Ted Roof

[33jacket]

In teds defense. If you can remove any blame from him on personnel, even though he has been here 3 years, but if you can remove him from blame:

Dl recruiting and issues are there. Lb is a disaster. To me S has had adequate talent. So has db or cb. Adequate enough to be better than we are.

He essentially had to keep mccollum and speed. Not saying its good or had. I like andy. Just saying its not purely his staff.

And tech is slower than most schools at talent turn around. If you believe that is the only reason for the lack of his success

 

[JacketFromUGA]

I think the current true freshmen show a turn-around for recruiting on the D side of the ball. Mitchell, Alexander, Cerge-Henderson, Gray are all net positives to me and will only get better.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

We need 2 DTs at a minimum in this next class IMO. And we might need to look at converting an OL or two in the next year or two. We could be thin like last year, in 2017, otherwise.

Talent and depth aren't the only reasons for results on the field but they are pretty big factors. Agree with 33 that the secondary has had pretty darn good talent we haven't gotten the most out of.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

This is like the Shaq discussion in missing him, but.....we could lose Gotsis and have a better front 7 next year. That depends of course on Gamble and Kallon and how Henderson, Glanton, and Morgan develop. We will miss Gotsis though, no argument there.

I have to believe we take a big step forward at DE next year. Lots of athletic talent and depth there that will be more mature.

LB could be a strength next year with Mitchell, Davis, Vic, and Lewis. Not to mention a few young unproven that may step up like Jackson and Cooksey.

The secondary is a concern next year IMO. We lose our starting corners and a safety. AJ is a bright spot returning and an upgrade with his experience this year. We are short and thin here though. The twins, Step, and Griffen have shown they can make plays. Question is how consistent can / will they be when they start to shoulder the load?

I think depth next year may dictate more use of the 4-3 and less nickel. Time will tell. We have to improve in sacks and TFLs though. Need twice what we have gotten on that thus far this year.

 

[alagold]

Ala, nobody thought the O would struggle. Plug and play, remember...

Cheese,
Don't understand ?"nobody thought the O would struggle?"?---I actually said in my comment that the OFFense WOULD STRUGGLE (at least I thought so), it was time for the DEF to step up ALL THE TIME (not just with TOs-which we haven't gotten much of either)

 

[jacketup]

We lack talent.

1. Realistically, Roof has had 2 years to recruit for this defense. Paul Johnson has had 7.
2. Last year's defensive recruits look pretty good. Roof and Pelton are key reasons why recruiting on defense has improved.
3. It takes longer to develop defensive players than it does most offensive skill positions. Give the young'uns a chance.
4. Johnson is going to put the best players on offense if there is a question. Shaq Mason would have been a good DL. Qua Searcy would be a good safety.
5. Counting Kelly, we have had 4 DC in 8 years. Why does anyone think a change would help?
6. Average opponent yards per play has decreased from 6.2 last year to 5.8 this year (FBS only). There is improvement on one side of the ball.

 

[Squints]

4. Johnson is going to put the best players on offense if there is a question. Shaq Mason would have been a good DL. Qua Searcy would be a good safety.

I mean sure maybe Shaq Mason would have been a good DL but he turned out to be one of the best OL we've ever had and is starting in the NFL. I don't know about you but I think the right move was made there. And you want to talk about safeties? Aren't both of our starting safeties former high school quarterbacks? Really I'd love to see some evidence to this claim which gets rattled off as a fact by some of you guys because I just don't see it. Reeks of having an axe to grind.

6. Average opponent yards per play has decreased from 6.2 last year to 5.8 this year (FBS only). There is improvement on one side of the ball.

And you can go from running a mile in 10 minutes to 9 and a half minutes after working out. Sure it's improvement but it doesn't mean it's good.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Two things.
1) You are correct that my points/drive stat is not adjusted for strength of schedule, but the stats you cites are adjusted for strength of schedule. So, you are wrong to say that "GT has put up comparable numbers against the" harder strength of schedule. The defensive rankings are only made comparable after taking SoS into account.
2) I concede your point that you probably can't be a good D if your team is losing the time of possession battle drastically. However, that's true in part because good D's get off the field by forcing stops. Look at BC on this link:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/statistics/teamratings/_/sort/defEfficiency/tab/efficiency

They are #4 in defensive efficiency, 86.6, and #124 in offensive efficiency, 15.5. Northwestern is #5 in defensive efficiency and #99 in offensive efficiency.

From footballoutsiders FEI, BC is #3 in defense and #124 in offense. Northwestern is #12 in defense and #88 in offense.

So, yeah, your assertion is true regarding time of possession but meaningless in my opinion. At one level it is saying that a defense that stays on the field because it can't force stops is a bad defense. The time of possession stat does not support the suggestion that the defensive struggles result from offensive struggles.

Except that we have been forcing stops. We've gotten off the field plenty of times just to get back on it. Almost every defensive stat has improved this year. We are stopping people on third down. Our scoring average is down. We are allowing less yards per game. We just can't seal the deal because the offense keeps letting us down. How many of the scores given up this year have been on short field turnovers? A lot. You can't win that way, and IMO, it only serves to make the D look worse than it actually is.

 

[Ibeeballin]

I'm all for criticizing the program and staff when needed, but to blatantly make up stuff like "best players goes to the offense" is ridiculous.

All of the 4*s except JT are on defense
Majority of the QB/athletes recruited are in the secondary.

But on that note, I hope current committ Tristen Hill is moved to DT

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

All of the 4*s except JT are on defense

Depending on which service you refer to, Shamire Devine was a 4* as well. Otherwise, you are absolutely correct.

 

[Techster]

I will say that our defense basically won the FSU game for us. Our defense also kept us in games we probably should have been blown out of.

That said, the Defense last year was helped by one of the most efficient offenses in college football history (it's true...look it up). You give this year's defense an offense like last year's and we're probably booking rooms for Charlotte. Unfortunately, our offense is historically terrible (for a CPJ team) so it's exposed a lot of the shortcomings of the defense. Funny how one side affects the other, but we're seeing it now.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Inproving defense is necessary. We all agree with that I think. Where have we been failing the most? That is the point of contention it appears. Is it scheme? Is it the strategic focus of the big guy? (Offense matters more than defense philosophy?) Is it overall talent, lack of depth, or lack of talent at certain position groups? We can go round and round about this.

I for one point again to the latter issue. We have had an extreme lack of depth at DT the last few years. Last year we got by with duct tape and baling either. What's the biggest difference between a 50-70 ranked D and a top 20 D? I contend it's usually a great front 7, great D linemen. We have had success in landing some pretty good DEs. The last few years we have struggled mightily landing DTs.

Last year we signed, what looks like, a great class of D players. If Pelton, McCollum, and Roof can continue this....I think we will see a top 25 D in the next few years.

 

[stingyoa$$]

I think the current true freshmen show a turn-around for recruiting on the D side of the ball. Mitchell, Alexander, Cerge-Henderson, Gray are all net positives to me and will only get better.

We will know for sure in 4 years.

 

[jacketup]

I'm all for criticizing the program and staff when needed, but to blatantly make up stuff like "best players goes to the offense" is ridiculous.

All of the 4*s except JT are on defense
Majority of the QB/athletes recruited are in the secondary.

But on that note, I hope current committ Tristen Hill is moved to DT

What is ridiculous is to say that the head coach doesn't have a major say in who plays where. And if you are trying to say that Johnson is hands off in those decisions, or that he favors defense over offense when deciding where someone will play, that is even more ridiculous. Every coach has a bias, and at a place like GT where there aren't top quality players for every position, that bias will definitely determine where someone plays. To think otherwise is ridiculous.

 

[jwsavhGT]

What is ridiculous is to say that the head coach doesn't have a major say in who plays where. And if you are trying to say that Johnson is hands off in those decisions, or that he favors defense over offense when deciding where someone will play, that is even more ridiculous. Every coach has a bias, and at a place like GT where there aren't top quality players for every position, that bias will definitely determine where someone plays. To think otherwise is ridiculous.

You might want to research the person you were responding to. If anyone is aware of whether or not CPJ favors offense over defense @Ibeeballin might have more insight than you think. His tag of "GT Athlete" isn't there just for show.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

What is ridiculous is to say that the head coach doesn't have a major say in who plays where. And if you are trying to say that Johnson is hands off in those decisions, or that he favors defense over offense when deciding where someone will play, that is even more ridiculous. Every coach has a bias, and at a place like GT where there aren't top quality players for every position, that bias will definitely determine where someone plays. To think otherwise is ridiculous.

I understand the perception and it sure sounds good when you read it but you just won't sway me or others without evidence to back up your claims. I preach this to my students all the time you can't make a claim without supporting evidence.

 

[bke1984]

Except that we have been forcing stops. We've gotten off the field plenty of times just to get back on it. Almost every defensive stat has improved this year. We are stopping people on third down. Our scoring average is down. We are allowing less yards per game. We just can't seal the deal because the offense keeps letting us down. How many of the scores given up this year have been on short field turnovers? A lot. You can't win that way, and IMO, it only serves to make the D look worse than it actually is.

I agree. The offense is not very good this year, and it's making the defense look worse than it is....but let's not give the defense a free pass. If the offense was scoring, I doubt they'd be a top-25 unit. We still miss way too many tackles and get zero pressure on the QB

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I agree. The offense is not very good this year, and it's making the defense look worse than it is....but let's not give the defense a free pass. If the offense was scoring, I doubt they'd be a top-25 unit. We still miss way too many tackles and get zero pressure on the QB

Agreed. I am not arguing we'd be top 25, though it's very possible we would be. Think about this:

Duke: 13 points surrendered to poor special teams play and 7 points off a short field turnover. 20 total points off offensive/ST miscues.
UNC: 7 points off a short field turnover and 7 points off a short field ST mistake. 14 total points off offensive/ST miscues.
UVA: 10 points off of short field turnovers. 10 total points on offensive miscues.

Add to this that Pitt's only TD in the second half came after a shanked punt gave them the ball on our side of the field, and you see the trend. Our defense has been put in a no win situation this year. They have consistently been asked to defend short fields, and amazingly, have done well. We've held several drives to field goals that had a first and goal involved. Bad defenses don't make those stops. We do need to capitalize on those stops and have the Offense make some plays for us.

So far we are 1-4 in games decided by 1 TD (8 points) or less. Had our offense made a couple of plays and/or had better ball security, we could be 8-1 right now. We have been competitive in every ball game we have played sans Clemson. Our defense is the main reason why. I am a big believer in stats, but I don't think they paint an accurate picture in this case...

 

[bke1984]

So far we are 1-4 in games decided by 1 TD (8 points) or less. Had our offense made a couple of plays and/or had better ball security, we could be 8-1 right now. We have been competitive in every ball game we have played sans Clemson. Our defense is the main reason why. I am a big believer in stats, but I don't think they paint an accurate picture in this case...

I'm all for optimism, but the best I could see us being is 7-2 right now. I was at ND, and I'm just not sure we would have pulled that one out even with our offense making a few more plays. Remember we scored two late TD's to make that game close...if you assume we score a couple more TD's early then we probably have the same result.

I can think of two years since PJ's been here where the offense has been the main reason for our woes...2013 and 2015 (I attribute 2010 to Nesbitt's broken arm). I'm confident we'll get it figured out for next year, but the defense will probably take a step backwards.

 

[JorgeJonas]

The defense has not been Alabama's, but historically we haven't needed them to be. Before this year, I went into every game thinking that if we could force four punts, we'd win. We have lost three times this year where we've forced more than four punts - 5 versus Notre Dame, 7 versus Duke, and five versus UVA. If we had this defense in, say, 2011, we'd have won 10 or 11 games that year.

Just a sucky year all around, but there's still time to beat VT, Miami, and Uga. And I can tell you that if on September 1 you'd have guaranteed me wins against those three plus FSU, I would have taken it. Let's hope that happens.