Defenses Under CPJ

[jacketup]

My two cents: CPJ will never have a defense better than mediocre until he wants it. The big problem is he really only wants to be an offensive coordinator; without having to answer to a boss*. He pays minimal interest and attention on defense and special teams. He's stated that his involvement with the defense is one meeting during game week to hear the game plan. His quote at Miami halftime was hugely telling: “I tried to run the clock all the way down. I guess 40 seconds was too long.” 'I' being the offense. And 40 seconds was too long for them: the defense. A team divided against itself will never live up to its potential.

When he hired Groh, the whole idea was to have a "head coach for the defense". Sorry, but if you're not the head coach for the whole team, you're not a head coach.

CPJ treats defense as a second priority. So, is it really any surprise that he's had second-rate defenses? When have his defenses improved? In short term spurts when CPJ has actually gotten involved with defense: After Groh was fired, when CPJ worked with Kelly to turn things around. And in 2016 when CPJ demanded more aggression. CPJ is one of the best strategic coaches in the country and he's not using that resource in 2/3 of the phases of the game.

A 4th DC isn't going to make a difference. Unless, CPJ makes his defense a priority on par with his offense.

(*I also feel like this is an issue for recruiting and media exposure/PR for the program. He doesn't like the off-field duties of being a head coach. And he doesn't put 100% effort into them. He doesn't seem to realize or care that they're all interrelated. Want more money, better facilities and better players for your offense? Get out there and sell what you're doing to the fans, the recruits, and the media.)

tl:dr version: Paul Johnson wants to be an offensive coordinator, but he wants a P5 head coaching salary. GT is the only P5 school willing to do that.

 

[Skeptic]

I have a feeling Etienne would have a different answer if he was a receiver.

Daggone, that is pretty sly.

 

[Sideways]

Just out of curiosity, I looked up CPJ's defensive FEI ratings at GT:

Wommack:
2008: 71
2009: 100
AVG: 85.5

Groh:
2010: 84
2011: 85
2012: 74* (Fired, season finished by Charles Kelley at DC)
AVG: 81

Roof:
2013: 77
2014: 70
2015: 62
2016: 94
2017: 66
AVG: 73.8

Interesting. Roof's defense has been the best of all of CPJ's DCs. In CPJ's worst year (2015) is when our defense was its best (according to FEI). As bad as some may want to say Roof was this year, it was CPJ's second highest rated defense.

In terms of talent, I think the 2008 team was the most talented, in which all the starters outside the LB group saw time in the NFL finished at 71.

At some point you have to wonder if there's a pattern, or did CPJ whiff 3 straight times.

This is interesting. I always thought that 2008 was our most talented defense and that Coach Roof did a pretty good with what talent he had to work with but that 2016 defense and the blasted giving up scores before the half and at the end of so many games caught up with him. I don't know about Groh other than he had about a 4 game stretch where we could not stop any offense with a pulse. Quite frankly, none of them had what I would consider even a pretty good defense. It has been a bad stretch on the defensive side of things for a long time.

 

[Bogey]

I have a feeling Etienne would have a different answer if he was a receiver.

True, but physicality doesn't bother receivers, but speed and quickness do

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[Skeptic]

... we could not stop any offense with a pulse. .

Wish I had said that. And will.

 

[Jacketman1]

True, but physicality doesn't bother receivers, but speed and quickness do

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I was more referring to the 10 yard cushions, but you also raise a good point.

 

[Bogey]

I was more referring to the 10 yard cushions, but you also raise a good point.

As I see it, as one of limited football knowledge, the only sensible reason to give a 10 yard cushion is that the receiver is faster and quicker than the DB, and has liitle to do with scheme. It will be interesting to see if the new DC can play tighter with good results with essentially the same players. I do hope he can, but I will be pleasantly surprised if this happens.

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[Skeptic]

Personally I am a Roof fan. He is a Tech guy, great recruiter, and represents Tech well. I just cannot believe he is not smart enough to not be able to come up with a winning defensive scheme. Rather, i believe the PJ offense limited Roof's chances to practise against the speed and type defenses we see on Saturdays. But it may be the right time to move on with a new DC. Good defenses are played with emotion and motivation and to me it os near impossile to motivate when you are not with your team on the field of play. I am not happy with PJ's overall record at GT, we should srive for better. I figure PJ has at most 2-3 years left and we are right to give him another shot at a DC of his choice. If we do not improve dramatically under a new DC, then we definitely should abandon our present offense and move towards an offense that can be tweaked to take best adantage of the players we are able to recruit, and make our program more attractive to today's recruits. It is a different time now than it was in 2008 with regards to the number of quality players now coming out of HS in my opinion.

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The GT defenses that fans saw over his tenure, and even given Kentucky windage they were just not very good, and the defensive achievements NC State put in its hiring press release to the Raleigh newspaper, and faithfully reported therein -- though they had a reporter at the Duke and Carolina games -- were like black to white, night to day. I read the hiring story and wondered why in the world Johnson would let a guy like that go.

 

[GTFLETCH]

A couple of thoughts... CTR has been the best DC at Tech in the CPJ era.... CTR also has helped with the uptick in recruiting (Atlanta Metro Area)

That being said, TStan, P. Swilling can see that there were areas of improvement to be made and obviously are thinking second and third order of effects. CTR needed to go as he was unwilling to play younger guys, and is not HC material. Also the next DC most likely will be the one from the current staff to get the interview for HC once CPJ retires. CPJ will advise TStan to look at Ken & Jeff at Navy and Army and probably B. Bohanan.. So I would think if Woody can excel as the DC at Tech in the next three years he will probably be our next HC! IMHO.