Optimistic about the defense? Why?

[bobongo]

I'm hopeful (not quite optimistic lol) that our defense can only improve with the recent hires from how bad it's been over the last decade and welcome the change of direction in the program. Any change is preferable to the malaise we had settled into. I didn't see Woody as any real improvement over the other DCs we'd churned through and am glad we have a defensive minded HC. Am hopeful that translates into better D.

Woody wasn't responsible for the lack of talent at linebacker and defensive end and he was mandated, according to what's been reported here, to back the D-backs off and play bend-but-don't-break. Nate Woody is a fine defensive coordinator who did not have the talent he needed to succeed. But like you, I'm hopeful but not optimistic about this year's defense. We could be in for a rough transition.

 

[slugboy]

Our recruiting rankings for the last decade are about the same as they were when we had a higher rated defense. For our best ranked class of the 21st century in 2007, many or most of those players eventually played for Johnson.
We’ve played top 50 or better defense in the previous decade with the same level of athletes as we played bottom 25% with over the last decade. Better recruiting would make us better, but it’s not all recruiting.
I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t just the players.


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[UgaBlows]

Maybe i’m crazy but i don’t think our DEF talant is as low ranked, slow, or as weak as yall make them out to be, imo it’s how they were coached, and the way they practiced (maybe) and whatand who they practiced against. We have a bunch of 4 star and high 3 star kids on our defense.

 

[ATL1]

I can somewhat confirm this

My issue with the philosophy is we employed it 3rd down as well, especially 3rd & long. Play soft zones but not your guys disciplined enough to jumping 5yd routes allowing a deeper route behind you to get open for a 1st down or DBs drop beyond the sticks.

Yikes.

 

[bobongo]

Yikes.

But you don't want to stop them too soon. Best is to let them keep the ball until they get into the red zone, so as to limit the number of possessions and shorten the game.