What does everyone think of the 3 new asst. coaches<!-- google_ad_section_end -->
I have been very impressed with the way the offensive line and running backs have responsed to their new coaches. the only problem i have seen is the D-Line but everyone is trying to put that on age and lack of experience. I hope Coach Hart can get these kids motivated to play to their abilities. i was wondering if anyone had any additional thoughts on this
Verducci and Alford's boys are getting the job done. Is it the coaches or simply one more season gave the backs and OLs the maturity, strength, and experience they lacked under Latina and Heywood?
Would the defense be any better with Jappy Oliver coaching the DLs? I don't think so.
Do you really think think the DLines problem is lack of motivation? They seem game to me. They're trying but just not getting it done.
The Front 7 is a patchwork. Johnson was moved inside due to a lack of capable DTs. That left whole at DE. So the second year rookie, KLM, was plugged in. And he plays like a rookie. Ryan was vilified last year by the fans. He got replaced and now he's back - because there's still no one better than he is.
Toryan couldn't get on the field for most of 3 years despite some of his detractors today being the same posters that demanded he play! So now he's on the field and they want him replaced by someone who can't beat him out.
Brian Smith is an OLB who has played inside for a couple of seasons - out of necessity. He's still there - by necessity. A poster in another thread complained that Smith "wasn't doing anything?. Strange comment considering that Brian is 3rd on the team in tackles, he's 2nd in TFL by a half TFL to fellow "underachiever" Toryan Smith and they each have a sack representing 50% of the team sacks.
The detractors ignore that under Tenuta the LBs are going to be blitzing frequently which means less opportunities for tackles. They're supposed to be harassers, disrupters not the tackling machines like Crable, Golic, and Heimkrieter. Funny thing is teams used to run the ball 50 or 60 times a game. With the exception of Navy and few others that doesn't happen today. Now there are teams that pass that much. OSU isn't "3 Yards and a Cloud of Dust" USC isn't running Study Body Right. Teams aren't running Power I, Full House backfields, and Dive series like they used to when Bolcar, and Stonebreaker were making tackles in bushels.
ND opponents this season have passed 100 times and run 92. To offset the talent/experience problem Tenuta's blitzed a lot. In the opener against Nevada, the plan was to contain the outside, keep Kaepernick and Taua in the middle of the field. Brian Smith was assigned to shadow Kaepernick. He did and Kaepernick was neutralized. Taua had a big day but did NO DAMAGE. He got his yards between the 20's. He did NOT SCORE. The GamePlan worked. Smith and Company keep Kaepernick off HIS passing and running game though containment and harassment and funneled most of the running plays into the middle of the field. "The Pistol" shot blanks.
Strange thing despite all the protestations about ND's "porous" defense, opponents have only scored 6 times in 11 trips to the Red Zone.
The ND defense is ranked #5 in Red Zone Efficiency at 55%. OU is #1 with 40% Efficiency. Houston, PSU, and PIT are tied for #2 with 50% Efficiency. I'll bet not one of the lamenting ND posters knew that ND is ranked among the Red Zone defensive leaders.
The fans demand that the Messiah LB play NOW. but when he has, he's acted more like Moses lost in the desert than a Savior. Funny thing but the real Messiah had fans calling for Him early. He told them it wasn't time yet more preparation was needed.
The Defense would be stronger with Brian Smith at OLB IF Te'o (or anyone else) icould handle the inside position. But so far he having trouble finding the position on the field much less filling it. If he's have trouble knowing where to line up how can anyone expect him to make the reads and the calls the MLB is supposed to?
The Front 7 is a concern. What a newsflash. Mark May said that preseason along with most everyone else. There was hope the rookies and other first time players would all pan out, that the players out of position would get meaningful support, and that Robbing Peter To Pay Paul would work.
The Defense is a work in progress and has a long way to go but without the bad calls taking ND points of the board, and bad calls amplied by bonehead penalties aiding opponents drives, ND defensive performances to date were sufficient for a 3-0 record.
