It's just like anything else
I remember when the spread option became popular and a lot of people thought that it was an offense that couldn't be stopped- but now it has become so common that defensive coordinators have adjusted and they have slowed it down. Now the thing to do is run this hurry up offense- and as time goes on, defensive coordinators will figure out ways to slow it down as well. I think it's going to come down to DC's having to change how the substitute players in and how they do things. At least that's what I think is going to happen.
You're going to have to have three DE's, three DT's (or two NT's if you run a 3-4), three OLB's, two-three MLB's, three safeties, and three CB's that can all play. And I think teams are going to have to come up with systems where they substitute those players in. The tough thing for the coaches and players is they are going to have to know when to come in and come out so that you don't end up with 15 guys out there or 8 guys out there.
So, to me, the question is how do you substitute those players in? Do you do it after every play? After a series? What's the most effective way to do that?
I also think you are going to see more hybrid safety/OLB types. I almost want to say someone like Matt Wells, but maybe even bigger. I'm thinking like Richie Brown's size type players. To me, that's about the only way you can hope to cover those slot WR's, defend the run, and defend the option. I'm not sure that it's feasible to have guys on defense play 97 snaps.
The other thing that is going to have to change is how DC's make their play calls. I think that might be part of our problem with these offenses. It seems like we automatically default to some type of zone coverage or we're calling the same play because we're getting the same look a lot of times from the offense formation wise. The calls have to come in more quickly. One advantage the defenses may have later on is that since the offense's play calls have to be somewhat limited since they are trying to run everything so fast, and I would think that a lot of times these offenses could start to become somewhat predictable based on down and distance and the coach, and a good DC should pick up on those tendancies through film study.