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- Dec 19, 2013
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Even the best defenses in the world would have a hard time keeping a team that's on the ten from getting any points. Unless you force a turnover, you're still giving up an easy, chip shot, go ahead field goal.
Which is part of the main issue when we complain about the defense. We expect the defense to go way above and beyond what would be considered fair expectations.
There's certainly a few areas that could be improved on defense, they're not elite. I would grade the overall defense since Manny has been here as a B+/A-. Very good but not quite peak level. Meanwhile, I would grade the offense over the same period of time a D+. Occasional glimpses of good play but mostly garbage. Yes we can pick out specific moments during games where the defense failed but you could start a twenty page thread just listing individual moments where the offense failed. Honestly, the fact that the defensive players have not had an all out mutiny against the offensive coaches and players is a miracle. If the defense was even average last year, they would have gone 2-9. Louisville was the only game where I could honestly say, "thankfully the offense carried the load because the defense just wasn't very good today".
So you’re going to forget about VT, UNC, and FIU busting the defenses’ ***? I wouldn’t give the def a B+/A- that’s exceptional. The def deserves a B. You can’t miss that many tackles and give up late game TDs.
Are we going to conveniently forget that the def spotted FSU a 27-0 lead and the O had to come all the way back to win, just in 2018? Or the def spotting Wisc a 21 point 2nd quarter in the Orange Bowl? Are we going to act like Duke, GT, and BC didn’t just willfully run the ball down our throats last yr or that Wisconsin didn’t just say “Fck a pass, we’ll just run for 300+ on ya’ll”??
It’s time to stop acting like we’re marching eliteness out here. The O has been a throwback of the 20’s, I know.....but the def has been inconsistent. Anyone in their right mind would agree it needs to be improved. The O was obvious that it needed to improve, but this thread is to highlight that the def needs some tweaks as well.