Best Of
Re: Rules for Doogin’
Getting Utah off the schedule was a big win for combating the altitude in our schedule.

Re: Core Inflation Rises in June!!!
Bob_c can talk a convincing line but he's an economics philosopher. I don't see proof, only conjectures and anecdotal accounts.

Re: Naylor
Looks like it's over and no more moves happened.
Yeah, they did the two big things I didn't expect for sure. That's a couple of huge bats added.
It didn't cost them much though. The phrase "all in", combined with other issues on the roster and the relatively low prices demanded, had me thinking they'd make another trade or two. There's still no legit 5th starter. There's still room for a leverage bullpen arm, and there's still room for an upgraded utility guy or righty hitting outfielder.
That is my wet blanket take. They made some great moves that should get them to the playoffs, but they didn't do as much as they could've to make it a near lock.

Re: What defense are we running?
ChatGPT matches what I've heard, with a base 3-4 with 1 NG, 2 DT, and 2 edge rushers on the LOS.
Re: What defense are we running?
Here is what ChatGPT had to say:
Ryan Walters installed what he calls the “Air Strike” defense during his tenure at Purdue (2023–2024), carrying over the same core schematic philosophy he developed at Illinois Wikipedia+15On3+15journalgazette.net+15.
🔍 Key Features of the “Air Strike” Defense
1. Front Alignment & Pressure Packages
- Typically features five players across the front: three down linemen and two stand-up edge rushers (sometimes the strong safety or linebacker stands up) Last Word On Sports+3journalgazette.net+3On3+3.
- This configuration allows for a mix of rushing all five, rushing four with one edge dropping into coverage, or dropping both edges and rushing just three, creating disguised pressure and confusion for opposing offenses Reddit.
2. Man‑Heavy Coverage (Cover One / Man‑1)
- Purdue operated almost exclusively in man coverage, with a single high safety (Cover One) providing over‑the‑top support typically 15–20 yards deep Wikipedia+15Mgoblog+15Addicted To Quack+15.
- Corners and linebackers were often aligned in “island” matchups, with very few snaps in zone; a notable game against Ohio State featured over 93% man coverage and extremely aggressive blitzing MgoblogReddit.
3. Aggressive Blitz Rates
- Walters’ scheme was characterized by high blitz frequency, often sending 6 or even 7 defenders. In one charted game, Purdue blitzed on over 70% of snaps—though many were actually just the five-man front framed as blitzes Mgoblog.
4. Explosive‑Play Insurance via Single‑High Safety
- The lone deep safety’s job was to “kill off” explosive plays—a last line of defense behind the man coverage structure. At Purdue, Dillon Thieneman predominantly played that role, lined up 20+ yards off the line on most snaps to limit big plays SI+3Mgoblog+3Addicted To Quack+3.

Re: What defense are we running?
You'll see a mix of 4 and 5 man fronts depending on the opposition
For the 4 man fronts it's going to primarily consist of 2 DTs and 2 EDGE guys, 2 MLBs, and then 5 DBs … I would expect this type of lineup to be what we're using primarily against spread/passing teams and in passing down situations
For the 5 man fronts, you're going to have 3 DTs with the middle DT being more of the traditional run stuffing NT type, 2 DTs, and 2 EDGE guys … probably 4 DBs in this situation
Where you'll some mix/match is going to completely depend on the quality of our edge rushers and their ability to set the edge on run downs. There's more DL/EDGE depth than we've had in a while so it will get mixed up a bit.
The hallmark of what Walters has traditionally succeeded is disguising blitzes and coverages … it's a very friendly system for good DB play
