Just curious on what everybody opinion on him is. Where is he at now? I'm assuming retired. I liked his defense. They were attacking at all times. And I want to use my analogy on Mullen. I trade futures for a living and we go by a saying "cut your losers quick and let your winners run."
Joe lee Dunn
- Thread starter dannyripms
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JLD was a pretty good coach, but his schemes were absolutely perfect for the personnel we had in the late 90's and early 00's. His defenses were able to attack because we had 2 NFL caliber corners, however, when we lost those corners, he never adjusted his schemes and we got absolutely shredded. Another thing was offenses started easily predicting his calls and reading his signals (urban legend is he never changed his signs/calls). His last year at state ('01) we were absolutely horrific defensively. He benefited from having Smoot and Bean and his scheme took advantage of that.
His name sure brings back some fun memories. We had a national reputation and personality at MSU when he and the Kang had it going on. I hope I get to see it like that again.
people forget he had great defenses at several schools before us
He was at South Carolina I think, and had the "fire-ant" defense that was highly ranked, and at Ole Miss, I think his defense was number one statistically one year. I think it was as much a change in offenses as it was a drop in talent that did him in.
He was at South Carolina I think, and had the "fire-ant" defense that was highly ranked, and at Ole Miss, I think his defense was number one statistically one year. I think it was as much a change in offenses as it was a drop in talent that did him in.
I remember a TV announcer laughing about Joe Lee`s signals before a game. Said he didn`t know all them but he knew if you saw Dunn blow in his fist....the QB was about to get hit in the mouth.
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He probably save Sherrill's job when he hired him in '96. He called a great game in the SEC Championship game in '98. We had ample opportunities to win that game.
JLD's scheme worked because it went against the conventional grain....
Joe Lee Dunn's philosophy was completely different- he'd send anybody anywhere. It didn't matter how you got past the offensive linemen, you just got into the backfield. When JLD's defense at New Mexico played Jim MacMahon's BYU team I 1980, they completely shut down their offense....and JLD's defense was so depleted he had one of his managers playing safety.
However, in the late 1990's- early 2000's, everybody started using Attack Defenses. Offenses could prepare for JLD's defense better. Also, when the SEC changed JUCO transfer rules (in a reaction to MSU's success), we stopped getting top players. Finally, JLD became predictable- you see a safety cheating up at the line, you KNEW he'd be blitzing...JLD never figured out that occasionally you should fake a blitz or two every once in a while.
I don't think JLD's defense would work today because most offenses are a variation of the Read-Option, where defenses have to keep their lanes.
Until the late 1990's, everybody's defense was "read and react"- linemen and linebackers had an area to protect, then went to the ball only when you saw where the play was going. If you tried to slant the coaches would yell at you.
Joe Lee Dunn's philosophy was completely different- he'd send anybody anywhere. It didn't matter how you got past the offensive linemen, you just got into the backfield. When JLD's defense at New Mexico played Jim MacMahon's BYU team I 1980, they completely shut down their offense....and JLD's defense was so depleted he had one of his managers playing safety.
However, in the late 1990's- early 2000's, everybody started using Attack Defenses. Offenses could prepare for JLD's defense better. Also, when the SEC changed JUCO transfer rules (in a reaction to MSU's success), we stopped getting top players. Finally, JLD became predictable- you see a safety cheating up at the line, you KNEW he'd be blitzing...JLD never figured out that occasionally you should fake a blitz or two every once in a while.
I don't think JLD's defense would work today because most offenses are a variation of the Read-Option, where defenses have to keep their lanes.
i loved joe lee dunn's attacking style (shocker i know) and his defense dictated what offenses did, not the other way around. dunns problem ended up being the quality of player leveled off, but he never reigned in his constant aggression and the all attack mentality became an exploitable part of what we did. we would have 6 guys in the backfield and the other team would bust some huge screen up the middle with nobody but a safety and a corner still at home to make a tackle. there is an art to aggression....we had a beautiful thing going, but that relentless blitzing and decline in work ethic/talent was our demise.
He went on to Ridgeway High, New Mexico State, and (DIII) McMurry University. According to this excerpt. Apparently he might have "invented" the 3-3-5 while preparing Memphis to play Southern Cal.
This sums up the state of things when he left
This sums up the state of things when he left
Always thought it was interesting ...
that JLD became the HC at OM when Brewer was fired in '94 and coached the team the entire year, but is usually omitted from most lists of OM football HCs.
that JLD became the HC at OM when Brewer was fired in '94 and coached the team the entire year, but is usually omitted from most lists of OM football HCs.
We were 77 in team defense and 78 in points scored that year.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2002-team-defense.html
I edited to note that 77/78 is not terrible. We replaced him with Ron Cooper and had the worst defense I've ever seen at this school. This is an example of why administrations should either fire a head coach or not, and not put pressure on him to change assistants. Firing Dunn and Arians was the beginning of the end for Sherrill.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2002-team-defense.html
I edited to note that 77/78 is not terrible. We replaced him with Ron Cooper and had the worst defense I've ever seen at this school. This is an example of why administrations should either fire a head coach or not, and not put pressure on him to change assistants. Firing Dunn and Arians was the beginning of the end for Sherrill.
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Related to JLD, I was highly disappointed that the powers that run the jumbotron didn't play any highlights of the 1999 UK game for Great Moments in MSU History, especially the Ashley Cooper strip-sack. I had just resigned myself to defeat and - magic!
Here's the 2-minute drive ftw. (Also a Hal Mumme sighting)
Here's the 2-minute drive ftw. (Also a Hal Mumme sighting)
I don't know what kind of metric that is, but as you can see here, in total defense, we were 24th.
http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2002&div=4&rpt=IA_teamtotdef&site=org
http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2002&div=4&rpt=IA_teamtotdef&site=org
