Chad Thomas will play OLB: barry jackson sports buzz

[CaneAlmighty]

3 things plagued the defense last year:

1. Being in position to make a play but failing to do so - AJ Highsmith is the poster child for this, followed closely by Jimmy Gaines
2. Lack of a pass rush - It was better than 2012, and we had a bad break when Devante Bond didn't make it into school, but still not what we needed
3. Players wide open underneath - this is the biggest complaint I have when we talk about "scheme" - it feels like our linebackers have no idea what they are doing

I think #1 should be addressed reasonably well. Our safeties should be a better overall group, linebackers too. We're not losing anyone in the back 7 that we will miss. #2 should also improve, but it's hard to say how much. McCord definitely improved (and can continue improving), and hopefully we see more development from Kamalu and Muhammed. #3 is the toughest one, I don't have any reason why that would improve.

Still, our defense should improve this year.

I would add Shayon Green to the list of players that were in position to make plays but didn't.
He was also terrible on passing plays when he dropped back on coverage. The UL game comes to mind when Bush had the safety on Bridgewater. All the receivers and TE's rolled left and Shayon dropped straight to the flat on the right with no one 20 yards near him. It was just him and vast emptiness.
Now I don't know if that's coaching or lack of awareness coming from Green but I'd lean towards the latter. We had a lot of that the last 2 years. Kids just couldn't diagnose and react to plays.

 

[MdCanesFan]

Look at you guys..trying to coach up the board n s**t..please save your dream UM 4-3/3-4 alignments for your fantasy pools. Most of you guys wouldn't know which gap was which on defense if youtube wasn't involved. Say what you want about scheme and who's running it DEPTH was the 1st 2nd and 3rd problem with this defense last year. This year won't be a top 20 defense but because of depth it definitely wont be a bottom 40. I'll stand by this and once the season is over we can revisit if you'd like..

 

[RiDLer80]

I would add Shayon Green to the list of players that were in position to make plays but didn't.
He was also terrible on passing plays when he dropped back on coverage. The UL game comes to mind when Bush had the safety on Bridgewater. All the receivers and TE's rolled left and Shayon dropped straight to the flat on the right with no one 20 yards near him. It was just him and vast emptiness.
Now I don't know if that's coaching or lack of awareness coming from Green but I'd lean towards the latter. We had a lot of that the last 2 years. Kids just couldn't diagnose and react to plays.

Every player seems to have this same problem; dropping to a spot.

I'm sure Wildcat has some theories about our defenders spot-dropping.

 

[NorthFlaCane]

3 things plagued the defense last year:

1. Being in position to make a play but failing to do so - AJ Highsmith is the poster child for this, followed closely by Jimmy Gaines
2. Lack of a pass rush - It was better than 2012, and we had a bad break when Devante Bond didn't make it into school, but still not what we needed
3. Players wide open underneath - this is the biggest complaint I have when we talk about "scheme" - it feels like our linebackers have no idea what they are doing

I think #1 should be addressed reasonably well. Our safeties should be a better overall group, linebackers too. We're not losing anyone in the back 7 that we will miss. #2 should also improve, but it's hard to say how much. McCord definitely improved (and can continue improving), and hopefully we see more development from Kamalu and Muhammed. #3 is the toughest one, I don't have any reason why that would improve.

Still, our defense should improve this year.

I would add Shayon Green to the list of players that were in position to make plays but didn't.
He was also terrible on passing plays when he dropped back on coverage. The UL game comes to mind when Bush had the safety on Bridgewater. All the receivers and TE's rolled left and Shayon dropped straight to the flat on the right with no one 20 yards near him. It was just him and vast emptiness.
Now I don't know if that's coaching or lack of awareness coming from Green but I'd lean towards the latter. We had a lot of that the last 2 years. Kids just couldn't diagnose and react to plays.

I remember FSU's opening drive when Shayon Green had Winston out on the edge and simply lacked the athleticism to get the job done - It stands to reason that McCord or Muhammed should be able to do a better job

 

[NorthFlaCane]

I would add Shayon Green to the list of players that were in position to make plays but didn't.
He was also terrible on passing plays when he dropped back on coverage. The UL game comes to mind when Bush had the safety on Bridgewater. All the receivers and TE's rolled left and Shayon dropped straight to the flat on the right with no one 20 yards near him. It was just him and vast emptiness.
Now I don't know if that's coaching or lack of awareness coming from Green but I'd lean towards the latter. We had a lot of that the last 2 years. Kids just couldn't diagnose and react to plays.

Every player seems to have this same problem; dropping to a spot.

I'm sure Wildcat has some theories about our defenders spot-dropping.

Our zone seems to be ridiculously passive and, like I said earlier, it appears that many of the players do not know where they are supposed to be. Maybe our guys are in the right spot, but the spot is leaving giant holes in the defense.

 

[PowerIslam aka Sumdumgoy]

D’Onofrio expects undersized Jermaine Grace to assume a role at inside linebacker on third downs, replacing departed Tyrone Cornelius.

If we're only gonna get Grace on the field in obvious passing 3rd downs like we used McCord last year he's gonna be severely underused. Coach D didn't even put McCord in on 2nd and long plays which are more than likely passing downs as well.

Muhammad, whose only freshman sacks were against Savannah State, said he didn’t play nearly as well as he hoped last season.

Hopefully he's settled in now and can make more plays. I know he had Winston dead to rights a couple times against FSU last season but he came in too out of control and didn't make the play.

Yup

 

[User-4525]

Did anyone else catch this nugget?

"that leaves UM with four healthy backs: Gus Edwards (305 yards, 5.6 per carry last season), Walter Tucker (redshirted in 2013), former walk-on*DeAndre Johnson (the former Iowa scholarship player who had five rushes for*21 carries for UM last season) and Norland walk-on Quincy Casimir."

Did we award DeAndre Johnson a scholarship?

Hmmm

 

[FullyERicht]

3 things plagued the defense last year:

1. Being in position to make a play but failing to do so - AJ Highsmith is the poster child for this, followed closely by Jimmy Gaines
2. Lack of a pass rush - It was better than 2012, and we had a bad break when Devante Bond didn't make it into school, but still not what we needed
3. Players wide open underneath - this is the biggest complaint I have when we talk about "scheme" - it feels like our linebackers have no idea what they are doing

I think #1 should be addressed reasonably well. Our safeties should be a better overall group, linebackers too. We're not losing anyone in the back 7 that we will miss. #2 should also improve, but it's hard to say how much. McCord definitely improved (and can continue improving), and hopefully we see more development from Kamalu and Muhammed. #3 is the toughest one, I don't have any reason why that would improve.

Still, our defense should improve this year.

I would add Shayon Green to the list of players that were in position to make plays but didn't.
He was also terrible on passing plays when he dropped back on coverage. The UL game comes to mind when Bush had the safety on Bridgewater. All the receivers and TE's rolled left and Shayon dropped straight to the flat on the right with no one 20 yards near him. It was just him and vast emptiness.
Now I don't know if that's coaching or lack of awareness coming from Green but I'd lean towards the latter. We had a lot of that the last 2 years. Kids just couldn't diagnose and react to plays.

Apparently you aren't familiar with zone defense. SMH.

 

[FullyERicht]

We don't spot drop. We pattern match, but are horrendous at it b/c we play too many different guys in too many different roles and ask them all to be jack of all trades. We asked an unathletic, non Miami level defensive end to suddenly become a linebacker and not only cover guys and zone drop, but pattern match as well.

When you play a 3-4 cover three, the permutations of coverage are endless. Unfortunately, what it means is depending on the offenses alignment and shifts, guys have to change their pattern match rules quite often. Our LBs have been garbage for years. Much of that is b/c you have guys playing out of position, or in systems that don't allow them to excel. The biggest issue with our system is you are asking kids, many of whom have come from poor coaching environments, to wear multiple hats, before they can even properly don ONE hat.

 

[BlackKeysFan]

I know its been beaten to death, but I just don't get it. When I get drunk, I still don't get it. Except that I'm angrier about it.

This 3-4 makes no sense. Maybe somebody could do it better than the current staff, but a smart coach wouldn't do it at all. Even in down years, we can out talent most of our conference. We have horses at End now, don't make them occupy blockers. Put Mccord, Muhammad, Thomas, and Jackson on the end in a 4-3 and nobodys gonna be able to throw on us. We have elite secondary talent, 2-3 NFL linebakers, and a whole lot of Star power at end. This is doable. Anyone saying it isn't doable doesn't have Miami standards. If this is not a top 25 defense, then it won't ever be.

 

[Hegemon]

Scheme is an abomination

Perfectly stated and executed.

Then again there are idiots who will disagree.

 

[AtrainCane]

3 things plagued the defense last year:

1. Being in position to make a play but failing to do so - AJ Highsmith is the poster child for this, followed closely by Jimmy Gaines
2. Lack of a pass rush - It was better than 2012, and we had a bad break when Devante Bond didn't make it into school, but still not what we needed
3. Players wide open underneath - this is the biggest complaint I have when we talk about "scheme" - it feels like our linebackers have no idea what they are doing

I think #1 should be addressed reasonably well. Our safeties should be a better overall group, linebackers too. We're not losing anyone in the back 7 that we will miss. #2 should also improve, but it's hard to say how much. McCord definitely improved (and can continue improving), and hopefully we see more development from Kamalu and Muhammed. #3 is the toughest one, I don't have any reason why that would improve.

Still, our defense should improve this year.

I would add Shayon Green to the list of players that were in position to make plays but didn't.
He was also terrible on passing plays when he dropped back on coverage. The UL game comes to mind when Bush had the safety on Bridgewater. All the receivers and TE's rolled left and Shayon dropped straight to the flat on the right with no one 20 yards near him. It was just him and vast emptiness.
Now I don't know if that's coaching or lack of awareness coming from Green but I'd lean towards the latter. We had a lot of that the last 2 years. Kids just couldn't diagnose and react to plays.

I remember FSU's opening drive when Shayon Green had Winston out on the edge and simply lacked the athleticism to get the job done - It stands to reason that McCord or Muhammed should be able to do a better job

You would be amazed at how much I saw this in every game last year when I went back and watched. There was always 2-4 plays a game that SG was 1 step away from a sack or getting a hit on a qb that would make the pass incomplete. And almost every time he didn't get there it was a big play for the offense. Any normal run of the mill UM de with some speed and athleticism makes all those plays and the season would look a little diff. SG is a true cane and a warrior, but he was always a step slow when the qb should have been plastered.

 

[Sandman211]

3 things plagued the defense last year:

1. Being in position to make a play but failing to do so - AJ Highsmith is the poster child for this, followed closely by Jimmy Gaines
2. Lack of a pass rush - It was better than 2012, and we had a bad break when Devante Bond didn't make it into school, but still not what we needed
3. Players wide open underneath - this is the biggest complaint I have when we talk about "scheme" - it feels like our linebackers have no idea what they are doing

I think #1 should be addressed reasonably well. Our safeties should be a better overall group, linebackers too. We're not losing anyone in the back 7 that we will miss. #2 should also improve, but it's hard to say how much. McCord definitely improved (and can continue improving), and hopefully we see more development from Kamalu and Muhammed. #3 is the toughest one, I don't have any reason why that would improve.

Still, our defense should improve this year.

I would add Shayon Green to the list of players that were in position to make plays but didn't.
He was also terrible on passing plays when he dropped back on coverage. The UL game comes to mind when Bush had the safety on Bridgewater. All the receivers and TE's rolled left and Shayon dropped straight to the flat on the right with no one 20 yards near him. It was just him and vast emptiness.
Now I don't know if that's coaching or lack of awareness coming from Green but I'd lean towards the latter. We had a lot of that the last 2 years. Kids just couldn't diagnose and react to plays.

I remember FSU's opening drive when Shayon Green had Winston out on the edge and simply lacked the athleticism to get the job done - It stands to reason that McCord or Muhammed should be able to do a better job

You must have missed AQM over pursuing and missing winston a few times in that game as well.

I'm hoping you are correct, and that with a year of development and experience, AQM doesn't make that same mistake.