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Rewatched the tape...I think it can be fixed.

drewm3i said:
Numb Nuts said:
Am I reading you right? If not, let me know.
Poyser needs to be either nickel or SS
Bryce needs to be at FS
Dunnigan can't play nickel or FS.

So, the alignment should be: Bryce at FS, Dunnigan at SS, and Poyser at nickel?
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That sounds about right.

I think Dunnigan will become a good FS eventually. Poyser at nickel would be intriguing.
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That’s what Poyser played at jax st
 
Cane787pr said:
Last night was this year’s version of last year’s Louisville game. Opposing OC had a perfect game plan and QB executed perfectly. Difference this year is our offense matched them and we got the W. We don’t always look pretty but nobody else does either.
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and our qb didn't throw it to the wrong team 4 times
 
drewm3i said:
That sounds about right.

I think Dunnigan will become a good FS eventually. Poyser at nickel would be intriguing.
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From what Poyser's shown in coverage, he'd get cooked at Nickel. The problem is that Poyser and Dunnigan are both SS's. Both are strong against the run, weak against the pass. Same role, but having both on the field at the same time is out of necessity, unfortunately, and detrimental. And Thornton's worse.
We're a player short in the secondary - Nickel or FS, depending where Bryce isn't. So where do you best utilize Bryce? And where can you best hide Poyser or Dunnigan in coverage, depending on which is not at SS. And even at that they're both liabilities in coverage, period.
 
WestGA'Cane said:
From what Poyser's shown in coverage, he'd get cooked at Nickel. The problem is that Poyser and Dunnigan are both SS's. Both are strong against the run, weak against the pass. Same role, but having both be on the field at the same time is out of necessity, unfortunately, and detrimental. And Thornton's worse.
We're a player short in the secondary - Nickel or FS, depending where Bryce isn't. So where do you best utilize Bryce? And where can you best hide Poyser or Dunnigan in coverage, depending on which is not at SS. And even at that they're both liabilities in coverage, period.
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Yes, but our base nickel is primarily a "set the edge, blitz, and stop the run" role. I think Poyser would do fine in man coverage against backs and tight ends - he would struggle mightily against shifty slots. Poyser is also terrible (lost) in zone. I wonder how Lucas or Antoine (when healthy) would do at nickel on obvious passing downs.

Dunnigan may not be great in coverage now, but he is rangey and will grow into a FS IMO. Bryce needs to be our full-time free safety for the rest of 2026-27 - all of those seam routes were completed because Poyser was too deep and late to react.
 
Memnon said:
- Bad Defensive calls
- Petrino had us figured out on tape
- Misalignment
- Safeties missing their assignments
- LB's misreading the Hole-Zones & not being athletically inclined enough to cover
- Personnel issues due to mass injuries

It's primarily Heatherman not wanting to give up anything in his Run Defensive calls & essentially sacrificing the Seam & Flats coverage to sell out to stop the run.
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There has to be a way he can adjust his scheme to help mask a little bit of that, even if it means taking a little bit away from stopping the run? There has to be a way.
 
Steve44 said:
Lucas grabbing and flexing his forearm still. This is why he cant tackle or jam at the line.

Those CB injuries in week 1 really did a number on the prospects for the 2026 season.

OJ Jaboree still out and a one armed Lucas is hurting us bad. Poyser cant defend a pass and is non existent in coverage. Bryce used to be deadly back there but even he is nowhere near a football in the air.
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Yeah, but Lucas hurt his hamstring week one, not his forearm.
 
We don’t need to go portal for DBs. The talent is at a level that far exceeds the play we have seen on the field this year. The Linebackers have been terrible in coverage. From game one I said Toure and Smith can’t play together.

2 things.

We’ve been getting killed in quick game all year because Heatherman is insisting on playing soft zone coverage regardless. Blitzes are not getting home because of it.

Also, the technique of our DBs has been terrible. Refuse to turn their heads and it’s a recurring theme. They are slow to react when the ball is in the air.
 
drewm3i said:
Some thoughts:

1.Poyser and Chase Smith were absolutely HORRIBLE in zone coverage and in pursuite/space tonight. Chase Smith plays way too upright in space and Poyser is way to stiff. What this staff sees in playing Poyser at free safety - when he should be playing strong safety or nickel - I will never know. He is no Jakobe Thomas, and he needs to play in coverage in shorter zones and in the box. Man on man, he would do fine against tight ends whereas Dunnigan was horrid in man coverage tonight.

2. Bryce was lost tonight because they've been playing him all over the field: I saw him at field corner, nickel, and ss. He needs to lock down the free safety/center field position in this cover three scheme; he needs to watch things unfold from the middle because he is not being utilized effectively right now, and Poyser is a complete liability in cover three back there (too slow to react).

3. Dunnigan played poorly except at blitzing, setting the edge, and crashing down on runs from the backside tonight: he was poor at tackling, poor in man coverage, and a bit lost in zone. His run fits were good, but he is a work in progress (slow at processing) in the passing game.

4. Blount is not very good - way too stiff and frequently lost the edge/got pushed inside. Lightfoot was turned inside to to a lesser extent as well. Blount needs to gain weight and play DT.

5. Wilson needs to play more downs, and be allowed to just rush with less thinking.

6. Lightfoot is our best edge by a mile and needs to play every down; we are really missing Hayden Lowe's potential. As a side note, Lightfoot needs to stop flicking people off on camera lol.

7. The OL played an elite-level game, and ran the ball at will when needed - what more can you ask for?

8. Special teams were also good/fine.

9. The refs called a good, fair game. They made all of the right calls on those onsides. If the refs treated us like they did in years passed, we lose. Whatever has changed, I like it.

Really curious to see how we bounce back, and what changes are made.
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Well done. Our defense is not very good.
 
Steve44 said:
Bryce was supposed to be elite safety and center fielder - but we are not seeing it. Poyser is not even close to footballs. in 2 seasons, how many passes has he intercepted, or even knocked down in coverage???? I cant remember him getting his hands on a football one time. Yes, he can be aggressive in run game, but he is useless in zone.
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We really need the corners to step up so Bryce can move back to safety.
 
I’d like to see Poyser at SS, fitz at FS, and JJ at nickel. Poyser was bad last night, hopefully just an off game. Bryce is better as a center fielder and we are asking him to do son much.
 
Unsider said:
While I agree with you on the promoting aspect, any talk of a natty after last night seems far fetched. Our D will be taken to the shed by any of the top teams in the playoffs. That is, unless last night was the bottom and we get/adjust better hereon.
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I expect it will get fixed just as we fixed last season’s failures post SMU. I have my reasons for believing this. But only time will tell.
 
MikeyCanez said:
Antoine is CB 3? We need to stop pretending the guy is an All-American. Not a lot of opportunity but there is zero evidence to date that he would make a difference.
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Its not that he himself is going to make plays that make us better per se, its that having him allows us more flexibility to move guys like Bryce to the position that best suits their skillset that helps our defense the most
 
MikeyCanez said:
BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati said:
Some of you stupid MFers seem to have forgotten we are still without CB1 and CB3 and XL has only been back for 2 games.
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Antoine is CB 3? We need to stop pretending the guy is an All-American. Not a lot of opportunity but there is zero evidence to date that he would make a difference.
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I said CB3 not all American. Relax a bit. I’m not the enemy here. Go back and watch the snaps he did play then hit me with that zero evidence talk.

I’ve not said injuries are the sole reason we are having issues in the secondary. I am saying that the injuries have definitely been a (large) part of why our secondary has stunk. Hetherman’s job is to figure out a solution for this LB in coverage problem we have. He also needs to find a scheme for the safeties that works.
 
BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati said:
I said CB3 not all American. Relax a bit. I’m not the enemy here. Go back and watch the snaps he did play then hit me with that zero evidence talk.

I’ve not said injuries are the sole reason we are having issues in the secondary. I am saying that the injuries have definitely been a (large) part of why our secondary has stunk. Hetherman’s job is to figure out a solution for this LB in coverage problem we have. He also needs to find a scheme for the safeties that works.
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That’s fair. I didn’t mean to come in so hot. Injuries have definitely played an outsized role and I do not doubt that Antoine will help.

I was a “wait until we are healthier” guy until this past week, now I’m not sure Antoine and OJ will automatically shift the calculus. I agree that it’s more about Hetherman’s scheme.
 
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