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How did the defense get worse?

6,424 Views | 54 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by Batman96
Hubert J. Farnsworth
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It's pretty much all of the same guys playing as last year. The only real loss was Antonio Johnson but Bryce Anderson, who plays nickel now, played a ton last year and played really well. Every returning player looks worse than before. Is the defensive coaching and development that bad? You would think that you would at least see some natural progression just from experience itself, but nope.
texasaggie2015
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AG
Coaching. End of thread.
JohnClark929
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Also lost Jaylon Jones
Aggie Dad Sip
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I wouldn't panic just yet. Although it doesn't make a lot of sense to us amateur analysts, I doubt there was much game planning by the staff specifically for Miami. I would imagine Jimbo has been preparing all summer for Auburn. It's the same reason Texas looked like garbage against Rice. Sark was prepping for Alabama.
Detmersdislocatedshoulder
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it has to be the game plan.

no matter the level of talent at your disposal if that talent isn't used correctly it is just wasted talent.

that's what i see on our defense team wasted talent.
Deus Vult
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Here is your answer OP.

beerad12man
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AG
A change in philosophy due to personnel being better. We basically relied on our front 4 all night against max protection, and don't have the pure cover guys to do that if we don't get home, which we didn't. I think we overestimated our fronts ability to get pressure, and over-estimated our coverage against them and came in with a poor gameplan that didn't help those DL and DBs out.

Last year, we knew we needed to go bend but don't break with our youth. We were multiple. Yes, the 3-man front HELPED us as I argued with many how much worse things could have been. The Miami game was exhibit A.

We gave different looks. Were multiple. We sacrificed a little in the run game to give numbers on the back end and keep teams off the scoreboard. It was much harder for teams to sustain drives and hit big plays lasat year than it was for Miami with the approach we came in with Saturday night. FYI, our run defense was always going to be bad with that much youth, but our scheme made it worse, all the while making the total defense better. Just go back and watch the LSU game. We played 4-2-5 19 of 33 snaps in the first half. We dropped guys like Sylla/White in a 3-3-5 look 7 times. When it was obvious passing downs, we brought in M Harris/White/Sylla for edge presence. We did none of that against Miami. It was as if we thought we could man up better this year and it bit us in the ass. Clearly, we can not.

Unlike many on here, I believe Durkin did an okay job in 2022 with the hand he was dealt. Terrible run defense, but total defense and scoring defense was solid, and with the youth we played, those numbers were mostly expected. But Saturday night, he did a horrible job scheming up any kind of help for our DL. Offense was 90% the issue last year. This year, it was basically the exact opposite, where defense was 90% the issue.
JohnClark929
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Stat Rank 2022 | 2023

Total Defense 51 | 66
Rushing Defense 122 | 29
Passing Defense 1 | 98
Scoring Defense 22 | 100
petebaker
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Road game , lack of mental toughness

It was a big game on ABC at home everyone was watching and Miami receivers wanted it more so they got Yards and TDs after contact
beerad12man
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AG
All of that said, it doesn't mean it will be worse over the course of the season. Whether some like him or not, Durkin has shown the ability to be very versatile and do different things. He will adjust, the only real question is, does he know how to adjust to maximize our talent. It remains to be seen, but the potential is there.
beerad12man
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AG
petebaker said:

Road game , lack of mental toughness
No, that is not it. I'm not saying we don't lack mental toughness and that we aren't worse on the road in general. I don't know. The season is young. But that is not the reason our defense performed worse. That was probably Durkin's worst coached game from a gameplan standpoint. As much as some hate him, I think they underestimate some of the things he did last year. But no excuses for Saturday. It was bad.
greg.w.h
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AG
petebaker said:

Road game , lack of mental toughness
Road game to Miami and still young team. Miami is very distracting…
rootube
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AG
greg.w.h said:

petebaker said:

Road game , lack of mental toughness
Road game to Miami and still young team. Miami is very distracting…


It's the altitude. I hear Miami is the other Mile high city.
petebaker
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McCoy and Pugh said alot about it

we didn't blitz aggressively, or we didn't let the 4 man front play straight up go get the qb simple play

Miami QB stood in pocket and attacked Zone dbs

Sometimes just put 4 guys out there and say win man to man , None of that switching Just go to the qb

also blitz aggressively on certain downs dont be conservative on the road and take it for granted
Propane & Accessories
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AG
Well our previous DC was actually good, smiling Urkin is not good, especially his run defense but I couldn't tell during the Miami game as his pass defense was ripped apart.
Sterling82
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Aggie Dad Sip said:

I wouldn't panic just yet. Although it doesn't make a lot of sense to us amateur analysts, I doubt there was much game planning by the staff specifically for Miami. I would imagine Jimbo has been preparing all summer for Auburn. It's the same reason Texas looked like garbage against Rice. Sark was prepping for Alabama.

If they didn't game plan at maximum levels for this game, which was crucial to the season, Fisher or Durkin, or both, should be fired on the spot. They basically had 2 weeks to prepare.
NumeroUno
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AG
Teams didn't have to pass last year because the run D was so bad. Quite the opposite so far this year.
83Aggie
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AG
DB talent has taken a step back with the departure of Jones and Johnson.

Road woes, lack of preparation, 7th consecutive road loss

Coaching and scheme. Elko beat Clemson, stands 2-0. His absence is being felt.

He is Ass My Dude
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The defense got worse because Fisher does not develop talent, particularly LB, DB, Dline, QB, Oline, and especially WR.
Aggie Dad Sip
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Sterling82 said:

Aggie Dad Sip said:

I wouldn't panic just yet. Although it doesn't make a lot of sense to us amateur analysts, I doubt there was much game planning by the staff specifically for Miami. I would imagine Jimbo has been preparing all summer for Auburn. It's the same reason Texas looked like garbage against Rice. Sark was prepping for Alabama.

If they didn't game plan at maximum levels for this game, which was crucial to the season, Fisher or Durkin, or both, should be fired on the spot. They basically had 2 weeks to prepare.


I'm sure we would all prefer that, but I would guess that he would rather be 2-1 at worst going into the Auburn-Arkansas-Alabama-Tennessee gauntlet and be fully prepared for those games, than 3-0 against Miami and two cupcakes, but having wasted valuable preparation time on a non-conference opponent.

Unfortunately with the rules the way they are, there's only so much time in the season to get your real work done, and that's not enough time to fully prep for your eight conference games, much less three JV teams and a team that won't really hurt you in the long run if you lose.
TAMUallen
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AG
Smirky Smirk _urkin
oneeyedag
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No defensive identity.

Give me an intense personality cause that's what's needed on defense.

Little d is scared
Aggie Dad Sip
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Let's say that the defense struggles against ULM, the Ags win in a shootout and Jimbo sacks up and cans Durkin on Sunday. Who on the defensive staff is able to step up and take over for the rest of the season? It has to be Robinson, right?
EllisCoAg
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AG
I was assuming in year 2, we would be better, but alas it is not to be.

So far
I wanna see our defense pissed off, not confused, maybe a little murder in their hearts Reload12, 11/4/11
Onionman
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Urkin is horrible.

If you had a competent D coach this team would look completely different.

The fact that Jimbo won't budge off of Urkin will be the final nail in his coffin.
Hubert J. Farnsworth
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The scheme was horrible, but that doesn't explain the terrible tackling and complete lack of fundamentals by the players. I was wondering more about how the players have regressed in that regard. For a group of defensive players that supposedly spent the whole summer focusing on tackling, I've seen way too many shoulder tackle attempts in these first 2 games.
NoahAg
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JohnClark929 said:

Stat Rank 2022 | 2023

Total Defense 51 | 66
Rushing Defense 122 | 29
Passing Defense 1 | 98
Scoring Defense 22 | 100

Stat comparisons like this are pointless after only two games.
QB1
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AG
Where was the safety help over the top?
TxAg76
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AG
Semi-related, i'm not sure how good our S&C program is either, as compared to the elites.
We've got a lot of cool stuff, but after Schmitty left, not sure this replacement is what we need at it's helm
Agsrback12
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It was very clear last year that Durnkin should have been a 1 and done. Very clear.
Aggie1188
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83Aggie said:

DB talent has taken a step back with the departure of Jones and Johnson.

Road woes, lack of preparation, 7th consecutive road loss

Coaching and scheme. Elko beat Clemson, stands 2-0. His absence is being felt.


johnson didn't even play much last year bc injuries. Jones was a 7th rounder.
Houstonag
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AG
My problem wiht the HC and DC is no in game adapting. It was clear in the first half we were not getting enough pressure on the QB.
Bobaloo
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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

The scheme was horrible, but that doesn't explain the terrible tackling and complete lack of fundamentals by the players. I was wondering more about how the players have regressed in that regard. For a group of defensive players that supposedly spent the whole summer focusing on tackling, I've seen way too many shoulder tackle attempts in these first 2 games.


This is the answer…
aggiedad7
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JohnClark929 said:

Stat Rank 2022 | 2023

Total Defense 51 | 66
Rushing Defense 122 | 29
Passing Defense 1 | 98
Scoring Defense 22 | 100
looking at stats where one game is against a non FBS team is pretty meaningless. What matters is giving up 48 pts to Miami. Let's see where they are after we play Bama and Tenn.
Orlando Ayala Cant Read
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AG
Bobaloo said:

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

The scheme was horrible, but that doesn't explain the terrible tackling and complete lack of fundamentals by the players. I was wondering more about how the players have regressed in that regard. For a group of defensive players that supposedly spent the whole summer focusing on tackling, I've seen way too many shoulder tackle attempts in these first 2 games.


This is the answer…


First game had plenty of awful shoulder tackles too. But if anyone brought that up they would be seen as "negative " or a "bleeder ".
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