All this arguing about our defense is a waste...

[Coach34]

Our problem on defense was our DL. Cherry replacing Cox was a ridiculous drop in talent and productivity. We went from having our DT having to be double-teamed on EVERY play to being single blocked on EVERY play. That means more offensive linemen are getting to the 2nd level on your LB's. When OL guys are getting to your LB's- that is trouble for your defense- and leads to big plays.

Our other problem from our DL was lack of a pass rush. Eulls is good against the run, but he just can't beat any tackles to get pressure on the QB. He played the entire season and didnt get one sack. Not a one. That is freaking terrible.

No pass rush and a ****** DT = tough year defensively.

Now then, add to that PJ Jones missing the the first 1/3 of the season for disciplinary reasons. Quay and Nick James being true Freshman. Obviously the other guys aren't very talented or they would have been playing ahead of Cherry.

With Cherry graduating, Eulls moving inside, Quay and Nick being Soph's, PJ acting right hopefully- we should be better at DT next season. Should be much better actually. If we aren't- then there is a real problem.

At DE- Autry will be better, he starting coming on at the end of the season. Smith looked much better this season, as did Brown. We have another juco we are looking to bring in here as well. We SHOULD be able to get more of a pass rush next season.

Improved DL in 2013 will mean a better defense. Period- end of story.

 

[engie]

Here comes the Chris Wilson terrible personnel decisions, can't develop players, needs to be fired yesterday argument in this**

I'm 100% with you on all of that. IF we don't see significant progress up front next year - then we have a problem. Not only do I think we see progress next year, I think we see it in the bowl game.

 

[Phil Wenneck.sixpack]

Because that 1 position caused missed tackles all over the field. And damn it, Whitley would have never been matched up 1 on 1 against top flight receivers if we had just fixed that pesky DT problem. Anybody on the team would have been better than marching Cherry out there over and over. ANYBODY. Hell a walk on may actually be able to stand upright for longer than 2 plays. If you're gonna waste Quay's redshirt, why in the world did he lose that kind of minutes to Cherry to begin with? I think it's great that we're laying the entire defense's blame on Wilson's primary coaching position. Speaks volumes really.

 

[o_hacker]

I guess I'll go on the record as being one of the few who thinks the D will be better next year, especially if we get some of these jucos.

 

[FreeDawg]

I agree with most of that. The PJ suspension hurt. I have no idea what happened to Virges. He looked good in the spring and then did nothing. I think we could have been much better THIS year if we leave Eulls and Cherrington on the bench replaced with Smith and Quay/PJ. Eulls wasn't good against the run either. 1 TFL the whole year.

Autry and Smith improved as the year went on and Smith actually led us in sacks. Nick James progressed and played more as the year went on as well. Even though we lose 2 seniors we get exponentially more talented and better across the front next year. Autry/Smith/Smith/Brown at DE and PJ/James/Quay/Virges at DT should be a formidable group

 

[hotdigitydog]

Coach, I agree the DL should be improved, however, will it be enough improvement

to offset the losses in the secondary?

 

[BoDawg.sixpack]

I'd rather have two All American D-linemen than two AA defensive backs any day...

Having good DB's are a luxury but having good d-linemen are a need, if you expect to be in the hunt for a birth in the SECCG.

 

[drt7891]

Coach's points are fairly valid in that defenses are built on solid play up front. The better your D-Line is, the better your defense is. Defense isn't built so much on ability to cover the field and stay tight on receivers in man to man, or having good corners, tight zone, etc... A good defense is built on the ability to disrupt and pressure the play up front to force quick decisions, and in some cases, fool the QB to make you think you are doing one thing and are doing something else. Pressure affects the Offensive Line and quarterback's heads... not necessarily results in more sacks.

Look at Texas A&M... their secondary was not that good at all, but because they were effective up front. They used their D-Lineman and LB's to get in the offensive backfield and create pressure and disruption, as well as use that talent to stop the run. We did that in 2010, as well. We continually brought blitzes to keep O-Linemen guessing and keep the heat on the quarterback. A good D-Line helps a weak secondary that much more.

With all that said, I'm still baffled that we continually played schemes that didn't get any pressure up front AND allowed offenses to find WIDE OPEN guys by either horrible mismatches (McKenzie or Whitley on their best WR), or by playing 10+ yard zone cushions. Not only that, we were so predictable with our blitzes up front, it rendered them totally ineffective. If you are going to play "bend, but don't break," you HAVE to limit the offense to a tough catch only... no yards after the catch. You also have to play to stop the run, too. We didn't do any of that well.

 

[InaccuratePredictionsDawg]

Nobody is arguing about the defense; we all agree it sucked...

...I don't care about who is playing DL, or who is playing in the Cover 2 scheme, or which LB is dropping back in coverage, etc. All I ask is for one thing: Please start playing physical football again. Please stop standing around for 10 seconds watching the other team's offense execute before you make a move to tackle; please start knocking the crap out of opponents like MSU defenses are known for. Funny how the same guy whose rage against ****** Stansbury was so strong people were on the cusp of notifying law enforcement...funny how the same guy is going to great lengths to defend equally ****** Wilson.

 

[57stratdawg]

Our D sucked this year against one of the easiest schedules in school history (at least in recent memory). Wait till next year when we get:

Oklahoma State
Gus Malzahn
South Carolina
Bama
A&M
OM

We could easily average 30+ points in those games.

 

[Coach34]

Because that 1 position caused missed tackles all over the field. And damn it, Whitley would have never been matched up 1 on 1 against top flight receivers if we had just fixed that pesky DT problem. Anybody on the team would have been better than marching Cherry out there over and over. ANYBODY. Hell a walk on may actually be able to stand upright for longer than 2 plays. .

Whitley plays Safety. With teams playing 3 and 4 WR's- he has to line-up and cover. And offenses move their top WR's around to create mismatches- your guys have to play football.

If our DL was better and gotten pressure on QB's- teams wouldn't have had the time to exploit those types of match-ups.
If our DL was better- we would have had teams in longer throwing situations and could have played more nickel and dime schemes to make it tougher on them

A ****** DL just puts your defense in such jeopardy