New coordinators bring fresh style that Auburn assistants, players endorse.

Saniflush · « **on:** March 29, 2012, 10:51:56 AM »

Quote

AUBURN, Alabama -- Mike Pelton is a former Auburn All-SEC defensive lineman who is now coaching the style of defense he loves.

See ball, hit ball.

That simplicity is what new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder has brought to the Tigers this spring, and one that Pelton, the defensive line coach, has embraced.

"To me, it's a defense that as a defensive lineman you want to play in it," Pelton says. "It emphasizes all get-off, it emphasizes penetration, it emphasizes going and playing football. There aren't a lot of checks in this defense. It basically lets them play. To me, it's a lot easier to play. I can turn them loose and let them play."

Auburn completed its fourth spring practice Tuesday under VanGorder and new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler, and already their changes have an impact.

Pelton agreed that his defensive linemen are now being asked to penetrate the line of scrimmage more under VanGorder. They're carrying a lighter playbook, too.

"You get good players and let them play. Sometimes, I thought we were paralyzing them last year by there being so many things they had to think about before the ball was snapped. This right here? Not a lot to think about. Get off the football, use your hat and hands and go make plays."

Pelton said last year's defense under Ted Roof was built around filling the gaps.

Now, he said, "we're trying to knock them back. We still play a gap defensive, but it's more about: 'Let's play gaps on their side. It's more vertical. Everybody in the country does it.'"

VanGorder made another change in the line, doing away with the nose tackle that lined up against the center. Now, there's two defensive tackles instead of one.

"I like it that way," Pelton said. "Now, if you have two guys, the third-best guy can go in. Now, you just put the best guy in and they can play both sides.

"Everybody has to know what's going on on both sides, which is good because you can get your best guys in there."

Tommy Thigpen made a big change, moving from coaching the secondary to linebackers for VanGorder. Of course, Thigpen coached linebackers at North Carolina, before coming to Auburn.

Thigpen calls VanGorder "a football guy."

"He holds everybody accountable. I enjoy that. I enjoy the intensity. I enjoy the fact he asks a guy a question and if he doesn't know it, he gets called out," Thigpen said. "You have to speak football in the classroom, the language has to be on. That's one thing our guys are uncomfortable about: You've been able to come in and mess around and just saying things, but it's not the right verbiage. It's getting everyone -- coaches included -- to talk his language and his scheme."

Pelton's counterpart, offensive line coach Jeff Grimes, hit on one of the most popular words being bandied about around Auburn's spring practice.

Aside from the Xs and Os, there's new "verbiage" in the Auburn playbook.

"You know, it's like learning a foreign language. Everything is new initially, but one of the things that I think Coach Loeffler has tried to do a good job of is with the verbiage -- try to create with a system that makes sense to the players," Grimes said. "There are some systems where you just have to memorize words, and it's just pure rote memorization. 'Blue' means this, or 'Navajo' means this, and you just have to know it. There are others where certain words are somewhat descriptive. Where that really helps is when you're installing a system and new players come in. So we have these brand-new freshmen come in this summer, that'll certainly help them in fall camp.

"There is a lot of new verbiage, and there are a lot of new things these players are having to learn, but we've done the right thing by trying to install it slowly and give them a chance to gain confidence."

But mistakes, especially by the quarterbacks, are appreciated. Loeffler says so.

"There's no gray area, for sure," said quarterback Clint Moseley. "He doesn't miss it when you false step or anything. He catches everything. He's very particular in what he wants."

One spring difference? The running backs are being asked to catch passes more frequently. Overall, leading wide receiver Emory Blake says Loeffler's offense is "very different" than the one Gus Malzahn left behind.

"But I think it's healthy for us to get something fresh and new in here and bring some excitement," Blake said. "I'm excited, personally, for our team and offense as a whole."

The most obvious difference is the quarterbacks, for the most part, will line up directly under center rather than in the shotgun.

"And you know, just the whole offense is very different from what Malzahn brought, just very excited for a fresh new start," Blake said.

Blake said the reintroduction of the tight end in the offense -- where Philip Lutzenkirchen will play rather than H-back -- should open up the passing game for the wide receivers.

"Stuff like that will definitely help me get open a little bit more and it will help other guys get open more as well."

Receivers coach Trooper Taylor said his veteran receiving corps is trying to adapt.

"It's like getting a new toy; getting something new for Christmas," he said. "They're excited about it and our goal is to make sure they stay excited about it throughout the whole deal.

"There are a lot of changes. Things aren't as simple for those guys. They have to really focus and concentrate -- alignment and assignment and those things are still the same as far as intensity-wise. But just getting in and out of a huddle is different."

Godfather · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2012, 11:08:52 AM »

You are a topic starting mother fucker! So much more important then that Pale Rider joker that left.

Godfather · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2012, 11:11:30 AM »

Back on topic...What the fuck was going on defense? Seriously!

Why was Ted Roof still here after 3 years? Did he have pictures of Chizik?

Godfather · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2012, 11:12:53 AM »

Is it wrong that I am getting serious wood thinking about Van Gorder and this defense?

I think a Van Gorder smiley might be in the works for today.

Saniflush · « **Reply #4 on:** March 29, 2012, 11:18:37 AM »

Quote from: Godfather on March 29, 2012, 11:08:52 AM

You are a topic starting mother fucker! So much more important then that Pale Rider joker that left.

AWK · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2012, 11:23:13 AM »

Triple post ftw.

Anyway, it made me sick when I read the comment about Roof's defense just being a gap filler...that about sums it up.

Godfather · « **Reply #6 on:** March 29, 2012, 11:41:58 AM »

Quote from: AWK on March 29, 2012, 11:23:13 AM

Triple post ftw.

Someone has to carry this GD forum. You other fuckers with your stupid movie quotes, gay hijacks, and beating on the poor Saints. Meanwhile, this place is deader than Snaggles dick.

and speaking of dick I 'm sitting here with mine in my hand clicking the logo every 2 minutes waiting for someone to post so I don't have to work.

AWK · « **Reply #7 on:** March 29, 2012, 11:47:12 AM »

Quote from: Godfather on March 29, 2012, 11:41:58 AM

Someone has to carry this GD forum. You other fuckers with your stupid movie quotes, gay hijacks, and beating on the poor Saints. Meanwhile, this place is deader than Snaggles dick.

and speaking of dick I 'm sitting here with mine in my hand clicking the logo every 2 minutes waiting for someone to post so I don't have to work.

Funny story, I'm sitting here watching my dick get smaller (if that's possible).

djsimp · « **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2012, 12:28:01 PM »

Quote from: Godfather on March 29, 2012, 11:41:58 AM

speaking of dick I 'm sitting here with mine in my hand clicking the logo every 2 minutes waiting for someone to post so I don't have to work.

Apparently Roof was doing the same thing while at Auburn.

Godfather · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2012, 12:49:34 PM »

Quote from: djsimp on March 29, 2012, 12:28:01 PM

Apparently Roof was doing the same thing while at Auburn.

Touche

The Six · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2012, 01:28:07 PM »

PornStasch and BoyWonder are certainly saying things that make the football fan in me happy. I like attacking defense and pound your opponent in the ground offense and that's a lot of what their selling.

May take another year of solid 'cruiting to have all the pieces but scheme-wise it sounds like good plans on the Plains.

JR4AU · « **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2012, 02:33:52 PM »

Quote from: Godfather on March 29, 2012, 11:11:30 AM

Back on topic...What the fuck was going on defense? Seriously!

Why was Ted Roof still here after 3 years? Did he have pictures of Chizik?

IMHO, Roof was hired and maintained throughout the Malzahn era because of Malzahn's "you can't worry about defensive stats and time of possession" philosophy. Roof was happy to just do as he was told, and not lobby Chizik to make Malzahn change things. Last year, Chizik pulled the plug, but the defense was still shittastic. I believe Roof was gone the minute Malzahn was gone regardless, he just happened to know that too, and got out before hand.

You see just the opposite now. Pornstache is the staff honcho now, and Loeffler is the lap dog.

JR4AU · « **Reply #12 on:** March 29, 2012, 02:37:22 PM »

Quote from: J. Newcastle on March 29, 2012, 01:28:07 PM

PornStasch and BoyWonder are certainly saying things that make the football fan in me happy. I like attacking defense and pound your opponent in the ground offense and that's a lot of what their selling.

May take another year of solid 'cruiting to have all the pieces but scheme-wise it sounds like good plans on the Plains.

How good we are next year depends on QB play. We have many pieces of the puzzle now, and this is no longer a young team. Not full of Sr players, but plenty of experienced Soph and Jr. Youth will be no excuse next year. If one of these QBs can emerge as a game manager, we could win 10 games. If they struggle at QB, or have to make a change in the middle of the year due to injury or bad play, it's a 7-8 win year.