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SUNDAY BUZZ COLUMN
UM defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio sits inside his cocoon, focused solely on improving his unit while ignoring searing criticism from fans and former Hurricanes players.
Over the past three months, D'Onofrio has been subjected to scathing attacks from Warren Sapp, Eric Winston and Duane Starks, and subtle shots from others, including former cornerback Phillip Buchanon.
Buchanon thanked Sapp for ripping D'Onofrio on Twitter and then tweeted: "The truth about Al Folden."
D'Onofrio said Saturday he hadn't known about any of this. He said he wasn't aware any of these players had said anything about him.
"I'm not going to worry about that," he said. "The guys in the building understand what we're doing. I can only worry about coaching the guys here and trying to get them to execute at a higher level."
To refresh, here's what the former UM standouts have said:
### Sapp: "The D coordinator is killing my school. That looks like no Miami defense in the history of our school... Don't talk to me about Al Golden and whatever the d-coordinator's name is. You don't ever hire someone you can't fire. That's the golden rule."
### Starks: “Miami is being outcoached [defensively] every week. They’re predictable. There’s no disguising. It’s embarrassing. I would get rid of some people. If you can’t coach good talent, there’s a problem.”
### Winston said D’Onofrio’s “scheme is brutal. Too bland, too vanilla. No imagination on his part.”
He said UM’s defense looks unprepared and “I don’t think it’s completely a personnel problem. There are some X’s and O’s things that aren’t smart. Al better be willing to ride or die with the guy. You will get to a point where your assistants will take you down. It upsets a lot of people knowing how close [friends] they are. If [D’Onofrio] was a **** of a coach, nobody would care. That’s not the case.”
Do Golden and UM athletic director Blake James dismiss this D’Onofrio criticism from former players as irrelevant or does it genuinely both them? They answered this way:
### Golden: "They played here. They have a right to say what they want to say. But at the same time, we've had a lot of coaches and players here that have been through a very difficult period. I know they are passionate about the program and the defense, but we are equally as passionate."
### James: “We all want our team to continue to improve in all phases… I love the passion that our former student athletes have for their program and at the same time recognize no one wants to play championship football more than our coaches and current student athletes.”
Keep in mind D’Onofrio is running the system Golden wants. And Golden remains committed to that system and to D’Onofrio, who said Saturday that UM will run both a 4-3 and 3-4 this season. Linebacker Denzel Perryman said UM "may change a little something" in its defensive approach but "I don't think it's going to be anything major."
Some former and current Hurricanes praise D'Onofrio publicly and privately, saying they’re well prepared and that he’s not responsible for the avalanche of defensive breakdowns over the past two seasons.
But some players wish D'Onofrio would play more man-to-man defense, blitz more and be more receptive to player suggestions.
Some Board of Trustees members are unhappy with D’Onofrio, according to a high-ranking trustee, but the UM administration never asked Golden to consider replacing him. A person who has coached on UM’s staff during D’Onofrio’s tenure said he believes D’Onofrio’s system should be simplified.
Give D’Onofrio credit for being more creative and bold in the Russell Athletic Bowl, including a blitz from Deon Bush that resulted in a safety. But UM still allowed 554 yards in a 36-9 loss to Louisville.
And despite a strong start, UM finished in the bottom half of the country in every key statistical category in 2013: 65th of 123 teams in scoring defense (26.8), 77th in run defense (176 yards per game), 88th in third-down conversion defense (31.9 percent success rate for opposing offenses, 45 percent in the final month), 89th in total defense (426.4 yards per game), 90th in pass defense (249.8), and 108th in fourth-down conversion defense (14 of 21 successful).
Former UM assistant coach Don Soldinger said he sees nothing wrong with D’Onofrio’s system. What bothers him is this: “You don’t see guys swarming to the football. Guys are hesitant. Sometimes, they’re not taking the right angles. I question if the effort was there for all 11 guys. Al will fix it; I think the guy is special.”
But Soldinger said “criticism that will come after this year or next will be justified” because these are Golden’s players.
Said former UM center Brett Romberg: “Seeing the same mistakes and not being able to correct it is 100 percent coaching. Either [D’Onofrio] needs to adjust or he needs to go.”
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...phins-heat-marlins-chatter.html#storylink=cpy
UM defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio sits inside his cocoon, focused solely on improving his unit while ignoring searing criticism from fans and former Hurricanes players.
Over the past three months, D'Onofrio has been subjected to scathing attacks from Warren Sapp, Eric Winston and Duane Starks, and subtle shots from others, including former cornerback Phillip Buchanon.
Buchanon thanked Sapp for ripping D'Onofrio on Twitter and then tweeted: "The truth about Al Folden."
D'Onofrio said Saturday he hadn't known about any of this. He said he wasn't aware any of these players had said anything about him.
"I'm not going to worry about that," he said. "The guys in the building understand what we're doing. I can only worry about coaching the guys here and trying to get them to execute at a higher level."
To refresh, here's what the former UM standouts have said:
### Sapp: "The D coordinator is killing my school. That looks like no Miami defense in the history of our school... Don't talk to me about Al Golden and whatever the d-coordinator's name is. You don't ever hire someone you can't fire. That's the golden rule."
### Starks: “Miami is being outcoached [defensively] every week. They’re predictable. There’s no disguising. It’s embarrassing. I would get rid of some people. If you can’t coach good talent, there’s a problem.”
### Winston said D’Onofrio’s “scheme is brutal. Too bland, too vanilla. No imagination on his part.”
He said UM’s defense looks unprepared and “I don’t think it’s completely a personnel problem. There are some X’s and O’s things that aren’t smart. Al better be willing to ride or die with the guy. You will get to a point where your assistants will take you down. It upsets a lot of people knowing how close [friends] they are. If [D’Onofrio] was a **** of a coach, nobody would care. That’s not the case.”
Do Golden and UM athletic director Blake James dismiss this D’Onofrio criticism from former players as irrelevant or does it genuinely both them? They answered this way:
### Golden: "They played here. They have a right to say what they want to say. But at the same time, we've had a lot of coaches and players here that have been through a very difficult period. I know they are passionate about the program and the defense, but we are equally as passionate."
### James: “We all want our team to continue to improve in all phases… I love the passion that our former student athletes have for their program and at the same time recognize no one wants to play championship football more than our coaches and current student athletes.”
Keep in mind D’Onofrio is running the system Golden wants. And Golden remains committed to that system and to D’Onofrio, who said Saturday that UM will run both a 4-3 and 3-4 this season. Linebacker Denzel Perryman said UM "may change a little something" in its defensive approach but "I don't think it's going to be anything major."
Some former and current Hurricanes praise D'Onofrio publicly and privately, saying they’re well prepared and that he’s not responsible for the avalanche of defensive breakdowns over the past two seasons.
But some players wish D'Onofrio would play more man-to-man defense, blitz more and be more receptive to player suggestions.
Some Board of Trustees members are unhappy with D’Onofrio, according to a high-ranking trustee, but the UM administration never asked Golden to consider replacing him. A person who has coached on UM’s staff during D’Onofrio’s tenure said he believes D’Onofrio’s system should be simplified.
Give D’Onofrio credit for being more creative and bold in the Russell Athletic Bowl, including a blitz from Deon Bush that resulted in a safety. But UM still allowed 554 yards in a 36-9 loss to Louisville.
And despite a strong start, UM finished in the bottom half of the country in every key statistical category in 2013: 65th of 123 teams in scoring defense (26.8), 77th in run defense (176 yards per game), 88th in third-down conversion defense (31.9 percent success rate for opposing offenses, 45 percent in the final month), 89th in total defense (426.4 yards per game), 90th in pass defense (249.8), and 108th in fourth-down conversion defense (14 of 21 successful).
Former UM assistant coach Don Soldinger said he sees nothing wrong with D’Onofrio’s system. What bothers him is this: “You don’t see guys swarming to the football. Guys are hesitant. Sometimes, they’re not taking the right angles. I question if the effort was there for all 11 guys. Al will fix it; I think the guy is special.”
But Soldinger said “criticism that will come after this year or next will be justified” because these are Golden’s players.
Said former UM center Brett Romberg: “Seeing the same mistakes and not being able to correct it is 100 percent coaching. Either [D’Onofrio] needs to adjust or he needs to go.”
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...phins-heat-marlins-chatter.html#storylink=cpy
