Defense..What Would You Do?

[Snaggletiger]

Asking for your armchair analysis only.  I'm well aware that our staff couldn't give two farts in the wind what people on a message board think or suggest but hey, as fans, what else have we got?

Coming into this season, I think the prevailing school of thought was that with a year in Malzahn's system, a few more skill position weapons, an experienced line and possibly a better overall QB(At least a better running QB) this offense had the potential to be at least as good as last year and hopefully,  a little better.  But, if AU was going to get to that 10-11 win mark, the defense had to show a good bit of improvement over one of the worst statistical years in Auburn history in 09'.  That should happen with a full year in Roof's system and the perception of much needed depth coming into this year.

Fast forward to week 8 of the season and AU is sitting at #4 in the BCS with one of the most dynamic offenses and playmakers America.  In one sense, it's a miracle they've made it to this point unscathed because the defense may have actually digressed from last year.  Yeah, I know, Arkansas was one of the better offenses in the country and we shouldn't read too much into one game.  Sorry, but outside of a legit performance against MSU on the road, this defense is almost laughable at times.  At some point, possibly this weekend, the offense is going to have that WTF day with turnovers, crazy bounces and out of sync play.  The defense will have to step it up and win the game.  Can they do it with the current personnel and schemes?  I'm not real comfortable with that prospect.  When things start to snowball like they did for a time this Saturday, what would you do?

NUMBER ONE:  Take Neiko Thorpe out of the game.  No, this isn't AUFamily and I know...they're just kids...Auburn kids playing their heart and souls....fuck that.  He is the worst defensive back I believe I have ever seen in...well...foEVAH!!!  I'm not exagerrating when I say any freshman DB we have on the bench could do better.  Could they do worse?  And why, pray tell (As GF pointed out Saturday) do they continue not only to play him, but put him on the opposing teams best WR?  Does anyone realize that the only corch in America dumber than Ted Roof is the idiot that decided to try and loft a couple of passes over the middle linebacker and NOT throw at Thorpe every play?  Fucksake this guy is bad.

NUMBER TWO:  When we start getting gashed like Saturday and a team is picking on one player like that, change your schemes.  Armchair suggestion.....go to a Bears/Jets type alignment...stack the box and bring at least one extra man every single play.  Make them beat you with a quick, perfect throw every down.  If they do, they do.  Hats off.  Why not change it up, they're ripping you a new one anyway.  But sitting back and continually allowing them to pick Neiko Thorpe apart is just unacceptable.

What changes would you make?  Different alignments, different personnel at certain positions?  Would you try some of the young linebackers with more playng time? Let Fairley play corner?  (I keed)   

[Token]

The good new is, LSU somehow signed the worst two quarterbacks in college football, and they rotate both of them.  Auburn's defense should be able to get a breather this week.

[JR4AU]

Asking for your armchair analysis only.  I'm well aware that our staff couldn't give two farts in the wind what people on a message board think or suggest but hey, as fans, what else have we got?

Coming into this season, I think the prevailing school of thought was that with a year in Malzahn's system, a few more skill position weapons, an experienced line and possibly a better overall QB(At least a better running QB) this offense had the potential to be at least as good as last year and hopefully,  a little better.  But, if AU was going to get to that 10-11 win mark, the defense had to show a good bit of improvement over one of the worst statistical years in Auburn history in 09'.  That should happen with a full year in Roof's system and the perception of much needed depth coming into this year.

Fast forward to week 8 of the season and AU is sitting at #4 in the BCS with one of the most dynamic offenses and playmakers America.  In one sense, it's a miracle they've made it to this point unscathed because the defense may have actually digressed from last year.  Yeah, I know, Arkansas was one of the better offenses in the country and we shouldn't read too much into one game.  Sorry, but outside of a legit performance against MSU on the road, this defense is almost laughable at times.  At some point, possibly this weekend, the offense is going to have that WTF day with turnovers, crazy bounces and out of sync play.  The defense will have to step it up and win the game.  Can they do it with the current personnel and schemes?  I'm not real comfortable with that prospect.  When things start to snowball like they did for a time this Saturday, what would you do?

NUMBER ONE:  Take Neiko Thorpe out of the game.  No, this isn't AUFamily and I know...they're just kids...Auburn kids playing their heart and souls....fuck that.  He is the worst defensive back I believe I have ever seen in...well...foEVAH!!!  I'm not exagerrating when I say any freshman DB we have on the bench could do better.  Could they do worse?  And why, pray tell (As GF pointed out Saturday) do they continue not only to play him, but put him on the opposing teams best WR?  Does anyone realize that the only corch in America dumber than Ted Roof is the idiot that decided to try and loft a couple of passes over the middle linebacker and NOT throw at Thorpe every play?  Fucksake this guy is bad.

NUMBER TWO:  When we start getting gashed like Saturday and a team is picking on one player like that, change your schemes.  Armchair suggestion.....go to a Bears/Jets type alignment...stack the box and bring at least one extra man every single play.  Make them beat you with a quick, perfect throw every down.  If they do, they do.  Hats off.  Why not change it up, they're ripping you a new one anyway.  But sitting back and continually allowing them to pick Neiko Thorpe apart is just unacceptable.

What changes would you make?  Different alignments, different personnel at certain positions?  Would you try some of the young linebackers with more playng time? Let Fairley play corner?  (I keed)   

Only general observations.  Nieko Thorpe, or whoever...they are playing the best they have.  They may not be good, but I assure you, they're the best we have.  I don't think that is the answer, unless they're failing to grasp their assignments.  If that were the case, I'm sure they'd be pulled.   

I don't know all the coverages we play.  Cover 2, and Cover 3 are pretty easy to recognize.  I don't know if we are asking them to do things schematically that don't fit our talent set, or if they're using poor individual technique.  I heard Gary Danielson talking about Alabama's DBs the other day, and how they're coached to run with WRs in man, and not look back for the ball, but rather read the WR and when the WRs hands go up, they're supposed to rip through the WRs arms to prevent the catch, or dislodge a caught ball before it's secured.  I know this is "the new" way of DBs, AND it makes sense to play that way IF you have less athletic DBs because it's easier to run the way your facing than to look back, thus since a WR HAS to look back to catch a ball, a DB can run with him more easily if the DB doesn't have to turn and look back.  OK, I can't say I'm ok with that technique...yet, but if Saban is teaching it, it must be sound enough.  That said, our DBs never look back OR prevent a ball from being caught.  My thoughts on it, and I've admitted here that I know little about Defensive scheme other than the very basics...if you suck at covering people, you run zone, and keep everything in front of you, and make the offense pay for every yard with solid tackling.  You can teach the most nonathletic to tackle.  Give up yards and use the endzone/endline as an extra defender when they're in the red zone and can't simply outrun you...force FG's instead of TDs.     

[Buzz Killington]

The good new is, LSU somehow signed the worst two quarterbacks in college football, and they rotate both of them.  Auburn's defense should be able to get a breather this week.

IF it wasn't one of those two that lit up Auburn's secondary 2 years ago.

[Snaggletiger]

I never feel safe with the Hat coming to town.  Some crazy shit will happen, like a herd of squirrels with ADHD will run out on the field just as we're going in for the winning score.  Or Cam will have an allergic reaction to shellfish and swell up like a blowfish at half time.  I just don't trust the Hat.

OR....LSU could do something crazy like throw at Neiko EVERY down.

[Godfather]

The defense will have to step it up and win the game.  Can they do it with the current personnel and schemes? 

I agree with you on all accounts, however, when you stop and think about it...they actually did do this on Sat.

They made 3 plays that ended the ball game.

That aside I am at the point where I don't know what to say outside of let Cam play defense? 

Seriously though Neiko had trouble covering himself with a blanket last night.  Tackling is atrocious, which I really.... really don't understand.  Both my feet are on the Fire Ted Roof bandwagon.

[Godfather]

Also I am thinking of emailing Roof and telling him about the Micky Andrews style of defense.

Perhaps Neiko would be the one to incorporate it.

If you are going to get burned for a 40 yard TD or a 25 yard pass play...Here's an idea....before the ball gets there tackle the Motherfing Wide Receiver...it is only 15 yards.

[JR4AU]

I agree with you on all accounts, however, when you stop and think about it...they actually did do this on Sat.

They made 3 plays that ended the ball game.

That aside I am at the point where I don't know what to say outside of let Cam play defense?  Seriously though Neiko had trouble covering himself with a blanket last night.  Tackling is atrocious, which I really really don't understand.  Both my feet are on the Fire Ted Roof bandwagon.

If you think back to 2008, when we sucked offensively, and as a team for the most par, many of these same defensive players, played pretty damn good.  They've gotten worse. Bynes, and Stephens were in the LB corp, and Thorpe, Savage and Ethridge were DBs...Bynes and Thorpe both burst on the scene that year with solid years.   In that year, when we completely sucked team wise, we finished the year ranked:

29th Total Def
14th Scoring Def
19th Pass Def
54th Rush Def.

It's not like they haven't ever played good Defense. 

Top 1/4 in all but one, top half in that one.  And that was Paul Rhodes one and only year at Auburn, and they picked up his scheme just fine. 

[eagleair89]

Pray..................a lot.

I have officially joined every single religious organization/sect/superstition that has ever existed on the planet.

I will be the "most interesting dressed" person at the LSwho game...........and will be chanting in a trance like state through out the entire game.

 

[Snaggletiger]

Top In-Game text of the week goes to our very own Godfather.  I chortled audibly while spitting beer when I read...

Da Roof..Da Roof...Da Roof should be fired.

[Godfather]

Top In-Game text of the week goes to our very own Godfather.  I chortled audibly while spitting beer when I read...

Da Roof..Da Roof...Da Roof should be fired.

We don't need no defense let the mother fucker run...run Cameron Newton run! was the end of that, but got caught up in da game. 

[RWS]

I still don't understand the Bates to LB move. I'm not saying he's doing a bad job at LB at all, I just don't see where he was the missing link in the front 7 from last year to this year. I do think he is somewhat part of the issue in the secondary. The front 4 is greatly improved, Fairley in particular. I think that is the biggest difference in the run defense than anything. So far the pass defense hasn't came back to bite AU in the ass, but it won't be a surprise if it does happen.

[Saniflush]

  Tackling is atrocious, which I really.... really don't understand. 

Gotta say this is the one area where I think we have had some improvement.  There were numerous open field tackles on Saturday that we would not have made this time last year.

That being said, I can teach them how to do that. 

I have been slipped a Roofie and I don't like it.

[JR4AU]

Gotta say this is the one area where I think we have had some improvement.  There were numerous open field tackles on Saturday that we would not have made this time last year.

That being said, I can teach them how to do that. 

I have been slipped a Roofie and I don't like it.

We did tackle better in the open field. 

[Snaggletiger]

I still don't understand the Bates to LB move. I'm not saying he's doing a bad job at LB at all, I just don't see where he was the missing link in the front 7 from last year to this year. I do think he is somewhat part of the issue in the secondary. The front 4 is greatly improved, Fairley in particular. I think that is the biggest difference in the run defense than anything. So far the pass defense hasn't came back to bite AU in the ass, but it won't be a surprise if it does happen.

I'm with ya' on the Bates move.  I wasn't a fan of it and it appears (Maybe it's just perception) that it's not paying dividends.  I understand the logic behind it and having the smaller, much faster guy on the outside.  But Bates has just been a non-factor in my opinion.  Possibly the stats would say otheriwse, I haven't checked.  But, I kind of expected to hear him consistently in on big plays, causing fumbles, the occasional int. etc.  As a safety, the guy was a beast and did some serious head hunting.  He may not have been in position all the time but you didn't want to come around the corner on a run.

[dallaswareagle]

We did tackle better in the open field.

We should, we are getting a shit load of practice at it.

[CCTAU]

Also I am thinking of emailing Roof and telling him about the Micky Andrews style of defense.

Perhaps Neiko would be the one to incorporate it.

If you are going to get burned for a 40 yard TD or a 25 yard pass play...Here's an idea....before the ball gets there tackle the Motherfing Wide Receiver...it is only 15 yards.

SERIOUSLY! That is what I tell my 12/13 yr olds. If you are beat and the ball is in the air, tackle the dude. 15 yds is better than a TD.

[themilkmandidit]

We should, we are getting a shit load of practice at it.

[wesfau2]

Quick Thoughts:

1) Pass defense woes against: Alshon Jeffery, Randall Cobb, Greg Childs, Chad Bumphis, Kyle Parker, Ryan Mallett.  Not saying that there aren't problems, but this list deserves consideration.

2) Chicken or egg?  Secondary digresses, front seven improves.

[JR4AU]

Quick Thoughts:

1) Pass defense woes against: Alshon Jeffery, Randall Cobb, Greg Childs, Chad Bumphis, Kyle Parker, Ryan Mallett.  Not saying that there aren't problems, but this list deserves consideration.

2) Chicken or egg?  Secondary digresses, front seven improves.

Buddy of mine that's coached said we're not getting pressure on the QB, and though our DBs aren't world beaters, the best DBs can't cover forever..  I thought "You must be crazy"...then went and checked the stats..

Team-Tackles For Loss-Sacks

MSU-7-3
Clem-8-1
SC-8-3
UK-5-1
Ark-3-2

Fairley had zero sacks vs SC, UK, Ark. 

That is not to say he's not been effective at all, but clearly the other teams are making Fairly a focus of their pass pro.  The overall production in QB pressure is down slightly.  That little difference can be a concern and a reason.