Nate Woody

[tmhunter52]

A couple of things.

1. Creating turnovers is not a reliable defense. While some are actual forced turnovers, like hitting the QB from behind and creating a sack or a great break for an INT, others are just pure luck, like a QB hitting the back of his OLmen's head on a screen, or just dumb plays by the opponent (trying to throw the ball while getting sacked, or running a reverse wr pass who chooses to throw into double coverage), or against backups when nothing is really on the line. Are they nice? Sure, but they aren't reliable. Keep in mind we forced over 2 TOs a game in 2014 with Roof as well. Luck is just too much of a factor for it to be reliable.

2. Concerning Sacks. We had a much higher sack/game in 2013 under Roof and similar in both 2014 and last year. Keep in mind that prior to the duke game we were sitting at 1.33 per game. That would be better only than one year of Roof's. Now maybe the Duke game means things are starting to click. Maybe it means it was a one game wonder. Last year we had 3 sacks against Miami. Year before 5 against VT. Year before that 3 against FSU. So forth and so on. Now if they continue to get 3+ sacks a game going foreward then it means something.

3. Compared to last year we are giving up more yards per play, more yards per game,and more points per game. In fact our current ppg is worse than it ever was under Roof, and while you can point to ST and TOs, rightfully so, those were also issues with Roof.

All in all don't make the same mistake people did concerning our offense and think that just because we had one game with lots of sacks and turnovers that it means things have turned the corner. This is still the same defense that played against USF, Clemson, and UL. There is a decent base to build on but it's far to early to be saying it's been a great job because of more or less one game.

I agree. When our defense becomes stout enough to stop opposing teams’ TD scores on short fields, I’ll think we have turned the corner.

 

[kg01]

I agree. When our defense becomes stout enough to stop opposing teams’ TD scores on short fields, I’ll think we have turned the corner.

ISWYDT

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

The def has been about what i expected so-far because there’s a huge learning curve and we have a lot of youth but next year i’m going to be really dissapointed if there’s not a big improvement.

Who will replace ASA’s production though? That’s gonna be huge hole to fill to really progress.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

I agree. When our defense becomes stout enough to stop opposing teams’ TD scores on short fields, I’ll think we have turned the corner.

That standard is a top 20 type D.

 

[grandpa jacket]

has taken an experienced but previously underwhelming Dline, a talented but inexperienced secondary, and a revolving door at LB and made us one of the top turnover-creating D’s in the country. A far-cry from most years under Roof. We’re still giving up too many points, but seemingly getting better each week. How do y’all feel about CNW’s D? Are we ahead, behind, or about where you thought we’d be defensively at this point?

I am seeing improvement each week, i hope our new HC will consider keeping him.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Defensive KEY:

More talent will mean better defense - I am assuming a competent D coordinator. Roof was competent, and Woody is competent. When he gets more front 7 talent, our D will be better. Bottom line. ASA is a talented pass rusher.

 

[jgtengineer]

That standard is a top 20 type D.

Even bama gets scored on on short fields. I'd say the standard to constantly get off the field on short fields is probably more like top 10.

 

[kg01]

Defensive KEY:

More talent will mean better defense - I am assuming a competent D coordinator. Roof was competent, and Woody is competent. When he gets more front 7 talent, our D will be better. Bottom line. ASA is a talented pass rusher.

I may be reading you wrong but I think I respeckfully disagree that it's this simple. Woody has made a difference here and the unit looks significantly more effective despite having the same talent as Roof.

Again, I may be reading you wrong, but it sounds like you're suggesting Roof and Woody are basically equivalent. I think it's fairly clear one is superior to the other.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Defensive KEY:

More talent will mean better defense - I am assuming a competent D coordinator. Roof was competent, and Woody is competent. When he gets more front 7 talent, our D will be better. Bottom line. ASA is a talented pass rusher.

I’m no Roof hater. I’ve never bought into the thought he’s incompetent as a DC. I think CNW is getting more out of the talent we do have than Roof did. But I knew coming into this year that a completely different scheme, with the deficiencies of talent at some spots and youth at others, would have growing pains.

I also don’t think it’s certain that we won’t have some more letdowns on D before the season concludes. I think we are still in line for some more ups and downs. I just think there will be more ups than downs as we proceed but the teams we face will determine this to a degree also.

 

[UgaBlows]

Who will replace ASA’s production though? That’s gonna be huge hole to fill to really progress.

I agree, i’m worried about that, and It really sucks that we haven’t properly utilized his skills until his senior year.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

I may be reading you wrong but I think I respeckfully disagree that it's this simple. Woody has made a difference here and the unit looks significantly more effective despite having the same talent as Roof.

Again, I may be reading you wrong, but it sounds like you're suggesting Roof and Woody are basically equivalent. I think it's fairly clear one is superior to the other.

The stats on yards per play really don't show that there is much difference, but I understand that a lot of folks on here did not like Roof's style. You are not reading me wrong; I believe defense, assuming a competent to good D coordinator, is all about jimmies and joes, and we are still way behind in that area. I like Woody, but I liked Roof as well. I think that ANY success we have on D right now is traced directly to coaching, not so much talent, as in that area, we are still sorely lacking.

 

[kg01]

The stats on yards per play really don't show that there is much difference, but I understand that a lot of folks on here did not like Roof's style. You are not reading me wrong; I believe defense, assuming a competent to good D coordinator, is all about jimmies and joes, and we are still way behind in that area. I like Woody, but I liked Roof as well. I think that ANY success we have on D right now is traced directly to coaching, not so much talent.

I hear you. I hate the use of analytics in a vacuum so I don't necessarily subscribe to the use of 'stats' in that manner. Just meaning, I won't look at a stat, compare it to the prior year and assess better/worse. I just feel like there's more to it than that.

Stats don't necessarily measure better tackling, better technique, etc. Those are the areas where I feel we are much improved.

On talent level, I think we're better than we've shown. We lack depth of talent, that's for sure. But we have guys who have individual talent/tools. Talent/tools which I feel were hidden under the prior regime.

 

[Andewa]

The only stat that matters to me is P5PPD: Points per drive vs power 5 teams. It accounts for more variables than points per game or yards per play.

I'll evaluate that at the end of the season to judge NW's performance, but my hypothesis so far is that he's kicking ***.

 

[UpperNorth]

I was explaining the Nate Woody hire before the season to a friend of mine who coaches at Dacula. Replacing a bend but don’t break, non-aggressive D with an aggressive, willing to give-up a play here and there as a trade-off. He said Tech is so far away from being a shut-down D, that an aggresive D is our best option and worth the trade-off type of D. He thought if we could create energy and excitement on that side of the ball that we could move our identity in the right direction and land a few more difference makers.

Those were interesting points. Second half of the season will tell if and by how much we’ve improved. At the end of the day our current jimmies and joes are not going to be a shut-em-down D, no matter who the coach is, but they can move toward an identity and IMO we haven’t had that since the Tenuta years.

 

[lv20gt]

I agree. When our defense becomes stout enough to stop opposing teams’ TD scores on short fields, I’ll think we have turned the corner.

I'm assuming this is sarcasm? If not then ignore the following. The defense played well against Duke. But it was one game. We're a week removed from giving up 31 and 500 yards against UL and a few weeks before that CU and USF scored basically at will.

People forget that last year we didn't allow more than 25 points in our first 5 ACC games that included two highly rated teams on the road. We also held a ranked VT team to 22. We were also 12th in the country in 3rd down defense which was the big complaint against Roof the year before. We are now 123rd in that category which is basically where we were two years ago and people were making a big deal out of it. But suddenly that wasn't important and it's all about turnovers. There is reason to believe Woody will work things out but there is no way that if it was Roof on the sideline getting the exact same results that people wouldn't be criticizing the lack of 3rd down stops and points given up.

Now maybe the duke game is a harbinger of things to come and the second half of the year the defense will look good. I sure hope so. But I'm surprised, well not really, at people's reaction to one game right after we just got done hyping up the offense after one game and it falling on its face.

 

[boger2337]

Next year this secondary and linebacking group should be top 25 in the country. Getting a lot of experience for younger guys. Will have speed and length at the positions. Still worried about the line.

 

[Jacket in Dairyland]

Next year this secondary and linebacking group should be top 25 in the country. Getting a lot of experience for younger guys. Will have speed and length at the positions. Still worried about the line.

I really like your optimism. But for me, I am done putting expectations on this team. We go through this every year....... one more year of experience , weight training , coaching , blah, blah , blah. I will "expect" them to be top 25 , when they ARE top 25 !

 

[Jacket in Dairyland]

I'm assuming this is sarcasm? If not then ignore the following. The defense played well against Duke. But it was one game. We're a week removed from giving up 31 and 500 yards against UL and a few weeks before that CU and USF scored basically at will.

People forget that last year we didn't allow more than 25 points in our first 5 ACC games that included two highly rated teams on the road. We also held a ranked VT team to 22. We were also 12th in the country in 3rd down defense which was the big complaint against Roof the year before. We are now 123rd in that category which is basically where we were two years ago and people were making a big deal out of it. But suddenly that wasn't important and it's all about turnovers. There is reason to believe Woody will work things out but there is no way that if it was Roof on the sideline getting the exact same results that people wouldn't be criticizing the lack of 3rd down stops and points given up.

Now maybe the duke game is a harbinger of things to come and the second half of the year the defense will look good. I sure hope so. But I'm surprised, well not really, at people's reaction to one game right after we just got done hyping up the offense after one game and it falling on its face.

Agree. See my post above. Just sub " game " for " year ".

 

[Yoda]

I'm impressed. D is starting to come into their own.

 

[bobongo]

The only stat that matters to me is P5PPD: Points per drive vs power 5 teams. It accounts for more variables than points per game or yards per play.

I'll evaluate that at the end of the season to judge NW's performance, but my hypothesis so far is that he's kicking ***.

Takeaways are very important. I don't know how it shakes out against power 5 teams, but our defense has taken the ball away 16 times this year in 7 games. Last year's defense got 10 turnovers in 11 games. We're on a pace to get 27 this year in 12. That's a ginormous improvement.