Based on returning talent we *should* do no less than a two loss season. Unfortunately we have a major dud coaching our corners and another guy whose primary position is linebackers coaching our safeties. I honestly don't think Roof is the real problem. Our real problem is Lolley and it's screwing everything up. If we simply fire that guy and get someone in here who knows how to coach fundamentals we'll be ok.
Lolly is the same guy that was coaching DBs from 2000-2003 in which Auburn's pass defense was ranked 41st, 53rd, 26th, and 23rd nationally. His history absent Roof, is pretty solid. Since Roof: 57th, 108th, 48th. His worst work is under Roof. That 48th rank this season is doesn't reflect the fact that we're 85 in passing efficiency defense. I've met Lolley, and seen him give a clinic. I have no clue what he's like on the field, but he comes across as knowing what he's doing.
Since it appears Roof is staying I'd like to see him moved from the sidelines to the press box so he can scheme better(Lolley currently does that and we're awful). Then, move Thigpen to linebackers and allow Roof to implement his defense rather than Chizik's.
I'm going to be clear here, I don't know what scheme we run defensively other than a standard "4-3 Over" scheme. It's schematically sound. I know we run the standard coverages: Man, Cov 2, Cov 3, Combo. Beyond that, I don't know details. What is it about scheme that you see that you think is flawed?
Spend some time with Malzahn in the offseason and stress that we need to put the ball in Dyer's hands minimum 25 times a game.
I can agree with that, but also understand why it didn't happen this year.
Ask Frazier or Pike whichever one wins the starting job to manage the offense and give them high percentage pass plays to work with..like quick slants, TE release in the flats, and RB out of the backfield dump offs. No more screens for 75% of our passing. We do it too much and teams cheat to it.
The numerous screens were a direct reflection of our inability to go down the field with the ball. Malzahn has a few quicks in his plan, but not many. It doesn't fit what he does. An offense can't do everything at this level. They have to spend practice time wisely, and choose a few things that compliment each other, and get good at them. Quicks means installing different protections, and working the routes. It takes time away from other things, and there are short routes, and RB flares built in to almost every pass concept he uses. They can't be thrown from the fetal position on the ground.
Our pulling schemes need work also. Our poor OL play is partially a product of this convoluted and ineffective offense we run.
Convoluted? Ineffective this season, yes. What's convoluted about it?
We have way too many plays with OL's having to run from one side of the line to the other to make a block so that the play will work
Not even sure what you're talking about here. Malzahn has only a few base runs. Power, Counter, Buck, and Zone. HS teams run this stuff. Nothing complicated about it.
and we leave too many outside pass rushers uncovered by design when we only seem to have long developing pass plays that require three fakes before the ball can be thrown. In short: different offensive philosophy = better OL play.
Backs also play a part in pass protection as does the QB. The OL can only block 5. Back picks up #6. Who that is is dependant upon scheme, and I don't know the pass pro schemes he uses. Seems to me the back is usually responsible for blitzers off the edge, though at times, they pulled uncovered Guards too, which I'm guessing was a dual read. The OL was horrible this year. Teams could easily overload them if they wanted to, and did late in the season. That's all anybody figured out about us. The philosophy is "Run to set up the Play Action Pass." Dye said it yesterday...same thing I've been saying, "The OL play would have been helped by a QB that was a threat to throw the ball." Nothing wrong with the philosophy IMHO, unless you don't have the players (or mature/seasoned players) to run it, and of course, a QB that can and will make the throws.
IF we can get some real coaching for our DB's we'll be fine may even return to the defenses of old. Our main issue on defense the past three years has been our terrible scheme compounded with the inability of our Dbacks. Run defense has been good for the most part until they finally cave in games after our DB's are giving up pass after pass.
If we can fix the offensive play calling and get a competent Db coach we'll be fine maybe even back in the title game.
The DBs have been horrid. It may be Lolley, don't know. I do know this, under Roof, it's the worst defensive effort in the history of Auburn football, and that includes a year that produced a Lombardi Winner. That's like having Cam on Defense, and still being mediocre.
You'd be surprised how much better the offense play calling will seem, when we have a competent QB, but I know you are convinced it's about scheme, not players.
82 Replies
9663 Views