Thoughts?

[bomb]

The problem is that recruiting mistakes have a long life span. You don't pay for your year X recruiting mistakes in year X, you pay for them in year X +2 to X +4.

Shannon left the cupboard so bare, especially on defense (oh, the irony) that its been killing us. Were still going to feel it significantly this year, but I am hopeful and excited that last year was the low, and this year will start a continual improvement that should continue for a few seasons. This defense isn't going to be able to "peak" until Golden's first full class, the 2012 class, are seniors in 2015 and 2016 (the 2011 class, while an impressive quick haul, was thrown together in 8 weeks as Shannon left in November with only 2 or 3 commits so its hard for me to call it a true Golden class- it was a transition class).

I want to see marked improvement this year over last year. But I will also expect further improvement in the year after that and the year after that while Golden's guys mature. Is it fair to expect a top defense this year? No way. Is it fair to demand significant improvement? Absolutely.

 

[pcitycane]

How many points does our defense hold FAU to?

Fau - 3
UF - 18
Savannah st - 0
USf - 6


That would be a good start and IMO indicative of the talent that we have. If those first 4 teams score a total of 40 points then will I be absolutely SOLD that he needs to go.

You're mandating that Miami needs to hold Florida to 18 points and that Miami HAS TO shut out another team? The Gators were held to 18 or fewer points by LSU and UGA. Are we saying that Miami has a defense with first round talent on it this year b/c I'm fairly certain that LSU and GA are going to put guys in the league early for 2013.

Miami should be able to come out and put up good defensive statistics early, but I don't believe we should be calling out a coach for giving up 40 points in four games when last year's top 10 scoring defenses gave up an avg of 14.5 points/game (granted we have a non-bcs team in there).

Just for comparison, Alabama played a four game stretch against WKU (shutout), Ark (shutout), FAU (7 points), and Ole Miss (14 points). The shutout against Ark was early the Razorback's third game into the debacle of a season, so that's really an aberration. Still, what you're asking for Nick Saban and the back-to-back National Champs were barely able to do with a clear advantage in defensive talent.

I understand where you're coming from, I just think we should be realistic. If we give up 7, 24, 0, and 10 (41 points) against that schedule I'm not sure how many of us need to be sharpening up the pitchforks.

Didnt mean to make it sound like I was mandating a 40 point o/u must. Just using that as an example com just looking at the offenses we are going to face those first 4. I'm also referring to points given up by the defense, which is excluding special teams and defensive td's.

Savannah state should not score.

Fau is one of the worst d1 teams in the country.

USf has put up a total of 6 points on us the last 2 years.

Florida looks bad on offense to me. I'm not sold on driskel, matter fact I think he sucks. They lose gillislee but they always have running backs. No playmaker at WR mixed with it being early in the season gives me a feeling that their O will be better in say week 6 then week 2. That Florida game will be telling.