Monte Kiffin and Brothers Pelini brainstorming session

[Nexus]

 

 

LINCOLN — Monte Kiffin came to help his son but found time to do some football work as well.

 

Kiffin visited with Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and some of his staff Thursday at the Osborne Complex. The Southern Cal defensive coordinator was accompanied by two of his Trojan assistant coaches.

 

“Just exchanging ideas. It’s pretty commonplace,’’ said NU defensive coordinator Carl Pelini. “Sometimes guys come and spend three or four days and pick your brain.’’

 

It’s a bigger deal when it’s Kiffin, though, because of both his Husker heritage and his reputation. Kiffin, 70, is a Lexington native who played and coached at NU, and later became one of the most respected defensive coordinators in the NFL.

 

Kiffin in January followed son Lane from Tennessee to USC when Lane Kiffin was named the Trojans’ head coach. The Kiffins have now added Lane’s brother, Chris, who spent two seasons with the Huskers as an administrative assistant.

 

“(Monte) came up and thanked us for all we did for Chris,’’ Carl Pelini said.

 

Monte and Chris Kiffin left Lincoln on Thursday night. They also attended the NU women’s basketball game on Wednesday. Chris Kiffin’s wife, Angela, is director of operations for Connie Yori’s program.

 

Carl Pelini said Monte Kiffin mostly spent time Thursday with Bo Pelini, whom Kiffin supported for the NU defensive coordinator job in 2003 when Frank Solich hired the little-known 35-year-old NFL assistant.

 

“The thing about Monte is he’s such good friends with Bo, they ended up just talking a lot,’’ Carl Pelini said.

 

About some football, too.

 

“He’s such a smart football coach, it’s great to throw things by him and get his thoughts on it,’’ Carl Pelini said. “Certainly it’s never one-sided. It’s just an exchange of ideas. You know, ‘This is a problem we’ve been having, how do you look at it?’ Or, ‘This is something we don’t like to face, what do you do about it?’

 

“We’re all evolving all the time. As soon as you stop learning, you’re not going to be a very good coach. You can’t be stagnant because people will figure you out fast.’’

 

LINK

 

 

[ESPY]

We’re all evolving all the time. As soon as you stop learning, you’re not going to be a very good coach. You can’t be stagnant because people will figure you out fast.

I'm glad to hear this from our DC. As well as our match read zone worked vs the spread last year, you have to think OCs will counter that defense with something that works, so we must be prepared to gain the upperhand vs any offense.

[carlfense]

Not sure why someone -1 you Nexus. Fixed it.

 

Thanks for the article. There was some SERIOUS defensive football knowledge in that room.

[Nexus]

Not sure why someone -1 you Nexus. Fixed it.

 

Thanks for the article. There was some SERIOUS defensive football knowledge in that room.

 

 

Oh well, can't win 'em all, but thanks for the + rep. Right back 'atcha!

 

I agree though, M. Kiffin + Pelini talking shop would be fun to sit in on.

[mmmtodd]

to be a fly on the wall...

 

"so, you guys really beat the sh#t out of Arizona..."

[carlfense]

I agree though, M. Kiffin + Pelini talking shop would be fun to sit in on.

I have a feeling I wouldn't understand a word that they are saying.

 

Bo: ". . . match zone . . . disguised blitz . . . corner fake."

 

Monte: ". . . Tampa 5 . . . double backside . . . twist."

 

Me:

[Nexus]

I agree though, M. Kiffin + Pelini talking shop would be fun to sit in on.

I have a feeling I wouldn't understand a word that they are saying.

 

Bo: ". . . match zone . . . disguised blitz . . . corner fake."

 

Monte: ". . . Tampa 5 . . . double backside . . . twist."

 

Me:

 

 

[dubsker]

I agree though, M. Kiffin + Pelini talking shop would be fun to sit in on.

I have a feeling I wouldn't understand a word that they are saying.

 

Bo: ". . . match zone . . . disguised blitz . . . corner fake."

 

Monte: ". . . Tampa 5 . . . double backside . . . twist."

 

Me:

 

 

 

Quite funny.

[huKSer]

I agree though, M. Kiffin + Pelini talking shop would be fun to sit in on.

I have a feeling I wouldn't understand a word that they are saying.

 

Bo: ". . . match zone . . . disguised blitz . . . corner fake."

 

Monte: ". . . Tampa 5 . . . double backside . . . twist."

 

Me:

 

 

 

Quite funny.

Throw in Tuff Tiger to interpret, and you would have a perfect storm

[Nexus]

 

Monte Kiffin is the mastermind behind the Tampa 2 scheme, which is a slight modification of Tony Dungy's Cover 2. His defensive philosophy has several hallmarks.

 

• Speed over size and strength. Coordinators that employ Kiffin-style defenses will often replace linebackers with safeties and linemen with linebackers in order to put more speed on the field, an approach known as spinning down. In particular, linebackers must be able to cover receivers; in the Tampa 2 scheme, one linebacker frequently drops back deep into coverage, turning what looks like a Cover 2 defense into a Cover 3. Kiffin's defenses also employ large but quick defensive/nose tackles as run-stoppers.
• Preventing scores over preventing yardage. A Kiffin coordinator doesn't care how many yards an offense gains, as long as the team doesn't score, an approach known as bend-but-don't-break.
• Multiple defenses from one look. Kiffin-style defenses try to use the same personnel (or the same kind of personnel) at all times, so that the offense cannot adjust its play call based on the alignment of the defensive personnel.
• Attacking and causing turnovers. Kiffin-style defenses focus on getting the ball away from the offense by stripping the ball away from the ball carrier or reading the quarterback to make an interception. The risk is that if the ball is not stripped or intercepted, then the ball carrier on offense has a better chance of gaining more yards or scoring; the reward is that the offensive drive is stopped without a score more often, frequently giving good field position.

LINK

[dubsker]

 

Monte Kiffin is the mastermind behind the Tampa 2 scheme, which is a slight modification of Tony Dungy's Cover 2. His defensive philosophy has several hallmarks.

 

• Speed over size and strength. Coordinators that employ Kiffin-style defenses will often replace linebackers with safeties and linemen with linebackers in order to put more speed on the field, an approach known as spinning down. In particular, linebackers must be able to cover receivers; in the Tampa 2 scheme, one linebacker frequently drops back deep into coverage, turning what looks like a Cover 2 defense into a Cover 3. Kiffin's defenses also employ large but quick defensive/nose tackles as run-stoppers.
• Preventing scores over preventing yardage. A Kiffin coordinator doesn't care how many yards an offense gains, as long as the team doesn't score, an approach known as bend-but-don't-break.
• Multiple defenses from one look. Kiffin-style defenses try to use the same personnel (or the same kind of personnel) at all times, so that the offense cannot adjust its play call based on the alignment of the defensive personnel.
• Attacking and causing turnovers. Kiffin-style defenses focus on getting the ball away from the offense by stripping the ball away from the ball carrier or reading the quarterback to make an interception. The risk is that if the ball is not stripped or intercepted, then the ball carrier on offense has a better chance of gaining more yards or scoring; the reward is that the offensive drive is stopped without a score more often, frequently giving good field position.

LINK

 

I did not know that stuff was all part of his philosophy, thanks.

[mmmtodd]

Thats odd they would talk, Kiffin's philosophy doesnt sound like the 2009 Blackshirts at all.