UM's New DC Manny Diaz Talking Past Defenses

[frostycane]

In the little bit I have seen on his defense. It seems like he relies heavily on his safeties and OLB to break down plays on the edge. I could see Jaquan really thriving in this defense. We have some elite level LB's coming in. Lets not kid ourselves, most of the time our CBs were burned was in man coverage. TH3? No thank you in man. I think every pick he had here was in zone. I think Corn is better in Zone than man. The only one that was even better than average in man is Artie. And I would not say he was great. A lot of PI on that boy in his time here.

4-3 man is NOT the defense to stop the read option. The 4-3 man cover two basically guarantees a 5 yard gain every play. Block the OLB with the tackle, down on everyone else but the DE and then if the DE goes for the qb, than hand it off, and if he goes for the back the keep it. But the time the safety gets down you gained 5. Corners are playing man getting run off....

Dominating the LOS is really the only way to stop the read IMO. That is where Kool comes in. Its the same as stopping the triple option, if guys are not doing their job or beating their man you will get gashed regularly. The pressure is tough to deal with, because even a bad fit costs you extra yards and first downs.

What I do like about this hire is he brought in guys that he can trust to teach the DBs to play it the way he wants. He wants the safeties to have certain responsibilities and he brought in a guy to teach them the way he wants. He brought in a guy to teach the CB's good technique in Rumph. And I think Kool is the ace in the hole here as ANY defense looks great if the DL is dominating just as Tom Coughlin. Dude won two superbowls because they could create pressure with 4 down lineman. When they couldn't? Yeah he's fired. He has nothing to complain about. He has jimmies and joes that we all know can play. He has his staff to teach the "x's and o's". I expect results. I expect a good defense. I expect takeaways, and I expect TFLs and Sacks. I expect Chad and AQM to be great! They were VERY highly rated out of HS and should be dominant players.

I am not completely sold on this guy. But I am at least willing to wait and see. I do not feel like I need to make any calls because I do not feel like I need to beat my chest and say "see I was right!" Which really is all that Fully is doing. He is hedging his bets with his decision on a guy prior to coaching a single down here. This way he can be the first to slam his chest and say "everyone look at me I was so right. I am an internet champion!" I mean, I get not liking the hire but to spew the same message in EVERY thread is just borderline retarded. We get it. You don't like him. At a point though it just gets old.

Does anyone honestly think there is a guy that would have been hired that EVERY one would have liked? I mean wasn't there a thread comparing Aranda to Doritio as well? Yet then we hire Diaz and guys are screaming for Aranda... The grass is greener where you water it guys. I am just ready to hear about this staff getting to work!

 

[GhostRecon_Cane]

In the little bit I have seen on his defense. It seems like he relies heavily on his safeties and OLB to break down plays on the edge. I could see Jaquan really thriving in this defense. We have some elite level LB's coming in. Lets not kid ourselves, most of the time our CBs were burned was in man coverage. TH3? No thank you in man. I think every pick he had here was in zone. I think Corn is better in Zone than man. The only one that was even better than average in man is Artie. And I would not say he was great. A lot of PI on that boy in his time here.

4-3 man is NOT the defense to stop the read option. The 4-3 man cover two basically guarantees a 5 yard gain every play. Block the OLB with the tackle, down on everyone else but the DE and then if the DE goes for the qb, than hand it off, and if he goes for the back the keep it. But the time the safety gets down you gained 5. Corners are playing man getting run off....

Dominating the LOS is really the only way to stop the read IMO. That is where Kool comes in. Its the same as stopping the triple option, if guys are not doing their job or beating their man you will get gashed regularly. The pressure is tough to deal with, because even a bad fit costs you extra yards and first downs.

What I do like about this hire is he brought in guys that he can trust to teach the DBs to play it the way he wants. He wants the safeties to have certain responsibilities and he brought in a guy to teach them the way he wants. He brought in a guy to teach the CB's good technique in Rumph. And I think Kool is the ace in the hole here as ANY defense looks great if the DL is dominating just as Tom Coughlin. Dude won two superbowls because they could create pressure with 4 down lineman. When they couldn't? Yeah he's fired. He has nothing to complain about. He has jimmies and joes that we all know can play. He has his staff to teach the "x's and o's". I expect results. I expect a good defense. I expect takeaways, and I expect TFLs and Sacks. I expect Chad and AQM to be great! They were VERY highly rated out of HS and should be dominant players.

I am not completely sold on this guy. But I am at least willing to wait and see. I do not feel like I need to make any calls because I do not feel like I need to beat my chest and say "see I was right!" Which really is all that Fully is doing. He is hedging his bets with his decision on a guy prior to coaching a single down here. This way he can be the first to slam his chest and say "everyone look at me I was so right. I am an internet champion!" I mean, I get not liking the hire but to spew the same message in EVERY thread is just borderline retarded. We get it. You don't like him. At a point though it just gets old.

Does anyone honestly think there is a guy that would have been hired that EVERY one would have liked? I mean wasn't there a thread comparing Aranda to Doritio as well? Yet then we hire Diaz and guys are screaming for Aranda... The grass is greener where you water it guys. I am just ready to hear about this staff getting to work!

Post of the very early year

 

[FullyERicht]

frosty: you expect a great defense. And if you don't get one next year, will you excuse him or will you hold him to the standard we all expect?

 

[frostycane]

I will hold him to the standard. I expect them to be good. Does this mean I would call for his firing? That would depend on a multitude of facets. I can also recognize that my expectation is that Jaquan will take a big step forward and be an above average safety. I think our LB unit could be good, but is young. So, if there are some bad games where we give up big plays to being young I can give him time. But if its third and three and our LBs are 6 yards deep or late in a game and they are trying to run the clock and we have a single high safety at 20 yards deep then I think the scheme is garbage and should be changed.


I get that you are really trying to dig your heels in here and create a decision that needs to be made and decide today whether or not Diaz is a good DC or not. That is not how I operate.


I honestly, am not real sure this program is in much different shape now than it was pre Golden. I think the first year he came in hard. And that is why you started to get some results. However, soon there after you started to see the country club mentality come back. Look at the record and the penalties and the 'softness' of the run games from RS last yr and AG last yr. VERY similar. All the same issues. The culture is still needing some work. So, I fully expect that to take a bit of time. Maybe the guys really buy in but I am not sure. Its obvious by the previous players' reactions that they are not loving all the changes. Will all the current players love them? Or will there be some division? That will undoubtedly slow the process down. But I think there is enough respect for the HC that the players will buy in. And I think results will follow. Only time will tell. I don't have to make a decision today, because I do not care if I am right or wrong. Its not about me.

 

[Destruction]

didn't rumph say in a interview when he talked to diaz that we were going to run more man to man

LOL, yes, yes he did. Ill believe when I see it.

agree I'm holding on any judgement until i see how they are on the field

You know Rumph will be pushing for it.

Doubt it. That's what the DB coach in Texas wanted. I think that's exactly why we ended up with a grad assistant and a HS coach as the DBs coaches, b/c those dudes are def not going to stand up to Diaz on their first rodeo. No chance.

Agreed. Calculated poor submissive hires.

 

[FullyERicht]

I will hold him to the standard. I expect them to be good. Does this mean I would call for his firing? That would depend on a multitude of facets. I can also recognize that my expectation is that Jaquan will take a big step forward and be an above average safety. I think our LB unit could be good, but is young. So, if there are some bad games where we give up big plays to being young I can give him time. But if its third and three and our LBs are 6 yards deep or late in a game and they are trying to run the clock and we have a single high safety at 20 yards deep then I think the scheme is garbage and should be changed.


I get that you are really trying to dig your heels in here and create a decision that needs to be made and decide today whether or not Diaz is a good DC or not. That is not how I operate.


I honestly, am not real sure this program is in much different shape now than it was pre Golden. I think the first year he came in hard. And that is why you started to get some results. However, soon there after you started to see the country club mentality come back. Look at the record and the penalties and the 'softness' of the run games from RS last yr and AG last yr. VERY similar. All the same issues. The culture is still needing some work. So, I fully expect that to take a bit of time. Maybe the guys really buy in but I am not sure. Its obvious by the previous players' reactions that they are not loving all the changes. Will all the current players love them? Or will there be some division? That will undoubtedly slow the process down. But I think there is enough respect for the HC that the players will buy in. And I think results will follow. Only time will tell. I don't have to make a decision today, because I do not care if I am right or wrong. Its not about me.

My thing is this.....Canes fans born after 1973, such as myself, have no concept or prior experience with this type of situation in our program. This is the longest drought between titles. This is the longest drought between bowl wins. This is the worst 10 year period by record. You can rattle off a truckload of "these are bad times we haven't experienced before" anecdotes.

As a result, when we hired Randy, we didn't know any better when after that first embarrassing year we said "he needs time bc of the country club". After the second year, he needed time to get "his guys". After the third year and another bowl loss, people started to speak out, but even then people said "he needs time". In the end, he didn't need time. The issue wasn't the country club, it was that he can't coach.

So we then hired Al Golden. We still didn't have any experience with such mediocrity, so after the first embarrassing year, we said "he needs more time b/c of the damage Randy did". When the defense was getting shredded left and right, we said "he hasn't finished installing his system, and needs his players". After the second year, it was "the cloud, Randy, and the loser players" that led to our crap record. After the third year and the horrendous Louisville bowl, you essentially had a civil war between "mopes" and "slurpers". The latter claiming that it was the players, the me guys, the lack of talent, Randy. In the end, we had a ton of NFL kids on the roster, and the issue wasn't the cloud, culture, or Randy: it was Al Golden can't coach.

By now, I know for me I have learned my lesson. And that lesson is this: if you hire a staff that is supposed to be a large upgrade from the previous staff, it is not unreasonable to expect a large improvement in play immediately. The entire premise here is if we aren't playing significantly better on defense next season, then Manny Diaz should be removed, bc the "he needs time" and "bad culture" excuses are just that: excuses. Good coaches get it done, bad ones don't. Everything else is an excuse that just wastes time. Get it done or GTFOH should be the motto for every Canes fan. Not "oh poor Manny needs time! The culture!"

 

[Gables Cane]

frosty - Bravo. Well said.

Go 'Canes!

 

[frostycane]

However you just took two head coaches and used that same logic with a coordinator. We have had some good coordinators. Fisch was good. Bill young, etc. You never were sure because the hc sucked. So with that logic, MR should be fired. Even though we suffered like we did I still think a coach deserves 3-4 years before you can fire him. Your ready to fire this guy as soon as Kaaya completes his first swing pass! I never felt sorry for anyone. I like AG. I liked RS. I would have liked to see either one succeed. Because more than anything I want to see Miami succeed. But with your stance, you either now have to root for the defense to suck or you look like a complete *** hat for running your mouth like you have. I have no intention of painting myself into a corner.

 

[FullyERicht]

However you just took two head coaches and used that same logic with a coordinator. We have had some good coordinators. Fisch was good. Bill young, etc. You never were sure because the hc sucked. So with that logic, MR should be fired. Even though we suffered like we did I still think a coach deserves 3-4 years before you can fire him. Your ready to fire this guy as soon as Kaaya completes his first swing pass! I never felt sorry for anyone. I like AG. I liked RS. I would have liked to see either one succeed. Because more than anything I want to see Miami succeed. But with your stance, you either now have to root for the defense to suck or you look like a complete *** hat for running your mouth like you have. I have no intention of painting myself into a corner.

I would love for the defense to be amazing. But you are living in a fantasy land where simply bc the coach got hired for Miami he is somehow going to be great despite having some really awful results at his last major program. It's the same mentality that was applied to Randy, Golden, Whipple, Coley, D'Onofrio, and on and on. That somehow everything will be vastly different bc he is wearing Orange and Green. It doesn't work that way.

Tell me, what do you expect from the defense next year? You can't claim to demand excellence but then be wishy washy about what you expect to see. I expect a top 25 in both scoring and total defense next year, with no blowouts or multiple 400+ yard games. Of course, this is something Diaz has never been able accomplish in his entire career, but those are my expectations b/c I refuse to lower the bar to excuse some coach that is a hired gun for our program. He has a job to do, that's it. Get it done, and I will be GLAD to eat mounds and mounds of crow.

 

[drewm3i]

However you just took two head coaches and used that same logic with a coordinator. We have had some good coordinators. Fisch was good. Bill young, etc. You never were sure because the hc sucked. So with that logic, MR should be fired. Even though we suffered like we did I still think a coach deserves 3-4 years before you can fire him. Your ready to fire this guy as soon as Kaaya completes his first swing pass! I never felt sorry for anyone. I like AG. I liked RS. I would have liked to see either one succeed. Because more than anything I want to see Miami succeed. But with your stance, you either now have to root for the defense to suck or you look like a complete *** hat for running your mouth like you have. I have no intention of painting myself into a corner.

I would love for the defense to be amazing. But you are living in a fantasy land where simply bc the coach got hired for Miami he is somehow going to be great despite having some really awful results at his last major program. It's the same mentality that was applied to Randy, Golden, Whipple, Coley, D'Onofrio, and on and on. That somehow everything will be vastly different bc he is wearing Orange and Green. It doesn't work that way.

Tell me, what do you expect from the defense next year? You can't claim to demand excellence but then be wishy washy about what you expect to see. I expect a top 25 in both scoring and total defense next year, with no blowouts or multiple 400+ yard games. Of course, this is something Diaz has never been able accomplish in his entire career, but those are my expectations b/c I refuse to lower the bar to excuse some coach that is a hired gun for our program. He has a job to do, that's it. Get it done, and I will be GLAD to eat mounds and mounds of crow.

He did it at Texas the one year he had talent...

 

[MIATL]

The entire premise here is if we aren't playing significantly better on defense next season, then Manny Diaz should be removed, bc the "he needs time" and "bad culture" excuses are just that: excuses. Good coaches get it done, bad ones don't. Everything else is an excuse that just wastes time. Get it done or GTFOH should be the motto for every Canes fan. Not "oh poor Manny needs time! The culture!"

I agree with the bolded part.

I just think there is a difference of opinion on the timeline.

Brent Venables didn't fix Clemson's defense in 1 year, and there is no debate about how good he is as a DC. So, why is Diaz being held to some ridiculous (IMO) standard?

Venables went from 71 (2011 - Before he was DC) to 64 (2012), and then made a big jump to 24 (2013) ... and another big jump to 1 (2014). And they're 6th this year.

I've got no clue if Diaz will make this D elite. But the idea that he should be able to make the turnaround in 1 season is not very reasonable, IMO. Unless he somehow proves to be worse than D'Onofrio, I think he has to be here for 3 years before he can really be judged ...

 

[FullyERicht]

However you just took two head coaches and used that same logic with a coordinator. We have had some good coordinators. Fisch was good. Bill young, etc. You never were sure because the hc sucked. So with that logic, MR should be fired. Even though we suffered like we did I still think a coach deserves 3-4 years before you can fire him. Your ready to fire this guy as soon as Kaaya completes his first swing pass! I never felt sorry for anyone. I like AG. I liked RS. I would have liked to see either one succeed. Because more than anything I want to see Miami succeed. But with your stance, you either now have to root for the defense to suck or you look like a complete *** hat for running your mouth like you have. I have no intention of painting myself into a corner.

I would love for the defense to be amazing. But you are living in a fantasy land where simply bc the coach got hired for Miami he is somehow going to be great despite having some really awful results at his last major program. It's the same mentality that was applied to Randy, Golden, Whipple, Coley, D'Onofrio, and on and on. That somehow everything will be vastly different bc he is wearing Orange and Green. It doesn't work that way.

Tell me, what do you expect from the defense next year? You can't claim to demand excellence but then be wishy washy about what you expect to see. I expect a top 25 in both scoring and total defense next year, with no blowouts or multiple 400+ yard games. Of course, this is something Diaz has never been able accomplish in his entire career, but those are my expectations b/c I refuse to lower the bar to excuse some coach that is a hired gun for our program. He has a job to do, that's it. Get it done, and I will be GLAD to eat mounds and mounds of crow.

He did it at Texas the one year he had talent...

Never had both top 25 in scoring and total defense. That year you speak of he had the 30th ranked scoring defense. So no, it's not something he's ever been able to accomplish as a DC.

 

[FullyERicht]

The entire premise here is if we aren't playing significantly better on defense next season, then Manny Diaz should be removed, bc the "he needs time" and "bad culture" excuses are just that: excuses. Good coaches get it done, bad ones don't. Everything else is an excuse that just wastes time. Get it done or GTFOH should be the motto for every Canes fan. Not "oh poor Manny needs time! The culture!"

I agree with the bolded part.

I just think there is a difference of opinion on the timeline.

Brent Venables didn't fix Clemson's defense in 1 year, and there is no debate about how good he is as a DC. So, why is Diaz being held to some ridiculous (IMO) standard?

Venables went from 71 (2011 - Before he was DC) to 64 (2012), and then made a big jump to 24 (2013) ... and another big jump to 1 (2014). And they're 6th this year.

I've got no clue if Diaz will make this D elite. But the idea that he should be able to make the turnaround in 1 season is not very reasonable, IMO. Unless he somehow proves to be worse than D'Onofrio, I think he has to be here for 3 years before he can really be judged ...

Why are we comparing Brent Venables, who had a LONG history of top ten defenses before Clemson, to a guy like Diaz, who has never had a top ten defense, neither scoring nor total?

When you hire a guy like Venables, you have evidence that the man is capable of coaching excellent defensive units, bc he did it multiple times. Diaz never has.

 

[Dingaan1828]

However you just took two head coaches and used that same logic with a coordinator. We have had some good coordinators. Fisch was good. Bill young, etc. You never were sure because the hc sucked. So with that logic, MR should be fired. Even though we suffered like we did I still think a coach deserves 3-4 years before you can fire him. Your ready to fire this guy as soon as Kaaya completes his first swing pass! I never felt sorry for anyone. I like AG. I liked RS. I would have liked to see either one succeed. Because more than anything I want to see Miami succeed. But with your stance, you either now have to root for the defense to suck or you look like a complete *** hat for running your mouth like you have. I have no intention of painting myself into a corner.

I would love for the defense to be amazing. But you are living in a fantasy land where simply bc the coach got hired for Miami he is somehow going to be great despite having some really awful results at his last major program. It's the same mentality that was applied to Randy, Golden, Whipple, Coley, D'Onofrio, and on and on. That somehow everything will be vastly different bc he is wearing Orange and Green. It doesn't work that way.

Tell me, what do you expect from the defense next year? You can't claim to demand excellence but then be wishy washy about what you expect to see. I expect a top 25 in both scoring and total defense next year, with no blowouts or multiple 400+ yard games. Of course, this is something Diaz has never been able accomplish in his entire career, but those are my expectations b/c I refuse to lower the bar to excuse some coach that is a hired gun for our program. He has a job to do, that's it. Get it done, and I will be GLAD to eat mounds and mounds of crow.

He did it at Texas the one year he had talent...

9 defensive players from the 2012 Texas team are in the NFL this year. 2012 was the year Texas finished #67 in total defense. He did not have a lack of talent at Texas. You'll have to find another reason for that failure.

 

[The Franchise]

However you just took two head coaches and used that same logic with a coordinator. We have had some good coordinators. Fisch was good. Bill young, etc. You never were sure because the hc sucked. So with that logic, MR should be fired. Even though we suffered like we did I still think a coach deserves 3-4 years before you can fire him. Your ready to fire this guy as soon as Kaaya completes his first swing pass! I never felt sorry for anyone. I like AG. I liked RS. I would have liked to see either one succeed. Because more than anything I want to see Miami succeed. But with your stance, you either now have to root for the defense to suck or you look like a complete *** hat for running your mouth like you have. I have no intention of painting myself into a corner.

I would love for the defense to be amazing. But you are living in a fantasy land where simply bc the coach got hired for Miami he is somehow going to be great despite having some really awful results at his last major program. It's the same mentality that was applied to Randy, Golden, Whipple, Coley, D'Onofrio, and on and on. That somehow everything will be vastly different bc he is wearing Orange and Green. It doesn't work that way.

Tell me, what do you expect from the defense next year? You can't claim to demand excellence but then be wishy washy about what you expect to see. I expect a top 25 in both scoring and total defense next year, with no blowouts or multiple 400+ yard games. Of course, this is something Diaz has never been able accomplish in his entire career, but those are my expectations b/c I refuse to lower the bar to excuse some coach that is a hired gun for our program. He has a job to do, that's it. Get it done, and I will be GLAD to eat mounds and mounds of crow.

He did it at Texas the one year he had talent...

Never had both top 25 in scoring and total defense. That year you speak of he had the 30th ranked scoring defense. So no, it's not something he's ever been able to accomplish as a DC.

Didn't he take over a really excellent defense from Muscrap his first year at Texas? Just a guess, but I'm thinking the defensive rankings were much better in Muscrap's last year than Diaz's first year.

 

[Dynasty]

LOL, yes, yes he did. Ill believe when I see it.

agree I'm holding on any judgement until i see how they are on the field

You know Rumph will be pushing for it.

Doubt it. That's what the DB coach in Texas wanted. I think that's exactly why we ended up with a grad assistant and a HS coach as the DBs coaches, b/c those dudes are def not going to stand up to Diaz on their first rodeo. No chance.

Agreed. Calculated poor submissive hires.

I don't think we will be a predominant man coverage defense. Actually, I don't anyone except for possibly a select few is calling for man coverage. The issue is off technique out of zone. If Diaz fixes that glaring issue, we rolling.

You can dislike the secondary hires based on experience. I think that's fair. But in terms of system, technique and intangibles, these guys have coached and played their respective positions. I think that's valuable. It's not like hiring some ex offensive coach off the street and asking him to come coach the entire DB group. I will say this, however. We are going to find out just how good our talent level is. Like I said before we're probably basing from cover-2. Therefore, our corners and safeties must be well skilled at. Technique. Eye discipline. Communication. Responsibility. I have no doubt that our secondary coaches can achieve those teaching points.

At the end of the day, though, Richt is top dog. He makes the final call. If we're stinking up the joint with half-*** defense because of off technique I fully expect Richt to step to Diaz about it.

 

[MIATL]

It's not about comparing Diaz to Venables.

It's about comparing THE RESULTS of a DC, who you acknowledge is legit, to the PROJECTED RESULTS of the DC we hired, who you think is not legit ... And why the legit DC could have 2 seasons to get his defense together, but you're claiming you're gonna have a fit if our "not legit" DC doesn't prove elite in year 1.

Objectively, does that really make sense to you?

Diaz has to do something Venables couldn't do in order to prove to you that he belongs here? That makes sense to you?

Again ... This isn't a history debate. Diaz is what he is. And he'll prove if he can be more over the next few seasons.

I'll note this though ... He's 41 years old. He's still got room to grow, IMO.

The entire premise here is if we aren't playing significantly better on defense next season, then Manny Diaz should be removed, bc the "he needs time" and "bad culture" excuses are just that: excuses. Good coaches get it done, bad ones don't. Everything else is an excuse that just wastes time. Get it done or GTFOH should be the motto for every Canes fan. Not "oh poor Manny needs time! The culture!"

I agree with the bolded part.

I just think there is a difference of opinion on the timeline.

Brent Venables didn't fix Clemson's defense in 1 year, and there is no debate about how good he is as a DC. So, why is Diaz being held to some ridiculous (IMO) standard?

Venables went from 71 (2011 - Before he was DC) to 64 (2012), and then made a big jump to 24 (2013) ... and another big jump to 1 (2014). And they're 6th this year.

I've got no clue if Diaz will make this D elite. But the idea that he should be able to make the turnaround in 1 season is not very reasonable, IMO. Unless he somehow proves to be worse than D'Onofrio, I think he has to be here for 3 years before he can really be judged ...

Why are we comparing Brent Venables, who had a LONG history of top ten defenses before Clemson, to a guy like Diaz, who has never had a top ten defense, neither scoring nor total?

When you hire a guy like Venables, you have evidence that the man is capable of coaching excellent defensive units, bc he did it multiple times. Diaz never has.

 

[FullyERicht]

Again, if the man is struggling to field a top 25 defense in this division, with these players, with this DL coach, then he is simply repeating what he has done all of his career, and thus there is no reason to believe he is magically going to become the kind of DC we need to win at Miami.

The whole point of the hire is that "well with Miami talent and Coach Kool he should do a lot better." Great! Show me, or GTFOH. He hasn't earned the kind of trust to be able to have three years, b/c after 2 years if this D isn't nasty, his career shows you that it is almost a certainty the issue is it will never be elite, b/c that's who Manny Diaz is. Instead of handing him another year and another, like we did with Randy and Al and Dorito and Coker, cut ties quickly. Makes no sense to give a guy like this, who is lucky to have another major DC gig again, an open ended time frame.

 

[The Franchise]

It's not about comparing Diaz to Venables.

It's about comparing THE RESULTS of a DC, who you acknowledge is legit, to the PROJECTED RESULTS of the DC we hired, who you think is not legit ... And why the legit DC could have 2 seasons to get his defense together, but you're claiming you're gonna have a fit if our "not legit" DC doesn't prove elite in year 1.

Objectively, does that really make sense to you?

Diaz has to do something Venables couldn't do in order to prove to you that he belongs here? That makes sense to you?

Again ... This isn't a history debate. Diaz is what he is. And he'll prove if he can be more over the next few seasons.

I'll note this though ... He's 41 years old. He's still got room to grow, IMO.

The entire premise here is if we aren't playing significantly better on defense next season, then Manny Diaz should be removed, bc the "he needs time" and "bad culture" excuses are just that: excuses. Good coaches get it done, bad ones don't. Everything else is an excuse that just wastes time. Get it done or GTFOH should be the motto for every Canes fan. Not "oh poor Manny needs time! The culture!"

I agree with the bolded part.

I just think there is a difference of opinion on the timeline.

Brent Venables didn't fix Clemson's defense in 1 year, and there is no debate about how good he is as a DC. So, why is Diaz being held to some ridiculous (IMO) standard?

Venables went from 71 (2011 - Before he was DC) to 64 (2012), and then made a big jump to 24 (2013) ... and another big jump to 1 (2014). And they're 6th this year.

I've got no clue if Diaz will make this D elite. But the idea that he should be able to make the turnaround in 1 season is not very reasonable, IMO. Unless he somehow proves to be worse than D'Onofrio, I think he has to be here for 3 years before he can really be judged ...

Why are we comparing Brent Venables, who had a LONG history of top ten defenses before Clemson, to a guy like Diaz, who has never had a top ten defense, neither scoring nor total?

When you hire a guy like Venables, you have evidence that the man is capable of coaching excellent defensive units, bc he did it multiple times. Diaz never has.

If Diaz can't make major improvements over what Donofrio did this year with Kool as his DL coach and a new SC department, then he's total garbage. He doesn't have to field the best defense in the country. But this roster is loaded, and he's got the best DL Coach in the country working for him. He needs to improve this defense significantly over what Donofrio did, or he's garbage.

 

[canezhonkey]

[video=youtube;35rV5d3X27c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35rV5d3X27c[/video]

he said a bunch of nothing. what was that? forward, not backwards and forward and i look at this as forward not going backwards.