I don't want to hear

[The Eyes of Texas]

another God damned word about Todd Orlando being a defensive genius. This defense is a joke, just like Bedford's second year, Diaz' second year...

 

[BevoJoe]

Repeatedly missed assignments on pass plays especially the last WVU drive was a glaring concern.

My original prediction of 7-5 regular season finish might be real. A this point 9-3 is a remote probability 8-4 is better, I believe 7-5 is the real result. It sucks!

 

[Monahorns]

I thought before the season that the defense would suck. Because Diaz and Bedford both sucked in year 2. It will be worse next year in year 3. Herman sucks too.

 

[huisache]

You guys all suck.

How much experience do you have coaching anything besides your bowel movements?

 

[SabreHorn]

Huisache,

While I appreciate your loyalty and your support, a person doesn't have to be Leon Fuller, Rick Lantz, or Dick Tomey or Tom Landry or Bill Michael to figure out things are broken. Neither do they have to be a grossly overpaid D-1 coach. Hell, Charlie Brewer had 3-4 TD passes dropped against us.

Will I compare Orlando to Diaz? Hell no, because Mack Brown was warned about Diaz, but he's smarter than everyone else, and wouldn't listen.

Our team has made great progress for a middle of the pack D-1 school - THAT AIN'T TEXAS!

Fire people? NO! But it's time to start earning your money.

 

[wadster]

We have no difference makers in the front 6. GJ is as close as it gets, but he's not DJ either. Good grief could we use a legit DT and a DE that can really rush the passer. Than blitzes would be more successful. But there's always a lineman/back to pick up the blitz because they aren't required to double team the front 3. Coaching alone won't fix this. We need some legit players in the front 6 before we're going to see things really change.

 

[Sydhank]

We have no difference makers in the front 6. GJ is as close as it gets, but he's not DJ either. Good grief could we use a legit DT and a DE that can really rush the passer. Than blitzes would be more successful. But there's always a lineman/back to pick up the blitz because they aren't required to double team the front 3. Coaching alone won't fix this. We need some legit players in the front 6 before we're going to see things really change.

I agree with this 100%. Our down lineman very rarely win 1 on 1. Twists with a blitz or dime blitz with foster is the only pressure we get. This defense needs a dominant nose and we dont have it.

 

[The Eyes of Texas]

You guys all suck.

How much experience do you have coaching anything besides your bowel movements?

I don't cut hair either, but I can recognize a bad haircut.

 

[zuckercanyon]

You guys all suck.

How much experience do you have coaching anything besides your bowel movements?

Hey hey hey you coach your bowel movements and I'll coach mine....

 

[utempire]

WVU has a really good offense. Even with the injuries/suspensions, I was surprised we couldn't make more than a few good defensive plays yesterday. The only good thing is that we don't have to play ou again, it would have been ugly. If our D was even close to last years we would be 8-1 right now. All we can do is just regroup and win the next one.

 

[dukesteer]

We have no difference makers in the front 6.

I would probably disagree with this. Omenihu and GJ come to mind.

My gut tells me that in addition to major and obvious failures in the fundamentals department, I’m starting to wonder if Orlando’s schemes have been exposed.

 

[SabreHorn]

I’m starting to wonder if Orlando’s schemes have been exposed.

It doesn't help that Orlando either cannot or has not mastered the art of disguising the defense, and seems to always dial up blitzes revealed before the offense is even set. Bill Bradley is a master of disguise.

A MLB or ILB should be judged on how many stops or disruptions he has within two yards of the los or behind the los. Our defense seems to be woefully lacking, much of which is due to the lack of disruption by the DL.

Then there is the small problem that our LB corp runs a long time in one place.

 

[caryhorn]

But there's always a lineman/back to pick up the blitz because they aren't required to double team the front 3.

Yep^^^

 

[Ajo Macho]

Omenihu and GJ are difference-makers, but they're not dominant.

Once upon a time, Texas had a dominant player in every position group, and essentially everyone on the field was a difference-maker. Now we're lucky to have one dominant player on the defense at all, maybe 3-4 difference-makers.

Then again, good players don't look as good when the defense doesn't play well as a whole. Maybe some of our guys are better than they look.

 

[#2is#1]

Omenihu and GJ are difference-makers, but they're not dominant.

Once upon a time, Texas had a dominant player in every position group, and essentially everyone on the field was a difference-maker. Now we're lucky to have one dominant player on the defense at all, maybe 3-4 difference-makers.

Then again, good players don't look as good when the defense doesn't play well as a whole. Maybe some of our guys are better than they look.

This is a great post. Simple, but very insightful, and true.
Those teams with rings are still making an impact on Sundays, not even mentioning the stars.
Talent wins rings.
I believe we have a great coach, but we need a Caden Sterns, Keontay Ingram at every position.

 

[rick mueller]

Make no mistake, I was livid with our D and TO in particular. That said no defensive scheme is going to be successful when the players miss tackles like we did Saturday. What we did a good job of early in the season has become a glaring deficiency. I'm no football expert. Not even close, but anyone can see the poor angles and failure to wrap up. Heck, my wife was seeing it too.

 

[horninchicago]

Make no mistake, I was livid with our D and TO in particular. That said no defensive scheme is going to be successful when the players miss tackles like we did Saturday. What we did a good job of early in the season has become a glaring deficiency. I'm no football expert. Not even close, but anyone can see the poor angles and failure to wrap up. Heck, my wife was seeing it too.

Agreed. I don't remember what part of the game it was, but a perfect example was a pass to the left flat. Locke took a perfect angle and was set up for a brilliant open field tackle for a loss but he ran so fast that the runner just side stepped and gained 10 or so. Locke got his hands on him but couldn't wrap up and make the play.

 

[rick mueller]

Agreed. I don't remember what part of the game it was, but a perfect example was a pass to the left flat. Locke took a perfect angle and was set up for a brilliant open field tackle for a loss but he ran so fast that the runner just side stepped and gained 10 or so. Locke got his hands on him but couldn't wrap up and make the play.

I remember that play too.

 

[LousianaHorn]

We have no difference makers in the front 6. GJ is as close as it gets, but he's not DJ either. Good grief could we use a legit DT and a DE that can really rush the passer. Than blitzes would be more successful. But there's always a lineman/back to pick up the blitz because they aren't required to double team the front 3. Coaching alone won't fix this. We need some legit players in the front 6 before we're going to see things really change.

Until we get the beef along the front on both sides we wont be legit...........How do think Nick Satan has done what he has done at Bammer.........they generally own the LOS ................watch some replays of what they did to a decent LSU team in BR.

 

[Phil Elliott]

It used to be a major tenant of good defense was never leave your feet. We apparently don't teach that anymore.

 

[utempire]

What is amazing is how we don't turn the ball over, at all. This has been our greatest improvement over the years. I definitely don't see us disguising our defense as much as we did last year and should stay away from the 3-4, it isn't working.

 

[ProdigalHorn]

I definitely don't see us disguising our defense as much as we did last year

When you have guys who aren't experienced, that's how it works. That's a part of the game that he can teach all day long, but it takes practice and experience and some intangibles to really get a feel for how a team is running its offense and when you can show your intent.

Right now we have a bunch of young guys in the secondary that are starting to show the youth. I think they got covered up a little early, but now we're hitting the full-on spread offenses, and the inexperience is showing. You could probably argue that coaching and play-calling is what allowed them to get someone open over the top on that last TD - I have no idea how deep those guys were covering, and maybe they were the appropriate depth, but they have to know not to let him get behind him. Part of that's coaching, but part of it's youth, too.

So I'm not convinced it's the coaching scheme, but I've said all year that I don't think we have the personnel in key spots this year to make this work. Does that mean we ditch the whole thing? I don't necessarily think so, but Herman's going to have to start nationally recruiting top DL prospects, because it really seems like there's been a shortage of them in Texas of late.

I'm honestly not worried about the DBs. They'll learn and they'll get better, and I think we're building a great foundation back there. But they're taking some lumps right now.

 

[rick mueller]

Our most used db's consist of three seniors (Locke, Boyd and Davis), a junior (Jones) two frosh (Stearns and Foster). We can't say that a back end consisting of a majority of upperclassmen is "young." We cant' say a defense that starts eight seniors and a junior is "young." The "youth" train left the station long ago.
I know, I know we were short some of those guys this week and part of the previous week, but this defense is not young.

 

[ProdigalHorn]

Our most used db's consist of three seniors (Locke, Boyd and Davis), a junior (Jones) two frosh (Stearns and Foster). We can't say that a back end consisting of a majority of upperclassmen is "young." We cant' say a defense that starts eight seniors and a junior is "young." The "youth" train left the station long ago.
I know, I know we were short some of those guys this week and part of the previous week, but this defense is not young.

Check that last touchdown. Which two Texas players were trailing the receiver?

You can't look at the secondary and say "well, we have three guys back there who are older, so the defense can't use youth as an excuse. You only have to have one freshman on the back end for a freshman mistake to cost points. Plus, thinking about a starting four or five defensive backs is old thinking and is irrelevant in the current Big XII, and particularly in this offense. This team will play six d-backs at a time occasionally, and definitely plays into its two-deep. That two-deep includes three seniors, one junior, two sophomores and four freshmen.

Against WV, we started two freshmen and a sophomore in the backfield, and one of the seniors had to leave the game, replaced by a freshman. In all, nine freshmen or sophomore logged a defensive stat.

So yes. We're young in the secondary. To say otherwise is ridiculous.

 

[nashhorn]

Much as I like Caden’s myself, he has been exposed as a true frosh the last two games. Breaks me heart to say it but watch some replays of WVa big runs and the last td toss. Makes you flinch when you are a huge Caden fan like me. But I do believe he will, like Q, get better every year.

 

[TEXnSEATTLE]

another God damned word about Todd Orlando being a defensive genius. This defense is a joke, just like Bedford's second year, Diaz' second year...

It is still amazing to me that other schools FOCUS, focus, FOCUS and get better and better and better as the season progresses....we seem to have the wheels come off....they better get the wheels tightened prior to the next couple of games....not an easy stretch we are in....

 

[TEXnSEATTLE]

Check that last touchdown. Which two Texas players were trailing the receiver?

You can't look at the secondary and say "well, we have three guys back there who are older, so the defense can't use youth as an excuse. You only have to have one freshman on the back end for a freshman mistake to cost points. Plus, thinking about a starting four or five defensive backs is old thinking and is irrelevant in the current Big XII, and particularly in this offense. This team will play six d-backs at a time occasionally, and definitely plays into its two-deep. That two-deep includes three seniors, one junior, two sophomores and four freshmen.

Against WV, we started two freshmen and a sophomore in the backfield, and one of the seniors had to leave the game, replaced by a freshman. In all, nine freshmen or sophomore logged a defensive stat.

So yes. We're young in the secondary. To say otherwise is ridiculous.

NEVER LET THEM GET BEHIND YOU!!!
….and both of our guys were several yards from him....they should have tackled him if he were going to make the catch....at least a penalty gives us a chance at another play..

 

[Vol Horn 4 Life]

….and both of our guys were several yards from him....

No they weren't.

 

[Chinstrap]

Make no mistake, I was livid with our D and TO in particular. That said no defensive scheme is going to be successful when the players miss tackles like we did Saturday. What we did a good job of early in the season has become a glaring deficiency. I'm no football expert. Not even close, but anyone can see the poor angles and failure to wrap up. Heck, my wife was seeing it too.

You are "right on" with this comment. I have noticed some of the poor technique by defensive players that we saw early last year and in recent years gone by. This problem coupled with some of the comments by SabreHorn above, are in part a reflection on the players performance. The better the secondary in one on one coverage the more the team can play cover 1 and therefore the more help at the line and linebacker position. Texas is not dominant at any group of positions. Yes, there is a stud in one group or more but as SabreHorn points out the defensive line is not disruptive enough and that means the linebackers have to be "lights out" performers. And they are good, but as a unit they are not great. One must remember how young some of these secondary kids are and some of the older players are not always clicking between the ears. I have been totally disappointed all year in the failures at outside containment on critical plays. Coaching schemes or poor decisions by the player? In PJ's case I have felt that he simply gets sucked in and that is his bad decision. But how do you know? The coaches do and they need to address this.

It is easy to jump on Orlando and blame him for everything but I think it is little early to call for his head. I think he is a good coach and he may be gambling to cover for deficiencies in his personnel. Injuries were a factor this past Saturday and we must be honest about that. What we do know is that the kids fight to the end and they play a physical brand of football.......the old Texas brand. Great defenses have talent; but they have something equally as important as talent, they play nasty. Sometimes nasty can overcome talent. Keep recruiting the kids who like this brand of football and the defense will only get much better, and I hear that these kids want to come play for Orlando.

 

[huisache]

I am amazed year after year (about 60 of them now) that our coaches don't draw upon their greatest resource-----the brilliant coaching expertise of our thousands of alums and fans, many of whom come to these shores daily to explain what a bunch of lame dumbazzes the coaches are and unskilled in basic skills our players are. Is there nobody in Belmont who has the good sense to realize that our best coaches are not on the sidelines but in the stands and sitting on their couches at home? That we would be stomping Saban et al yearly if we merely dropped our bucket in this deep well of experience and intelligence?
I, for one, am tired of this constant neglect.

I urge all right thinking experts to call Belmont and demand immediate action to cure this problem and abate the clear dereliction of duty that is occurring.