the tackle to block down, and break open for a possible short pass reception (both moves are shown with lines). Let’s look at the matchup as Coples engages with the tackle.

 

Can you see Coples in the circle? Do you notice that he has his left hand up under the tackle’s shoulder pads? What he is doing there is getting leverage on him. Coples is getting his force underneath his opponent, so he becomes the guy that is moving the tackle where HE wants him to go, not vice versa. He is going to push his opponent right back into quarterback Kyle Orton. He does this to set up the move that puts Orton into his clutches. Let’s move ahead.

Look at this picture, compared to the previous one. Coples has already driven his opponent, the left tackle, across the hashmark, as he continues his quest towards the quarterback. It’s hard to see, but his left arm is starting to push downward as he does a “swim” move. It’s a pass rush move where the inside arm pulls down, and the outside arm goes over the top, like the crawl stroke, henceforth the name the “swim move”. Done right, it gets your weight to inside position quickly leaving the offensive lineman helpless to stop you.

Watch how it plays out for Coples.

Can you see the position that Coples has now? In just one fell swoop with the “swim” move, Coples has nearly half of his body past the lineman, with a clear shot at Kyle Orton. The lineman still has a hand on Coples, but if you look at his position, he is powerless to stop him without committing a penalty.

What was the result?

The result is a sack for Quinton Coples.

Look for a lot of this from Coples in the near future. The system is one that he is set to excel at. If his play so far is any indication, look for Coples’ star to ascend quickly, and hopefully he will become the star that the Jets saw when they drafted him.

[joewilly12]

I'm pretty sure he runs a 3-4.

He did in Arizona 

[j4jets]

Because based on his measureables alone, he is a top 5 talent.

His most productive & natural position is on the D-line with his hand in the dirt.

Based on measurements alone, Ghost is a hall of famer.

[DaBallhawk]

Bowles doesn't run a 3-4 or 4-3, it's a hybrid. Sometimes it's 3 down linemen with 1 OLB showing blitz. Sometimes it's 4 down linemen with 1 OLB showing blitz (basically a 5 man front). Very rarely does he line up in a basic 3-4 formation or a basic 4-3 formation. It's always a variation. It's always a 4-5 man front, it's just that the one LB doesn't have his hand on the ground, so he doesn't count as a D-Lineman even though he's right next to the DE. And he'd either blitz or drop back.

 

For whatever it's worth, Karl Dunbar, right after he left, said that Bowles is going to bring his own defense, a different defense than Rex ran, that it's more like a 4-3 he ran in Arizona. I just know Bowles AND Rodgers are going to get more out of our front 7, the way they use them, line them up etc. getting guys like IK involved, using Coples properly etc. something Rex couldn't figure out.

[Villain The Foe]

QC is a Down lineman. I hope the new staff realizes thst. Could have been a lot better against the pass if QC was on the DL last season. If we are still weak at CB we need to go 4/3

A Cardinals player was interviewed and he made a really great observation regarding Bowles. He said that while designing his defense he would move guys to different spots saying "This is where I need you given your skill set". I think Bowles will be able to realize who can do what on his defense. 

[vincenzo69]

Coples is really a 4-3 DE. He hasn't underachievers he has played well playing out of position

[Tony The Wiz]

  Very good post. Coples at North Carolina was a DE in a 4-3 defense. He should be very happy about this. Don't know why organizations

pick players that don't fit their scheme

[sirlancemehlot]

Coples plays with a high pad level and his rush moves are almost entirely hand-fighting moves, meaning he doesn't speed rush well and doesn't bull-rush well.  The bull rush inadequacy is understandable since that's usually the staple of the thicker, powerhouse guys like Richardson and Wilkerson, but the lack of speed rush is unnerving since he's built for that.  Babin is far superior in the speed rush as he knows how to set on the line with his pads low and his ass high, fire off and dip his shoulder under tackle once he's hip-to-hip.  Coples is a basic rip or swim guy.  He moves once he's engaged, which slows him, then stands up high causing him to rely on his athleticism and wingspan (as evidenced by all the flailing chest-high and head-tackles).  He could fix this.  but he isn't motivated to, apparently.  He'll be a JAG because that's his mentality.  3-4 or 4-3 doesn't matter.  Its his technique that limits him.

[Villain The Foe]

Coples plays with a high pad level and his rush moves are almost entirely hand-fighting moves, meaning he doesn't speed rush well and doesn't bull-rush well.  The bull rush inadequacy is understandable since that's usually the staple of the thicker, powerhouse guys like Richardson and Wilkerson, but the lack of speed rush is unnerving since he's built for that.  Babin is far superior in the speed rush as he knows how to set on the line with his pads low and his ass high, fire off and dip his shoulder under tackle once he's hip-to-hip.  Coples is a basic rip or swim guy.  He moves once he's engaged, which slows him, then stands up high causing him to rely on his athleticism and wingspan (as evidenced by all the flailing chest-high and head-tackles).  He could fix this.  but he isn't motivated to, apparently.  He'll be a JAG because that's his mentality.  3-4 or 4-3 doesn't matter.  Its his technique that limits him.

It would be great for a coach to "coach him up" on his technique at a position that he can actually play. Its hard for me to criticize his technique when he rarely plays the position he's supposed to play. Bowles will undo that though. 

[sirlancemehlot]

It would be great for a coach to "coach him up" on his technique at a position that he can actually play. Its hard for me to criticize his technique when he rarely plays the position he's supposed to play. Bowles will undo that though. 

Agreed he was out of position.  Not sure about the rest.  He's got the tools, Im just not sure the fire's there.

[Villain The Foe]

Agreed he was out of position.  Not sure about the rest.  He's got the tools, Im just not sure the fire's there.

It's hard to be sure as you said. Coples has been up in the air for 2 years given the experiment. Being put in the best position to succeed will give this guy confidence and his play will be instinctual. We all seen it, dude looked lost back there most of the time, but you can definitely see that he shined when in the backfield. Notable games were last years saints game when he stood home and didnt bite on the misdirection to seal the deal, almost decapitating two running backs this year rushing off that edge. This guy is a "hands in the dirt" player. He has the talent, he's just a person that you have to work with. I loved bowles conference because he touched on that. Everyone is different and you have to engage and know your players in order to get the best out of them. Maybe Coples knock for giving up on plays or a lack of a motor is false. I think Coples needs the correct coaching. We've not had that here in like a decade.