All Things SkunkBear

[Bogtrotter07]

Kind of reminds me of the guy that went to see the doc because he got a stabbing pain in his eye, every time he took a sip of his coffee. Doc told him to take the spoon out first . . .

 

[GBdomer]

And he still torched us

 

[BGIF]

DickRod at least knew how to run an offense. But the fact that Diaco went 1-2 against Borges...

Frightening to think what Borges could have done against Diaco with Navy players.

 

[ulukinatme]

You think Diaco saw the writing on the wall? Obviously he had one good season, but he was also blessed with a lot of leadership and NFL caliber players that year. I realize we had a lot of injuries on D last year, but Diaco certainly struggled against Michigan every year that wasn't 2012 and he had his share of problems with teams like Navy.

 

[Wingman Ray]

You think Diaco saw the writing on the wall? Obviously he had one good season, but he was also blessed with a lot of leadership and NFL caliber players that year. I realize we had a lot of injuries on D last year, but Diaco certainly struggled against Michigan every year that wasn't 2012 and he had his share of problems with teams like Navy.

I think Diaco sucked as a DC and was in way over his head. His defense worked because he had some really good athletes that were seasoned players in 2012.

I remember watching the games with him having the corners playing 10 yards off the ball and thinking, why dont they just do quick slants 3 yard passes? Easy first downs? Seems every time they opponents ran sweeps it was 7+ yards. That is what happens when you have a non attacking defense. Can you imagine what Tuitt would have done with an attacking DC?

 

[greyhammer90]

I think Diaco sucked as a DC and was in way over his head. His defense worked because he had some really good athletes that were seasoned players in 2012.

I remember watching the games with him having the corners playing 10 yards off the ball and thinking, why dont they just do quick slants 3 yard passes? Easy first downs? Seems every time they opponents ran sweeps it was 7+ yards. That is what happens when you have a non attacking defense. Can you imagine what Tuitt would have done with an attacking DC?

Man, it's a good thing that Purdue, Michigan, Stanford, MSU, USC, Miami, BYU, and Oklahoma's OCs weren't as smart as this.

 

[ACamp1900]

He was the most successful DC Notre Dame has had in what... AT LEAST 20 years??

Yeah, he sucked.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Man, it's a good thing that Purdue, Michigan, Stanford, MSU, USC, Miami, BYU, and Oklahoma's OCs weren't as smart as this.

It's amazing how short term our memories are. We were a pitiful team defensively then Diaco came in and we fielded a top 35 defense for 4 years (I believe). One year we were a top 2 defense and gave up like 3-5 rushing TDs?!?

Every defense is a compromise. He gave up the short stuff to prevent big gains and it worked well for us.

 

[West Coast Domer]

He was the most successful DC Notre Dame has had in what... AT LEAST 20 years??

Yeah, he sucked.

Well he sucked against Michigan but other games he was alright lol

 

[ThePiombino]

He was the most successful DC Notre Dame has had in what... AT LEAST 20 years??

Yeah, he sucked.

To be fair, ND hadn't fielded a defense that talented since the '90s.

 

[IrishLax]

Diaco was a great DC, and I think he'd excel in the NFL. His main issue was that he was a one trick pony and lacked depth of knowledge.

Against Michigan last year, we played super aggressive with a bunch of man coverage schemes that failed miserably. They failed miserably against Temple, too... the QB just couldn't hit the wide open WRs. Diaco/Kelly had picked this up from The Hoodie in the offseason... and Bill wasn't wrong. Diaco just didn't know how to coach/call that kind of defense, so the blitzes were predictable and left us exposed.

After the Michigan game we never, ever ran those man concepts again. We played very good if not great defense the rest of the way, despite injuries so bad that one game Carlo Calabrese was lining up at nose guard.

Diaco had a ton of flaws.. recruiting, etc... but I don't for a second believe he was anything close to "bad". His scheme was incredible at keeping points down and protecting the secondary.

 

[ACamp1900]

To be fair, ND hadn't fielded a defense that talented since the '90s.

He was a system DC I tell ya....

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Diaco was a great DC, and I think he'd excel in the NFL. His main issue was that he was a one trick pony and lacked depth of knowledge.

Against Michigan last year, we played super aggressive with a bunch of man coverage schemes that failed miserably. They failed miserably against Temple, too... the QB just couldn't hit the wide open WRs. Diaco/Kelly had picked this up from The Hoodie in the offseason... and Bill wasn't wrong. Diaco just didn't know how to coach/call that kind of defense, so the blitzes were predictable and left us exposed.

After the Michigan game we never, ever ran those man concepts again. We played very good if not great defense the rest of the way, despite injuries so bad that one game Carlo Calabrese was lining up at nose guard.

Diaco had a ton of flaws.. recruiting, etc... but I don't for a second believe he was anything close to "bad". His scheme was incredible at keeping points down and protecting the secondary.

LAX. Can we use this year as a baseline for a non two-gap, three-four defense, to contrast lineman injuries? Or should we look at the next couple?

 

[irishfan]

Diaco was a great DC, and I think he'd excel in the NFL. His main issue was that he was a one trick pony and lacked depth of knowledge.

Against Michigan last year, we played super aggressive with a bunch of man coverage schemes that failed miserably. They failed miserably against Temple, too... the QB just couldn't hit the wide open WRs. Diaco/Kelly had picked this up from The Hoodie in the offseason... and Bill wasn't wrong. Diaco just didn't know how to coach/call that kind of defense, so the blitzes were predictable and left us exposed.

After the Michigan game we never, ever ran those man concepts again. We played very good if not great defense the rest of the way, despite injuries so bad that one game Carlo Calabrese was lining up at nose guard.

Diaco had a ton of flaws.. recruiting, etc... but I don't for a second believe he was anything close to "bad". His scheme was incredible at keeping points down and protecting the secondary.

Bill is never wrong. New England 101 shit.

I liked Diaco as DC, cause you knew for the most part that his D would always keep you in the game. However, I was perfectly content with him leaving to go to UCONN. I just don't think he would ever have been the DC to get us over the hump. Case in point the Bama game when their O-Line shit all over us post-game:

Notre Dame is simple on defense," Jones told Sports Illustrated. "They're good because they [keep it] simple. But they're simple."

“We knew from film study that if we shifted a certain way, Notre Dame was probably going to shift a certain way that would give us some blocking angles,” elaborated Alabama guard Anthony Steen. “And they did. Every time.”

“It was kind of easy because they were so predictable,” said Crimson Tide offensive tackle D. J. Fluker. “They ran the same things they did on film.”

I don't think its any secret that Diaco essentially just tried to stop the run game and limit long pass plays. He ran a textbook bend-but-don't-break defense that relied on the opposition making mistakes. It's going to slow down 90% of opponents. Not going to be successful against elite offenses though.

Our starting 2012 defense has had 7 guys drafted already. That doesn't include KVR. The only ones who weren't were Farley, Fox, and Spond. If we didn't have a top-5 defense with 8 NFL players out there, then he should've been fired.

Not to mention he was good for one WTF game every single season. Navy in 2010, Michigan in 2011, Bama in 2012, Michigan/Navy in 2013.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

His scheme was incredible at keeping points down and protecting the secondary.

Unless we were facing a mobile QB. Then it was a coin-flip whether we'd get embarrassed or not.

But I largely agree with the last several posts. Diaco's defense ranged from very good to elite over the last four years. It was probably time for him to move on, but he at least deserves our respect and gratitude.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Bill is never wrong.

I liked Diaco as DC, cause you knew for the most part that his D would always keep you in the game. I just don't think he would ever have been the DC to get us over the hump. Case in point the Bama game when their O-Line shit all over us post-game:



I don't think its any secret that Diaco essentially just tried to stop the run game and limit long pass plays. He ran a textbook bend-but-don't-break defense that relied on the opposition making mistakes. It's going to slow down 90% of opponents. Not against elite offenses though.

Our starting 2012 defense has had 7 guys drafted already. That doesn't include KVR. The only ones who weren't were Farley, Fox, and Spond. If we didn't have a top-5 defense with 8 NFL players out there, then he should've been fired.

And Danny looks like he has found a roster spot! Any body keeping up with Prince's body count in Atlanta?

 

[ab2cmiller]

I didn't catch who Cowherd had on his program today, but evidently some San Fran insider. All speculation of course, but they said that if Hoke struggles again this year, it could be perfect timing for Harbaugh to return to UM. Evidently lots of conflict between Harbaugh and the front office of the 49'rs.

Here's hoping that the Skunkbears go 9-3 and keep the bumbling Hoke around.

 

[irishfan]

Here's hoping that the Skunkbears go 9-3 and keep the bumbling Hoke around.

Schedule is such a joke. Anything worse than 8-4 and he HAS to be fired:

Aug 30: vs. App State
Sep 6: at ND
Sep 13: vs. Miami (OH)
Sep 20: vs. Utah
Sep 27: vs. Minnesota
Oct 4: at Rutgers
Oct 11: vs. Penn State
Oct 25: at Mich State
Nov 1: vs. Indiana
Nov 8: at Northwestern
Nov 22: vs. Maryland
Nov 29: at OSU

 

[ThePiombino]

Schedule is such a joke. Anything worse than 8-4 and he HAS to be fired:

Aug 30: vs. App State
Sep 6: at ND
Sep 13: vs. Miami (OH)
Sep 20: vs. Utah
Sep 27: vs. Minnesota
Oct 4: at Rutgers
Oct 11: vs. Penn State
Oct 25: at Mich State
Nov 1: vs. Indiana
Nov 8: at Northwestern
Nov 22: vs. Maryland
Nov 29: at OSU

Smells like 8-5/9-4, depending on bowl opponent, to me. Hoping that's just enough for at least one more year, because I think Harbaugh to UM is very real, and we don't don't need anymore recruiting hurdles than we already have. Though, you have to think, if JH is genuinely interested in the UM job, even a 9-win season may not be enough to save Hoke's fat ass.

 

[ACamp1900]

Could be my fandom talking, but it usually feels like UM is a huge swing game for us while just being a nice early test for them in terms of how the two schedules lay out... this year though? ND is a big game for UM no question, they beat us? They are pretty set up.

 

[woolybug25]

Schedule is such a joke. Anything worse than 8-4 and he HAS to be fired:

Aug 30: vs. App State
Sep 6: at ND
Sep 13: vs. Miami (OH)
Sep 20: vs. Utah
Sep 27: vs. Minnesota
Oct 4: at Rutgers
Oct 11: vs. Penn State
Oct 25: at Mich State
Nov 1: vs. Indiana
Nov 8: at Northwestern
Nov 22: vs. Maryland
Nov 29: at OSU

Even at 8-4, that would probably mean that they lost to every quality opponent on the schedule. I wouldn't see that as progress if I was a skunkbear fan. I would be throwing my hands up and be ready for some change.

 

[Riddickulous]

Even at 8-4, that would probably mean that they lost to every quality opponent on the schedule. I wouldn't see that as progress if I was a skunkbear fan. I would be throwing my hands up and be ready for some change.

Bingo.

Ann Arbor will explode if Hoke loses all 3 rivalry games.

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

Even at 8-4, that would probably mean that they lost to every quality opponent on the schedule. I wouldn't see that as progress if I was a skunkbear fan. I would be throwing my hands up and be ready for some change.

Totally agree. 8-4 and Hoke is for sure gone. I personally think if he loses to 2 of us, MSU, and OSU, and they go 9-3, he is gone.

Talked to a Michigan fan the other night who told me he would take 4-8 right now if it meant Harbaugh coming back to Michigan. I laughed very hard.

 

[maison bleu]

Even at 8-4, that would probably mean that they lost to every quality opponent on the schedule. I wouldn't see that as progress if I was a skunkbear fan. I would be throwing my hands up and be ready for some change.

Concur.

 

[ulukinatme]

Who would Michigan possibly get at this point if Hoke gets ousted? I'm trying to think of a small time school that's had recent success, but it seems like a lot of those coaches got called up in the last few years to bigger programs.

 

[IrishLax]

Who would Michigan possibly get at this point if Hoke gets ousted? I'm trying to think of a small time school that's had recent success, but it seems like a lot of those coaches got called up in the last few years to bigger programs.

Michigan has great options. Both Harbaugh and Les Miles are realistic.

Dave Brandon is a problem though... think he sucks at his job and it is costing them big time.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Michigan has great options. Both Harbaugh and Les Miles are realistic.

Dave Brandon is a problem though... think he sucks at his job and it is costing them big time.

Les Miles is now realistic? I thought that he wasn't last time. Or is Michigan so desperate that the money will be too much to pass up?

 

[West Coast Domer]

We would get killed by the media if we played a schedule like Michigan. They better be ready week one against App St or it could get real ugly in Ann Arbor.

 

[returnofthemack]

Michigan has great options. Both Harbaugh and Les Miles are realistic.

Dave Brandon is a problem though... think he sucks at his job and it is costing them big time.

???

 

[ulukinatme]

Michigan has great options. Both Harbaugh and Les Miles are realistic.

Dave Brandon is a problem though... think he sucks at his job and it is costing them big time.

Les Miles is now realistic? I thought that he wasn't last time. Or is Michigan so desperate that the money will be too much to pass up?

I was under that assumption as well. Les Miles turned down the job last time, and he's got a pretty good thing going at LSU. Likewise, Harbaugh spurned his Alma Mater and had a few nasty things to say about them the last round. Not to mention at this point Michigan is probably a step down from the 49ers, especially if he needs to do some rebuilding.