I think CBB does a better job of preparing the team for the game than any other coach in the league, most Saturdays. Unfortunately, I think Gus Malzahn is right up there with him in his preparation and he out-prepared us for that game. I think it was the only game that we lost early. It’s the half-time adjustments that still perplex me. As good as we are getting ready for the game, one would think we would be just as good in the second half.
Having said that, I believe we will be a much better team defensively. We have some depth, but not a lot. The HUNH offense got us confused many times last season and I hope that the coaches have been preparing for that. Playing fast is just the way it is these days. You don’t have time to think about the offensive set with HUNH, then call a defense, then get ready. You have to be agile mentally and we didn’t always do that last year.
I have been told that great coordinators can scheme their way to a good start. The glitch is not having the talent to overcome the adjustments made on the other side. Or, when your talent is too inexperienced to be able to adjust themselves.
Malzahn is no different than any other SEC coach - if his talent is superior he looks like a genius.
If you want a tactical genius you should be thinking of Bill Snyder, who consistently does more with less than anyone in the country.
Auburn exploited our scheme that day. Pure and simple And CBB said in the offseason, we were asking payers to do some things they probably couldn’t do.
I think that game specifically led to the 3-4 as much as any
That blowout to Auburn was tough but lets not forget we had played 8 or 9 games in a row without a bye while they were coming off a Bye week. Just a set up for disaster.
Also, if I read an article correctly, the same situation happened several years earlier when AR trounced Auburn (although not as badly as we were whooped) after we had a bye week and they had played many games in a row.
The only take away that I got from that game was we just have to seal the edges better. But those are just stray thoughts. WOO PIG. Excited about this year!
This will be a better defense. There will be more speed available – both at inside linebacker and outside linebacker. I think the additions of Scootah Harris as an every down player, the return of Dre Greenlaw, the addition of Gabe Richardson, the arrival of more depth in the secondary (cornerback most notably) and improvement at safety will allow this defense to play better. I think there will be more passion and that’s as important as anything that can happen.
Is it a championship defense? Probably not. Can it climb 50 spots in the national rankings? I think so. That might mean the difference between winning six and winning eight or nine games.
The thing that will help the defense is offense. The ability to run the ball and limit turnovers, sacks and bad plays could mean much better clock management and fewer plays for the defense. That alone could help the defense.
I’ve got hope that there are going to be many factors that help this defense, including a boost in coaching related to what amounts to three big changes in coaches (Paul Rhoads as DC, John Scott at DL and Chad Walker at OLB). The players are excited. Excitement on defense is a huge asset.
You never know how to take it when offensive coaches talk about the running game struggling in camp. Well, that’s not good and I don’t want to sugar coat or look the other way. But I also don’t think it’s good when you say the offensive line ran over the defensive line. The defense should present problems to the offensive line in camp. I know that last week there was a lot of ones versus ones in practice. There ought to be some days the defense wins and some days that the offense battles back the next day and wins. That is what happened.
I watched a little of the TCU Georgia Liberty Bowl replay yesterday and it was notable how in the second-half Georgia imposed their will on tcu’s defense. I hope that the same will happen for us. I think if our pass defense can contain TCU passing game and we have a good shot
"I hope that the same will happen for us. I think if our pass defense can contain TCU passing game and we have a good shot
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I like our pass defense better than our run defense until proven otherwise. I am concerned about the HUNH offense and our ability to quickly recover and adapt. We’ll see.
I remember a sequence last year where where we turned the ball over to I believe Virginia Tech so fast that the defense never had time to anymore than get a drink.
The Texas A&M game going in for a TD and we loose the Ball inside the 5.
Sometimes you have chances to win. And sometimes you beat yourself.
The Alabama game we coughed up the pig skin for an easy pick that went for 6.
As bad as our defense was we beat Florida!
To top it off if we would have played the second half with the same energy against
Missouri and Virginia Tech last year would have been a 9 win year.
Maybe lack of depth caused them to fail to finish or maybe it was talent. But we have to be better.
What gives me hope simply a few years ago when OC Chaney left here comes OC Enos and fixes the offense.
Now we watch D.C. Rob Smith leave and take his passive defense with him. Now we have D C Paul Rhoades and a new outside linebackers coach. Let see how the scheme changes and see if aggressive play makes a difference.
Im ready and excited about this team and our Hogs! WPS!!
Two of the insiders think the defense will be better but probably not good. Literally the worst rushing defense in UA history and a pass defense slightly better but at best horrible. Being better only requires getting the pads on correctly and running through the “A”. That is a scary result if it comes true in BB’s fifth year.