Coastal Carolina

[AppSt94]

You can’t under estimate the value of having two lock down corners and what it allows the defense to do. We had one for the better part of three years and we’re extremely blessed to have two last year. I’m not sure what to make of ty lack of press coverage this year but it seems like Duck and Hayes played closer to the LOS last year which allowed for some corner blitzes.

[Black Saturday]

Just a thought. We all give Drink the Mensa card for offense. Part of that makeup would him able recognizing what is happening with opponents defenses top be successful offensively. To be sure he can see what's wrong with APPs D?

[AppStFan1]

I too worry about our defense, but they do enough to help us win. I’m kinda to the point where I’m just accepting we are built like a PAC12 team. We score a boat load of points, fast, but as a result our defense spends a lot of time on the field. I can’t imagine the toll that takes on them.

I am however, jazzed about our offense. An unstoppable machine of death, grinding our opponents into mush. The team that holds us under 30 probably beats us. But good luck with that.

The opening drives for TDs are getting old. Our opponents are throwing to open zones in our pass coverage. I'd dare say you can get together a group from Yosef's Cabin and do just as well. It's getting close to Halloween Roof, time to disguise your pass coverage.

I think I get your point; however, we aren’t going to have to worry about pass coverage much on Halloween. Also, maybe I’m misremembering, but I recall a lot of opening driven TDs last year too.

Often happened for sure but Brown did a great job of seeing what the issues were and fixing them quickly. We are giving up over 29 a game a game after giving up just 15.6 or so last year. It took Brown a few years with the DBs to get them to that point where we could do that but we returned most of our defense and I know he loved these corners taking over. I don't think Roof will make adjustments but I hope he will. We will face the best offense all year next against Louisiana. They have a bye week to figure things out.

[AppSt94]

Brown was only the DC for one year. He was plenty capable, but he inherited the job of DC because Woody left and GS pulled the trigger on announcing a conditional hire before they should have.

[appstatealum]

You can’t under estimate the value of having two lock down corners and what it allows the defense to do. We had one for the better part of three years and we’re extremely blessed to have two last year. I’m not sure what to make of ty lack of press coverage this year but it seems like Duck and Hayes played closer to the LOS last year which allowed for some corner blitzes.

Right. The press coverage throws off the timing for the QB and even if the CBs are playing cover 2 zone and still press, the QB has to decide whether they are in man coverage or not and then has to wait for the WR to come off the jam and run his route. Last year, this led to some easy interceptions, sacks or balls thrown out of bounds. Yesterday, our corners played much better when they jammed on the line versus letting the WRs hit those posts to the sideline untouched. From my perspective, the DBs are having to think less in press coverage and it is equating to better decision making and coverage. When they are playing off and zone, it seems like they are overthinking it alot and safeties/corners are getting their feet in the mud.

[AppStFan1]

Brown was only the DC for one year. He was plenty capable, but he inherited the job of DC because Woody left and GS pulled the trigger on announcing a conditional hire before they should have.

I meant with the DBs overall. He spent what 6 years coaching the secondary and we could see them improving every year. He took over the job and just expanded on what Woody was doing. I felt Brown did the best job of making adjustments of any DC we have had and we have had some good ones.

Brown knew how to call a game and make adjustments. He is just as important for Louisville to make a turnaround as Satterfield and his culture is.

[appfanz]

I’ve always said and will always believe: The best pass defense is a pass rush.

[hapapp]

I’ve always said and will always believe: The best pass defense is a pass rush.

It seems we are blitzing more and as a result teams are going for the quick hit which is often open because we play so soft. I can live with giving up some real estate its our failings in the red zone that is really hurting us.

[The Rock]

Was roof in the box yesterday?

[HkyMtneer]

Was roof in the box yesterday?

According to the media notes pre-game...Roof was supposed to be in the box yesterday.

[appstatealum]

Was roof in the box yesterday?

He appeared to be. Gasp was down on the field giving the signals or whatever his duties were....

[JMappfan5]

Well, we’re down 2 of those 7 in Willis and Franklin. Throw in replacing Stout, Flory, Hayes, and Duck....that’s a lot to backfill.

Don't forget Austin Exford. Played a lot of minutes and was a head hunter!!!

[Goapps15]

Here is another thing to keep in mind. It eerily reminds me to the 2007 team. 2006 and 2018 were our 2 most dominant defensive teams this century. Those two seasons the defense constantly made big stops. Offense did enough. This year much like 2007, we are scoring much more and much faster. Less time to rest for the defense and also a sense complacency. By that I mean they know they just need to make a few stops to win.

Just my .02.

[Stonewall]

watching the replay it looked more like execution than scheme

[InFor6More]

I know I’ll get ripped by you all for this but it’s a long season and we’ve got a lot of experience on the defensive coaching staff. They know how to maximize the talent and make adjustments but if you’re controlling the game, even though you’re giving up points, why put more scheme on film than you have to. Just win the game. I laughed at the thought of the fake defense conspiracy that was making the rounds on here two weeks ago but it’s not far fetched to think that the staff wants the defensive players to work through some adversity, so long as we’re in position to win, while maintaining the ability to show new defensive looks in the future.

[fjblair]

watching the replay it looked more like execution than scheme

I watched the replay this afternoon and I agree with you. Our secondary is not at last years level yet. It's a talented squad, they will get there.

[ericsaid]

Last year was last year. Knowing how to defend it and having the personnel to do it are two different things. I get it. You don't like Roof and you don't like giving him credit for anything. Cool. But Roof has probably forgotten more football than you know.

I like Roof just fine. I didn't like his Game Plan and lack of adjusting to what Charlotte did. I wasn't one of 200 people who posted in the "Hate Roof" thread either.

And I think that is a reasonable concern. But here’s the thing; we don’t know that they, (Roof and Drink) felt about what adjustments needed to be made. Given the film available from Charlotte’s game with GW, the game plan seemed simple, stop the run and make Reynolds and the passing game beat you. Based on the first half performance, it seemed to work for the most part. What Reynolds did in the second half was considerably different in terms of past performance. Drink’s comments after the game suggested that he was never worried about the outcome. Was that out of arrogance, truth, or was that coach speak to mask a mea culpa for not adjusting to what they were doing? We only have supposition to answer that question. My point is that things are not always what they appear. #BeatCoastal

The point I was originally trying to make was that we have coaches on the staff who likely assisted in game planning for this same Coastal offense running the same type of scheme with many of the same players for the previous two seasons. They know what works, in general, and what doesn't. Of course the game plan for Coastal doesn't need to be sophisticated as it mostly comes down to coaching fundamentals and playing intelligently.

Again, my only gripe with the UNCC game was that we continued to man on the outside and bring safeties down in the box when it was shown to be largely ineffective. The final interception in the end zone was the result of playing cover 4 and Jolly made the right read to follow the receiver into the safeties zone. We saw more of that type of coverage against UNC and it showed on the scoreboard.

I don’t know that last years Coastal offense will look like last year. CJC is putting his stamp on things now, which is something that he wasn’t able to do last year, even as an interim, in waiting, whatever.

To your point on Charlotte, and we should end it because it is over, but that’s the type of coverage you get when you blitz. You just can’t cover the whole field. You pick your poison. The irony of the Jolly INT is that he was actually beaten on the play and Reynolds missed his target after being on point all half.

Back to the man to man from the corners. What is your solution? What would you have done in hindsight? What would you have done in game? We are replacing two experienced lockdown corners. These guys are good but are getting some OJT. How would you help them out? When you give me your gamelan, I want you provide me with the vulnerabilities in your coverage.

I would play more cover 3 and cover 4 when sending interior pressure so that way the defensive backs can keep their eyes in the backfield for run support. Right now we are playing man on the outside, bringing the safeties down, leaving corners on an island and the safeties are taking bad angles in run support or getting caught in the wash in the box. I'd also quit blitzing Fehr as often because he is one of, if not the best, cover linebackers in the Sun Belt and is an asset in pass defense in the age of RPO.

I'm also not convinced that Drink and the coaching staff in general have deployed everything to this point in the season. With Satterfield, what you saw was what you got pretty much all year long. I think Drinkwitz is picking his spots for adding wrinkles to the game plan and appears to take a Patriots like approach of tailoring your play sheet, for that week, to the opponent.

Lastly, I'm not as down on the defense as everyone else is. App was up 42-21 at one point against Coastal and essentially won the game 56-30 before Coastal scored against App's reserve players. That's a 10 point improvement in margin of victory year over year against an opponent who is improved, by most accounts. We will see if this carries over to Louisiana.

Outside of the one busted play given up by the defense in the run game, Coastal averaged 3.26 yards per carry and they came in averaging close to 6.

[ericsaid]

Just a thought. We all give Drink the Mensa card for offense. Part of that makeup would him able recognizing what is happening with opponents defenses top be successful offensively. To be sure he can see what's wrong with APPs D?

Coastal came in to this game averaging close to 6 yards per carry and outside of one bad angle by a safety left App averaging 3.2 YPC. Did Coastal score? Sure. But you've now scored 56 points in two home games. Furthermore, App improved their margin of victory over Coastal from 16 to 19 (really was around 26 because of Coastals late TD against App's reserve players on defense). Coastal was believed to be much improved on both sides of the ball and that still appears to be correct, yet App was still able to technically win by a wider margin than last season.

In order to win in Louisiana, App simply needs to stop the big plays in the run game. If the defense can do that, the offense should be able to lay on the points and hopefully get out to a substantial lead. Keep up the pressure, take good angles, tackle in space, force turnovers, stop the run, remain efficient on offense. Louisiana came into Boone last season averaging close to the same yards per carry as they are this season and left that game averaging around 3. I suspect the same can be done this year, especially being given a pseudo bye week.

[AppSt94]

I like Roof just fine. I didn't like his Game Plan and lack of adjusting to what Charlotte did. I wasn't one of 200 people who posted in the "Hate Roof" thread either.

And I think that is a reasonable concern. But here’s the thing; we don’t know that they, (Roof and Drink) felt about what adjustments needed to be made. Given the film available from Charlotte’s game with GW, the game plan seemed simple, stop the run and make Reynolds and the passing game beat you. Based on the first half performance, it seemed to work for the most part. What Reynolds did in the second half was considerably different in terms of past performance. Drink’s comments after the game suggested that he was never worried about the outcome. Was that out of arrogance, truth, or was that coach speak to mask a mea culpa for not adjusting to what they were doing? We only have supposition to answer that question. My point is that things are not always what they appear. #BeatCoastal
[/quote]

The point I was originally trying to make was that we have coaches on the staff who likely assisted in game planning for this same Coastal offense running the same type of scheme with many of the same players for the previous two seasons. They know what works, in general, and what doesn't. Of course the game plan for Coastal doesn't need to be sophisticated as it mostly comes down to coaching fundamentals and playing intelligently.

Again, my only gripe with the UNCC game was that we continued to man on the outside and bring safeties down in the box when it was shown to be largely ineffective. The final interception in the end zone was the result of playing cover 4 and Jolly made the right read to follow the receiver into the safeties zone. We saw more of that type of coverage against UNC and it showed on the scoreboard.
[/quote]

I don’t know that last years Coastal offense will look like last year. CJC is putting his stamp on things now, which is something that he wasn’t able to do last year, even as an interim, in waiting, whatever.

To your point on Charlotte, and we should end it because it is over, but that’s the type of coverage you get when you blitz. You just can’t cover the whole field. You pick your poison. The irony of the Jolly INT is that he was actually beaten on the play and Reynolds missed his target after being on point all half.

Back to the man to man from the corners. What is your solution? What would you have done in hindsight? What would you have done in game? We are replacing two experienced lockdown corners. These guys are good but are getting some OJT. How would you help them out? When you give me your gamelan, I want you provide me with the vulnerabilities in your coverage.
[/quote]

I would play more cover 3 and cover 4 when sending interior pressure so that way the defensive backs can keep their eyes in the backfield for run support. Right now we are playing man on the outside, bringing the safeties down, leaving corners on an island and the safeties are taking bad angles in run support or getting caught in the wash in the box. I'd also quit blitzing Fehr as often because he is one of, if not the best, cover linebackers in the Sun Belt and is an asset in pass defense in the age of RPO.

I'm also not convinced that Drink and the coaching staff in general have deployed everything to this point in the season. With Satterfield, what you saw was what you got pretty much all year long. I think Drinkwitz is picking his spots for adding wrinkles to the game plan and appears to take a Patriots like approach of tailoring your play sheet, for that week, to the opponent.

Lastly, I'm not as down on the defense as everyone else is. App was up 42-21 at one point against Coastal and essentially won the game 56-30 before Coastal scored against App's reserve players. That's a 10 point improvement in margin of victory year over year against an opponent who is improved, by most accounts. We will see if this carries over to Louisiana.

Outside of the one busted play given up by the defense in the run game, Coastal averaged 3.26 yards per carry and they came in averaging close to 6.
[/quote]

Thanks for partially answering my question. You provided the scheme that you would run but you didn't identify the gaps that it creates. Cover 3 does not solve our current problems. Cover 3 in our current 3-4 scheme will take two guys away from run stop (Cook and Gaither) and still leaves a hole in the middle underneath the safeties for slant and crossing route which the safety can't really help as they have deep responsibilities.

Cover 4 is an OK option but only against teams that pose a vertical threat. Maybe Troy and Ark St.

Lastly, I would have a problem with the corners having there eyes in the backfield. That leaves them susceptible to double moves and long vertical routes.

Just so we are clear. I know that we don't see eye to eye on most things so I don't want this to be taken that I am telling you that you are wrong. I just want to point out that any scheme you run is going to have a whole in it that the offense can exploit if read properly. I don't think any of your options are particularly bad, but they need to be run at opportune times and disguised properly.

[boonetown1]

Im a little confused why people keep singling out the corners. Sherm and Jolly, etc seem to be playing pretty tight coverage on the outside. We seem to be getting beat in the middle (either passing in the middle or swing out and run to the middle). To me this comes on the LB's and Safeties. As others have said, it seems like our LBs are playing way close to the line essentially leaving the safeties alone in the middle. I dont have extensive knowledge in the X's and O's, but seems more like a slight scheme adjustment.

That said, i dont even think its all scheme. All around this year on D we have missed assignments and tackles. To me, this is directly on the coaches. We seem well coached on O, on ST, but not so much on D.

If we are missing a player the most, i would say its stout. His ability to handle two people and free up the LB's was under appreciated.