Todd Orlando and the First Defensive Series

Htown77

Htown77

5,000+ Posts
2017
Maryland L (41-51): 3 plays, 2 yards, UT pick six;
San Jose State W (56-0): 3 plays, 7 yards, punt;
@USC L (24-27 OT): 8 plays, 44 yards, turnover on downs at the Texas 37;
@Iowa State W (17-7): 3 plays, 4 yards, punt;
Kansas State W (40-34 OT): 3 plays, -3 yards, punt;
Oklahoma L (24-29): 5 plays, 85 yards, OU touchdown;
Oklahoma State L (10-13 OT): 5 plays, 14 yards, punt;
@ Baylor W (38-7): 3 plays, 2 yards, UT pick six;
@ TCU L (7-24): 9 plays, 75 yards, TCU touchdown;
Kansas W (42-27): 3 plays, 0 yards, punt;
@West Virginia W (28-14): 3 plays, 3 yards, punt;
Texas Tech L (23-27): 6 plays, 20 yards; punt;
Missouri W (33-16): 3 plays, -3 yards, punt.

2018
@Maryland L (29-34): 6 plays, 67 yards, Maryland touchdown;
Tulsa W (28-21): 1 play, 0 yards, interception;
USC W (37-14): 9 plays, 75 yards, USC touchdown;
TCU W (31-16): 8 plays, 46 yards, TCU field goal;
@Kansas State W (19-14): 8 plays, 28 yards, punt;
Oklahoma W (48-45): 6 plays, 65 yards, OU touchdown;
Baylor W (23-17): 11 plays, 75 yards, Baylor touchdown;
@Oklahoma State L (35-38): 4 plays, 53 yards, Oklahoma State touchdown;
West Virginia L (42-41): 11 plays, 42 yards, West Virginia field goal;
@ Texas Tech W (41-34): 10 plays, 66 yards, Texas Tech touchdown;
Iowa State W (24-10): 6 plays, 12 yards, punt;
@Kansas W (24-17): 3 plays, 3 yards punt;
Oklahoma L (39-27): 9 plays, 72 yards, Oklahoma field goal;
Georgia W (28-21): 7 plays, 2 yards, failed attempted punt/turnover on downs at the UGA 41.

2019
Louisiana Tech W (45-14): 11 plays, 51 yards, missed field goal;
LSU L (38-45): 11 plays, 71 yards, LSU field goal;
@Rice W (48-13): 4 plays, 18 yards, punt;
Oklahoma State W (36-30): 13 plays, 76 yards, Oklahoma State field goal;
@West Virginia W (42-31): 4 plays, 76 yards, West Virginia touchdown;
Oklahoma L (27-34): 10 plays, 66 yards, Oklahoma touchdown;
Kansas W (50-48): 7 plays, 47 yards, missed field goal;
TCU L (27-37): 6 plays, 25 yards, punt;
Kansas State W (27-24): 3 plays, 75 yards, Kansas State touchdown;
@Iowa State L (21-23): 8 plays, 59 yards, Iowa State touchdown;
@ Baylor L (10-24): 2 plays, 57 yards, Baylor fumble;
Texas Tech W (49-24): 11 plays, 80 yards, Texas Tech touchdown.

Other team scores first time they have the ball %:
2017: 2/13 15%
2018: 9/14 64%
2019: 7/12 58% (Two opponents drove the ball and missed field goals and Baylor drove the ball and fumbled, otherwise this would be 83%)

Apparently, we would actually did make stops on opponents' first drives in Orlando's first season. This season, the other team is probably going to easily score on the first drive.

I honestly just assume the other team will move the ball and score first. I am surprised if they do not. I do not even get fired up or mad anymore about it. That said, it is not acceptable.

I really do not understand this "defensive Greg Davis" spotting the other team 3-7 points on the first drive... especially when we win and lose so many close games.

Edit: updated through the Texas Tech game.
 
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I've made post after post about how Orlando's defenses regress in every DC position he's ever held except at Houston which was only two years. It's not just the first drive issue. Today was a total loss not just defense, but I have zero faith we will see significant improvement if he stays.
 
You don't have to worry about Texas having a shot at the meaningless pesky conference championship now.
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I figured out we had zero business in the Big 12 title game after TCU. I get annual tickets to the Alamo Bowl and am instead worried we are not going to make that!
 
@Vol Horn 4 Life Today, other than the first drive of the game and the first drive of the second half, the defense played pretty well. Today's game was on the offense. That said, our defense just giving up free points on the first drive is a factor when we lose by one score.
 
To me the defense weaknesses are obvious and have been for awhile. A Stat that always bothers me is one I cannot explain but I remember when we got the ball after half we almost always scored under Mack, or that is how I remember it. We rarely score when first getting the ball now. Maybe it is meaningless but I do not think so. I think a Mensa could make something out of that observation.
 
Well, there is plenty to criticize overall, but the penalties on the ISU field goal drive were insurmountable, especially the off sides.

I appreciate their effort greatly, but no team can afford to give away free yards and free plays on penalties.
 
Herman is a step above Strong (which is not saying much), but he definitely has not been on par with Mack Brown in strategy or in-game decision making. I am not even sure Herman is on par with Mackovic at this point and Mackovic did not believe in defense!
 
We lost the game because 1) Sam continues to make bad pre-snap reads, and 2) no CJ and 3) ******* offsides.

the offsides is the most preventable penalty in football. And your odds on blocking a FG are very slim. Risk/reward is never there. Just don't be stupid man. Just don't. Our Sr. captains continue to be the ones that lose games for us. Pathetic.
 
Htown77 said:
I honestly just assume the other team will move the ball and score first. I am surprised if they do not. I do not even get fired up or mad anymore about it. That said, it is not acceptable.
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All the more maddening when we continue to defer the coin toss every time we win the flip! Why continue to put a horrible defense on the field first? Blows my mind.
 
Htown77 said:
@Vol Horn 4 Life Today, other than the first drive of the game and the first drive of the second half, the defense played pretty well. Today's game was on the offense. That said, our defense just giving up free points on the first drive is a factor when we lose by one score.
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The D gave up 354 yds passing today. I thought they would push 400 so I guess they did step up compared to the **** show we normally see. But don't believe they played well because they still got torched.
 
Dionysus said:
Impressive analysis @Htown77 and very telling facts. I expect our opponent to score on their first drives now as well, it just seems to be a given.
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I once heard that an offense practices all week for their first drive of the game. I know Texas doesn't always reflect that, but not surprised that the team that knows where the ball is going will score more easily on the first drive than later....
 
Vol Horn 4 Life said:
The D gave up 354 yds passing today. I thought they would push 400 so I guess they did step up compared to the **** show we normally see. But don't believe they played well because they still got torched.
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You did know that ISU averages about 40+ points a game ??? We held them to 23 even though our offense was mostly ****** most of the game. They even got stops late to preserve a lead, and got a stop to force a 47 yard FG.....Torched my ***. They played well enough to win.I have ripped Orlando most of the year ...but I will defend him now in this game.
 
The first defensive series in games is irritating, but the defense did not lose the game yesterday. May not have changed the outcome of the game, but we should have taken the field goal shot in the first quarter instead of going for it on fourth down.
 
MajesticII said:
You did know that ISU averages about 40+ points a game ??? We held them to 23 even though our offense was mostly ****** most of the game. They even got stops late to preserve a lead, and got a stop to force a 47 yard FG.....Torched my ***. They played well enough to win.I have ripped Orlando most of the year ...but I will defend him now in this game.
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I usually don’t agree with you but I do here. Tim Beck needs to go after the season. We can keep Orlando. But the only good play calling I have seen under TH regime is when he sits Beck and calls the plays himself.
 
But the only good play calling I have seen under TH regime is when he sits Beck and calls the plays himself.

AC how do you know when that is?
 
nashhorn said:
But the only good play calling I have seen under TH regime is when he sits Beck and calls the plays himself.

AC how do you know when that is?
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TH mentioned himself calling plays at the end of the 17’ season. It has not come up as much sense then. This year he claims TB calls plays and they are run through him first. I assert that plan is not working. I’m not recalling what TH said specifically about who called plays for last years Sugar Bowl. But his pressers hold the answers.
 
Htown77 said:
I figured out we had zero business in the Big 12 title game after TCU. I get annual tickets to the Alamo Bowl and am instead worried we are not going to make that!
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Maybe you can trade them in on the Poulan Weedeater Bowl or some other just-as-meaningless game...
 
I have to believe the Alamo Bowl and SA Visitors Bureau wants Iowa State back. Last year, I took my grandson to watch Leach coach on Friday night before driving with him to NOLA.

ISU/WSU set an attendance record for two out of state teams. ISU appeared to have well over 45,000 at the game. We sat behind the Wazzou bench, but were surrounded by people from Iowa. Every one of them had been there all week. Choosing Texas sells more tickets but to people that either drive in and out or stay only one night.
 
Big 12 Bowl Partners
Once the CFP has filled its bowl slots, Big 12 bowl partners will make selections from the remaining bowl-eligible teams. Following is the order of selection. A bowl may pick from any available teams when it reaches its spot in the selection order.
Valero Alamo
Camping World (Orlando)
Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas (Houston)
AutoZone Liberty (Memphis)
Cheez-It (Phoenix)
SERVPRO First Responder (Dallas)

Assuming ou goes to the Sugar Bowl, I believe Baylor would get the San Antonio gig. oSu, Texas, ISU, Kansas State are bowl eligible. TCU has to beat ou (Norman) OR WVa (Ft. Worth to become bowl eligible. WVA has to beat both oSu (Morgantown) AND TCU (Ft. Worth). Tech has to beat Kansas State (Lubbock) AND Texas (Austin).

Who knows, the SEC might let aggy play Texas in Houston or Memphis, but since Texas travels better than oSu (and since Texas beat oSu) Camping World might opt for Texas. KSU also travels well, but they look like a lock for Phoenix. That leaves the Dallas Bowl for TCU if they can become bowl eligible. The Big 12 should sic ISU onto aggy.
 
Maybe you can trade them in on the Poulan Weedeater Bowl or some other just-as-meaningless game...
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Meaningless? Bowl games are fun!

@SabreHorn Maybe so, but as native of San Antone and someone who gets tickets every year and usually attends the Alamo Bowl, the least interesting Big XII teams to see in person for me are Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State (If OU, Baylor or A&M (in the past) are playing, I will sell the tickets). I would much rather see UT, TCU, Tech, Oklahoma State or West Virginia than the Big 8 wheat/corn teams.

I really hate that the bowl changed from the Big Ten to the Pac12. The Big Ten programs are fun to see. I cannot say I care to see any Pac12 team other than USC, Washington or Washington State as long as Mike Leach is the coach. I would be down to see Utah once only because I have never seen them play before in person. The rest just are not exciting matchups (side note, after attending the 1997 and 2010 UCLA games and the 2013 Oregon Alamo Bowl, I could happily never see those programs in person again).

@ViperHorn I think you are correct. Our best case is probably Orlando. I was thinking both Baylor and OU would go to NY6 bowls for some reason, but that does seem unlikely. I would strongly prefer Orlando to Memphis or Houston unless we are playing Tennessee. I would like to see us beat them for general purposes. Ideally, I would like to see us spank Miami in Orlando.
 
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MajesticII said:
You did know that ISU averages about 40+ points a game ??? We held them to 23 even though our offense was mostly ****** most of the game. They even got stops late to preserve a lead, and got a stop to force a 47 yard FG.....Torched my ***. They played well enough to win.I have ripped Orlando most of the year ...but I will defend him now in this game.
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They average 35 a game and I guess you missed that play where the receiver was 15 yards behind the closest defender for a 70+ yd TD. We got torched and were lucky they didn't score more.
 
ISU got 23 points on 13 drives (the 1-play kneel-down before half not counting as a drive). 1.8 points/drive is good defense. I didn't find stats for 2019, but that rate would have been only the 100th most efficient offense in the country in 2018.

We got torched
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Yes, on that particular play we did.

and were lucky they didn't score more.
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How so? What was this luck?
 
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