Response to Dad's frustraion-filled email...

[songhawg]

You can recruit all the 5 star players at all the skill positions.  You can design all the plays in the world, against all the defenses you can imagine.  None of that matters if you can't hold your own on both lines of scrimmage.  I ALWAYS watch the line of scrimmage for the first 2-3 series of each game to get, in my opinion, a good feel for who is the most physical in the most basic part of football.  Man on man.  Beast vs beast.  I knew it wouldn't be close early in this game unless there were turnovers or special teams scores on our part.  We got neither.  Let me say this first, I LOVE our coach.  I have a bit of a fundamental difference with him though.  I believe that a great defense beats a great offense 9 out of 10 times.  It is much easier to count on my guys being able to tackle every Saturday than expecting my QB to make an accurate throw and my receiver to make the catch most of the time.  I would only trade Bobby P for one coach in college, and that is Nick Saban.  Alabama hit a homerun with his hire and did it the right way.  With defense and discipline.  I thought we would be better prepared to deal with their pressure and physicality and we were not.  It took us over half the first quarter to adjust to SEC speed.  We made a HUGE mistake by not calling timeout when they motioned out of the field goal that they scored a TD on to start the game.  (Coaches or Defensive cptn responsibility.) That was only the beginning of our problems.  I do think that being without 3 defensive starters and Knile Davis was a big factor.  Although, probably not enough to overcome our D-line being dominated by their O-line.  We had no consistent pass rush or run-stopping ability this whole game.   Bama seems to be in our heads.  They score a LOT on big plays.  Maybe we can learn from this game and get our "heads right".  One can only hope.  In my opinion, we will never be perceived as a top tier team until we can win the "big game" and be a team that the top teams practice and scheme against all off season.  Bama was the team we prepared for all spring and summer.  How many teams do you think did the same for us?  ......still waiting.....exactly.  None.  We are not quite there yet.  I think we are exponentially closer to being there under the Petrino regime than where we have been in the past.  I think we will get there, but I think there are a couple of factors that are keeping us from getting there.  We need a different philosophy on defense.  We need to be a 3-4 scheme that can get pressure without the blitz and be multiple in our looks without compromising our responsibilities in coverage.  (Like Bama) ;o)  I don't think W. Robinson is the guy to do that.  Special teams are an area of concern, but we are solid enough to not lose games in that area.  We could be more more dynamic, but just don't screw up and we are fine.  Tackle, tackle, tackle!!!  I need to pee and I wanna watch a couple 'more games.  We can talk about this further next week.  We have many more BIG games coming up.  Starting with the Aggies.  I think we can win that game because they will not be a physical.  They are fast on both sides of the ball, but so are we. I think we are better coached on both sides of the ball than they are.  All is not lost and the season is not over.  Just put the though of BCS games out of your head unless another Knile Davis emerges and gives us some balance.  That is all for now.  My head hurts and I need to eat some chicken and dumplins.  Amber is the best as those.  Hope my insight is at least entertaining for you.  It is only my opinion on all points, and we both know what opinions are worth.  Love you, Pop.......MD
On Sep 24, 2011, at 5:25 PM, David Dame wrote:

[ark525]

I agree with most of what you say, except for this:

We need to be a 3-4 scheme that can get pressure without the blitz and be multiple in our looks without compromising our responsibilities in coverage.

3-4 schemes rely on blitzes to get pressure- the linemen themselves hold gap responsibilities and don't have much opportunity to rush the passer. 

A good 4-3 (LSU, Auburn last year) gets pressure without blitzing.  Our problem is that we can't get pressure without blitzing in either scheme.  Even Bequette, as good as he is, has only 14.5 sacks in his career.  A good 4-3 DE gets 10+ per SEASON.

[songhawg]

They do rely on the blitz, but are often more sound in coverage when they do.  Again...in my opinion.  Auburn was fortunate to have a dominant lineman in Nick Fairly last year that could blow up a play by himself.  Anywho...bottom line is, when you getted whipped up front, on both sides of the ball...you lose.  It don't matter if you run a 4-3, a 3-4 or 3-3-5 or any other D.  I was hoping that we could do better on the line of scrimmage and let our skill position guys an opportunity to win this game for us.  Until we get stronger up front...i guess it really doesn't make a hill of beans.  Go hogs and here's to hoping we can find a few more fast/mean boys on both lines. 

[Tripod1]

i've said it all my life that you dazzle with good QB's and receivers and you win championships with defense.  Bama has a servicable QB in years past and this year as well.  How do they win?  You saw it today, defense.  I'll take a great D over a great O and beat you for the championship every time.

[passinghog]

Bama is the only team that can recruit to a 3-4 defense. Georgia and A&M switched to it, but are still giving up 25-30 points a game.

There's a reason why you see mostly see 4-3 defenses in college and that's because there simply aren't enough college players to play a 3-4. How many 6-3 250 lb linebackers can you get on one team? Bama is the only team that can really recruit them, and that's because of Saban. Even LSU doesnt have that personnel.

[songhawg]

I agree that we will never be able to recruit like Bama.  Just like we never could recruit like Texas.  Never will.  In this world there are have's, and have not's.  Ain't nothin fair about recruiting.  I don't want it to be fair, to be honest.  I like college football the way it is.  In a perfect world, I would love to have 5-6 big, fast linebackers that can stuff the run and cover the pass lanes.  I also understand that may never happen.  I know we will always have to be a scrappy bunch.  I don't mind that.  I think we actually have the guys on campus to be consistent, we just don't have them all healthy right now.  I would like to think we will get better over the next couple of weeks.  Especially as we get some guys back.  I also think our O-line will be able to adjust to the speed of quality competition.  We are playing some young'uns that are being forced into early action.  That'll pay off soon enough.  I trust in our coaches.  Especially on offense.  I totally agree that championships are won on defense.  I also believe we can recruit enough players to field a stout defense and have sufficient back-ups.  Regardless of scheme.  I appreciate the different points of view.  Thanks for the comments. Go HOGS!!!

[Bigdaddyhogfan]

I have to agree for the most part with your opinion. The thing I'm having the hardest time with is we are not even close as far as the toughness aspect on defense. Special teams is below average at best and has been for years. I miss the defenses of Monte Kiffin and Ken Turner coached special teams. I'm not giving up on this team or season though.

[Hambunctious]

I'm embarrassed to say it, but old Danny Ford sure did a good job of getting defensive players to AR.  Wonder what he did to do it?

[popcornhog]

Next time break your post up into paragraphs. It's hard to read like that.

You can recruit all the 5 star players at all the skill positions.  You can design all the plays in the world, against all the defenses you can imagine.  None of that matters if you can't hold your own on both lines of scrimmage.  I ALWAYS watch the line of scrimmage for the first 2-3 series of each game to get, in my opinion, a good feel for who is the most physical in the most basic part of football.  Man on man.  Beast vs beast.  I knew it wouldn't be close early in this game unless there were turnovers or special teams scores on our part.  We got neither.  Let me say this first, I LOVE our coach.  I have a bit of a fundamental difference with him though.  I believe that a great defense beats a great offense 9 out of 10 times.  It is much easier to count on my guys being able to tackle every Saturday than expecting my QB to make an accurate throw and my receiver to make the catch most of the time.  I would only trade Bobby P for one coach in college, and that is Nick Saban.  Alabama hit a homerun with his hire and did it the right way.  With defense and discipline.  I thought we would be better prepared to deal with their pressure and physicality and we were not.  It took us over half the first quarter to adjust to SEC speed.  We made a HUGE mistake by not calling timeout when they motioned out of the field goal that they scored a TD on to start the game.  (Coaches or Defensive cptn responsibility.) That was only the beginning of our problems.  I do think that being without 3 defensive starters and Knile Davis was a big factor.  Although, probably not enough to overcome our D-line being dominated by their O-line.  We had no consistent pass rush or run-stopping ability this whole game.   Bama seems to be in our heads.  They score a LOT on big plays.  Maybe we can learn from this game and get our "heads right".  One can only hope.  In my opinion, we will never be perceived as a top tier team until we can win the "big game" and be a team that the top teams practice and scheme against all off season.  Bama was the team we prepared for all spring and summer.  How many teams do you think did the same for us?  ......still waiting.....exactly.  None.  We are not quite there yet.  I think we are exponentially closer to being there under the Petrino regime than where we have been in the past.  I think we will get there, but I think there are a couple of factors that are keeping us from getting there.  We need a different philosophy on defense.  We need to be a 3-4 scheme that can get pressure without the blitz and be multiple in our looks without compromising our responsibilities in coverage.  (Like Bama) ;o)  I don't think W. Robinson is the guy to do that.  Special teams are an area of concern, but we are solid enough to not lose games in that area.  We could be more more dynamic, but just don't screw up and we are fine.  Tackle, tackle, tackle!!!  I need to pee and I wanna watch a couple 'more games.  We can talk about this further next week.  We have many more BIG games coming up.  Starting with the Aggies.  I think we can win that game because they will not be a physical.  They are fast on both sides of the ball, but so are we. I think we are better coached on both sides of the ball than they are.  All is not lost and the season is not over.  Just put the though of BCS games out of your head unless another Knile Davis emerges and gives us some balance.  That is all for now.  My head hurts and I need to eat some chicken and dumplins.  Amber is the best as those.  Hope my insight is at least entertaining for you.  It is only my opinion on all points, and we both know what opinions are worth.  Love you, Pop.......MD
On Sep 24, 2011, at 5:25 PM, David Dame wrote:

[songhawg]

sorry, popcorn.  I was typing that while totally pi55ed off.  Good point.  I will break it up next time I go on a rant.  ;o)