Dan Quinn's Magnificent Rotation of Eight

[Jville]

Dan Quinn's Magnificent Rotation of Eight during the 2013 season.

Easily my most favorite defensive line of the Pete Carroll era. What a high energy force Dan Quinn put together up front for the 2013 campaign.


Michael Bennett -- 598 snaps -- 57.39% of snaps
Chris Clemons --- 568 snaps -- 54.51% of snaps
Cliff Avril -- 555 snaps -- 53.26% of snaps
Brandon Mebane -- 532 snaps --51.06% of snaps
Clinton McDonald -- 531 snaps --50.96% of snaps
Tony McDaniel -- 527 snaps --- 50.58% of snaps
Bruce Irvin -- 499 snaps -- 47.89% of snaps
Red Bryant -- 481 snaps -- 46.16% of snaps


What a gang of eight that was. Collectively providing everyone sufficient recovery time so that collectively they could play all out during their shared time on the field. The genius of it all.

So memorable,
Thank you Dan Quinn

 

[AgentDib]

The interesting thing about football is that we can wildly agree about how successful that front was but it's plausible to attribute the success to different sources.

In my view it's easy to overrate Quinn as the one with the DC job when we won the Super Bowl. If you look at his defenses overall, his total rankings have depended a lot on having a high talent level. In 2018 his Falcons defense was 30th in points scored per drive and 30th in net yards per drive with personnel that looked OK going into the season (Jarrett, Crawford, McKinley, Beasley, Trufant, Oliver, Campbell).

Second, everybody emphasizes rotation at DL but having the depth to do so is the hard part. The philosophy here has always put a high premium on that, and I don't think Quinn in particular stands out either way very much in that category. He has had some good rotations when the personnel allowed, but he also played Grady Jarrett nearly 80% of the Falcons snaps in 2019 when their DL depth was poor.

Lastly, great secondary play provides an enormous benefit to the DL (and vice versa). The gap and a half stuff that Desai and Hurtt were trying to implement last season is fundamentally about trying to make the scheme work with one less defender in the box and thus better pass defense in the back end. We could see better DL play this year due to more single gap - enabled by drafting a CB at #5 instead of a DL.

 

[CouchLogic]

Things haven't been the same since Big Red.

 

[Mick063]

Cliff Avril is the best Seahawk pass rusher since Jacob Green. The guy was special and the bigger the game, the more he delivered.

 

[Jville]

The interesting thing about football is that we can wildly agree about how successful that front was but it's plausible to attribute the success to different sources.

In my view it's easy to overrate Quinn as the one with the DC job when we won the Super Bowl. If you look at his defenses overall, his total rankings have depended a lot on having a high talent level. In 2018 his Falcons defense was 30th in points scored per drive and 30th in net yards per drive with personnel that looked OK going into the season (Jarrett, Crawford, McKinley, Beasley, Trufant, Oliver, Campbell).

Second, everybody emphasizes rotation at DL but having the depth to do so is the hard part. The philosophy here has always put a high premium on that, and I don't think Quinn in particular stands out either way very much in that category. He has had some good rotations when the personnel allowed, but he also played Grady Jarrett nearly 80% of the Falcons snaps in 2019 when their DL depth was poor.

Lastly, great secondary play provides an enormous benefit to the DL (and vice versa). The gap and a half stuff that Desai and Hurtt were trying to implement last season is fundamentally about trying to make the scheme work with one less defender in the box and thus better pass defense in the back end. We could see better DL play this year due to more single gap - enabled by drafting a CB at #5 instead of a DL.

The competition committee has changed the game a lot since 2013. The make up of personnel has changed with it. Offenses have made a point of getting the ball out and on it's way more quickly to limit the rush. Coverage carries more of the load 10 years later to help out the rush.

What I find interesting 10 years later is how the 2023 team is being put together. Like 2013, many of the prospects are projections. Cameron Young and Robert Cooper are projected nose tackles. Big Mike Morris is another projection for a new role. It's the kind of bold approach Quinn engaged in 10 years ago. Seeing a similar approach in building a projected defense is highly encouraging. Depth is an intriguing annual aspect of putting a team together. I'm looking forward to year two of the Clint Hurtt story.

 

[WarHawks]

When Big Red left and Cliff got hurt, our D went in the tank. it hasn't been nearly the same since.

 

[nanomoz]

Rotation, rotation, rotation.

If the offense makes substitutions, the defense must be given time to make substitutions.

 

[Sun Tzu]

When Big Red left and Cliff got hurt, our D went in the tank. it hasn't been nearly the same since.

Red Bryant left before the 2014 season. The Hawks were the number 1 scoring defense in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The departure of Big Red hurt, but the D hardly "went in the tank" after he left.

 

[Year of The Hawk]

It seems like they are stocking up on defensive players. They may not all be top tier but as mention the rotation is just as important. Plus with that strategy you are less reliant on 1 player if they go down. I feel any quality player on the line the last few years have been overplayed because of the lack of depth. Hopefully this will remedy some of the ills on defense.

 

[CouchLogic]

When Big Red left and Cliff got hurt, our D went in the tank. it hasn't been nearly the same since.

Then Mebane left, and it's just been pretty bad.

 

[irfuben32]

Then Mebane left, and it's just been pretty bad.

Mebane = underrated

 

[AnimeAmore]

I don't think the average fan appreciates how much of a difference it makes being able to regularly rotate the guys on the field. You don't want to be dropping your talent level, but you also don't want starters staying on the field while taking plays off. You need to have some depth that's good enough that the other guys on the field can make up for any weaknesses.
In the salary cap era you flat-out need to be drafting well and picking through the scrap heap in order to have good backups.

 

[Boycie]

Cliff Avril is the best Seahawk pass rusher since Jacob Green. The guy was special and the bigger the game, the more he delivered.

Dude was great at knocking the ball loose too!

 

[Frozenropers]

I would say our D-Line is starting to shape up, much better.

OLBer: Nwosu, Taylor, Smith
DE: Reed, Edwards Jr,
NT: Young (R), Merrill, Faoliu, Cooper (UDFA)
DE: Jones, Adams, Morris (R)
OLBer: Mafe, Hall, Robinson

Awfully young at the NT position, but lots of youth and upside.

 

[godawg]

Don't forget UDFA NT Jonah Tavai.

 

[WarHawks]

No place for them to go but up. Knock on wood.

 

[Frozenropers]

Don't forget UDFA NT Jonah Tavai.

Long shot to make the roster, but anything is possible.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

When Big Red left and Cliff got hurt, our D went in the tank. it hasn't been nearly the same since.

When Cliff got hurt, we lost the SB. If he stayed in, no way Brady moves the ball on our bandaged up secondary like he did.

 

[Jville]

Don't forget UDFA NT Jonah Tavai.

Noteworthy. Thanks for posting.

Jonah gives the defense a very different wrinkle. Could be a special match up problem for opponents.

Pete Carrolll ----- "Tavai's got a big background of play-making. He's done so much, he made so many plays in the backfield and been so hard to deal with and all. We have come to appreciate his style. He's not a big guy. He's just a real instinctive football player, great leverage and all that because of his size." https://www.seahawks.com/news/an-ov...o-watch-when-the-seahawks-open-otas-on-monday

I'm curious to see just how quick he is off the snap. Some have identified him as having exceptionally quick and active hands.

Good time ahead!

 

[LTH]

Noteworthy. Thanks for posting.

Jonah gives the defense a very different wrinkle. Could be a special match up problem for opponents.

Pete Carrolll ----- "Tavai's got a big background of play-making. He's done so much, he made so many plays in the backfield and been so hard to deal with and all. We have come to appreciate his style. He's not a big guy. He's just a real instinctive football player, great leverage and all that because of his size." https://www.seahawks.com/news/an-ov...o-watch-when-the-seahawks-open-otas-on-monday

I'm curious to see just how quick he is off the snap. Some have identified him as having exceptionally quick and active hands.

Good time ahead!

It will be interesting to see if he makes the team.

LTH