• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Can Clawson Ever Have a Quality D?

80deacon said:
Agreed....but after all this time don't you think better linemen and some variation in O and an average D could take us to the next level?

Grobe did a great job with the orbit until teams learned to stop it. When he left we were back in the hole again.

I'd just like to see Clawson build a little more on what he's accomplished. No team says stagnant and stays ranked. Alabama throws so much Bear is turning over in his grave. Clemson regularly runs new or trick plays.

That's really my point. Love Dave for what he's done, but don't want him to leave like Grobe.
Click to expand...
Why is the expectation just for an average D? I think it's fair to expect a good D at this point. While I'm getting a little tired of waiting for the D to grow, I really don't think it's reasonable to expect the program to go flaccid like it did under Grobe. Clawson has too much stamina for that.
 
BeachBumDeac said:
Does Clawson strike you as someone who stays stagnant?

God damn this is a miserable post. We won 11 games last year, we are the 2nd best team in the ACC over the last 6 years, and you are worried about our coach becoming late career Grobe. Get a fucking grip.
Click to expand...
I don't think my point is that difficult to discern.

I don't want us to depend on the slow mesh so long that it is figured out, and we have nothing to fall back on, become a 3-9 team again, and lose our coach.
 
PhDeac said:
Pretty sure that's what he means.

After 8 years, Clawson was 51-48. Grobe was 54-44.

This is Clawson's 9th year at Wake. Grobe's 9th year was 5-7 after starting 4-2. Game 6 was that lackluster finish at Maryland followed by a 5 game losing streak. Grobe was 58-46 after that Maryland game and 19-36 afterward.
Click to expand...
Our remaining schedule is daunting and a poor performance with no answers opens us up to a similar slide. Need to play well even if beaten.
 
Frosty said:
Why is the expectation just for an average D? I think it's fair to expect a good D at this point. While I'm getting a little tired of waiting for the D to grow, I really don't think it's reasonable to expect the program to go flaccid like it did under Grobe. Clawson has too much stamina for that.
Click to expand...
When you consider our overall D national stats, a team further up about 1/2 way would be average or good. The point was with the O, if it remains elite in production, the D does not have to be at a top level. Average to good would bump us up.
 
80deacon said:
I don't think my point is that difficult to discern.

I don't want us to depend on the slow mesh so long that it is figured out, and we have nothing to fall back on, become a 3-9 team again, and lose our coach.
Click to expand...
If there was ever a post that encapsulated the part of our fanbase that just revels in fucking misery and is constitutionally unable to enjoy success, this is it.
 
80deacon said:
When you consider our overall D national stats, a team further up about 1/2 way would be average or good. The point was with the O, if it remains elite in production, the D does not have to be at a top level. Average to good would bump us up.
Click to expand...
I get that, but I think my point is more that if the O can perform at this level why shouldn't we expect to be able to go out there and slap these teams with our D too? The D, if just average, will never satisfy the fanbase because it's holding the team back from its full potential.
 
Frosty said:
I get that, but I think my point is more that if the O can perform at this level why shouldn't we expect to be able to go out there and slap these teams with our D too? The D, if just average, will never satisfy the fanbase because it's holding the team back from its full potential.
Click to expand...
So 1/2 way isn't that good and will eventually lead to getting the shaft?
 
I see what you all are saying. I guess the real question is this. Is the D we're getting just the tip of a Quality D or is it all the D we can expect?

The D is better but if this is all we're getting, it's still a disappointment.
 
Our D is still undersized. Some say that doesn’t matter, but to date no one has been satisfied.
 
Haros said:
Our D is still undersized. Some say that doesn’t matter, but to date no one has been satisfied.
Click to expand...
I’ve always maintained that it’s not the size of the D, it’s how it can get the O to spread all the way open across the field.

Also something to be said for having speed in your D. Sometimes it’s nice to just get the job done quickly and get on with life.
 
But you also need a lot of stamina if things just aren’t working correctly.
 
BeachBumDeac said:
I’ve always maintained that it’s not the size of the D, it’s how it can get the O to spread all the way open across the field.
Click to expand...

Spreading the O out gives you better D penetration. If we do it well enough we can own their backfield too.
 
Haros said:
Our D is still undersized. Some say that doesn’t matter, but to date no one has been satisfied.
Click to expand...
The D being undersized isn't the biggest issue to me. If the D could at least get some penetration and plug holes it would be huge.
 
My biggest gripe with our D is that it can seem strong and stout for most of the game then it just explodes and makes a huge mess all over the field.
 
3rd down conversion defense 7th
First down defense 27th
Rushing defense 57th
Passing yards allowed 39th

What is our miserable fanbase basing our D blows on? Liberty is pretty damn good. Our offense sucked against them. That's what needs fixing.
 
We don’t like playing Army, but let’s just be glad it’s not Navy. Talk about a D loaded with seamen
 
BBD makes a good point. It's fair to be concerned about the size of the D, but if you get plenty of O, how much does the D really matter?
 
PhDeac said:
BBD makes a good point. It's fair to be concerned about the size of the D, but if you get plenty of O, how much does the D really matter?
Click to expand...
Right. We don't need the best D in the country. We need just enough D so that the O can score over and over again
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top