Michael Fredrick Denbrock Hired as Offensive Coordinator (2023)

[lcaps20]

Both, unfortunately. Basically hole at DT and new coordinator but like I said they haven't even gotten going yet so early input kinda worthless.

The defense taking a step back would be understandable, but a big step back would be very very worrying considering the amount of talent available.

 

[Dale]

Howard Cross was simply not that good this past season if we’re being honest

Mills was a game wrecker, particularly against weaker OLs. I don’t see a Mills on the current DT group but I would be surprised if Dawson + company cannot replace 2025 Cross.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Howard Cross was simply not that good this past season if we’re being honest

I really think the starting d tackles are gonna be as good or better than last year. Dawson and Onye are really talented.

 

[arrowryan]

Chris Ash would have to be Gerad Parker level bad to have mess this defense up

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

The defense taking a step back would be understandable, but a big step back would be very very worrying considering the amount of talent available.

This. I think a step back from a top 10 unit would be understandable after replacing one of the top DCs in the nation in Golden, but there is simply too much returning talent on all three levels to have a drastic decline in productivity. Anything less than a top 20-25 unit would be a glaring red flag for Ash, IMO.

Obviously the only supposed weakness is DT but they did their best to plug those holes in the portal with Elijah Hughes and Jared Dawson.

 

[CoachB]

Well, those are obviously the two biggest question marks. Ash and D tackle. You just have to assume you would have some drop-off replacing Golden and all that experience up the middle of the D.

 

[irishu]

Relax, bedwetters

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Both, unfortunately. Basically hole at DT and new coordinator but like I said they haven't even gotten going yet so early input kinda worthless.

I wonder if the same would've been said heading into the first year of Golden's tenure? Maybe he was revered early on?

 

[SWirishfan]

I wonder if the same would've been said heading into the first year of Golden's tenure? Maybe he was revered early on?

Not with the Red Zone TD conversion rate his first team had.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Not with the Red Zone TD conversion rate his first team had.

I think they were worst in the country or something in this stat back in 2022. It was such a glaring red flag to me that I'm still shocked that the defense became elite. I really thought that was indicative of a bigger problem that would rear its ugly head.

 

[NorthDakota]

Howard Cross was simply not that good this past season if we’re being honest

Mills was a game wrecker, particularly against weaker OLs. I don’t see a Mills on the current DT group but I would be surprised if Dawson + company cannot replace 2025 Cross.

To quote Tommy Rees, do your f'ing job.

If the D-line does their job the rest of the defense will be just fine. Very good at those spots

 

[2013Irish]

Both, unfortunately. Basically hole at DT and new coordinator but like I said they haven't even gotten going yet so early input kinda worthless.

Why is this hearsay being taken as gospel? This is based on whispers and spring ball-based conjecture.

 

[greyhammer90]

Why is this hearsay being taken as gospel? This is based on whispers and spring ball-based conjecture.

Perfect summation of this board in the last page of this thread

1) Lax with insider connections hears things.
2) Lax indicates that he has heard things to board but that they are probably too early to confirm and speculative in nature.
3) Board asks him to share anyway.
4) Lax shares things with board while again acknowledging that the info is somewhat speculative.
5) 2013Irish comes in on a fact finding journey.

 

[Dale]

Sorry, but since you offered some insight I have to ask: Discouraging in terms of Ash or replacing talent?

3) Board asks him to share anyway.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Both, unfortunately. Basically hole at DT and new coordinator but like I said they haven't even gotten going yet so early input kinda worthless.

I find this hard to believe, we started Hinish the entire playoffs basically and hes not even going to start. Jared Dawson should be as good if not better than anyone we had at NT or DT last year. Also Rubio started a lot of games to last season, not sure how the same guys who started in the playoffs could be worse than what they were last year.

 

[NDFAN2008]

I mean lets be honest the best OL our defense will face all year is the guys they are facing in practice. I can't see Dawson, Rubio, Hinish, Onye and Mukam being worse than what we had depth wise against Georgia and Penn State

 

[Dale]

The ceiling of the DL really lies with Onye IMO.

You can trot out Rubio and Dawson and stop the run. No doubt. That duo also won’t be able to rush the passer for ****. Can Onye be better than Hinish against the run so as to offer someone that can actually do both? Outside shots at Hughes or Mukam.

 

[NDFAN2008]

The ceiling of the DL really lies with Onye IMO.

You can trot out Rubio and Dawson and stop the run. No doubt. That duo also won’t be able to rush the passer for ****. Can Onye be better than Hinish against the run so as to offer someone that can actually do both? Outside shots at Hughes or Mukam.

Could we see a scenario where we try to get more pass rushers on the field during certain situations. For example. 3rd down and long, Move Bryce Young Inside. Your 4 DL are Burnham, Dawson, Young, Traore? I could see this especially if Burgess is pushing for more playing time right away

 

[Giddyup]

Need more play action

 

[2013Irish]

Perfect summation of this board in the last page of this thread

1) Lax with insider connections hears things.
2) Lax indicates that he has heard things to board but that they are probably too early to confirm and speculative in nature.
3) Board asks him to share anyway.
4) Lax shares things with board while again acknowledging that the info is somewhat speculative.
5) 2013Irish comes in on a fact finding journey.

I guess I just don't see the departures at DT being cause for serious concern when they beat UGA and PSU without Mills or a healthy Cross, although they admittedly got gashed at various points by PSU and OSU. The Watts/Kiser leadership is a big loss, but I see every other piece of the D taking a step forward.

 

[2013Irish]

The ceiling of the DL really lies with Onye IMO.

You can trot out Rubio and Dawson and stop the run. No doubt. That duo also won’t be able to rush the passer for ****. Can Onye be better than Hinish against the run so as to offer someone that can actually do both? Outside shots at Hughes or Mukam.

Dawson had four sacks last year. I haven't watched his tape so the stats could be misleading but that would seem to suggest he can get to the QB.

 

[greyhammer90]

 

[Dale]

Dawson had four sacks last year. I haven't watched his tape so the stats could be misleading but that would seem to suggest he can get to the QB.

2 against Austin Peay. 1 each against BC, Jacksonville St and Stanford. He’s built like a mini fridge, not a pass rusher.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

Dawson had four sacks last year. I haven't watched his tape so the stats could be misleading but that would seem to suggest he can get to the QB.

Plus he missed two games and wasn’t a full time starter either. I think ND is expecting some nice production for his senior season.

 

[PolishDomer]

Dawson had four sacks last year. I haven't watched his tape so the stats could be misleading but that would seem to suggest he can get to the QB.

 

[Crazy Balki]

I'd be very surprised if the defense took a major step back.

I won't say there shouldn't be skepticism from transitioning from Golden to Ash, but at the end of the day, there shouldn't be any mistaking that Marcus Freeman has a huge hand in how the defense operates. Unless Ash is BVG-esque in terms of disconnect with the players, I don't see there being a big drop-off, if any at all.

It'd be tough to replace guys like Mills and Cross, but the reality is that we already essentially had to replace them. Mills missed basically the entire CFP, and ND had to make due without him and, for as much as I loved Cross as a player, he was nowhere near the same guy last year, because he was consistently hurt. Dude would absolutely bust his ass every second he played, but you could tell that he was struggling to just walk straight, much less hold up against a CFP level offensive line.

I don't think they can replace the 100% healthy iteration of Cross and Mills, but ND made it all the way to the title game without that and frankly, less than what they have now. If Ash and Freeman can come close to replicating the impact that Golden made, they should be more than fine.

 

[Fbolt]

Hearing the same things....

 

[irishnd31]

Perfect summation of this board in the last page of this thread

1) Lax with insider connections hears things.
2) Lax indicates that he has heard things to board but that they are probably too early to confirm and speculative in nature.
3) Board asks him to share anyway.
4) Lax shares things with board while again acknowledging that the info is somewhat speculative.
5) 2013Irish comes in on a fact finding journey.

6) 2008 trying to move them all to WR and he has a 70% chance of that happening.

 

[LifelongFan]

The defensive tackles will take a step back in the pass rush for sure, but I am really hoping that Traore stays healthy plus big leaps from Thomas and Young plus Junior and Burnham keeping it up will mitigate that.

 

[NumbersGuy0520]

Y’all.

The defensive dropoff in practice is because they’re going against… and not to overhype it… our top-5 OL, top-1 RB unit, TEU-studded, revamped WR-room, CJ Carr-led offense every damn day.

Right?