Can we fix this

[yosef69]

The problem is purely defense.............Fix that and we win games. perspective for all. EVERY trem in the country hits a rough patch.......this is ours. DG will get it fixed and it may take a couple of years. it happens.

I know a lot of people have this same belief and did last year as well but I disagree. Sure our defense NEEDS improvement, BUT, we have lost 3 games where we allowed less than 30 points. In today's college football, we should win those games. If our offense just scored over 30 in those games we would be 6-1 regardless of what might be happening to our Defense. So while I agree our defense needs help, I really think our offense needs more help. If we can just put up over 30, we should win our games.

By most statistical measures our defense is second worst in the belt, beaten out by ark state for last.

[Rekdiver]

The problem is purely defense.............Fix that and we win games. perspective for all. EVERY trem in the country hits a rough patch.......this is ours. DG will get it fixed and it may take a couple of years. it happens.

I know a lot of people have this same belief and did last year as well but I disagree. Sure our defense NEEDS improvement, BUT, we have lost 3 games where we allowed less than 30 points. In today's college football, we should win those games. If our offense just scored over 30 in those games we would be 6-1 regardless of what might be happening to our Defense. So while I agree our defense needs help, I really think our offense needs more help. If we can just put up over 30, we should win our games.

By most statistical measures our defense is second worst in the belt, beaten out by ark state for last.

I believe our offense is getting fewer possessions because D cant get off the field....AND our turnover margin............

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

The problem is purely defense.............Fix that and we win games. perspective for all. EVERY trem in the country hits a rough patch.......this is ours. DG will get it fixed and it may take a couple of years. it happens.

I know a lot of people have this same belief and did last year as well but I disagree. Sure our defense NEEDS improvement, BUT, we have lost 3 games where we allowed less than 30 points. In today's college football, we should win those games. If our offense just scored over 30 in those games we would be 6-1 regardless of what might be happening to our Defense. So while I agree our defense needs help, I really think our offense needs more help. If we can just put up over 30, we should win our games.

My biggest issue with our offense is the cutesy high risk low reward plays that have stalled drives and momentum. Doesn’t seem to be a talent issue rather dumb playcalling. Eerily similar to last year’s playcalling.

[DenverOfTheEast]

I have been disappointed with playing calling at times, it seems they will have a series that they are in groove and good actions..Then they can get the ball back very next series and look like a middle school team calling plays, Dive Right, Dive left, dive middle and punt. 🤯

I think the defense staff needs a crazy mo-fo on the sideline during games like Ivey acts -- going nuts getting them fired up, show some passion.

[WataugaMan]

It seems at times, like Brownie referred to a few months back, like an offensive lineman is calling the plays.

[Black Saturday]

The problem is purely defense.............Fix that and we win games. perspective for all. EVERY trem in the country hits a rough patch.......this is ours. DG will get it fixed and it may take a couple of years. it happens.

I know a lot of people have this same belief and did last year as well but I disagree. Sure our defense NEEDS improvement, BUT, we have lost 3 games where we allowed less than 30 points. In today's college football, we should win those games. If our offense just scored over 30 in those games we would be 6-1 regardless of what might be happening to our Defense. So while I agree our defense needs help, I really think our offense needs more help. If we can just put up over 30, we should win our games.

By most statistical measures our defense is second worst in the belt, beaten out by ark state for last.

There's go to besomething wrong with that stat, I'd swear we are last

[Bigdaddyg1]

I've watched several other teams play and the good ones (especially in our conference) just impose their will. Some have a back that just runs hard downhill. They mix up the offense with legit RPO plays and don't look predictable. This is the second year in a row where we started out with a deep and scary good running back room and by game 6 half or more are injured. We have tight ends who look good and then barely get used. We never run a jet sweep or put fast guys in space. That last drive told a lot. Instead of the predictable run to the left we threw a 9 yarder to Wilson (awesome) then followed that up with a dumb RPO. That was the time to jam one up the middle and move the sticks. Instead we lost 4-5 yards and made a two yard throw on 3rd.

We simply don't impose our will anymore short of that ECU game. We used to fly around the field on defense. I used to think our undersized linebacker group was a deterrent but now I'd take some of those 210 pound dudes who were fast. How many plays of 10+ yards have we allowed this season?

[bcoach]

I am not sure why so many keep denying it, but we just plain do not have the talent we are used to having. I question some of the coaching/ play calling but fact is we don't have the talent we are used to having plain and simple. I keep hearing that the talent is there they are just young. Ok let's go with that. How do you make them "old" without another years' experience? What is on the field right now is just not what we are used to. It just isn't. If we believe it is there but just too young, then we need to wait and see it develop. Right now, though in my humble opinion, it just isn't there.

[Rekdiver]

Ok...on the presser right now it was pointed out that we are getting about 10 possessions a game when we use to get 12..... The D is NOT getting off the field....THAT is the nexus for everything.

[spacemonkey]

This could just be the new clock rule limiting possessions.

[Bigdaddyg1]

I am not sure why so many keep denying it, but we just plain do not have the talent we are used to having. I question some of the coaching/ play calling but fact is we don't have the talent we are used to having plain and simple. I keep hearing that the talent is there they are just young. Ok let's go with that. How do you make them "old" without another years' experience? What is on the field right now is just not what we are used to. It just isn't. If we believe it is there but just too young, then we need to wait and see it develop. Right now, though in my humble opinion, it just isn't there.

I agree with the "young" thing. I haven't looked at the depth chart but I'm pretty sure we have plenty of juniors and seniors starting. Our secondary has experience but plays so soft. That being said we haven't exactly given up tons of points. The drives we allow are just too long.

[Saint3333]

9 of 11 offensive starters are Jr or Sr
5 of 11 defensive starters are Jr or Sr

Our defense is young when you throw in the two deep especially, but our offense outside of the two tackles are all upper classmen.

[t4pizza]

The problem is purely defense.............Fix that and we win games. perspective for all. EVERY trem in the country hits a rough patch.......this is ours. DG will get it fixed and it may take a couple of years. it happens.

I know a lot of people have this same belief and did last year as well but I disagree. Sure our defense NEEDS improvement, BUT, we have lost 3 games where we allowed less than 30 points. In today's college football, we should win those games. If our offense just scored over 30 in those games we would be 6-1 regardless of what might be happening to our Defense. So while I agree our defense needs help, I really think our offense needs more help. If we can just put up over 30, we should win our games.

By most statistical measures our defense is second worst in the belt, beaten out by ark state for last.

I get it, I watch and know how bad it is. But still, even as bad as it is, if we just score over 30 we win those games. I don't think holding opponents under 30 is god awful in today's college football but I do think an offense that can't consistently score over 30 is a problem. I said this same thing last year. If our offense just went full tilt, we have the ability to outscore people. My suspicion has been that Clark and company know the issue with our defense and try to keep it off the field as much as possible. They try to play complementary football and attempt to use the offense to eat clock and have long drives. Problem is this gives our offense more times to make mistakes (usually a penalty or turnover or just missed play) that we can't overcome and have to give the ball back without having any points to show for it. Just one game I would like to see what it looks like just to outscore the other team. I don't care if it looks like the Fun Belt of old with 55-50 type of games. We have ability on offense, lets use it. The other stuff clearly isn't working so why not give it a try.

[PhillyApp1]

The problem is purely defense.............Fix that and we win games. perspective for all. EVERY trem in the country hits a rough patch.......this is ours. DG will get it fixed and it may take a couple of years. it happens.

I know a lot of people have this same belief and did last year as well but I disagree. Sure our defense NEEDS improvement, BUT, we have lost 3 games where we allowed less than 30 points. In today's college football, we should win those games. If our offense just scored over 30 in those games we would be 6-1 regardless of what might be happening to our Defense. So while I agree our defense needs help, I really think our offense needs more help. If we can just put up over 30, we should win our games.

By most statistical measures our defense is second worst in the belt, beaten out by ark state for last.

I get it, I watch and know how bad it is. But still, even as bad as it is, if we just score over 30 we win those games. I don't think holding opponents under 30 is god awful in today's college football but I do think an offense that can't consistently score over 30 is a problem. I said this same thing last year. If our offense just went full tilt, we have the ability to outscore people. My suspicion has been that Clark and company know the issue with our defense and try to keep it off the field as much as possible. They try to play complementary football and attempt to use the offense to eat clock and have long drives. Problem is this gives our offense more times to make mistakes (usually a penalty or turnover or just missed play) that we can't overcome and have to give the ball back without having any points to show for it. Just one game I would like to see what it looks like just to outscore the other team. I don't care if it looks like the Fun Belt of old with 55-50 type of games. We have ability on offense, lets use it. The other stuff clearly isn't working so why not give it a try.

Nail on the Head

What happened to Always Attack !

Attack sometimes is not working

[t4pizza]

9 of 11 offensive starters are Jr or Sr
5 of 11 defensive starters are Jr or Sr

Our defense is young when you throw in the two deep especially, but our offense outside of the two tackles are all upper classmen.

Another reason I think we need to start relying on our offense to just out score everyone. I really think the intentional slow play is hurting our overall chance of winning. Open the offense up and see what happens.

[WASU 93]

I've watched several other teams play and the good ones (especially in our conference) just impose their will. Some have a back that just runs hard downhill. They mix up the offense with legit RPO plays and don't look predictable. This is the second year in a row where we started out with a deep and scary good running back room and by game 6 half or more are injured. We have tight ends who look good and then barely get used. We never run a jet sweep or put fast guys in space. That last drive told a lot. Instead of the predictable run to the left we threw a 9 yarder to Wilson (awesome) then followed that up with a dumb RPO. That was the time to jam one up the middle and move the sticks. Instead we lost 4-5 yards and made a two yard throw on 3rd.

We simply don't impose our will anymore short of that ECU game. We used to fly around the field on defense. I used to think our undersized linebacker group was a deterrent but now I'd take some of those 210 pound dudes who were fast. How many plays of 10+ yards have we allowed this season?

I agree with what you say. What I keep thinking over these last two seasons is how great D'Marco Jackson was (and how much we need a player like him). He stuffed the inside run, made tackles for loss on the perimeter (we were in the top 5/top 10 in the nation in TFL's back then), swallowed up a QB if they tried to escape the pocket and could also drop 15-20 yards off the line of scrimmage and harass the passing lanes or make a key interception.

On their 4th and 10 play, he would have either chased the QB down as he rolled out of the pocket or been helping on the backend ensuring an incomplete pass.

Perhaps a guy like that is irreplaceable at the same level, but that's what we are missing from our LB room and our defense. We used to get teams behind the chains, then love to get them into 3rd and long because something bad was going to happen for them. (I'm not disparaging our players, just point out the difference)

Additionally, we have nothing creative ever going on special teams. How many games did we win with our special teams (the Big House being the biggest) in previous seasons? We had 16 punt returns for a total of 79 years last year. This year we have ONE punt return (Robinson did take it for 23 yards)

We've lost our Mojo/need to get our edge back.

[Bigdaddyg1]

Basically in most if not all of our losses we shoot ourselves in the foot. If you are going to play one score games you can't be the one to F it up.

[JMappfan5]

Most of you have b#tched and moaned about every coordinator that we have hired. We are gonna get what we can afford. This is Ponce and Sloan's FIRST year. What were you expecting??? If Joey doesn't fumble, the TE was wide ass open for the 1st down. We just keep shooting ourself in the foot. We do not have LBs that can stop the run, rush the QB and cover TEs/Slots/RBs. We are forced into nickle & dime packages and have players on the field that aren't great at stopping the run. Frustrating to watch and I'm sure Coach Sloan has aged 20 years with this bunch.

[AppGrad78]

Regarding coach Sloan, his defense at Georgia Southern was putrid during his first season there. But it gradually improved each season, to the point that it was outstanding by the time he left. I hope he’ll be given the time to work the same magic here.

[Bigdaddyg1]

I absolutely don't understand how some on here can make the argument that we have all of this great talent. No matter what anyone thinks about the coach/coaches they put in countless hours practicing and preparing for every game. I have to believe that they put the best available players on the field. We have been in every game and could have won all 6. I don't believe in luck. I believe in statistical probability and I believe that shit happens. At some point the ball has to bounce our way.