I'm not sure slowing down the defense would heip the defense that much. I see too many open lanes with running backs and receivers with no one near them. We don't need a great defense, merely an adequate one. I posted a couple of games ago that we could not realistically expect the offense to score 60 points every game in order to win. Unfortunately that is what happened Saturday. Also, it puts a lot of pressure on the offense to feel like they have to score on every possession. Sooner or later such pressure causes mistakes.
The Official Fire Lyle Hemphill Into the Sun (Durham) Thread
- Thread starter tigerswood
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
Buttermaker
Well-known member
We averaged 6.8 yards per carry, for what it's worth.
I think 2007- Lobo gets a free pass- we had just won an ACC Championship the year before. Also- 2007 - BC was still the team to beat - Matt Ryan and tons of NFL players on that team. Only games in 2007 we lost due to Lobo were like Nebraska and maybe UVA. We likely still lose to BC and we got shutout in Death Valley that year. Still finished 5-3 in conference- yeah maybe we get to 6-2 without Lobo but still wouldn’t have been enough for JVille.
2008- yes- we choked away a division title. The Navy debacle wasn’t on Lobo and wasn’t a conference game but we had horrible playcalling @ Miami, @ State, and BC at home. “Should” have been 6-2 that year or maybe even 7-1. Miami and State were horrible that year. We got butlerized @ Maryland so let’s leave that as a loss but it’s pathetic we finished 4-4 that year in a division where BC went 5-3 and went to JVille again after losing Matt Ryan and a ton of talent. We had Swank and the Fresh Deacs still on defense.
2011- only wil
Coming my own post…
Don’t think 2009 it was in cards for us to win title so let’s move to 2011.
Lobo was horrible @Clemson (that has been our best chance to beat Clemson since 2008), VT @ home at night. We got butlerized @ UNC that year so will leave that one alone. We finished 5-3 in conference and If we would have won Clemson, we would have gone to Charlotte and played VT- who knows if we win as we never beat Beamer and Bud Foster except the 0-0 OT game in 2014 so it’s unlikely we win that game but atleast a division title.
What I am trying to wrap my head around is the talent/depth issue on D and what could change it for the better.
This year is a unique one-time chance to have that depth because a) last year’s eligibility didn’t count for anyone; b) we aren’t capped at 85 guys — which won’t be the case in the future; and c) I don’t think everyone is going to stick around for their full eigibility if they’ve already been in college for 4-5 years. The depth should be a lot worse next year as a result.
Do we have any sense of who may be ready to step up on defense from the current roster? We rarely have any true freshmen ready to play meaningful roles, are there any exceptions this year?
Something will have to change, and scheme/coaching is likely #1. Injuries/depth/talent could continue to be a problem though even if coaching on that side of the ball does change.
This year is a unique one-time chance to have that depth because a) last year’s eligibility didn’t count for anyone; b) we aren’t capped at 85 guys — which won’t be the case in the future; and c) I don’t think everyone is going to stick around for their full eigibility if they’ve already been in college for 4-5 years. The depth should be a lot worse next year as a result.
Do we have any sense of who may be ready to step up on defense from the current roster? We rarely have any true freshmen ready to play meaningful roles, are there any exceptions this year?
Something will have to change, and scheme/coaching is likely #1. Injuries/depth/talent could continue to be a problem though even if coaching on that side of the ball does change.
What bothers me is that we appear to be so out of position on certain plays. I realize speed and talent play into that but my heavens.
SkyDivingDeacon
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 22, 2011
- Messages
- 3,500
- Reaction score
- 1,554
My take is that our defensive schemes are designed to limit explosive plays by an opposing offense and that's pretty much it. If I'm an opposing OC and I see us rush three and drop everyone else back in coverage, I'll take 5-7 yard quick slants all day long or tell my QB to keep the ball and run up the middle for 10-15+ yards, because there's absolutely nobody in the area.
I'd be ok if we did this in general, because I do think our O can score and it's puts pressure on an opposing offense not to screw up (which has been what got us a few Ws this year), but when we come into a game and know that a running QB, for example, is the biggest issue and we don't game plan for it...that's a coaching problem not a personnel/injury issue. Basically we adjust our O for an opposing team's defense, but not the other way around...and if we are attempting to do that with our defense, we should be doing much better (and being out of position over and over again doesn't point to us attempting to address the weapons of different offenses). That's as simple as it gets.
I trust DC to get this corrected. He's done it with the O and special teams in his tenure at Wake so far...now we need him to do it with the D, and it wouldn't hurt for him to also help recruit more LBs.
I'd be ok if we did this in general, because I do think our O can score and it's puts pressure on an opposing offense not to screw up (which has been what got us a few Ws this year), but when we come into a game and know that a running QB, for example, is the biggest issue and we don't game plan for it...that's a coaching problem not a personnel/injury issue. Basically we adjust our O for an opposing team's defense, but not the other way around...and if we are attempting to do that with our defense, we should be doing much better (and being out of position over and over again doesn't point to us attempting to address the weapons of different offenses). That's as simple as it gets.
I trust DC to get this corrected. He's done it with the O and special teams in his tenure at Wake so far...now we need him to do it with the D, and it wouldn't hurt for him to also help recruit more LBs.
PaddyWF
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2011
- Messages
- 3,772
- Reaction score
- 1,118
"Let's not play the oldest college FB rivalry cause we might lose"
Dude, come on. You are losing sight of the bigger picture here. This isn't Georgia, its freaking UNC. If Duke was a real program, that would be a big game every year.
I want to play all the tobacco road rivalries every season and embarrass them all. That is the goal, not to avoid them. It's pathetic the current ACC scheduling doesn't allow us to play UNC every year, so we went out and tried to remedy that.
If we want to play Wofford regularly, rejoin the Southern Conference. We are top-15 in the nation, act like it. We were up 18 points and allowed 24 unanswered. Win the game.
I wanted to be 9-0. I stand guilty as charged. Btw, Alabama plays New Mexico State this Saturday. It's what you do late in the season. Your team needs all the rest it can get when you have FSU, Clemson and Louisville every single year.
But again, I've apparently lost this argument and the love affair with playing UNC.
wufu bufu
Well-known member
Playing Carolina is not a game anyone here should complain about, ever, regardless of our schedule or standing. I want as many shots at those a-holes as possible.
CreamyGoodness
Thanks Creamy!
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 15,639
- Reaction score
- 5,467
Cam(247 staffer and Twitter guy), who I've criticized in the past, has a reeeealllly good and detailed post on our defense, our recruiting from the past 5 years, which players are playable, who isn't, and why we are seeing what we are seeing.
He has been very defensive (ha) of our defense the past couple years, and his opinions have been criticized. That said, it isn't easy to assemble a good defense at Wake. We've "hit" on many offensive recruits and transfers, and not so many on defense.
I say all this to say, I'm not in FIRE HEMPHILL mode like I was Saturday. I think there's just so much more to it.
He has been very defensive (ha) of our defense the past couple years, and his opinions have been criticized. That said, it isn't easy to assemble a good defense at Wake. We've "hit" on many offensive recruits and transfers, and not so many on defense.
I say all this to say, I'm not in FIRE HEMPHILL mode like I was Saturday. I think there's just so much more to it.
PaddyWF
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2011
- Messages
- 3,772
- Reaction score
- 1,118
This would be a better argument to drop Army, IMO. Or schedule an FCS school late in the season. I am 100% in favor of both of those.
But would keep UNC on the schedule every season, if possible. Arguably our biggest rival.
Alabama plays at least 1 legit P5 ooc pretty much every year. Miami happened to be bad this year, but they came into the season ranked. In future schedules, they have a bunch of ACC teams (BC, FSU, GT, VT).
You're absolutely right! I was wrong. Let's play UNC every year!! Great idea. Let's make sure we do it the last half of the year as we did this year. Works for me.
Playing a strong conference opponent and count it as a non-conference game? Absolutely genius!
wufu bufu
Well-known member
It would be one thing if it was Pitt or GT or Louisville. If it's UNC you play them every year if you can. That's the definition of a backyard rivalry. Why are you so scared of UNC, other than LOWF syndrome? You want to be better you play good teams and you beat good teams, especially if they're next door.
LOL. I'm not "afraid" of anyone. I'm sitting at a keyboard. I do know that the national media could not give a rat's ass who we played last weekend if were 9-0 currently with NCSU coming up this weekend. We are now 8-1. But, boy did we prove a point! We played that backyard rivalry! We showed them.
wufu bufu
Well-known member
You're right, we probably shouldn't play games against the teams we care most about playing and hopefully beating.
What kind of take is this??
Does your tune change if we win? If Carolina is still ranked? If we're guaranteed a throttling?
Play Carolina every year.
thatguy2016
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2017
- Messages
- 10,909
- Reaction score
- 3,917
We have to play one P5 opponent per year. So we can’t play 4 Woffords. Given that, we may as well play a game that will sell tickets (better than, say, Northwestern would sell tickets)
Now on the timing of the game and the timing of the FCS type opponent, I agree with you. It would be good if we had a cupcake in late October/early November each year, but we’ve already set the dates for the next several years and for the most part we did not choose to do this.
I posted over a year ago this was a bad idea. Have no idea where that post might be now. My tune has not changed and will not change on this one. It is a terrible idea. The goal, for every team, is to get to 12-0. And in a division with three extremely strong opponents, why make it harder than required? It makes absolutely no sense to me.
But, we showed 'em! By God, we showed 'em.
I'm done on this one. We're never going to agree. Let's just win the game we are REQUIRED to play this Saturday against Moo-U.
CreamyGoodness
Thanks Creamy!
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 15,639
- Reaction score
- 5,467
If we are going to make a run and stay healthy late season then it's probably best to take the Bama/Clemson route and schedule some cupcake we can roll over and rest starters heading into out final few tough games.
That said, it's bullshit we don't have home and home with UNC on a regular basis as a conference game.
That said, it's bullshit we don't have home and home with UNC on a regular basis as a conference game.