Getting a good read on the defense

[BigRedBuster]

After a few days to digest the win and going back and watching the first half again, here is what I think is happening.

 

Playing freshmen is great when you have one or two on the field along with 9-10 experienced upper class men. However, as pointed out last week, we have 11 players in the front 7 two deep that are anywhere from true freshmen to sophomores.

 

What does that do? It limits you on what you can do in games with adjustments. If you have 9-10 very experienced guys on the field, you can huddle them on the side lines or at half time and say..."We are going to this scheme....it's similar to what we used against XYZ team last year." Then, those guys can go out and make sure the one or two guys that aren't experienced are in the right places...basically baby sit them on the field.

 

We don't have that luxury. Now...I'm not necessarily saying that's a bad thing. I still believe from what I saw flashes of on Saturday that we have some extremely talented kids on defense. BUT...what it does is makes in game coaching that much harder.

 

It was the first game for many of these kids. Their heads were spinning they were, in some ways, just trying to make sense of the entire day. Think of someone like Gerry who last year at this time was probably playing in front of a thousand people and most. NOW...he is stepping on the stage of 92,000 people in the stands and millions more watching on TV...and oh by the way....he is against other people that are college level talent too. I thought he did an admiral job on Saturday. I am excited to see what he can become the next four years.

 

Now, I'm not trying to make excuses for the coaching staff. I'm sick and tired of the 600 yard games also. I was very disappointed Saturday night even though we won. BUT, I think this is the type of year where the old adage is true where the biggest improvement is from game one to game two.

[knapplc]

I still believe from what I saw flashes of on Saturday that we have some extremely talented kids on defense.

 

Would definitely agree with this. Amidst the horror and flashbacks to losses last season, there were several instances where you could see the young guys on the field were pretty good. VV looked impressive, RG44, Curry, Moss, and veterans like SJB were all doing good things - at times.

 

It'll be really interesting comparing this defense in late October to early September.

 

 

Now let's just get a look at Zaire Anderson already.

[TheSker]

I think Bo and Dabo came in about the same time. Bo has brought in friends with little experience over and I think he has needed good help since he got here. Dabo runs the ship, he hired top end Coordinators, nearly if not the highest paid in the country. It is working for Clemson, why not here.

 

2) Clemson is in a much weaker conference and has still plateaued each year the same way that we have with Bo.

 

 

Plateaued? We lost two games last year, both to top 10 teams (SCar & FSU), and started the 2013 season with a win over #5 UGA and Clemson is now ranked #4. Go on, tell me how Clemson has plateaued. Nothing against Bo, but Dabo took over a non ranked team and now has them consistently ranked in the top 15. That's a pretty damn good job if you ask me.

 

If we plateau around #4, I'd be ok with that.

Bo took over a non ranked team....Callahan was 5-7 in 2007. Dabo has done a great job at Clemson as has Pelini at Nebraska. Dabo's past two seasons have been very good. Pelini hasn't won less than 9 games in any season. Dabo has a 6-7 season in 2010 and Nebraska won the bowl game between the two schools. They have done things differently with assistant coaches, but both head coaches have done well at their respective schools.

[fatboyspanky]

But now that he has his own staff, the dysfunction just continues.

A team doesn't win 9 or more games each year of a coaching tenure if things are seriously dysfunctional.

 

You just keep hanging your hat on that absolutely worthless stat while we keep ending the season ranking in the 20's with our 9 wins. (of course people like you who keep pointing this out always leave out the 3 or 4 losses aspect of the 9 win season. I suppose that's not important to what you're trying to sell though, is it?)

[knapplc]

Got it, thanks everyone.

[TheSker]

But now that he has his own staff, the dysfunction just continues.

A team doesn't win 9 or more games each year of a coaching tenure if things are seriously dysfunctional.

 

You just keep hanging your hat on that absolutely worthless stat while we keep ending the season ranking in the 20's with our 9 wins. (of course people like you who keep pointing this out always leave out the 3 or 4 losses aspect of the 9 win season. I suppose that's not important to what you're trying to sell though, is it?)

 

In this age of parity where there are two million bowl games and it only takes 6 wins to get there a 9 win season is admirable. It's admirable enough that only 5 schools have accomplished it. It's not a hard sell since so few coaches have done it. Osborne did it and more. Solich didn't do it.....and Callahan's name isn't even in the same paragraph. So yes, it's a good accomplishment.

[skersfan]

Okay there the same, equal do the same job.

 

Which would you rather have seen this weekend.

 

Give up 600 Yards to Wyoming, them having two turn overs and win by 3.

 

Beating the #5 team in the country and number #2 team in the SEC.

 

What sounds better/solid to you.

 

Would you care to predict a score between Nebraska and either of the two last weekend?

 

Currently our defense is the laughing point for all talking heads on every network, boosting our recruiting through sky certainly.

 

Dabo beats two top SEC schools in a row and one on opening night. Yea, sure they are doing equal jobs.

[TheSker]

Okay there the same, equal do the same job.

 

Which would you rather have seen this weekend.

 

Give up 600 Yards to Wyoming, them having two turn overs and win by 3.

 

Beating the #5 team in the country and number #2 team in the SEC.

 

What sounds better/solid to you.

 

Would you care to predict a score between Nebraska and either of the two last weekend?

 

Currently our defense is the laughing point for all talking heads on every network, boosting our recruiting through sky certainly.

 

Dabo beats two top SEC schools in a row and one on opening night. Yea, sure they are doing equal jobs.

I would rather have seen Nebraska play. I'm a Husker. Clemson would be favored and likely beat the Huskers today. I don't dispute that. I could care less what the talking heads have to say. Our recruiting has been very good the past two seasons. It needed to be. If I want to slobber about how good Clemson is, I'll go to their fan board. I'm glad we have Pelini.

[girlknowsfootball]

Guys we can spend time freaking out about how bad we played but I am really excited about this Defense. We are FAST!!! We had hands on their quarterback multiple times. Our DE's have way more speed off the ends and our DB's played pretty well. Our biggest issue was the run up the middle and a lot of that had to do with how simple the defense was and how the coaches couldn't make adjustments cause they didn't give the kids enough to work with going in. But all of this is fixable. I really think that we will see a big jump this week and another big jump before UCLA.

 

We are going to be making some mistakes for the first half of the season for sure but I really think that we'll be pretty dang good by the 2nd half of the season. There's a lot to be excited about... we really do have a lot of talent and speed. As soon as these young kids get some reps and game experience and really have more time with the defense they are going to be studs.

[TheSker]

The freshmen and newcomers on this defense give us plenty to be excited about. Our DTs were getting a push that we were simply too undersized to get the previous couple of years. Gregory has the athleticism we have lacked at that DE spot. Ankrah I believe only has 3 career sacks, so it will be no surprise if McMullen's snap count increases. We could easily have two speedy true freshmen out there with Gerry and Bando. Pelini and Pap have the tools on the field to do things we were just too slow to do because of our previous recruiting.

[QMany]

First, Bo's defense is too complicated. He isn't getting athletes on the field.

 

Then, Bo goes vanilla and puts freaks on the field and is being too simple and "phoning it in."

 

Dude can't win either way.

[skersfan]

You know how to solve that problem. Do it right. at 3+ million a year you should be able to.

[TheSker]

You know how to solve that problem. Do it right. at 3+ million a year you should be able to.

 

You would think so.....signed, Hawkeye

[skersfan]

Signed Dabo

[TheSker]

Signed Dabo

 

Hey if you think Dabo's the guy that can make it happen better than Pelini can here, you should start trying to get your appointment with Eichorst.