Miami Offense Ahead of Expectations

[DTP]

The defense hasn’t surrendered more than 21.9 points per game since D’Onofrio was fired. Why would they all of the sudden take a nose dive? Some of you chicken littles really need to stop assuming the sky is falling. Just because we finally have an offense that isn’t garbage, it doesn’t mean that all of the sudden the defense will fall off a cliff

 

[NorthEastCane]

The defense hasn’t surrendered more than 21.9 points per game since D’Onofrio was fired. Why would they all of the sudden take a nose dive? Some of you chicken littles really need to stop assuming the sky is falling. Just because we finally have an offense that isn’t garbage, it doesn’t mean that all of the sudden the defense will fall off a cliff

It not because of that. It's because we're breaking in a new offense with a new QB that has had only 4 days of spring practice with the WRs and the first scrimmage turns into an offensive track meet. At this point of the season, the defense is way ahead of the offense. That normally doesn't portent well for the season.

At least, the disclosure of the defensive linemen held out of the scrimmage, provides some solace.

 

[JgDaCane]

Our defense is going to regress this year. Losing two four year starters at linebacker and a top 5 pick will have an impact. I still think we will be good, but not dominant. If the offense can be top 40 in scoring (~31 ppg) and we can be opportunistic on D, we will win most of our games

I disagree totally. Saftey & D-End we’re going to be elite. LB much more athletic. DT more experienced, DB same. Difference will be we will be pinning our ears back more with leads. More TFL, Sacks, & TO’s this year.

 

[CashMoneyCane]

Our defense is going to regress this year. Losing two four year starters at linebacker and a top 5 pick will have an impact. I still think we will be good, but not dominant. If the offense can be top 40 in scoring (~31 ppg) and we can be opportunistic on D, we will win most of our games

1) Were we dominant on D last year? I must've missed that.
2) The LB's will be better. Less consistent but much faster as a group.

 

[Arehel]

247 sports is saying they are hearing from people at the first scrimmage that coaches and everyone at the scrimmage was shocked by how good the offense is already. And that they expect a huge improvement in that area.

Miami talk starts at the 3 min mark and goes till the 6 min mark

I think it’s premature our defines was sitting a bunch of starters.
I’ll wait until after the 2nd scrimmage. Love the positive reactions and talk but I’ll wait until they play a starting D.

 

[Canemang]

LB won’t be worse IMO, the one start Brooks had he was the best LB on the field. Jennings, Steed, Huff, McClous, two freshman give Miami much more depth than the past couple years

 

[OrangeBowlMagic]

It not because of that. It's because we're breaking in a new offense with a new QB that has had only 4 days of spring practice with the WRs and the first scrimmage turns into an offensive track meet. At this point of the season, the defense is way ahead of the offense. That normally doesn't portent well for the season.

At least, the disclosure of the defensive linemen held out of the scrimmage, provides some solace.

You don't think these kids have been working every single day on the offense since the spring? It's not 1995 anymore, the kids have the playbook and work year round. I don't disagree that the defense is usually ahead of the offense early, but maybe this isn't just a regular offense. It's being led by a 5th year senior grown man on a business trip who was born to run it. He's REALLY good, if he wasn't carving up the defense time to time, I'd be worried.

Traditionally, you're right. But it's nowhere near cause for any alarm. LSU was breaking in a new offense last year. They scored 42+ points in each of their first 6 games. If you can play, you're gonna make plays. It's not like the kids haven't talked to Lashlee since March.

 

[Swampcity]

I'm expecting outstanding 2ndary play. I'm not sure 15 will be missed as much as he might have been in years past. LB is a concern but guys have looked okay there.

You had me until you attempted to minimize GR15.

 

[blushrts]

Just tells you how bad things were last year under Enus

 

[k9cane]

Blake Baker concerns me, I dont know why.

247 sports is saying they are hearing from people at the first scrimmage that coaches and everyone at the scrimmage was shocked by how good the offense is already. And that they expect a huge improvement in that area.

Miami talk starts at the 3 min mark and goes till the 6 min mark

I have my expectations under control.

1999 Rams-like offense, you heard it here first!!

Anyhoooo....

 

[blushrts]

The game has changed. How many did LSU ring up on Clemson last year?

Your defense has to make a couple of stops or get a few key turnovers and you need to outscore your opponent.

This isn't 1978 where you hold everyone to 6 points a game.

 

[k9cane]

Just ******* around but it would not shock me if the defense gets worked this year.

The defense has been good for a minute, but it’s only a matter of time before they finally give out. Not to mention we are lacking big time in the coaching department Defensively.

If the offense can do it’s thing and specials keep trending up. We’ll be ok. Praying the defense doesn’t break.

My hope is that with an offense that can actually score 30+ a game, and actually get ahead in games and turn teams one-dimensional, that it can make things easier on them. I can't honestly remember the last time UM had this dynamic in their favor

The strength of this D is it's speed and edge rushers, much easier to utilize that when you're playing from ahead

 

[Bunker Mentality]

This the deepest our defense has been in a while, i think our defenses have never been elite, yet we have been on the cusp a few times but never really Elite. I think we will have a solid young super athletic defense that will be stingy but the offense will be all world especially if we have a three headed monster at RB

The defense will be better by subtraction. The outgoing LBs weren't very athletic or motivated to play for Baker; it was downright pathetic at times. We need that hair-on-fire, flying around mentality Shaq & Pinckney had as freshmen and lost somewhere along the way.

We lose guys but the guys behind them are very talented, hungry, and are possibly more coachable at this stage. Also, most of our two-deep played in the system at some point last season.

We are undoubtably more talented but the game-planning/play-calling was lacking last season. Hopefully Ed helps with that aspect of preparation and we're not rushing 3 on every 3rd down.

 

[k9cane]

The only thing that will matter for the Defense is CB play...

If the CB's step up & Ivey is better than he was last year then our weaknesses will be sured up.

You're only as strong as your weakest link & until we have 2 lockdown Corners that will always be the hindrance.

Al Jr will be good & handle his side, is Ivey gonna hold down the Boundary, because if he's not OC's/QB's will attack his side of the field all game which will force us to roll coverage over to his side with more help over top & will alter Defensive play calling in the long run.

The old adage is a great pass rush can mask a weak secondary, which is true to an extent, but what teams figured out about us is, if they just cut us up in the intermediate routes it will slow down the pass rush & then when Baker sends those unnecessary 30 yard Safety Blitzes that start all the way on the opposite side of the hashes they'll just attack us with the Deep ball.

Everything we do is predicated on causing pressure on 1st & 2nd downs trying to get TFL's so as to have 3rd & longs, the problem is on those 3rd longs is where we get exposed (see Lance Roffers 3rd down thread). I believe we need to put more emphasis on being more technically sound & savvy in coverage on the backend to increase the potency of our pass rush on the front end.

The reason why we've had a good Defense, but not an elite Defense over these years is because we sacrifice certain aspects of Defensive football overall in order to achieve a very specifi goal, we wanna have high sack & TFL numbers & force turnovers, we don't really focus on being excellent in coverage.

As soon as we get lockdown corners on the outside, you'll see us play like upper echelon P3 teams, our DL play, LB play & Safety play fluctuate but stay pretty consistent over time & has been good enough to keep us in the top 10-15, what we've lacked is Elite CB play to push us over the edge into the top 5 annually.

Lib, do you see Ivey making the jump? I think that is key. Last year was not a promising start for him, but he still looks like a guy who looks the part, at least. But he was more Carlos Armour than Antrell Rolle

 

[k9cane]

The defense will be better by subtraction. The outgoing LBs weren't very athletic or motivated to play for Baker; it was downright pathetic at times. We need that hair-on-fire, flying around mentality Shaq & Pinckney had as freshmen and lost somewhere along the way.

We lose guys but the guys behind them are very talented, hungry, and are possibly more coachable at this stage. Also, most of our two-deep played in the system least at some point last season.

We are undoubtably more talented but the game-planning/play-calling was lacking last season. Hopefully Ed helps with that aspect of preparation and we're not rushing 3 on every 3rd down.

Last year the lack of twitch/speed at backer was noticeable, I mean, their lack of athleticism was more and more of a problem against teams that really spread it out (which nowadays is basically almost everyone). I'll live with the mistakes of the young guys, as long as they play fast.

 

[Deleted member 25284]

Team are literally going to avoid blades out of the gate. Part of that is because he’s good. Part of it is because the other guy sticks out like a sore thumb. We make our living causing havoc.. but we have a guy on the boundary that makes everything make sense.. gives QB’s a bailout.. hope he steps up

 

[NorthEastCane]

You don't think these kids have been working every single day on the offense since the spring? It's not 1995 anymore, the kids have the playbook and work year round. I don't disagree that the defense is usually ahead of the offense early, but maybe this isn't just a regular offense. It's being led by a 5th year senior grown man on a business trip who was born to run it. He's REALLY good, if he wasn't carving up the defense time to time, I'd be worried.

Traditionally, you're right. But it's nowhere near cause for any alarm. LSU was breaking in a new offense last year. They scored 42+ points in each of their first 6 games. If you can play, you're gonna make plays. It's not like the kids haven't talked to Lashlee since March.

The defense is also working every single day since the spring. They have a playbook, the same one they've used since Diaz has been here. Defenses are easier to learn, easier to implement and on a physical level primarily require aggression. They're not a nuanced as offenses. That's not only the case 20 or 40 years ago, it's the case today.

I get it that most want to be titillated and prefer to watch a high scoring track meet. But the fact that it's not just a 5th year senior grown man born into it but the second (and third) team making 70 yard plays against our ones, does get your attention. Don't mistake that as alarm...yet. Let see if it tightens up in the second scrimmage when the rest of the DL participates.

 

[DTP]

It’s impossible for the defense AND the offense to both play well in a scrimmage. You’re either scoring on your own defense or your own defense is shutting you down. Given the track record the last four years, I’ll give the defense the benefit of the doubt. If our offense can beat up on our defense, which has been generally really good for years, it’s a GOOD thing for the team. The only defense they’ll play against on the same level is Clemson.

 

[Scorpioncane]

Just ******* around but it would not shock me if the defense gets worked this year.

The defense has been good for a minute, but it’s only a matter of time before they finally give out. Not to mention we are lacking big time in the coaching department Defensively.

If the offense can do it’s thing and specials keep trending up. We’ll be ok. Praying the defense doesn’t break.

Umm... The defense is lacking coaching? The same person is still coaching the defense don't let bakers title fool you. Its obvious you don't kno miami football a better offense elevates every part of the team!

 

[Scorpioncane]

I can see the defense start out behind last season, then by the end really start to hum.

Yeah we lost Pink, Rousseau and Shaq.

Only thing is we replaced Shaq and Pinkney with some athletic linebackers that can actually run. People are forgetting what a Miami defense looks like with elite sideline to sideline speed. I hate to say it but those two lumbered laterally.

Our safeties are no longer green in a system which asks lot of them. (May be the most important factor)

Our corners are more experienced and deeper with viable options assuming Williams and Couch are ready to take that next step.

Ya we lose 15, but there's a chance that Phillips+Roche could be just as good if not better than Garvin+15.

We lose Ford, but have Miller/Nesta in their third year, where you see d lineman start to flourish.

Once the linebackers start to figure things out mentally, this defense could be the best we've had with Manny. I believe that.

Ford is still on the team!!