Consistentcy on D...

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NorthCoastHorn

500+ Posts
This decade our average total defense ranking (per the ncaa stat) is 19.5.

The best season was 2001 with a ranking of 1
The worst seson was 2007 with a ranking of 52

I have never felt like we were a consistently dominant defense. I have always felt like we've had the talent to be that.

I have never felt like Mack stockpiled talent on the offensive side of the ball to the detriment of the defense. It has also seemed to me that we've had very good to great coaching at the coordinator position with the exception being this past season at DC.

So why haven't we been "fearsome" on d with the level of talent we've had?

Hook'em
 
Beats me. The last defense that really sticks in my mind was in 1992. Seems like we gave up 9 points a game and score between 7 and 14.
 
The 1983 defense was the best overall I have ever seen on the 40 acres...A UT record 17 players were drafted off that '83 team - 11 on D. Partly due to some injuries, Akers had a mediocre offense by mid-season, but an all world defense with players such as:

Jerry Gray
Tony Degrate
Mossy Cade
Bruce Scholtlz
Ray Woodward
Jeff Leiding
Eric Holle
Ed Williams
Craig Curry
John Haines
Mark Lang

The 1983 team finished 11-1 as many of us painfully know. This D bunch had a lot of 3 and outs that season. I looked it up, the '83 defense had 10 games where they held the other team to 14 points or less, 7 teams were held to 10 points or less. BAYLOR, scored the most points on this D the whole season - 21 points.
 
To me the issue begins and ends with a mediocre pass rush from the front four. Aside from the Hampton-Rogers line, Mack has not had a strong pass rush up front.
 
I remember the early-mid 90's defense well. Even an average offense would have put this team in the Top 5. As it was, we'd give up 9 points and game and lose every other one.

Then, Mackovic came in, the defense was trashed and we started averaging 33 points a game.
 
Mack has recruited defensive studs. The thing that has kept them from being a consistently great defense is...I hate to say it...Mack.

Mack has never believed in an attacking style of defense. He's always believed, even back to TU and NC, in a contain/stop the run first. Then keep the pass from making the big play. It has been a bone of contention with every DC Mack has had. (This also goes back to his overall coaching philosophy, but that's another thread).

This past season, Mack, to his credit, has I think learned the lesson of '04 again, given Will Muschamp the keys to the defense and will turn him loose.

This is one of the many reasons I am excited for this team in 08. Mack's not too old to learn and not too set in his ways to change. I like Mack since he's come to Texas, but I've always had a problem with his coaching style. However, if this works like I believe it did in 04 and 05, and he STICKS TO IT, I think we could be in for something special for Texas football fans.

Hook'em!
 
You must be thinking about the 1991 Defense.

The D was great but the O was horrible.

Sept. 7 (#13) @ Mississippi St. L 6-13
Sept. 21 #13 Auburn L 10-14
Oct. 5 Rice W 28-7
Oct. 12 vs. #6 Oklahoma W 10-7
Oct. 19 @ Arkansas L 13-14
Oct. 26 @ SMU W 34-0
Nov. 2 Texas Tech W 23-14
Nov. 9 @ Houston L 14-23
Nov. 16 TCU W 32-0
Nov. 23 Baylor L 11-21
Nov. 28 @ #10 Texas A&M L 14-31

5 of those 6 losses were by 10 points or less (most less)
pukey.gif
 
I have to agree with you Worster that 83 D was the best one I think in the last 40-50 years although Darrell had some good ones too. They neither had to face the pass happy O's of today. I think as others have pointed out that Mack has had some players, but wants to play that read, contain, react type crap. There is only on way IMO and that is Attack! I hope coach Boom does exactly that. Hand them their asses on a platter instead of letting them dictate what is going to happen!
 
I agree about Muschamp. I said in the other thread that he is the reason I believe Mack HAS changed in some form. Muschamp is a very emotional coach who is big on physicality, while Mack is much more cerebral, both in his coaching style and his general philosphy about the game of football. And he didn't bring in Muschamp and say "you're going to help Duane Akina coach the defense." He said "you are going to run my defense." That's a responsibility that Mack hasn't given to just one man since the Carl Reese days, I believe. And Muschamp has said publicly that the best 11 will be on the field, regardless of class or prior experience. I don't think he would have said it if he didn't have the authority to say it. So instead of being skeptical, I'm just going to be excited about a new era of Texas football.
 
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