G Reg3rdLeg
Redshirt Freshman
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2012
- Messages
- 774
Mark D’Onofrio has become the most scrutinized figure in the UM football program, not unlike other past coordinators here whose units frustrated fans with inconsistent play: from Patrick Nix, to Mark Whipple to Tim Walton, who now runs the St. Louis Rams’ 17th-ranked defense.
So the criticism is predictable. What’s noteworthy is the divergent opinions of D’Onofrio’s work offered by people who have played the game.
Not surprisingly, several UM players have been effusive in their praise of D’Onofrio this week, after his Hurricanes defense was pulverized for 1066 yards the past two games. “He calls great games,” cornerback Tracy Howard said. “Outside people don’t know football.”
Even after leaving the program, former UM cornerback Brandon McGee, now with the Rams, has strongly defended D’Onofrio, saying his system was sound and blaming defensive shortcomings on the players.
Meanwhile, three prominent former Canes defensive players weighed in on D’Onofrio this week, with opinions varying.
Defensively, UM is being “outcoached every week,” former Canes and NFL cornerback Duane Starks ranted on WQAM’s postgame show. “Out-coached! Out-coached! They’re predictable. There’s no disguising…. It’s embarrassing! I would get rid of some people.”
Starks said Virginia Tech “knew we were blitzing the weak-side linebacker. That’s why you saw wide open receivers. FSU did the same thing, put a guy on the right side and dragged him across the field where the blitzing linebacker can’t pick him up. When you have a receiver or running back making the catch with no one around him, that’s when you know you are being outcoached.
“They ran the same predictable things. If I’m the head coach, I’m saying, ‘Let’s switch this up. Let’s surprise somebody. We’re not defending the screen.’ We see it. You see it. Do something about it! I’m ****ed off! We have the talent. If you can’t coach good talent, there’s a problem.”
But that last point is where others would disagree. One standout former UM defensive player said the talent is simply not good enough, especially at linebacker. Remember, five of UM’s front-seven starters were three or two-star recruits. Safety Deon Bush clearly is diminished after offseason groin surgery.
UM hasn’t had a defensive All-American since Brandon Meriweather and Kelly Jennings in 2005.
“I like his scheme, but he doesn’t have the personnel to run it as well as he would like,” said the former Canes standout defensive player who asked that his name not be used because he’s close to the program.
“Linebacker is the biggest problem. Aside from Denzel Perryman, these guys are not [major BCS program] level. The linebackers have to cover the backs, and the middle is always open. It’s poor coverage. The safeties can’t tackle and they’re out of position. They can’t get away with playing a three-man line against good teams because the line isn’t that good.”
The player said he believes D’Onofrio is generally a good coach but has a few quibbles. He said UM should play more bump-and-run coverage because “that’s the way to re-route the receivers.” He said the defensive line is stunting too much. That’s a maneuver designed to confuse offenses but leaves the defense vulnerable.
He questioned why the defensive ends often switch sides between plays. “Why aren't we set [often enough] before plays? Virginia Tech ran a play on us and we were barely out of the huddle. That's embarrassing.
"They should have put a spy on [Virginia Tech quarterback] Logan Thomas. And we don’t blitz enough. I don’t see delayed blitzes.”
He also said the defense “seems burned out and out of gas…. But you can’t blame the poor tackling on D’Onofrio or [Al] Golden.”
Meanwhile, former UM All-American safety Bennie Blades defended D’Onofrio and blames the players primarily.
“I think D’Onofrio does a decent job,” said Blades, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame who was previously defensively coordinator at Piper High in Broward. “Coach can’t fix the bad tackling. I know we like to blame everything on coaches, but it boils down to the players. What we’re missing is unblockable defensive linemen. We haven't had a Russell Maryland or Cortez Kennedy or Jerome Brown in a few years. I’m not overly impressed with the safety play.
“I want to see a lot more blitzing, but if you don’t have that corner who can play man to man on a consistent basis, you can’t do much blitzing. The players are not maximizing their ability, but you have to put that more on the players. The onus is on them.”
CHATTER
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...ches-out-to-fins-fins-heat.html#storylink=cpy
So the criticism is predictable. What’s noteworthy is the divergent opinions of D’Onofrio’s work offered by people who have played the game.
Not surprisingly, several UM players have been effusive in their praise of D’Onofrio this week, after his Hurricanes defense was pulverized for 1066 yards the past two games. “He calls great games,” cornerback Tracy Howard said. “Outside people don’t know football.”
Even after leaving the program, former UM cornerback Brandon McGee, now with the Rams, has strongly defended D’Onofrio, saying his system was sound and blaming defensive shortcomings on the players.
Meanwhile, three prominent former Canes defensive players weighed in on D’Onofrio this week, with opinions varying.
Defensively, UM is being “outcoached every week,” former Canes and NFL cornerback Duane Starks ranted on WQAM’s postgame show. “Out-coached! Out-coached! They’re predictable. There’s no disguising…. It’s embarrassing! I would get rid of some people.”
Starks said Virginia Tech “knew we were blitzing the weak-side linebacker. That’s why you saw wide open receivers. FSU did the same thing, put a guy on the right side and dragged him across the field where the blitzing linebacker can’t pick him up. When you have a receiver or running back making the catch with no one around him, that’s when you know you are being outcoached.
“They ran the same predictable things. If I’m the head coach, I’m saying, ‘Let’s switch this up. Let’s surprise somebody. We’re not defending the screen.’ We see it. You see it. Do something about it! I’m ****ed off! We have the talent. If you can’t coach good talent, there’s a problem.”
But that last point is where others would disagree. One standout former UM defensive player said the talent is simply not good enough, especially at linebacker. Remember, five of UM’s front-seven starters were three or two-star recruits. Safety Deon Bush clearly is diminished after offseason groin surgery.
UM hasn’t had a defensive All-American since Brandon Meriweather and Kelly Jennings in 2005.
“I like his scheme, but he doesn’t have the personnel to run it as well as he would like,” said the former Canes standout defensive player who asked that his name not be used because he’s close to the program.
“Linebacker is the biggest problem. Aside from Denzel Perryman, these guys are not [major BCS program] level. The linebackers have to cover the backs, and the middle is always open. It’s poor coverage. The safeties can’t tackle and they’re out of position. They can’t get away with playing a three-man line against good teams because the line isn’t that good.”
The player said he believes D’Onofrio is generally a good coach but has a few quibbles. He said UM should play more bump-and-run coverage because “that’s the way to re-route the receivers.” He said the defensive line is stunting too much. That’s a maneuver designed to confuse offenses but leaves the defense vulnerable.
He questioned why the defensive ends often switch sides between plays. “Why aren't we set [often enough] before plays? Virginia Tech ran a play on us and we were barely out of the huddle. That's embarrassing.
"They should have put a spy on [Virginia Tech quarterback] Logan Thomas. And we don’t blitz enough. I don’t see delayed blitzes.”
He also said the defense “seems burned out and out of gas…. But you can’t blame the poor tackling on D’Onofrio or [Al] Golden.”
Meanwhile, former UM All-American safety Bennie Blades defended D’Onofrio and blames the players primarily.
“I think D’Onofrio does a decent job,” said Blades, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame who was previously defensively coordinator at Piper High in Broward. “Coach can’t fix the bad tackling. I know we like to blame everything on coaches, but it boils down to the players. What we’re missing is unblockable defensive linemen. We haven't had a Russell Maryland or Cortez Kennedy or Jerome Brown in a few years. I’m not overly impressed with the safety play.
“I want to see a lot more blitzing, but if you don’t have that corner who can play man to man on a consistent basis, you can’t do much blitzing. The players are not maximizing their ability, but you have to put that more on the players. The onus is on them.”
CHATTER
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...ches-out-to-fins-fins-heat.html#storylink=cpy
