BC Defensive Coordinator Don Brown

[Carl Spackler]

So just to continue, and try to turn this into a UCONN discussion. We have a high quality defensive coaches right now, that have clearly progressed through three weeks in developing a defense that is improving on the field. There will always be mistakes. Through the prepatory phase of the season, my team MVP is Julian Campenni. He's the real deal on DL.

I'm thinking right now of a third down late in the game on Saturday on offense though. 5 minutes to go, 10 point game. It's time for urgency right? Delorenzo run - short yards on first. Second down complete to TE, at midfield - leaving 3rd and 1 at midfield. Offense has some tempo going, and it's 3rd and 1. GET UP TO THE LINE AND GO!!!! Snap the ball, hand it off, QB sneak, quick out, slant throw - whatever, go deep, do something with URGENCY!! ...BE READY TO GO!!!

Instead, we are substituting in personnel groupings, the entire momentum of the possession changed - we slowed it down ourselves. Ran a whole new personnel group on the field. That third and 1, turned into a 50/50 ball on quick out, that Boise won, returned for a TD, and ended the game. That same throw could have been made 30 seconds earlier, and had better chance of success, with Boise D on it's heels.

My gut? We keep the same unit on the field, get up to the line quick and snap it, and QB sneaks it there? First down, and we are rolling. Crowd fired up. LEGGO!!! Or any other simply short yardage play? Great shot at a first down, and we got them on their heels and we moving. They were in a passing down defense on that second and long.

Sooner or later, we got to transition from procedural discipline football, to playing the game fast.

Hopefully, we have moved into that sort of development phase for the football season.

 

[UConnDan97]

So just to continue, and try to turn this into a UCONN discussion. We have a high quality defensive coaches right now, that have clearly progressed through three weeks in developing a defense that is improving on the field. There will always be mistakes. Through the prepatory phase of the season, my team MVP is Julian Campenni. He's the real deal on DL.

I'm thinking right now of a third down late in the game on Saturday on offense though. 5 minutes to go, 10 point game. It's time for urgency right? Delorenzo run - short yards on first. Second down complete to TE, at midfield - leaving 3rd and 1 at midfield. Offense has some tempo going, and it's 3rd and 1. GET UP TO THE LINE AND GO!!!! Snap the ball, hand it off, QB sneak, quick out, slant throw - whatever, go deep, do something with URGENCY!! ...BE READY TO GO!!!

Instead, we are substituting in personnel groupings, the entire momentum of the possession changed - we slowed it down ourselves. Ran a whole new personnel group on the field. That third and 1, turned into a 50/50 ball on quick out, that Boise won, returned for a TD, and ended the game. That same throw could have been made 30 seconds earlier, and had better chance of success, with Boise D on it's heels.

My gut? We keep the same unit on the field, get up to the line quick and snap it, and QB sneaks it there? First down, and we are rolling. Crowd fired up. LEGGO!!! Or any other simply short yardage play? Great shot at a first down, and we got them on their heels and we moving. They were in a passing down defense on that second and long.

Sooner or later, we got to transition from procedural discipline football, to playing the game fast.

Hopefully, we have moved into that sort of development phase for the football season.

Agreed. I had the same comments during gametime. The constant subs and late calls into the QB from the sidelines were driving me batty. I understand why we would do that during the majority of the game. But we need to have a "2-minute offense" mentality during those moments. Maybe they aren't comfortable with that yet, but my goodness, we have to get comfortable with that soon...

 

[BlueDogs]

Guys we are just experiencing the pain of rebuilding that was supposed to have been done 3 years ago. Face it. We have our own version of the dark ages where civilization imploded and we are rebuilding from ashes. I missed the Boise game traveling overseas, but from all accounts the team was better then week 1 and week 2. So, if that continues we should get some wins especially given the caliber of opponents. Stay tough and lets march onward.

 

[Confident Carl]

Guys we are just experiencing the pain of rebuilding that was supposed to have been done 3 years ago. Face it. We have our own version of the dark ages where civilization imploded and we are rebuilding from ashes. I missed the Boise game traveling overseas, but from all accounts the team was better then week 1 and week 2. So, if that continues we should get some wins especially given the caliber of opponents. Stay tough and lets march onward.

Well said - That's the mentality Husky fans must have. The investments Diaco and Co. are making now will pay huge dividends going forward.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Agreed. I had the same comments during gametime. The constant subs and late calls into the QB from the sidelines were driving me batty. I understand why we would do that during the majority of the game. But we need to have a "2-minute offense" mentality during those moments. Maybe they aren't comfortable with that yet, but my goodness, we have to get comfortable with that soon...

For me, I can only focus on what I see, and then interpret it. We are a disciplined football team, procedure wise and dead balls. There is very little confusion. I think we've had 2 dead ball penalites, all season long. One was a false start from a true freshmen TE. They have their systems, they are moving personnel groupings in and out on both sides of the ball in massive numbers, and they are disciplined. This alone is huge improvement from the disaster era.

To me that clearly indicates effective, good coaching, and well designed practices - for what we're doing well. Furthermore, the guy has indicated that he's able to self-evaluate and correct what isn't working. The OL, is clearly being brought along faster than they're capable of. There were HUGE failures on Saturday. Complete missed assighments. There wasn't that much of that in the first 2 weeks, so something changed in week 3, that they did not accept well. They're going to go back to what works. How refreshing.

We aren't doing basics well, though. We just aren't. Ball security. Basics of leverage in blocking and tackling. On this thread here, the DB's don't seem to very much in tune with the finite aspects of coverage. What we're talking about now - playing with an urgency on offense in a hurry up situation. All of these things need practice, and I just don't see how we can be practicing much in the limited time each week there is to practice. We've clearly been focused on other things, - and clearly - we're doing those things well.

So, if my powers of perception are on track, close at all : there are only two questions:

#1. When we do we transition practices to a different type of focus?
#2. Will the disciplines, skills, execution learned from current practices be maintained?

THe bottom line, is that without the turnovers on Saturday, there is a great chance that we win. It's that simple. Protect the ball. First and foremost. That needs to be focus of practice. Physically and mentally developing, to protect that ball.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Guys we are just experiencing the pain of rebuilding that was supposed to have been done 3 years ago. Face it. We have our own version of the dark ages where civilization imploded and we are rebuilding from ashes. I missed the Boise game traveling overseas, but from all accounts the team was better then week 1 and week 2. So, if that continues we should get some wins especially given the caliber of opponents. Stay tough and lets march onward.

It was a great game, as much as I can admit a game is great in a loss. Team never laid down, and that alone, is Diaco's greatest achievement coming in. They are a team. There was an energy in the stadium that I haven't felt in a while and I hope it comes back in 2 weeks and gets stronger. The OL was letting defenders run free again through the line. Didn't see that in the prior 2 games. Diaco said as much in the presser that they were being given levels of progression, that they didn't accept well, and will go back to what they can do well. Refreshing. The D had some breakdowns, but seemed to actually be focused on taking away their primary threat, and actually did it. Kicking game was dependable. It really came down to turnovers, and ball security. Newsome got rocked as soon as he took the handoff in the first Q, due to an OL failure, and they scored. He squeezed the pig and holds it there - it's a different game. Davis had a hand fight for the ball with the DB late, and lost - return for a score. Totally different game, with stronger hands on the ball. No fluff this time from Diaco, after, he made it clear - turnovers. We lost. Need to get better.

 

[HomeKing93]

I like Don Brown but after 3 games in 2014 we are ranked 50th in defense and BC is 92nd.

If we stay in the top half of all FBS teams in total defense this season I think Poindexter/V. Brown will have done a good job.

 

[uconnell]

I liked Brown too, but can't cry over spilled milk especially since it went sour.

 

[Confident Carl]

For me, I can only focus on what I see, and then interpret it. We are a disciplined football team, procedure wise and dead balls. There is very little confusion. I think we've had 2 dead ball penalites, all season long. One was a false start from a true freshmen TE. They have their systems, they are moving personnel groupings in and out on both sides of the ball in massive numbers, and they are disciplined. This alone is huge improvement from the disaster era.

To me that clearly indicates effective, good coaching, and well designed practices - for what we're doing well. Furthermore, the guy has indicated that he's able to self-evaluate and correct what isn't working. The OL, is clearly being brought along faster than they're capable of. There were HUGE failures on Saturday. Complete missed assighments. There wasn't that much of that in the first 2 weeks, so something changed in week 3, that they did not accept well. They're going to go back to what works. How refreshing.

We aren't doing basics well, though. We just aren't. Ball security. Basics of leverage in blocking and tackling. On this thread here, the DB's don't seem to very much in tune with the finite aspects of coverage. What we're talking about now - playing with an urgency on offense in a hurry up situation. All of these things need practice, and I just don't see how we can be practicing much in the limited time each week there is to practice. We've clearly been focused on other things, - and clearly - we're doing those things well.

So, if my powers of perception are on track, close at all : there are only two questions:

#1. When we do we transition practices to a different type of focus?
#2. Will the disciplines, skills, execution learned from current practices be maintained?

THe bottom line, is that without the turnovers on Saturday, there is a great chance that we win. It's that simple. Protect the ball. First and foremost. That needs to be focus of practice. Physically and mentally developing, to protect that ball.

Pine tar? resin? Crazy glue? Seriously I couldn't believe that db stripped Geremy with the set of guns he has!

So far a different tailback back has fumbled in the first quarter in each game except for Ron Johnson. To avoid a first quarter fumble, just don't play Johnson in the first quarter. 1st quarter tail back fumble problem solved!

 

[gioff23]

I never understood the fascination w/DB. He brought energy, no doubt and he took the reigns of a loaded D and made it fun. But let's be honest - that D could not make a stop when it counted and could not pull a team to a 6-6 record and bowl bid. Look at the losses and the opponents and ask - how could we not generate 6 wins. I remember how bad the O was; but w/that talent on D we should have been able to get to 7-5 easy, perhaps 8-4, but instead we let wins against WMU and Temple evaporate by being unable to gerneate a stop and should have beaten NC St. I liked him and was sad to see him go, but I also thought he was a good DC, not great.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I never understood the fascination w/DB. He brought energy, no doubt and he took the reigns of a loaded D and made it fun. But let's be honest - that D could not make a stop when it counted and could not pull a team to a 6-6 record and bowl bid. Look at the losses and the opponents and ask - how could we not generate 6 wins. I remember how bad the O was; but w/that talent on D we should have been able to get to 7-5 easy, perhaps 8-4, but instead we let wins against WMU and Temple evaporate by being unable to gerneate a stop and should have beaten NC St. I liked him and was sad to see him go, but I also thought he was a good DC, not great.

While I agree with pretty much all of this, and that we gave up some winnable games for sure -

it's also a fact, that when the situation arises of placing the responsibility of winning games, as the clock is winding down late on the defense regularly, you are going to fail more than you succeed.

 

[J187Money]

Here's the thing. The defense isn't perfect. But if the offense is going to give up 14 points a day on turnovers it isn't really going to matter. Look at how great our defense was under DB, and we still didn't go to a bowl.

 

[J187Money]

I never understood the fascination w/DB. He brought energy, no doubt and he took the reigns of a loaded D and made it fun. But let's be honest - that D could not make a stop when it counted and could not pull a team to a 6-6 record and bowl bid. Look at the losses and the opponents and ask - how could we not generate 6 wins. I remember how bad the O was; but w/that talent on D we should have been able to get to 7-5 easy, perhaps 8-4, but instead we let wins against WMU and Temple evaporate by being unable to gerneate a stop and should have beaten NC St. I liked him and was sad to see him go, but I also thought he was a good DC, not great.

Yes they should have called a TO in the Temple game and maybe that would have stopped Temple from tying it up. But that game is squarely on the K.

(and the offense that couldn't score, which meant the K had to do too much)

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I never understood the fascination w/DB. He brought energy, no doubt and he took the reigns of a loaded D and made it fun. But let's be honest - that D could not make a stop when it counted and could not pull a team to a 6-6 record and bowl bid. Look at the losses and the opponents and ask - how could we not generate 6 wins. I remember how bad the O was; but w/that talent on D we should have been able to get to 7-5 easy, perhaps 8-4, but instead we let wins against WMU and Temple evaporate by being unable to gerneate a stop and should have beaten NC St. I liked him and was sad to see him go, but I also thought he was a good DC, not great.

We didn't lose to NCSt because of the defense.

 

[gioff23]

It does me no good to argue the past. I simply have a hard time convincing myself we had a great D or a great DC when we couldn't marshall 6 wins against that schedule. Then again, it was probably best we did not, as anything we had done better, in what i refer to as the lost years, may have only led to more of the comic stylings of the PPGDL regime.

 

[Excalibur]

It does me no good to argue the past. I simply have a hard time convincing myself we had a great D or a great DC when we couldn't marshall 6 wins against that schedule. Then again, it was probably best we did not, as anything we had done better, in what i refer to as the lost years, may have only led to more of the comic stylings of the PPGDL regime.

Remember that Brown got the heck out of town prior to last year, in part because he probably saw the coming storm, and in larger part because he (reportedly) did not get along with certain members of the staff.

 

[gioff23]

In the end, I had flashbacks to Buddy Ryan and Gilbride coaching the Oilers. I think DB looked at his dancing partners and said, I gotta get me a new one. Fortunately for him the dazzler arrived on the hill just in time.

I'll be interested to see if he stays there - his history suggests otherwise

 

[ZooCougar]

Meh.

 

[FDNY99]

In the end, I had flashbacks to Buddy Ryan and Gilbride coaching the Oilers. I think DB looked at his dancing partners and said, I gotta get me a new one. Fortunately for him the dazzler arrived on the hill just in time.

I'll be interested to see if he stays there - his history suggests otherwise

Same thing with the Dazzler...he has a LOT of 5th yr Sr's and 5th yr transfers. If he can't find any young guys to step in (especially on the OL) and continue that high level play with no real game experience the next few years...he will have his work cut out for him.