The DC Debate

[Northeast Stinger]

I have heard these arguments go round an round and suspect that no one is being persuaded. Oh well, here is how I see it. When Tech lines up on defense it is not the secondary that bothers me. It isn't even the linebackers though I do see a few weaknesses there. It is always the defensive line.

To use a simple analogy, when I was young I used to play electronic football games. If you did not have a good defensive line you had to do other things to compensate. Blitzing had to be done judiciously or you got burned on big plays. In short, not having a dominant defensive line limits your options and requires a careful approach with a limited number of calculated risks.

I am still worried about our defensive line even though I am hoping for the best this season.

 

[PBR549]

No, they don't.

That's okay that you don't put much stock in recruiting service rankings. Is it your contention that our talent has been so far below average that elite coaching can't get average results?

Also, what is YOUR assessment of our talent this year? Is there any performance level that will change your opinion?

I am hoping you are right but expected more this past year. Maybe it was lockerroom.

Also, is it your position that coaching plays no role in LBs staying in the right gaps and DL defeating blocks? Are all our problems on D just genetics?

Okay, what external assessments?

It's my contention that the talent level has been low in a lot of areas. I don't know if our coaching has been elite in all areas or not because I haven't been there to evaluate each coach. Coaching definitely plays a role in a linebacker playing the correct gap and I do know AM coaches up LBers at a high level. I see our DL trying to use techniques taught by MP but I don't see them being successful a high percentage of the time. If we stay with this staff I believe we will mature into better football players and we will recruit better as we go along. But scheme is totally dependent on whether the level of play of these individuals improve. I have total confidence in CTR and CPJ to make the best out of the situation we have here at Tech.
Like I said earlier, talent level is relative to the people your playing against. I believe we do a good job coaching for the most part at each position. I also believe if a position coach is not getting the job done CPJ has no problem making the necessary adjustment with that individual coach ie CAG.

 

[Skeptic]

I've enjoyed some of the back-and-forth that with one notable and queasy exception has been civil and respectful, and much of it has been instructive. What does not instruct me is how we can be seven years into this defensive malaise -- sorry, Jimmy Carter -- and still debating schemes and recruiting and tactics. Yet -- and this is just me -- my hopes for the defense are not over the moon. Keep 'em to four scores and maybe we have a chance. That is in tandem with the expectation, or at least the optimistic hope, that Johnson finds his lost offensive line, Thomas returns from his netherworld of 2015 -- and part of me wonders if the avalanche of '14 accolades affected him -- and that the plague of injuries among A and B backs has been rubbed out. Wanting all three might be wanting too much, but I can dream. I know it can be done because they've done it. If it is recruiting, I haven't seen any evidence that the offense gets priorities, so where is the disconnect?

I would add only one modest request to hopes, dreams and aspirations for the defense: this year, please, can the defense hold on the first possession after we score, and at least make the bad guys take two possessions to get the TD back? This business of covering 80 yards in six or seven minutes to score, and having the other guy go 80 yards inside of two minutes is just plain irritating. I will love them for it, my wife will be grateful, and my TV will be safer.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

We had average results on D in '14. The slight drop off in '15 was due to much worse offense combined with a much tougher schedule. We also had two key guys, Freeman and Davis, regress inexplicably.

 

[Skeptic]

We had average results on D in '14. The slight drop off in '15 was due to much worse offense combined with a much tougher schedule. We also had two key guys, Freeman and Davis, regress inexplicably.

I'm just guessing that Davis had problems related to what was happening up front, and Freeman wasn't sneaking up on anybody in '15. They had planned for him.

 

[PBR549]

I'm just guessing that Davis had problems related to what was happening up front, and Freeman wasn't sneaking up on anybody in '15. They had planned for him.

I don't like to talk about induvidual players but I think both players would agree we have to get better at those two positions this year.

 

[PBR549]

We had average results on D in '14. The slight drop off in '15 was due to much worse offense combined with a much tougher schedule. We also had two key guys, Freeman and Davis, regress inexplicably.

In my opinion the biggest problem we had on offense was not being able to stretch the D deep with our receivers mainly due to a lack of speed and experience. I see that getting better this year and future years.

 

[AE 87]

Okay, what external assessments?
...

I was referring to recruiting rankings but disputing that our performance has matched it.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

We also had two key guys, Freeman and Davis, regress inexplicably.

Still waiting for someone to explain that one to me.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

PJ played hurt quite a bit I think. Need to be able to sit starters more when dinged up. Freeman....not sure. Maybe teams scouted him well from frosh year to limit him more. Time will tell what happens there.

 

[awbuzz]

agree with @Whiskey_Clear regarding PJD. Injured wheel made a difference, unfortunately the 'next man up" wan't as good as the injured PJD, thus PJD played more than he should have. JMO.