Coach PK & the Texas D—#1 Defense in the Nation (CBS says Best in Program History)

I'd love for the D to rebound and close out the TCU game with minimal opposition. Turnovers put KSU into a great position to score two quick TDs. I'm hoping it doesn't even come to that in Fort Worth.
 
Horns11 said:
I'd love for the D to rebound and close out the TCU game with minimal opposition. Turnovers put KSU into a great position to score two quick TDs. I'm hoping it doesn't even come to that in Fort Worth.
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I agree wholeheartedly. And is it just me or does this game feel like the biggest trap game of the year? This could be a struggling TCU team who played for it all last year and is likely looking for their identity and bowl eligibility.
 
Hoop said:
I agree wholeheartedly. And is it just me or does this game feel like the biggest trap game of the year? This could be a struggling TCU team who played for it all last year and is likely looking for their identity and bowl eligibility.
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Tcu is a bit of a trap game. Clearly the Horns are superior in every phase of the game. But…

Tcu has a freshman QB that throws the ball well and has been playing better each game since the starter, Morris, went down with an injury. They also have a talented set of receivers and a decent O line. Their clear weakness is their defense.

They have the ability to score a lot of points quickly. I would compare them to Houston in terms of our previous opponents. Except Sonny Dykes is a much better coach than the bozo on the sideline in Htown.
If our Defense doesn’t play aggressively, pressure Hoover and blanket the receivers it will be another nail biter in the fourth quarter.
Our offense should have it’s way if Malik takes care of the ball.
Yes, we should have the game salted away by the fourth quarter. But there are too many potential stumbling blocks to presume anything.
Sunny Dykes will have his team ready to play for 60 minutes. He will find whatever weaknesses our defense has and attack it.
So yes, this is a potential trap game.
 
caryhorn said:
Tcu is a bit of a trap game. Clearly the Horns are superior in every phase of the game. But…

Tcu has a freshman QB that throws the ball well and has been playing better each game since the starter, Morris, went down with an injury. They also have a talented set of receivers and a decent O line. Their clear weakness is their defense.

They have the ability to score a lot of points quickly. I would compare them to Houston in terms of our previous opponents. Except Sonny Dykes is a much better coach than the bozo on the sideline in Htown.
If our Defense doesn’t play aggressively, pressure Hoover and blanket the receivers it will be another nail biter in the fourth quarter.
Our offense should have it’s way if Malik takes care of the ball.
Yes, we should have the game salted away by the fourth quarter. But there are too many potential stumbling blocks to presume anything.
Sunny Dykes will have his team ready to play for 60 minutes. He will find whatever weaknesses our defense has and attack it.
So yes, this is a potential trap game.
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It used to be more predictable. When Carl Reese was the coordinator, we knew that Tech would throw it 70 times for 500 yards, but it was what happened in the red zone that would determine whether we'd lose by 4 or win by 40. Those are tougher to figure out now.

I feel like TCU is one of those teams who can flip a switch and match styles with any opponent (sometimes to their detriment). Maybe they'll run a lot on Saturday. Maybe they'll throw 60 times. I really don't know, and I get the sense that PK is fine with defenders reading and reacting.
 
Horns11 said:
I get the sense that PK is fine with defenders reading and reacting.
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Yer darn right!

The Prototype "Read and React" Defense, the Dallas Cowboys/Tom Landry "Flex" Defense:

1a244bd00b2af10cbcf2c3a15c7de61b.jpg



Football Dallas 4-3 Defense
 
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Chop said:
The Prototype "Read and React" Defense:

1a244bd00b2af10cbcf2c3a15c7de61b.jpg



Football Dallas 4-3 Defense
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Per Bleacher Report:

5th Greatest Defense OF ALL TIME

5. The Doomsday Defense I & II—Dallas Cowboys

From 1966 to 1983, Tom Landry had two versions of the "Doomsday Defense," and both were outstanding.


During that time, the Cowboys put together one of the greatest runs of success in sports history—"America's Team" made the playoffs in 17 of 18 seasons, including five Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl championships (1971, 1977).

Doomsday I featured two Hall of Fame inductees: DT Bob Lilly, and CB Mel Renfro. Other standouts were DT Jethro Pugh and linebackers Lee Roy Jordan and Chuck Howley.

Doomsday II was led by Hall of Fame DT Randy White, while defensive ends Harvey Martin and Ed Jones and defensive backs Charlie Waters and Cliff Harris were perennial All-Pro selections.
 
I thought Mackovic’s read and react was the alltime best

Then again I never thought any read and react defense was worth a ****
 
Seems that pretty much every DFW 6A/5A HS runs some version of it. You put the 220-pound (and heavier) kids up close, make two 180-pound kids play the apex positions to read the backfield, and everyone else plays some form of coverage. Schools like Proper and Allen can get away with a little bit more scheming because of the sheer size of their athletes, but it's not for everyone.
 
Horns11 said:
Seems that pretty much every DFW 6A/5A HS runs some version of it. You put the 220-pound (and heavier) kids up close, make two 180-pound kids play the apex positions to read the backfield, and everyone else plays some form of coverage. Schools like Proper and Allen can get away with a little bit more scheming because of the sheer size of their athletes, but it's not for everyone.
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Should say Prosper.
 
Seems as though someone at SC might know someone in Texas that gave K a glowing recommendation. Considering the cost of living in SoCal, the goofy politic, the neighborhood you have to work in, not sure he would take it. The drive from Orange County to Exposition is a *****.
 
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SabreHorn said:
Then again I never thought any read and react defense was worth a ****
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Dallas Cowboys Flex "Doomsday Defense" - the prototype "Read and React" Defense, created by Tom Landry.

The #5 Defense in the history of football. Even better than the 1985 Bears D, the Orange Crush D, or the Miami Dolphins early 1970s Ds. [the link won't post - search "Bleacher Report Top 10 greatest defensive teams of all time"]

About Tom Landry's read-and-react "Flex" Defense:
Football Dallas 4-3 Defense

91zT3TRN48L.jpg

"Read and React"
 
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Yeah I think the most appealing part (switching from Texas to USC) is joining a conference with the likes of Iowa. You only have to be "on" for maybe like 2 games a season. The rest of the time you only have to defend west coast ******** like flats passes and lead-blocker zone runs. Wisconsin: comin' at ya with the HB toss!
 
mchammer said:
Another way to look at it: our defense is only a concern because of our low efficiency in the red zone. If we were scoring 10 more points per game, the defensive issues are moot.
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The offense didn't give up 300 passing yards in the second half against KSU. Field position or turnovers or not that's possibly the worst half of defense in the country last week.

TCU can't run the ball so passing is their only option. I think with a full week to prepare we should be able to figure it out. But for the record our passing defense is ranked 94th in the country. Doesn't matter how awesome our run defense is if the other team can switch game plans up and do whatever they want.

Before we say we are in a passing conference there are two teams in the Big XII ranked in the top 25 in passing. OU and TCU. We lost to OU and guess who is Kendal Briles brother in law? Offensive coordinater at OU Jeff Lebby who married Kendals sister Staley. Yep, they have probably talked daily about how to beat Texas in the passing game.
 
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Vol Horn 4 Life said:
The offense didn't give up 300 passing yards in the second half against KSU. Field position or turnovers or not that's possibly the worst half of defense in the country last week.

TCU can't run the ball so passing is their only option. I think with a full week to prepare we should be able to figure it out. But for the record our passing defense is ranked 94th in the country. Doesn't matter how awesome our run defense is if the other team can switch game plans up and do whatever they want.

Before we say we are in a passing conference there are two teams in the Big XII ranked in the top 25 in passing. OU and TCU. We lost to OU and guess who is Kendal Briles brother in law? Offensive coordinater at OU Jeff Lebby who married Kendals sister Staley. Yep, they have probably talked daily about how to beat Texas in the passing game.
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And this is why I keep harping about the safeties week after week. Our corners are not great; at least they're serviceable most of the time. But the safeties? Ugh.

I remember when Dat Nguyen used to pad his LB stats with big hits after Aggie opponents had big plays. It doesn't matter how many plays you're "in on" if those were good offensive plays for the opponent. And that's pretty much how it goes for our safeties.

They're all slow and rely solely on "if I get into good position I might be able to make a play" rather than actual skills. Tackling. Coverage. Hands. Footwork. Literally anything. This is why we sorely miss Catalon, because at least he could tackle. It's also why Williams is getting long looks at the position instead of any upperclassmen.

Watching a game from 2001-2009 would be like a "safety best-of" clinic.
 
11,

It starts with scheme; how often do the safeties start out of position? (Or are lined up when the ball is snapped)

Then there is speed; when was the last time our safeties caught anyone from behind?
Sorry, I forgot that you aren't that old.
 
Jmo our defense this season has been more consistent than any PK version here.

If folks that see most games in person say he's slow to signal in calls, we've been playing with fire. That will burn us (again) at some point
 
Run,

It burned us bigtime against OU. Our defense was out of position more times than the fat lady on the midway, BUT Gbenda (1) standing looking at the sideline when the ball was snapped, AND (2) had he been in position, could he have covered Stoops or the faster WR outside? Did we have any timeouts? If so, why not call one, set the defense, quickly adjust for alignment, and STOP THEM?
 
SabreHorn said:
11,

It starts with scheme; how often do the safeties start out of position? (Or are lined up when the ball is snapped)

Then there is speed; when was the last time our safeties caught anyone from behind?
Sorry, I forgot that you aren't that old.
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Yeah my Longhorn consciousness of sports didn't start until the early 80s. I'm from Pennsylvania originally. It is a little funny that you consider 20-year-old games recent.

While I get that speed isn't the determining factor for safeties as to whether or not they're great, ours seem to have a "worse than the average safety" version of speed. Thompson on all of his man routes gets beat every time. And if I'm an opposing OC, I use motion to put the safeties in a position to defend that way. Bama did it. KSU did it during their comeback. Michael Griffin wasn't a 4.3 guy. But he was excellent in all of those other technique areas I mentioned (tackling, coverage, hands, footwork).

The safeties aren't out of position until they start improvising during opponent shifts. Case in point: your other comment...

SabreHorn said:
Run,

It burned us bigtime against OU. Our defense was out of position more times than the fat lady on the midway, BUT Gbenda (1) standing looking at the sideline when the ball was snapped, AND (2) had he been in position, could he have covered Stoops or the faster WR outside? Did we have any timeouts? If so, why not call one, set the defense, quickly adjust for alignment, and STOP THEM?
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Williams on the final OU TD is a prime example of this. He was in man coverage (don't get me started on why it was preferable to have him playing man versus a guy who is used to playing man, but whatever... that was the call) and then bailed during the motion. I think in his brain, Gabriel was going to run right at him if it was a zone play, and he'd just be ready for it. That was a terrible decision.

Heck, another OU play: Thompson versus Caleb Williams in 2021. Up 28-7 and holding OU to 4th and 1 from their own 34, if Jerrin Thompson gets to his spot on the field in the correct amount of time, not only do we get the ball back in OU territory early in the 2nd quarter, but we probably win that game. Our safeties lack wherewithal.

I posted on the KSU thread my thoughts about the LBs being out of position as well, but it's more "glaring" when the safeties do it, because it's usually some sort of huge gain or TD when it's in that spot.
 
Hoop said:
You can complain about anything you want here, obvi - it's hornfans (yay internet!). If it were me complaining about this team (and now I am), I would complain about the redzone offense over anything the defense has done this year. I know this is slightly off topic for this thread, so maybe we should start a thread for all the Texas offense apologists? :beertoast:

In the one loss we have so far this year - Texas had THREE TRIES to run it in from the one yard line and then Texas couldn't convert on fourth down. After that play, I would agree that the defense sucked. I don't know why you go away from something that had been working ALL game into some wacky zone dropback prevent ****. Buuuuuuut, make that touchdown and...well, nobody is likely blaming the defense and we are celebrating a victory in Dallas. This is a systemic issue because it has showed up in pretty much every game so far.

The Longhorns are 8-1 and have beat 3 top 25 teams and the scoring defense is ranked like 16. Give me more of that.
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I think everyone wants a much better redzone result. Its crazy how bad we are at that and yet we are 8-1. If we were even mediocre, this would be a scary team right now. Looks like if we win out, Ok State will be the other participant and they are playing very well right now and very happy they beat ou. They have a legit run game where I dont believe KSU did. KSU's schedule has been very weak and perhaps we caught them at a good time even though we did our level best to give them the game with turnovers.
 
longhornlegend said:
I think everyone wants a much better redzone result. Its crazy how bad we are at that and yet we are 8-1. If we were even mediocre, this would be a scary team right now. Looks like if we win out, Ok State will be the other participant and they are playing very well right now and very happy they beat ou. They have a legit run game where I dont believe KSU did. KSU's schedule has been very weak and perhaps we caught them at a good time even though we did our level best to give them the game with turnovers.
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I believe KSU had the top run offense in the B12.
 
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