DEFENSIVE FILM REVIEW: Assessing The Positives & Negatives From The Season Opening Loss to UCF

[Palatine]

Good grief, I watched every play from inside the stadium, around the 35 yard line, as I do all the time.

You need to get your eyes checked.

Look at the first play in the post. TEN YARD CUSHIONS!!!

BTW, I'm on the 42.

 

[Palatine]

On the third video example the cushion (lower screen) is over ten!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Excalibur]

Look at the first play in the post. TEN YARD CUSHIONS!!!

BTW, I'm on the 42.

This play? With the CB walking up to the receiver at the snap? Holy cow, that's pre-snap movement, too. You're wrong on two counts.

 

[Excalibur]

On the third video, the corner shows (and eventually does) blitz. You apparently want the safety showing over to give the blitz away . . . never mind that the receiver was hit as soon as he made the catch.

 

[Excalibur]

Way to cherry pick, by the way.

Second video, third drive:

 

[Excalibur]

Last video, third drive:

 

[blue93]

@Excalibur don’t let facts get in the way of the “passive” defense narrative.

Crocker is doing the best he can with kids who largely playing on a high school field 12-24 months ago. He’s been successful in the past. We need to be patient.

 

[BlueDogs]

@Excalibur don’t let facts get in the way of the “passive” defense narrative.

Crocker is doing the best he can with kids who largely playing on a high school field 12-24 months ago. He’s been successful in the past. We need to be patient.

Passive comes in theee flavors - scheme (intentional), execution of scheme (hesitancy) and player mentality (innate aggression). With young pups, it’s hard to separate them, but coaching is responsible for all 3. So, I give Crocker some slack but very not much. It takes a special level on incompetence to produce the level Defensive performances over his tenure.

 

[Excalibur]

Passive comes in theee flavors - scheme (intentional), execution of scheme (hesitancy) and player mentality (innate aggression). With young pups, it’s hard to separate them, but coaching is responsible for all 3. So, I give Crocker some slack but very not much. It takes a special level on incompetence to produce the level Defensive performances over his tenure.

I'm ready to move on from him, but actually think that he never should have been brought here in the first place if he wasn't going to be allowed to implement the system which he developed. He's as unfamiliar with what they're running as the players are, which contributes to the passive execution and mentality (even as the scheme tries to show more aggressively at the snap). Randy messed this one up.

 

[Hornet22]

Last video, third drive:

View attachment 34154

Honestly you can’t play 7-10 yards off on 3rd and 2. So this isn’t a great example. But I do agree. These corners were closer than last year. It depends on the down and distance/situation whether or not you press or play off. Also it depends on if you’re in a man or zone concept.

 

[Excalibur]

Honestly you can’t play 7-10 yards off on 3rd and 2. So this isn’t a great example. But I do agree. These corners were closer than last year. It depends on the down and distance/situation whether or not you press or play off. Also it depends on if you’re in a man or zone concept.

You see the same setup on first & 10 in the previous frame.

 

[tiger8mush]

Last video, third drive:

Honestly you can’t play 7-10 yards off on 3rd and 2. So this isn’t a great example.

Perhaps I'm not looking at the play you are referring to?
Not a single player in that screen grab is 7-10 yards off the ball. With the LOS being the 50, the defender farthest away is at the 44.5 yard line, so 5.5 yards off the ball.
We have 8 in the box, the top CB is on the LOS, the 2nd from the top CB is 3.5 yards off the LOS, can't see the bottom CB in the screen shot.
Sure, you don't want to give up a 1st down, but being at the 50 you also don't want to give up a 50 yd TD pass.

 

[Excalibur]

Perhaps I'm not looking at the play you are referring to?
Not a single player in that screen grab is 7-10 yards off the ball.

I think he's saying that down and distance mandated that setup and that it's not necessarily aggressive. It's a fair point.

 

[tiger8mush]

I think he's saying that down and distance mandated that setup and that it's not necessarily aggressive. It's a fair point.

3rd & short at the 50 yd line. We have 8 in the box, everyone is up on the line (save for a lone safety a whopping 5.5 yards away) playing man to man. Its about as close to a goal line defense as you can get w/o having 6 defensive lineman on the field. How much more aggressive can/should we be there?

 

[Bubba1957]

I'm ready to move on from him, but actually think that he never should have been brought here in the first place if he wasn't going to be allowed to implement the system which he developed. He's as unfamiliar with what they're running as the players are, which contributes to the passive execution and mentality (even as the scheme tries to show more aggressively at the snap). Randy messed this one up.

Curious how anyone here knows what he is "familiar" or "unfamiliar" with. Impossible for me to believe he doesn't know the Xs and Os for multiple schemas. Villanova is no chump team and he did well there. Maybe he doesn't relate, communicate or motivate, but I as a fan would have little insight into that. After the first couple of games this year, we will know more. Given the cash available for a DC, I'm sure Randy had to roll the dice a little and hope for the best. Upside is a young dynamic coach who will make a name for himself here. Downside - so far we are seeing it. I rewatched the game and saw some promising things. The freshmen are everything that we could have expected and the team showed some aggressiveness.

 

[Hornet22]

I think he's saying that down and distance mandated that setup and that it's not necessarily aggressive. It's a fair point.

Precisely. In 3rd and short you play your corners press man and inside shade (boundary) taking away the quick slant. To the field you may play him outside shade taking away the fade with help from a LB/SS to the inside so you force a tougher throw into that window

 

[Samoo]

Holy cow, a pissing match turned into a football discussion; it's usually the other way around.

 

[huskyrob1]

Thanks Matt

I liked seeing Herring-Wilson play well; and I feel better about Paul & Carroll after watching this. Both can improve and played well for their first college experience. I think I feel better than Bell-Summers. Kevon Jones, also, came out with numbers and made his presence in his first game. Room for improvement on all 4.

Edsall said yesterday freshman DE Pierce DeVaughn has begun practicing with the team again, coming back from a high ankle sprain. I think he could very well turn out to be the best of the freshman d lineman.

 

[noeynox]

Edsall said yesterday freshman DE Pierce DeVaughn has begun practicing with the team again, coming back from a high ankle sprain. I think he could very well turn out to be the best of the freshman d lineman.

Based on what?

 

[huskyrob1]

Based on what?

Based 6'4" 240 and very fast, also on what I had heard coming out of practice before he sprained his ankle. DeVaughn is a tall and quick defensive end that can get through blockers and chase a QB down. Him on the end and with Travis putting pressure up the middle, they compliment each other. Also based on what Coach Edsall has said in press briefings. He said the following earlier in the year.....

Edsall called DeVaughn, “a steal, in my opinion,” and said DeVaughn grew three inches and put on 35 pounds over the summer.

“We were fortunate that [assistant coach Cory Edsall] ended up down there in that Texas area and came across him,” Edsall said. “And when you put the tape on … he’s a guy who has natural ability you don't teach. When you watch game film — we don't watch highlight tapes — and see the way he can bend and dip, does it full speed and never stops, there are guys playing in the NFL that can't do that.”