First off, I want to point out some stats from our last 3 games:
We have given up an average of 500 yards a game in our last 3 games. We have also given up 37.66 points a game. Opposing teams have converted 3rd downs well over 50% of the time and score on over 50% of drives. We have 4 sacks in the last 3 games and had 0 turnovers go our way (the punt tonight was not a turnover... the LSU receiver never had possession of the ball, therefore, they could not have turned the ball over). Teams score 80% of the time in the red zone... should have been more, but thankfully, A and M missed 2 field goals.
Our defense is dismal. Defense consists of one primary task: keeping the offense from scoring points. Plain and simple. How do you keep the offense from scoring points, one may ask? Well, you can play back and play conservative... much like we do... let the play develop and then go out and stop the play. Well... maybe that works against some teams, but in the SEC, you CANNOT let this happen. Opposing teams get WAAAAYYYY too comfortable against our D. Comfortable quarterbacks complete timed passes... they complete them accurately, and they complete them often. Running plays develop, blockers are in position, make their blocks, and plays that are designed to gain a certain amount of yards usually gain those yards. Conservative defense DOES NOT WIN GAMES.
So how do you change that? You have to find a way to disrupt plays. Keep the run from going where it was designed to go. You have to keep the quarterback from completing the passes he wants to complete, when he wants to complete them. Disruption leads to pressure, pressure leads to mistakes, mistakes lead to getting off the field on third down and turnovers. Disruption is the key to any good defense. Until we can disrupt opposing teams, we will never win big games in the SEC.
On special teams... can we stop giving up so many freakin yards? In year 4, and we still lead the conference in yards given up on kickoffs.
Lastly, on offense... our problem is mentality. I get the sense we go into these games timid... scared... not so much of the opponents, but of ourselves. Well, what do you mean, drt? Well... I mean that we are scared to make mistakes. We are scared to take risks. We play so conservative, that we never gain anything. Up until the last few drives, we played completely scared and timid with the run game. Granted, tonight was much better than our last 2 efforts, but we are still far too conservative. We have to start keeping drives alive. We have to work on plays that will guarantee us yards on fourth and short... and in critical situations, use those plays.
I want us to earn the respect of these teams like LSU, Florida, and Bama. We will not earn respect until we walk into these games confident, and I don't mean running our mouths confident, I mean doing what we want to do, the way we want to do it confident. I mean not getting rattled when things don't go our way... and identifying and taking control of key situations confidence. Not playing scared to mess up... or different because of the brightness of the lights. Stepping up to the plate, being confident, and taking a few risks will help us eliminate stupid mistakes and create breaks for us to take advantage of. Yes, risks can backfire, but a good coach knows what risks to take and when to take them. Dammit, I just want to win games.
We have given up an average of 500 yards a game in our last 3 games. We have also given up 37.66 points a game. Opposing teams have converted 3rd downs well over 50% of the time and score on over 50% of drives. We have 4 sacks in the last 3 games and had 0 turnovers go our way (the punt tonight was not a turnover... the LSU receiver never had possession of the ball, therefore, they could not have turned the ball over). Teams score 80% of the time in the red zone... should have been more, but thankfully, A and M missed 2 field goals.
Our defense is dismal. Defense consists of one primary task: keeping the offense from scoring points. Plain and simple. How do you keep the offense from scoring points, one may ask? Well, you can play back and play conservative... much like we do... let the play develop and then go out and stop the play. Well... maybe that works against some teams, but in the SEC, you CANNOT let this happen. Opposing teams get WAAAAYYYY too comfortable against our D. Comfortable quarterbacks complete timed passes... they complete them accurately, and they complete them often. Running plays develop, blockers are in position, make their blocks, and plays that are designed to gain a certain amount of yards usually gain those yards. Conservative defense DOES NOT WIN GAMES.
So how do you change that? You have to find a way to disrupt plays. Keep the run from going where it was designed to go. You have to keep the quarterback from completing the passes he wants to complete, when he wants to complete them. Disruption leads to pressure, pressure leads to mistakes, mistakes lead to getting off the field on third down and turnovers. Disruption is the key to any good defense. Until we can disrupt opposing teams, we will never win big games in the SEC.
On special teams... can we stop giving up so many freakin yards? In year 4, and we still lead the conference in yards given up on kickoffs.
Lastly, on offense... our problem is mentality. I get the sense we go into these games timid... scared... not so much of the opponents, but of ourselves. Well, what do you mean, drt? Well... I mean that we are scared to make mistakes. We are scared to take risks. We play so conservative, that we never gain anything. Up until the last few drives, we played completely scared and timid with the run game. Granted, tonight was much better than our last 2 efforts, but we are still far too conservative. We have to start keeping drives alive. We have to work on plays that will guarantee us yards on fourth and short... and in critical situations, use those plays.
I want us to earn the respect of these teams like LSU, Florida, and Bama. We will not earn respect until we walk into these games confident, and I don't mean running our mouths confident, I mean doing what we want to do, the way we want to do it confident. I mean not getting rattled when things don't go our way... and identifying and taking control of key situations confidence. Not playing scared to mess up... or different because of the brightness of the lights. Stepping up to the plate, being confident, and taking a few risks will help us eliminate stupid mistakes and create breaks for us to take advantage of. Yes, risks can backfire, but a good coach knows what risks to take and when to take them. Dammit, I just want to win games.
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