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Hey PK -- What would you say you do here?


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2 minutes ago, Yesh said:

It's almost like new information has come to light in the last three months.

It's almost like it's been the same "new information" that afflicts every DC who has come to campus since Manny Diaz. At some point we have to accept that by sheer statistical probability, the problem is with our players and our program and not the DCs. 

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Lake is officially fired. Bring him here immediately to see what happens in the last two games. When PK got hired, some people were questioning whether it was him or Lake more? They’re a good duo regardless. Give it a shot because it’s not gonna hurt anything at this point. Firing PK does nothing right now.

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I’ve watched this stupid player vs coaching dance on Internet chat boards for over 20 years. In the case of defense, we have two real life close examples to reference - Greg Robinson and Chris Ash. The defense immediately improved as soon as they took over. When a defense looks as bad as this defense, it means the DC isn’t smart enough to figure out how to adjust. 

Edited by Dbeasy
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2 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

I’ve watched this stupid player vs coaching dance on Internet chat boards for over 20 years. In the case of defense, we have two real life close examples to reference - Greg Robinson and Chris Ash. The defense immediately improved as soon as they took over. When a defense looks as bad as this defense, it means the DC isn’t smart enough to figure out how to adjust. 

   Totally different schemes in both situations.

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I prefer Boom but we treated him like shit his first go round here so I doubt he would ever come close.

He was treated poorly? Don’t remember that. We made him HCIW then Florida opened up and he took it. Don’t even remember any even being upset about that…it was pretty much ‘he had to take it.’
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3 minutes ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

It's almost like it's been the same "new information" that afflicts every DC who has come to campus since Manny Diaz. At some point we have to accept that by sheer statistical probability, the problem is with our players and our program and not the DCs. 

actually the first year of Charlie and the first year of Orlando was pretty good.  Our O was a disaster both times, less so with Herman but turtle factor comes in.  then the D's went to shit.  slowly with Orlando and at that point Herman's O was good enough to overcome some of the time.

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16 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

Totally irrelevant comment. PK himself said he likes to run multiple and likes to adjust his scheme….except he clearly can’t. Other DC’s can and do.

  No they don't. You tell me who switches from a 3-3-5 to a 4-2-5? Adjusting your scheme and changing a scheme is two different things. The problem with PKs 3-3-5 is the front is head up on guys and playing two gap read and react. When you are head up on a guy you have to beat him for real. When you are lined up in gaps or shaded they have to reach YOU to stop you. You play a more disruptive roll. Especially out on the edge where we can use speed to hit home from as wide as 7tech. So when your guys(ours) struggle getting pressure this helps them get a natural advantage. A lot of teams don't run this because it isn't as multiple on the back end, which is why the 3-3-5 has become so popular. Chris Ash ran a single gap 4-2-5 with quarters behind it. Basic ass shit that guys run in high school which allows them to play fast up front instead spending so much time reading. PK doesn't run that, and even an adjustment inside his scheme wouldn't be that. It's totally different.

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I’ve watched this stupid player vs coaching dance on Internet chat boards for over 20 years. In the case of defense, we have two real life close examples to reference - Greg Robinson and Chris Ash. The defense immediately improved as soon as they took over. When a defense looks as bad as this defense, it means the DC isn’t smart enough to figure out how to adjust. 

To me, that’s the biggest problem with the defense. At least unlike Orlando, I see the logic in what PK tries to do and understand how it would work. I don’t think the disconnect is between DC and position coaches - although there could be some of that - I think it’s between DC and personnel. He refuses to change it up despite Texas very clearly not having the personnel to execute the vision. With the defense I buy the angle that a couple recruiting classes could change things a bit more, but the stubbornness is still a big red flag for me.
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15 minutes ago, shakahorn said:


He was treated poorly? Don’t remember that. We made him HCIW then Florida opened up and he took it. Don’t even remember any even being upset about that…it was pretty much ‘he had to take it.’

  He was god here the first 2 years. We made him the HCIW even though it was obvious Mack only did it to keep Boom here as DC, and then threw him under the bus when the D regressed slightly in 2010 which was more a function of being on the field all game due to O ineptitude. So yeah, I am sure there are some sour grapes there.

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2 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

  He was god here the first 2 years. We made him the HCIW even though it was obvious Mack only did it to keep Boom here as DC, and then threw him under the bus when the D regressed slightly in 2010 which was more a function of being on the field all game due to O ineptitude. So yeah, I am sure there are some sour grapes there.

insert Kevin Gilbride/Buddy Ryan gif...

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1 minute ago, dcar00 said:

insert Kevin Gilbride/Buddy Ryan gif...

Hahaha seriously, right? Boom had some fucking monsters on his side of the ball and they O side of the ball was a bunch of hapless pussies. You could see the stares from the defense every time the offense trotted off the field after another 3 and out. I couldn't imagine what that locker room was like. One side of the ball was guys headed to the league, the other couldn't get first downs.

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7 minutes ago, OU Sucks said:

Our defense on a 3rd and 1.  Really?

image.thumb.png.b816eb88241c3bcb1ae38832f8c0ec59.png

Does this look like it would be difficult to pick up one yard with?

image.thumb.png.0b5e668296ca512dc3016db92dfaffb0.png

 

Exactly - PK is a fucking moron that is stealing money. I've called out shit like this all year. Our formations make no sense. 

On 4th a goal from the one with the offense in a heavy set, PK would have a 2 high safety look with safeties stationed by smokey the cannon.  He's a fool.  

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8 minutes ago, OU Sucks said:

Our defense on a 3rd and 1.  Really?

image.thumb.png.b816eb88241c3bcb1ae38832f8c0ec59.png

Does this look like it would be difficult to pick up one yard with?

image.thumb.png.0b5e668296ca512dc3016db92dfaffb0.png

 

This is the play I’ve been talking about.  TWO d-linemen 5 yards apart with edge guys lined up off of the line of scrimmages across from their TEs.  The 85 bears wouldn’t stop that QB sneak with that play call.  Don’t get the wrong, these players are scrubs but this defense doesn’t become this bad without a DC putting him players in bad situations and positions.  

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14 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

  No they don't. You tell me who switches from a 3-3-5 to a 4-2-5? Adjusting your scheme and changing a scheme is two different things. The problem with PKs 3-3-5 is the front is head up on guys and playing two gap read and react. When you are head up on a guy you have to beat him for real. When you are lined up in gaps or shaded they have to reach YOU to stop you. You play a more disruptive roll. Especially out on the edge where we can use speed to hit home from as wide as 7tech. So when your guys(ours) struggle getting pressure this helps them get a natural advantage. A lot of teams don't run this because it isn't as multiple on the back end, which is why the 3-3-5 has become so popular. Chris Ash ran a single gap 4-2-5 with quarters behind it. Basic ass shit that guys run in high school which allows them to play fast up front instead spending so much time reading. PK doesn't run that, and even an adjustment inside his scheme wouldn't be that. It's totally different.

Multiple doesn’t only mean switching between a 3-3-5 and a 4-2-5. Go argue with Pete himself who says he’s multiple:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/247sports.com/college/texas/Article/Texas-Longhorns-football-Pete-Kwiatkowski-defensive-philosophy-expectations-Steve-Sarkisian-spring-practice-163769316/Amp/

As others have said many times, you can still run a 3-3 or 3-4 but rush four more often with gap control rather than funneling to shitty lb’s and safeties. 

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48 minutes ago, shakahorn said:


Yeah too bad we haven’t played any cupcakes yet.

You really think most of the Teams in the Big 12 couldn't have rolled most every team in the PAC in the last few years?  Baylor would probably have multiple conference Championships by now with the teams they had under Briles and Rhule and now Aranda if they were in the PAC...TCU and Okie State  would have a few too...

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23 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Why not fired yet 

he put up a decade of very solid defense in a P5 conference. our players may have been highly rated out of high school but they are soft garbage. brockermeyer would be a good, not great, starting LB at highland park right now. 

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1 hour ago, shakahorn said:


He was treated poorly? Don’t remember that. We made him HCIW then Florida opened up and he took it. Don’t even remember any even being upset about that…it was pretty much ‘he had to take it.’

yeah, Boom might have a beef with Mack but he should have no beef with Texas.  He may not want to coach at Texas for reasons but not because he was treated poorly by the university or AD that I can see.

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Someone with as much experience as PK has should be able to get his players in a scheme that fits their ability.  It doesn't look like he has that ability. 

I'm thinking Lake may be more of the same deal as PK.  

That doesn't sound to interesting to me.  

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You really think most of the Teams in the Big 12 couldn't have rolled most every team in the PAC in the last few years?  Baylor would probably have multiple conference Championships by now with the teams they had under Briles and Rhule and now Aranda if they were in the PAC...TCU and Okie State  would have a few too...

Um, I was talking about Kansas, last night.
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2 hours ago, OU Sucks said:

Our defense on a 3rd and 1.  Really?

image.thumb.png.b816eb88241c3bcb1ae38832f8c0ec59.png

Does this look like it would be difficult to pick up one yard with?

image.thumb.png.0b5e668296ca512dc3016db92dfaffb0.png

 

This is a good example of a call - and there are several like it every week - that explains why the effort looks subpar. Players know just as well as fans when they're not being set up to succeed. 

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I hope to hell the new DC is flying in today and will be announced tomorrow.  Or hell, just reassign PK, hand the reigns over to one of the position coaches, or the new DC analyst, and make the new hire in the off season.  But fucking do something.  We cannot go another game with PK at DC. 

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2 hours ago, shakahorn said:


Um, I was talking about Kansas, last night.

I get it...I guess my point was how do we really know what we got with PK because the PAC is a real mess and has been for years...  There are quite a few teams in the Big 12 that have had consistently good to above average longterm coaching and development...The PAC hasn't got that, at least not the last several years.  It is embarassing that he got severely outcoached by  the  biggest cupcake of all in the Big 12 last night....

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5 hours ago, OU Sucks said:

Our defense on a 3rd and 1.  Really?

image.thumb.png.b816eb88241c3bcb1ae38832f8c0ec59.png

Does this look like it would be difficult to pick up one yard with?

image.thumb.png.0b5e668296ca512dc3016db92dfaffb0.png

 

Saw this for the first time in the OU game. I thought we are obviously conceding a first down. I just don't get how PK's defenses were top 25 with this approach. Any examples of him using these lineups at Washington. 

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6 hours ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

It's almost like it's been the same "new information" that afflicts every DC who has come to campus since Manny Diaz. At some point we have to accept that by sheer statistical probability, the problem is with our players and our program and not the DCs. 

Except for that brief period of time Greg Robinson showed up with magic fairy dust to turn swiss cheese into a block of iron.

 

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6 hours ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

It's almost like it's been the same "new information" that afflicts every DC who has come to campus since Manny Diaz. At some point we have to accept that by sheer statistical probability, the problem is with our players and our program and not the DCs. 

Diaz’s defense sucked everywhere he’s gone. Fucking Mack Brown’s Tar Heels rushed for 550+ on Diaz last year. Todd Orlando is showing his ass at USC. Bedford doesn’t coach anymore, but Charlie Strong took that defense to USF and we all know how that went. Guys like Greg Robinson, Will Muschamp, and arguably Chris Ash (improving trend coming off of a shortened offseason) didn’t have too much of a problem here. We just have a knack for hiring shitty coaches. We can’t execute a proper coaching search because we either bite off on the nearest shiny object (Herman), or we panic hire the first available backup choice after our dream hire falls through (Strong/Sark). We settle for guys that bring in shitty assistants. Someone once said: “As hire As, and Bs hire Cs”.

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8 minutes ago, USNALonghorn said:

Diaz’s defense sucked everywhere he’s gone. Fucking Mack Brown’s Tar Heels rushed for 550+ on Diaz last year. Todd Orlando is showing his ass at USC. Bedford doesn’t coach anymore, but Charlie Strong took that defense to USF and we all know how that went. Guys like Greg Robinson, Will Muschamp, and arguably Chris Ash (improving trend coming off of a shortened offseason) didn’t have too much of a problem here. We just have a knack for hiring shitty coaches. We can’t execute a proper coaching search because we either bite off on the nearest shiny object (Herman), or we panic hire the first available backup choice after our dream hire falls through (Strong/Sark). We settle for guys that bring in shitty assistants. Someone once said: “As hire As, and Bs hire Cs”.

No joke about Diaz, he had success here at first because he inherited some studs that were already developed.  Once those guys were gone, the defense got worse and worse..Plus their was a beef between him and Akina, I think Akina wanted to run the Defense and was butthurt over it...Diaz was never really good...

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11 hours ago, gmr548 said:

This is a good example of a call - and there are several like it every week - that explains why the effort looks subpar. Players know just as well as fans when they're not being set up to succeed. 

I assume you mean having #47 on the field for a run stop... signaling he going to take the wrong hole and telling the QB where to go 😐

Seriously though... yeah too many of these... make them earn it at least setups. Why safeties are 10+ yards down the field on this

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cross posting this from the 9.95 thread.  Thanks to @satyanash. It's spot on as usual. 

(Scipio Tex) 2021 Texas-Kansas Postmortem: Defense/Special Teams

  Quote

Yesterday, Kansas ended their 16-game Big 12 losing streak as 30 point underdogs in Austin. Texas also marked its own history with a five game losing streak. The last five game Longhorn losing streak occurred in 1956 under Ed Price. 65 years is a long time ago but I firmly believe that records are made to be broken. Who knows what achievements yet wait for this team and staff? Ed Price was fired after that 1-9 season. Likely by people who didn't understand how bad his players were!

The Horns hired a young unqualified coach named Darrell Royal to replace Price. Royal took Price's players and mysteriously went 6-4-1 in his first season, nearly winning the SWC after Texas had gone winless in conference play the season prior. How did he do that? DKR probably worked the portal very hard and landed elite talent. I don't know. This was before Instagram and human knowledge was not recorded until 2017.

Just spitballing here, but maybe coaching and leadership played a role in that turnaround? I wrote this in my preview of the Jayhawks:

  Quote

The Jayhawk offense is predicated on RPOs, the running game, option football in myriad forms, and ball control. It's not really working. They're averaging just over 15 points per game and they convert only 32% of their 3rd downs. They lack explosive plays in the passing and running game and while they generally have been able to limit turnovers, defenses that have forced the issue with them have been able to shut them down completely. For example, Oklahoma State's press coverage packages limited them to 44 total yards passing and the Cowboys led 38-0 at halftime. It would be wise to take away KU's barest competencies.

 The key is to deny the KU running and short passing game success early and get them into 3rd and medium plus. Make Kansas throw on predictable downs, keep the QB in the pocket, play RPOs on neutral downs with discipline (and tackle), and be willing to challenge the Jayhawk receivers. This is a chance for the team and staff to show that they can execute basic football (QB, WR, OL, defensive game plan) and offer hope that it can carry over to remaining season opponents.

The Kansas Jayhawks might be the easiest scout in college football. Not because of what they'd like to do per se (though their available offense fits on an index card), but because of what they can actually accomplish with limited talent, reps, and clear deficiencies at key positions.

Any competent game plan would walk up corners, challenge underneath routes, force the QB to hold the ball in the pocket, and disrupt in myriad forms. Extra men in the box attacking gaps might stymie the Jayhawk running game, inflict negative plays, and force them to make consistent downfield throws they've failed to make all year to receivers that can't separate with a QB who was running 3rd team a week ago. Even a rather imperfect execution of the above keeps KU in the 20s, introduces positive volatility, and likely turns them over a couple of times.

Texas ran ineffective coverage and a horrible run defense with a postmodernist spin on how run fits and containment work - what are they but a societal construct? Texas allowed a 3rd string QB to pick them apart underneath, failed miserably against the run, and turned the 102nd ranked offense in the country into an efficiency juggernaut. PK allowed Kansas to do literally the only thing that it has any capability to do. Conceded it by design. Credit arrogance, stubbornness, or stupidity, but you'll need to pick at least one.

When Texas flirted with walking up their corners and bringing pressure, KU actually struggled.

For the game, Texas surrendered 218 yards rushing at over 5 yards per carry with true freshman RB Devin Neal going for 24 carries, 143 yards rushing and 4 total touchdowns. Jaylon Daniels was allowed to be a paragon of efficiency, as the career 53% passer completed 70% of his passes for over 200 yards and three touchdown passes with no turnovers. Two balls traveled more than 15 yards through the air on his 20 completions, only one of them against man coverage outside the hashes.

For the game, KU was a remarkable 11 of 17 on 3rd down. That 64.7% conversion rate was double their season average and a season high mark. On the season, Kansas averaged 15 points per game and was one of the poorest red zone efficiency teams in America. Their offense dropped 50 on Texas and ran through the Horns red zone D like a scythe through daffodils. 5 of their first 6 possessions went for touchdowns. To head off the predictable objections about short fields, four of those drives were 75, 75, 75, 65.

Kansas was 7 of 7 in the red zone - all touchdowns. Watch the Longhorn defense against red zone play action and count how many Jayhawk pass catchers are wide open. There are plays where the answer is...all of them. Longhorn safeties covered space instead of the 4.7 40 Jayhawk receivers and 5.0 40 tight ends running through the painted part of the field. Texas allowed Kansas to turn 420 yards of offense into 50 offensive points and a 35-14 halftime lead. An efficiency alchemy that only can happen when a defense loses nearly every situational high leverage down. That they did.

DL

You know the drill by now. Misused. Underdeveloped. Physically weak for the scheme being asked and in general. Edge players ignoring containment and wrong shouldering. Technique getting worse nearly across the board.

LB

Brockermeyer seems too banged up to tackle and was a huge liability - there were some really tough moments, including his allowance of Neal's long run and getting run through on goal line by the QB. Overshown's jersey number summates his game impact succinctly. Ford missed several tackles, but played hard. Three missed LB tackles created three Jayhawk touchdowns and I recorded six from the unit overall before I stopped counting.

DB

Schooler tackled pretty well overall. Dropped an INT in OT that would have won the game for Texas. Maybe we'll thank for him that one day. The Jayhawk receivers struggled to separate when Texas manned up, pointed to a guy, said "I got him", and played "on" coverage. That doesn't mean press necessarily, but it doesn't mean "off." Texas players don't control those calls. Foster appears totally checked out. I thought everyone else largely played hard within a bad game plan.

I don't care to argue about the level of player buy-in - for some it's obviously not there - but the coaches control the playing time and there's far too much confusion back there to assume that every member of the Texas secondary is an unteachable amnesiac.

Special Teams

A big punt block by Washington in KU territory and a strong punt return from Jamison late in the 4th quarter gave Texas a chance to win. I'm not quite sure what Jonathon Brooks was doing on a kick return that he fumbled out of bounds at the 3 yard line, but chalk it up to inexperience. The return teams continue to acquire penalties at an alarming rate. At this point, when Texas doesn't have an illegal block in the back or hold on a punt or kick return, I'm mildly surprised.

Final

Time to catch up.

I learned a long time ago that there's little reward to being early on pointing out major coaching or systemic issues. Carl Reese. Tim Nunez. Greg Davis. Mack Brown. Todd Orlando. Charlie Strong. Most people can't or won't see it even when you show them, singly blame the players and "talent", cite "Texas complacency", that "there's something in the air", "tiredness", "softness", or recite a familiar litany of speculative excuses. Some of those things may also be true, but it's time to understand what else may be true.

So I bide my time for humiliation and reality to catch everyone up.

The Texas defensive staff isn't getting it done. And I don't know how to apportion precise degrees of fault or blame. However, they are failing with respect to employing their assets favorably, evaluation of best 11 and how to best deploy them, basic scouting and scheme, teaching, and clearly some aspects of motivation. Perhaps many of PK's assistants know better but are all playing good soldier and charging machine gun nests with bayonets fixed endorsing the PK scheme. Maybe PK doesn't have good enough position coaches to teach the game so he can coordinate it how he wants. Maybe Bo Davis' next rant will be in the coach's office with all present staring into a mirror.

The response to criticisms against PK has been to cite his resume in other places. Understandably. That resume got me excited as well and it cautioned against jumping to hasty conclusions. Unfortunately, data keeps pouring in. Not the inferential kind either. At some point, you have to forget what someone did elsewhere and evaluate them where they are now. He is doing a bad job with the hand he's been dealt. Discussing the hand dealt isn't particularly illuminating in explaining systemic problems. I understand the cards pretty well and they ain't great. But they ain't THAT. How he is playing them is what matters. The dealers deals, you play 'em your best.

The Kansas game plan was watching a man - and by extension, a defense - flabbergasted by the rules of Go Fish

 

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8 hours ago, Azbadlands said:

No joke about Diaz, he had success here at first because he inherited some studs that were already developed.  Once those guys were gone, the defense got worse and worse..Plus their was a beef between him and Akina, I think Akina wanted to run the Defense and was butthurt over it...Diaz was never really good...

Diaz has been good everywhere except the 1.2 years that he was running what Akina/Mack wanted him to.  In the 6 years after we fired him: he had 5 top 15 defenses, 4 Broyles nominations, a Broyles finalist, multiple HC offers, and became the head coach for his home town team.

Diaz is one of the best DCs we've ever ruined.  Full stop.

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18 minutes ago, JBJ said:

Diaz has been good everywhere except the 1.2 years that he was running what Akina/Mack wanted him to.  In the 6 years after we fired him: he had 5 top 15 defenses, 4 Broyles nominations, a Broyles finalist, multiple HC offers, and became the head coach for his home town team.

Diaz is one of the best DCs we've ever ruined.  Full stop.

You might be an insane person 

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9 hours ago, USNALonghorn said:

Diaz’s defense sucked everywhere he’s gone. Fucking Mack Brown’s Tar Heels rushed for 550+ on Diaz last year. Todd Orlando is showing his ass at USC. Bedford doesn’t coach anymore, but Charlie Strong took that defense to USF and we all know how that went. Guys like Greg Robinson, Will Muschamp, and arguably Chris Ash (improving trend coming off of a shortened offseason) didn’t have too much of a problem here. We just have a knack for hiring shitty coaches. We can’t execute a proper coaching search because we either bite off on the nearest shiny object (Herman), or we panic hire the first available backup choice after our dream hire falls through (Strong/Sark). We settle for guys that bring in shitty assistants. Someone once said: “As hire As, and Bs hire Cs”.

This could not be more wrong. FEI defensive rankings 

2009 Middle Tenn 39  
2010 MSU   12  
2011 Texas   3  
2012 Texas   47  
2013 Texas   22  
2014 La Tech   19  
2015 Miss State 23  
2016 Miami   13  
2017 Miami   13  
2018 Miami   8  

Guy isnt a good HC, but his DC record is excellent. Only issue was at Texas. 

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20 minutes ago, Codaxx said:

This could not be more wrong. FEI defensive rankings 

2009 Middle Tenn 39  
2010 MSU   12  
2011 Texas   3  
2012 Texas   47  
2013 Texas   22  
2014 La Tech   19  
2015 Miss State 23  
2016 Miami   13  
2017 Miami   13  
2018 Miami   8  

Guy isnt a good HC, but his DC record is excellent. Only issue was at Texas. 

Enough with the adjusted stats bullshit.  FEI defensive nonsense has us ranked #35 this year.  This is inarguably the worst defense we've had in modern memory.  

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1 hour ago, bschoolprof said:

cross posting this from the 9.95 thread.  Thanks to @satyanash. It's spot on as usual. 

(Scipio Tex) 2021 Texas-Kansas Postmortem: Defense/Special Teams

  Quote

Yesterday, Kansas ended their 16-game Big 12 losing streak as 30 point underdogs in Austin. Texas also marked its own history with a five game losing streak. The last five game Longhorn losing streak occurred in 1956 under Ed Price. 65 years is a long time ago but I firmly believe that records are made to be broken. Who knows what achievements yet wait for this team and staff? Ed Price was fired after that 1-9 season. Likely by people who didn't understand how bad his players were!

The Horns hired a young unqualified coach named Darrell Royal to replace Price. Royal took Price's players and mysteriously went 6-4-1 in his first season, nearly winning the SWC after Texas had gone winless in conference play the season prior. How did he do that? DKR probably worked the portal very hard and landed elite talent. I don't know. This was before Instagram and human knowledge was not recorded until 2017.

Just spitballing here, but maybe coaching and leadership played a role in that turnaround? I wrote this in my preview of the Jayhawks:

  Quote

The Jayhawk offense is predicated on RPOs, the running game, option football in myriad forms, and ball control. It's not really working. They're averaging just over 15 points per game and they convert only 32% of their 3rd downs. They lack explosive plays in the passing and running game and while they generally have been able to limit turnovers, defenses that have forced the issue with them have been able to shut them down completely. For example, Oklahoma State's press coverage packages limited them to 44 total yards passing and the Cowboys led 38-0 at halftime. It would be wise to take away KU's barest competencies.

 The key is to deny the KU running and short passing game success early and get them into 3rd and medium plus. Make Kansas throw on predictable downs, keep the QB in the pocket, play RPOs on neutral downs with discipline (and tackle), and be willing to challenge the Jayhawk receivers. This is a chance for the team and staff to show that they can execute basic football (QB, WR, OL, defensive game plan) and offer hope that it can carry over to remaining season opponents.

The Kansas Jayhawks might be the easiest scout in college football. Not because of what they'd like to do per se (though their available offense fits on an index card), but because of what they can actually accomplish with limited talent, reps, and clear deficiencies at key positions.

Any competent game plan would walk up corners, challenge underneath routes, force the QB to hold the ball in the pocket, and disrupt in myriad forms. Extra men in the box attacking gaps might stymie the Jayhawk running game, inflict negative plays, and force them to make consistent downfield throws they've failed to make all year to receivers that can't separate with a QB who was running 3rd team a week ago. Even a rather imperfect execution of the above keeps KU in the 20s, introduces positive volatility, and likely turns them over a couple of times.

Texas ran ineffective coverage and a horrible run defense with a postmodernist spin on how run fits and containment work - what are they but a societal construct? Texas allowed a 3rd string QB to pick them apart underneath, failed miserably against the run, and turned the 102nd ranked offense in the country into an efficiency juggernaut. PK allowed Kansas to do literally the only thing that it has any capability to do. Conceded it by design. Credit arrogance, stubbornness, or stupidity, but you'll need to pick at least one.

When Texas flirted with walking up their corners and bringing pressure, KU actually struggled.

For the game, Texas surrendered 218 yards rushing at over 5 yards per carry with true freshman RB Devin Neal going for 24 carries, 143 yards rushing and 4 total touchdowns. Jaylon Daniels was allowed to be a paragon of efficiency, as the career 53% passer completed 70% of his passes for over 200 yards and three touchdown passes with no turnovers. Two balls traveled more than 15 yards through the air on his 20 completions, only one of them against man coverage outside the hashes.

For the game, KU was a remarkable 11 of 17 on 3rd down. That 64.7% conversion rate was double their season average and a season high mark. On the season, Kansas averaged 15 points per game and was one of the poorest red zone efficiency teams in America. Their offense dropped 50 on Texas and ran through the Horns red zone D like a scythe through daffodils. 5 of their first 6 possessions went for touchdowns. To head off the predictable objections about short fields, four of those drives were 75, 75, 75, 65.

Kansas was 7 of 7 in the red zone - all touchdowns. Watch the Longhorn defense against red zone play action and count how many Jayhawk pass catchers are wide open. There are plays where the answer is...all of them. Longhorn safeties covered space instead of the 4.7 40 Jayhawk receivers and 5.0 40 tight ends running through the painted part of the field. Texas allowed Kansas to turn 420 yards of offense into 50 offensive points and a 35-14 halftime lead. An efficiency alchemy that only can happen when a defense loses nearly every situational high leverage down. That they did.

DL

You know the drill by now. Misused. Underdeveloped. Physically weak for the scheme being asked and in general. Edge players ignoring containment and wrong shouldering. Technique getting worse nearly across the board.

LB

Brockermeyer seems too banged up to tackle and was a huge liability - there were some really tough moments, including his allowance of Neal's long run and getting run through on goal line by the QB. Overshown's jersey number summates his game impact succinctly. Ford missed several tackles, but played hard. Three missed LB tackles created three Jayhawk touchdowns and I recorded six from the unit overall before I stopped counting.

DB

Schooler tackled pretty well overall. Dropped an INT in OT that would have won the game for Texas. Maybe we'll thank for him that one day. The Jayhawk receivers struggled to separate when Texas manned up, pointed to a guy, said "I got him", and played "on" coverage. That doesn't mean press necessarily, but it doesn't mean "off." Texas players don't control those calls. Foster appears totally checked out. I thought everyone else largely played hard within a bad game plan.

I don't care to argue about the level of player buy-in - for some it's obviously not there - but the coaches control the playing time and there's far too much confusion back there to assume that every member of the Texas secondary is an unteachable amnesiac.

Special Teams

A big punt block by Washington in KU territory and a strong punt return from Jamison late in the 4th quarter gave Texas a chance to win. I'm not quite sure what Jonathon Brooks was doing on a kick return that he fumbled out of bounds at the 3 yard line, but chalk it up to inexperience. The return teams continue to acquire penalties at an alarming rate. At this point, when Texas doesn't have an illegal block in the back or hold on a punt or kick return, I'm mildly surprised.

Final

Time to catch up.

I learned a long time ago that there's little reward to being early on pointing out major coaching or systemic issues. Carl Reese. Tim Nunez. Greg Davis. Mack Brown. Todd Orlando. Charlie Strong. Most people can't or won't see it even when you show them, singly blame the players and "talent", cite "Texas complacency", that "there's something in the air", "tiredness", "softness", or recite a familiar litany of speculative excuses. Some of those things may also be true, but it's time to understand what else may be true.

So I bide my time for humiliation and reality to catch everyone up.

The Texas defensive staff isn't getting it done. And I don't know how to apportion precise degrees of fault or blame. However, they are failing with respect to employing their assets favorably, evaluation of best 11 and how to best deploy them, basic scouting and scheme, teaching, and clearly some aspects of motivation. Perhaps many of PK's assistants know better but are all playing good soldier and charging machine gun nests with bayonets fixed endorsing the PK scheme. Maybe PK doesn't have good enough position coaches to teach the game so he can coordinate it how he wants. Maybe Bo Davis' next rant will be in the coach's office with all present staring into a mirror.

The response to criticisms against PK has been to cite his resume in other places. Understandably. That resume got me excited as well and it cautioned against jumping to hasty conclusions. Unfortunately, data keeps pouring in. Not the inferential kind either. At some point, you have to forget what someone did elsewhere and evaluate them where they are now. He is doing a bad job with the hand he's been dealt. Discussing the hand dealt isn't particularly illuminating in explaining systemic problems. I understand the cards pretty well and they ain't great. But they ain't THAT. How he is playing them is what matters. The dealers deals, you play 'em your best.

The Kansas game plan was watching a man - and by extension, a defense - flabbergasted by the rules of Go Fish

 

Should post his thread that got bumped about PK, "Kwiat before the storm"

 

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1 hour ago, bschoolprof said:

cross posting this from the 9.95 thread.  Thanks to @satyanash. It's spot on as usual. 

(Scipio Tex) 2021 Texas-Kansas Postmortem: Defense/Special Teams

  Quote

Yesterday, Kansas ended their 16-game Big 12 losing streak as 30 point underdogs in Austin. Texas also marked its own history with a five game losing streak. The last five game Longhorn losing streak occurred in 1956 under Ed Price. 65 years is a long time ago but I firmly believe that records are made to be broken. Who knows what achievements yet wait for this team and staff? Ed Price was fired after that 1-9 season. Likely by people who didn't understand how bad his players were!

The Horns hired a young unqualified coach named Darrell Royal to replace Price. Royal took Price's players and mysteriously went 6-4-1 in his first season, nearly winning the SWC after Texas had gone winless in conference play the season prior. How did he do that? DKR probably worked the portal very hard and landed elite talent. I don't know. This was before Instagram and human knowledge was not recorded until 2017.

Just spitballing here, but maybe coaching and leadership played a role in that turnaround? I wrote this in my preview of the Jayhawks:

  Quote

The Jayhawk offense is predicated on RPOs, the running game, option football in myriad forms, and ball control. It's not really working. They're averaging just over 15 points per game and they convert only 32% of their 3rd downs. They lack explosive plays in the passing and running game and while they generally have been able to limit turnovers, defenses that have forced the issue with them have been able to shut them down completely. For example, Oklahoma State's press coverage packages limited them to 44 total yards passing and the Cowboys led 38-0 at halftime. It would be wise to take away KU's barest competencies.

 The key is to deny the KU running and short passing game success early and get them into 3rd and medium plus. Make Kansas throw on predictable downs, keep the QB in the pocket, play RPOs on neutral downs with discipline (and tackle), and be willing to challenge the Jayhawk receivers. This is a chance for the team and staff to show that they can execute basic football (QB, WR, OL, defensive game plan) and offer hope that it can carry over to remaining season opponents.

The Kansas Jayhawks might be the easiest scout in college football. Not because of what they'd like to do per se (though their available offense fits on an index card), but because of what they can actually accomplish with limited talent, reps, and clear deficiencies at key positions.

Any competent game plan would walk up corners, challenge underneath routes, force the QB to hold the ball in the pocket, and disrupt in myriad forms. Extra men in the box attacking gaps might stymie the Jayhawk running game, inflict negative plays, and force them to make consistent downfield throws they've failed to make all year to receivers that can't separate with a QB who was running 3rd team a week ago. Even a rather imperfect execution of the above keeps KU in the 20s, introduces positive volatility, and likely turns them over a couple of times.

Texas ran ineffective coverage and a horrible run defense with a postmodernist spin on how run fits and containment work - what are they but a societal construct? Texas allowed a 3rd string QB to pick them apart underneath, failed miserably against the run, and turned the 102nd ranked offense in the country into an efficiency juggernaut. PK allowed Kansas to do literally the only thing that it has any capability to do. Conceded it by design. Credit arrogance, stubbornness, or stupidity, but you'll need to pick at least one.

When Texas flirted with walking up their corners and bringing pressure, KU actually struggled.

For the game, Texas surrendered 218 yards rushing at over 5 yards per carry with true freshman RB Devin Neal going for 24 carries, 143 yards rushing and 4 total touchdowns. Jaylon Daniels was allowed to be a paragon of efficiency, as the career 53% passer completed 70% of his passes for over 200 yards and three touchdown passes with no turnovers. Two balls traveled more than 15 yards through the air on his 20 completions, only one of them against man coverage outside the hashes.

For the game, KU was a remarkable 11 of 17 on 3rd down. That 64.7% conversion rate was double their season average and a season high mark. On the season, Kansas averaged 15 points per game and was one of the poorest red zone efficiency teams in America. Their offense dropped 50 on Texas and ran through the Horns red zone D like a scythe through daffodils. 5 of their first 6 possessions went for touchdowns. To head off the predictable objections about short fields, four of those drives were 75, 75, 75, 65.

Kansas was 7 of 7 in the red zone - all touchdowns. Watch the Longhorn defense against red zone play action and count how many Jayhawk pass catchers are wide open. There are plays where the answer is...all of them. Longhorn safeties covered space instead of the 4.7 40 Jayhawk receivers and 5.0 40 tight ends running through the painted part of the field. Texas allowed Kansas to turn 420 yards of offense into 50 offensive points and a 35-14 halftime lead. An efficiency alchemy that only can happen when a defense loses nearly every situational high leverage down. That they did.

DL

You know the drill by now. Misused. Underdeveloped. Physically weak for the scheme being asked and in general. Edge players ignoring containment and wrong shouldering. Technique getting worse nearly across the board.

LB

Brockermeyer seems too banged up to tackle and was a huge liability - there were some really tough moments, including his allowance of Neal's long run and getting run through on goal line by the QB. Overshown's jersey number summates his game impact succinctly. Ford missed several tackles, but played hard. Three missed LB tackles created three Jayhawk touchdowns and I recorded six from the unit overall before I stopped counting.

DB

Schooler tackled pretty well overall. Dropped an INT in OT that would have won the game for Texas. Maybe we'll thank for him that one day. The Jayhawk receivers struggled to separate when Texas manned up, pointed to a guy, said "I got him", and played "on" coverage. That doesn't mean press necessarily, but it doesn't mean "off." Texas players don't control those calls. Foster appears totally checked out. I thought everyone else largely played hard within a bad game plan.

I don't care to argue about the level of player buy-in - for some it's obviously not there - but the coaches control the playing time and there's far too much confusion back there to assume that every member of the Texas secondary is an unteachable amnesiac.

.

The Texas defensive staff isn't getting it done. And I don't know how to apportion precise degrees of fault or blame. However, they are failing with respect to employing their assets favorably, evaluation of best 11 and how to best deploy them, basic scouting and scheme, teaching, and clearly some aspects of motivation. Perhaps many of PK's assistants know better but are all playing good soldier and charging machine gun nests with bayonets fixed endorsing the PK scheme. Maybe PK doesn't have good enough position coaches to teach the game so he can coordinate it how he wants. Maybe Bo Davis' next rant will be in the coach's office with all present staring into a mirror.

The response to criticisms against PK has been to cite his resume in other places. Understandably. That resume got me excited as well and it cautioned against jumping to hasty conclusions. Unfortunately, data keeps pouring in. Not the inferential kind either. At some point, you have to forget what someone did elsewhere and evaluate them where they are now. He is doing a bad job with the hand he's been dealt. Discussing the hand dealt isn't particularly illuminating in explaining systemic problems. I understand the cards pretty well and they ain't great. But they ain't THAT. How he is playing them is what matters. The dealers deals, you play 'em your best.

The Kansas game plan was watching a man - and by extension, a defense - flabbergasted by the rules of Go Fish

 

 

I just don't get why PK is running such a bad defense at Texas --  it's insanity !!! 

Quote

The Texas defensive staff isn't getting it done. And I don't know how to apportion precise degrees of fault or blame. However, they are failing with respect to employing their assets favorably, evaluation of best 11 and how to best deploy them, basic scouting and scheme, teaching, and clearly some aspects of motivation. Perhaps many of PK's assistants know better but are all playing good soldier and charging machine gun nests with bayonets fixed endorsing the PK scheme. Maybe PK doesn't have good enough position coaches to teach the game so he can coordinate it how he wants. Maybe Bo Davis' next rant will be in the coach's office with all present staring into a mirror.

The response to criticisms against PK has been to cite his resume in other places. Understandably. That resume got me excited as well and it cautioned against jumping to hasty conclusions. Unfortunately, data keeps pouring in. Not the inferential kind either. At some point, you have to forget what someone did elsewhere and evaluate them where they are now. He is doing a bad job with the hand he's been dealt. Discussing the hand dealt isn't particularly illuminating in explaining systemic problems. I understand the cards pretty well and they ain't great. But they ain't THAT. How he is playing them is what matters. The dealers deals, you play 'em your best.

The Kansas game plan was watching a man - and by extension, a defense - flabbergasted by the rules of Go Fish

 

Edited by LTtxfan
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2 minutes ago, bschoolprof said:

Enough with the adjusted stats bullshit.  FEI defensive nonsense has us ranked #35 this year.  This is inarguably the worst defense we've had in modern memory.  

200+ yards rushing per game.  can we adjust that stat to 100 and replay the games? 

we need to update Muschamp's quote to "adjusted stats are for losers".

  • Hook 'Em 1
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  • blacklab changed the title to Hey PK -- Keep the Sacks and Turnovers Comin' !!!
  • immamac changed the title to Hey PK -- What would you say you do here?

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