Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 62: 062 Shock Education

Robinson was tall and sturdy, his 320-pound (145 kg) frame coupled with his nearly two-meter height made him stand like a hellish envoy, his fierce and malicious face with horizontal flesh that could scare a child to tears if he walked the streets at nightfall. At this moment, his stern expression was particularly terrifying.

But once you calmed down and looked him in the eyes, you could see the fervor and passion in that fierce visage, entirely devoted to football.

"Brothers, everyone is watching us, everyone is eager to beat us, because they fear, because they are afraid, because we are the strongest!"

"If they think we can be easily defeated, if they think we've become vulnerable, then they should pay for their foolishness."

"We are the Crimson Tide Storm, we are the defending champions, not because we were born champions, but because we were born to fight for victory!"

Each word he spoke was forceful and resonant, Robinson's gaze so determined and intense that it seemed as if one could see the boiling passion and exuberance.

Then, looking around the circle, Robinson stretched out his right hand and placed it in the center. Find more to read on M-V-L

"Count to three!"

One hand after another, the palms of all eleven players stacked together, with Robinson's shout ringing in their ears.

"Crimson Tide!"

"Roar!"

Call and response, back and forth.

After three consecutive cries, accompanied by the shouts of "Roar!" their arms all stretched to the sky, the players of the Crimson Tide Storm roared to the heavens and turned towards the twenty-five-yard line—

The game began, the USC Trojans' special duty group had completed the kickoff, a steady and conservative kick with no waves, and the Crimson Tide Storm would start their offense from their own twenty-five-yard line.

Phew.

Hertz took a deep breath, feeling a little nervous, and subconsciously turned his head and saw the only person in the offensive group who stood in the pocket with the quarterback:

The running back.

Li Wei was not nervous at all; not only was he not nervous, but he also seemed eager to try. He looked forward, carefully sizing up the Trojans' defensive positions.

Sensing Hertz's gaze, Li Wei turned his head and showed Hertz a smile, "How does it feel, are you ready?"

Hertz instinctively wanted to deny it, but looking into Li Wei's eyes, he couldn't help but tell the truth, "I'm not sure. God, I'm a little nervous."

After all, he was still a child born in 1998, a high schooler just a few months ago.

Li Wei's smile broadened, "Nervousness is good, it means anticipation and care. The point is, those guys on the other side are just like you."

Hertz was taken aback, and the next second, a smile climbed onto his lips.

Li Wei patted Hertz on the shoulder, "Besides, you're not fighting alone."

After speaking, Li Wei looked forward once again.

Hertz stood there, his shoulders slowly straightening, and his eyes gradually sharpening.

Li Wei wasn't just looking off into the distance; he was observing the defense, exactly as the coaches had said pre-game: the Trojans' defense had a very distinctive style.

Maybe they weren't top-notch, and they didn't have standout players with first-round draft potential like the Clemson Tigers did.

But never forget, football is a team sport. Many hands make light work, and by combining tactics, collective strength can be harnessed to change the game.

As mentioned before, the current mainstream defensive formations in the NFL and NCAA are "4-3" or "3-4," with over 90% of defenses being one or the other.

Here's a small exception, the USC Trojans are part of that 10%—

The "5-2" defense formation.

Actually, the "5-2" formation is a variation of the "4-3," with five defensive linemen and two linebackers, sacrificing linebacker coverage on the short pass area to increase defensive line pressure on the pocket and contain the run, while also increasing the first wave of resistance to ground attacks near the line of scrimmage by stacking the front line with heavy defense.

On one hand, five defensive linemen can match the number of players on the offensive line, controlling the situation in the front-line confrontation.

On the other hand, the "5-2" formation is not just about piling up numbers. The five defensive linemen comprise one apex player, two defensive tackles, and two defensive ends, possessing both the front-line pressure capability of the "4-3" formation and the ground defense ability of the "3-4" formation.

Of course, there are pros and cons. Relatively speaking, the short pass defense will face immense pressure because the lack of one linebacker means tactical coordination cannot be executed as planned, and it often relies more on the individual capacity of the linebackers.

The USC Trojans have always been a team skilled in offense, with a consistent lack of tradition and depth in defense. Hayden, coming from an offensive coordinator background, was even worse at understanding defense. The frequent changes in the Trojans' coaching staff over the past few seasons only added to the chaos.

Hayden's choice of the "5-2" formation was for a very straightforward reason—

It's simple.

Because this defensive formation is relatively fixed with not many tactical variations, it always focuses on front-line pressure and ground defense, sparing the need to think too much.

It also means that players don't need to spend time and energy coordinating with tactics, thus fostering tacit understanding based on basic strategies and fully leveraging their numerical advantage.

Even if the opponent deciphers it, they can still counter it with the numerical advantage and collective coordination. This way, Hayden can free up energy to concentrate on offense.

It was a gamble: using a rigid defensive routine in the hope of ensuring the team's baseline, so the defense wouldn't collapse too much, then trying to secure victory through offense.

Whether the gamble would pay off could only be proven through the game.

For Hayden, facing off against Crimson Tide Storm wasn't exactly good news, but it could also be beneficial since Crimson Tide Storm's offense was relatively weak, focusing more on the ground game. The "5-2" formation was the perfect counter, and without the powerful weapon Derrick Henry, perhaps the Trojans really had a chance to win.

The only variable was, how would Saban respond?

Or to be more precise, what abilities did a series of entirely new faces in the running back lineup, consisting of Li Wei, Jacobs, and Clark, possess?

A rookie, a high schooler, and a backup's backup—such a combination left everyone baffled.

Now, the answer was about to be unveiled.

Li Wei was a little bit excited.

A new season, a new lineup, a new game, so at the start, both sides didn't resort to tricks. They needed to test their own tactics and get used to the pace of the match. It was natural to face the battle with their strongest formation.

First and ten.

Crimson Tide Storm lined up in the classic pistol formation, with Li Wei standing behind Hertz. Although his view was obstructed, the formations at both sides were still clearly visible.

At this moment, it was evident that the Trojans' defense was heavy at the front line, looking top-heavy. Not just the defensive line, but even the safeties' positions were advanced, clearly weakening pass defense to focus on rushing the quarterback and cutting off the ground defense.

The entire tactic was clear and direct.

For the young Hertz, reading the defense became much simpler.

"Hike!"

Hertz's snap call cut through the air, and Crimson Tide Storm's entire offensive line moved to the right side in unison. The thuds of helmets clashing echoed dully, focusing all eyes on Crimson Tide Storm's right flank where the collision of force against force stirred up waves of heat.

It was like a meat grinder.

Bodies tangled with bodies, forming an impenetrable wall.

But just then, a figure emerged from the mess of offensive and defensive linemen, dancing lightly with graceful steps amidst the chaos.

That was... wait, was that number twenty-three?

What!