The D should improve and here's why

[StoneWallLoungeCane]

Chad was a big time difference maker. Losing six defensive linemen who received significant snaps is going to hurt a D that is inconsistent at best.

 

[StoneWallLoungeCane]

Disagree about chad . He was our most consistent performer in the last 2 games along the dline and it wasn’t close really

He said that Chad was the most consistent. He said Chad wasnt a difference maker or a player that DCs had to gameplan for..and hes right.

Yeah, wrong. It’s incredible how people will discount some of our best players to delude themselves.

 

[CaneSince4Ever]

I’ll add, that Shaq does compare with Mike, no disrespect to the man who gave us The Hit on Vanover.

And no disprespect to Shaq, but not even close.

Barrow had waaaaaay better instincts at the MLB position, way better, but Shaq's no slouch.

 

[Jassid82]

Disagree about chad . He was our most consistent performer in the last 2 games along the dline and it wasn’t close really

He said that Chad was the most consistent. He said Chad wasnt a difference maker or a player that DCs had to gameplan for..and hes right.

Yeah, wrong. It’s incredible how people will discount some of our best players to delude themselves.

Maybe our definition of "difference maker" is different. Mine is: A player that a Defensive Coordinator has to account for on every play.

Chad was a steady performer and a consistant player but no DC ever went into a meeting room saying "we need to find a way to stop Chad Thomas or he will lose us this game"...

There isnt nothing wrong with that. Dont make me out to be like Im bashing him. He had a good season. But whether we miss him or not remains to be seen because I think we all expect JJ and Garvin to take that next step. And DJax when healthy is the most underrated DLineman we had. Chad isnt irreplaceable.

 

[StoneWallLoungeCane]

Disagree about chad . He was our most consistent performer in the last 2 games along the dline and it wasn’t close really

He said that Chad was the most consistent. He said Chad wasnt a difference maker or a player that DCs had to gameplan for..and hes right.

Yeah, wrong. It’s incredible how people will discount some of our best players to delude themselves.

Maybe our definition of "difference maker" is different. Mine is: A player that a Defensive Coordinator has to account for on every play.

Chad was a steady performer and a consistant player but no DC ever went into a meeting room saying "we need to find a way to stop Chad Thomas or he will lose us this game"...

There isnt nothing wrong with that. Dont make me out to be like Im bashing him. He had a good season. But whether we miss him or not remains to be seen because I think we all expect JJ and Garvin to take that next step. And DJax when healthy is the most underrated DLineman we had. Chad isnt irreplaceable.

OK, then there are like two “difference makers” in the NFL and none in college football.

 

[Jassid82]

Disagree about chad . He was our most consistent performer in the last 2 games along the dline and it wasn’t close really

He said that Chad was the most consistent. He said Chad wasnt a difference maker or a player that DCs had to gameplan for..and hes right.

Yeah, wrong. It’s incredible how people will discount some of our best players to delude themselves.

Maybe our definition of "difference maker" is different. Mine is: A player that a Defensive Coordinator has to account for on every play.

Chad was a steady performer and a consistant player but no DC ever went into a meeting room saying "we need to find a way to stop Chad Thomas or he will lose us this game"...

There isnt nothing wrong with that. Dont make me out to be like Im bashing him. He had a good season. But whether we miss him or not remains to be seen because I think we all expect JJ and Garvin to take that next step. And DJax when healthy is the most underrated DLineman we had. Chad isnt irreplaceable.

OK, then there are like two “difference makers” in the NFL and none in college football.

LOL. Okay man. You win. Major 9 was the **** and what ever will we do now that he isnt on the D.

For the record, if DJax comes back healthy he can give us the same production Chad did if not more as DJax also has the ability to play DT and be **** good at it on passing downs. JMO.

But I digress.

 

[Coach Macho]

Were we really that much better on defense this year? (or were our opponents worse?)

Genuinely asking.

I understand we were great at producing TO's, Sacks and TFL's...but any DC who employs an aggressive 1-gap scheme will produce TFL's and Sacks at Miami. We have athletes up front. So I don't put too much stock in those stats. If anything, it's reflective of Kul's coaching not Manny's scheme.

I'd trade some of those stats for a better 3rd down percentage and not allowing mediocre QB's to carve up the middle of our defense.

We didn't get any better at covering the middle of the field from 2016 to 2017 so please help me understand why we would be any better in 2018.
Please make me feel better about this.

I just don't see it. I've said it before, as long as our LB's/DB's continue to stare at the QB during pass plays then we will struggle to defend the intermediate/middle of the field.

 

[Poco]

Umm the 1991 defense came off a a Cotton Bowl win against Texas that was one of the most dominant bowl game defensive performances in history, led by a DC that never had a defense outside of the top five his entire tenure.

We are coming off of giving up a billion yards to a bad QB and his slow white boy receivers.

 

[ThomasM]

If our O can click and get leads, our D will feast.

 

[pacusmc]

Our defense was on the field for wewaayy too long. If we improve our TOP and get better leads..... huge difference

 

[FIUcane56]

We had an up and coming secondary but not elite. Delaney and MJ showed flashes but were not nearly as good as Corn and AC. We really REALLY missed JCarter and Jenkins. We had improvement in talent overall however inexperienced. Let’s see what Amari, Trajan, Derrick donin year 2 along with all the true freshmen. The CB spot I think is definitely more critical than DT. OP is correct in the sense that you if you are deep everywhere else you can mask a DT weakness. LB were terrible against the pass mostly.

Whoever said that the zone defense is what killed us hit the nail on the head.

Overall, I think we will be much improved on defense mainly because the infusion of talent in the secondary. I’d like to see a Steed, Jennings or Joyner supplant or at least pressure McCloud and maybe even Pinckney in passing situations or we will see 6 DBs for sure.

 

[Gatorhater]

I’ll add, that Shaq does compare with Mike, no disrespect to the man who gave us The Hit on Vanover.

Z
And no disprespect to Shaq, but not even close.

Barrow had waaaaaay better instincts at the MLB position, way better, but Shaq's no slouch.

I love Mike so I will not argue. However, imagine Shaq with Armtead and Smith on either side. Although, I am not saying he could have beat Mike out of the job.

 

[SinisterCane]

Not with Redwine returning as a starter

 

[Jassid82]

Were we really that much better on defense this year? (or were our opponents worse?)

Genuinely asking.

I understand we were great at producing TO's, Sacks and TFL's...but any DC who employs an aggressive 1-gap scheme will produce TFL's and Sacks at Miami. We have athletes up front. So I don't put too much stock in those stats. If anything, it's reflective of Kul's coaching not Manny's scheme.

I'd trade some of those stats for a better 3rd down percentage and not allowing mediocre QB's to carve up the middle of our defense.

We didn't get any better at covering the middle of the field from 2016 to 2017 so please help me understand why we would be any better in 2018.
Please make me feel better about this.

I just don't see it. I've said it before, as long as our LB's/DB's continue to stare at the QB during pass plays then we will struggle to defend the intermediate/middle of the field.

I am no Xs and Os guy but isnt the majority of our Defensive schemes heavily dependent on pressure and/or a pass rush? Seems like our D started becoming average as the year went on because our pass rush wasnt as dominating as it was at the beginning and middle of the year. And Diaz didnt adjust. I could be wrong.

 

[Jassid82]

Not with Redwine returning as a starter

It was his first year playing FS. I would be interested to see what type of jump he makes next year now that he has a full year under his belt. Look at the jump Jaquan made from year 2 to year 3 after gaining experience playing SS. Makes a huge difference.

 

[SinisterCane]

Not with Redwine returning as a starter

It was his first year playing FS. I would be interested to see what type of jump he makes next year now that he has a full year under his belt. Look at the jump Jaquan made from year 2 to year 3 after gaining experience playing SS. Makes a huge difference.

Dude is JAG who got Completely LIT tha fuq up by Wisconsin WR’s

 

[CaneSince4Ever]

I'd trade some of those stats for a better 3rd down percentage and not allowing mediocre QB's to carve up the middle of our defense.

About the only one I'd trade is sacks, the other two would have to be a mainstay in my defense.

Particularly TOs, that's the objective of defense, to take the ball back via TOs, or 3 or 4 & outs.

As far as sacks are concerned, I know Saban has some years where His sack total is in the 50s & 40s, and other years where it's in the 30s, some years as low as the 20s.

The first year He won the NC at Alabama they had 31 sacks...in 2015 when He won the NC they had 52...this year they had 40. But I think His sack totals from year to year are a function of personnel, moreso than scheming.

 

[CANEMC]

Our offense has to sustain drives in 2018. Even when we created TOs, the offense would go three and out. A competent QB should make a huge difference with the weapons in our stash. We simply can't expect the Diaz' scheme to keep us in the Coastal hunt when we leave them out there all **** game. I'm tired of seeing soft *** coverages that allow every opposing QB to have record days on us. Apply pressure with the front 7 and back 4. Let them play aggressive like dogs.

 

[FG305]

Were we really that much better on defense this year? (or were our opponents worse?)

Genuinely asking.

I understand we were great at producing TO's, Sacks and TFL's...but any DC who employs an aggressive 1-gap scheme will produce TFL's and Sacks at Miami. We have athletes up front. So I don't put too much stock in those stats. If anything, it's reflective of Kul's coaching not Manny's scheme.

I'd trade some of those stats for a better 3rd down percentage and not allowing mediocre QB's to carve up the middle of our defense.

We didn't get any better at covering the middle of the field from 2016 to 2017 so please help me understand why we would be any better in 2018.
Please make me feel better about this.

I just don't see it. I've said it before, as long as our LB's/DB's continue to stare at the QB during pass plays then we will struggle to defend the intermediate/middle of the field.

Yep, finishing in the top-10 in sacks, TO's and TFL's is great but also finishing #84 in long gains (10+ yds. 184 total) against the D is concerning....

 

[SmokeyRone]

good post, this jaded/troll crew on this site are on the edge of their seats waiting for this train to revert back to shytsville but it aint happening regardless of who stays or goes

I agree. D will be better. Gotta believe Diaz and staff will work on the soft zone on 3rd downs, which was our key weakness.