K9Cane's Korner - The Slow Bleed in Lincoln...

[NVA CANE]

Bravo, 9er. Excellent piece..great job....

Comment.....

The defense: I said before the season stated that the defense would ultimately determine Golden and D's fate here at Miami. It's been evident since the first game of the 2011 season that there were serious questions about how these guys constructed and implemented their version of a multiple defense. When breaking this system down to it's core, the front seven just isn't disruptive. We react to any and everything.

I miss our roots...I miss our 40 fronts...I miss our coverages...

- agree about the safeties. I don't think we're fast at the position. I think I remember someone posting here that our fastest safety timed at 4.6ish?

- our corners from cover-2 aren't very good at being force players.

-when you play basically 3 DTs and still get your teeth knocked out verses the run, well, then something needs to be changed.

-I don't know how D no operates "quarters" coverage, but squat the entire secondary at 8-10 yards and declare. Manipulate the box with 8-9 players. ****, playside flow automatically turns it into an eight man front.

We are taking high level athletes like Artie burns and turning them into Lord knows what. The Artie burns I saw in high school did a few things he's never done here. Played aggressive. Played instinctual. Played fast. He looks completely lost out there. I have 0 doubt in my mind if he was at LSU, Bama, or FSU he would be a stud safety for one of those teams.

These coaches are robbing the university and robbing these student athletes.

This right here. It's not the players, these coaches are killing these kids future and career

 

[storm1926]

Maybe there are some business books Golden can read that talk about changing the way you do things when things aren't working

He likes the business books

 

[LuCane]

Maybe there are some business books Golden can read that talk about changing the way you do things when things aren't working

He likes the business books

If I hear him say something like "we're in a transformational process…"

 

[k9cane]

Maybe there are some business books Golden can read that talk about changing the way you do things when things aren't working

He likes the business books

If I hear him say something like "we're in a transformational process…"

He's becoming Arthur Fonzarelli, in other words, he's starting to jump the shark with some of his statements....

 

[The Franchise]

Nice write-up, k9, but the reason our Safeties (and everyone else you mentioned on D) suck is because of the corching. It's impossible to have so mainly highly recruited guys that everyone in the country wanted all coincidentally be busts who can't play. Is it easier to tackle a rolling soda machine like Abdullah The Butcher if you can get a couple hats on him early than it is when he has 7 yards to get a full head of steam before he's touched on any play?

You were very tough on the players in this write-up, and I just don't think that's justified given the corching constraints. Any team in the country would have been elated to have signed guys like Carter and Bush at Safety.

 

[The Franchise]

A couple thoughts on your post:

I think your title is perfect. What was so depressing about their offense/our defense was that it really was a relatively slow gashing. Abdullah's longest run was 26 yds, so he got his 225 yds mostly through runs of 7-15 yds at a time. Nebraska was almost always ahead of schedule, since it seemed like they got at least 3 (and usually 5+) yds on every first down.

They flashed a stat in the 3rd quarter that Nebraska was averaging 8 yards on 1st down. I don't think that number got better as the game progressed. You'll never beat anyone allowing them to gash you on the ground like that on 1st down.

 

[RaiseCane]

A couple thoughts on your post:

I think your title is perfect. What was so depressing about their offense/our defense was that it really was a relatively slow gashing. Abdullah's longest run was 26 yds, so he got his 225 yds mostly through runs of 7-15 yds at a time. Nebraska was almost always ahead of schedule, since it seemed like they got at least 3 (and usually 5+) yds on every first down.

They flashed a stat in the 3rd quarter that Nebraska was averaging 8 yards on 1st down. I don't think that number got better as the game progressed. You'll never beat anyone allowing them to gash you on the ground like that on 1st down.

It was unbelievably frustrating watching Nebraska methodically run it down the field. They were basically on schedule the entire night, and I think the only 2 or so times that they were behind schedule were due to penalties. Even when it seemed like we did a "good job," they'd gain 3 yards. I'd have to guess that the number of carries they had that went for 3 yards or less was probably 5 or so out of 54, which is simply mindblowing. In fact, I'm not quite sure why they threw it at all in the 2nd half. I was at the game and the Nebraska fans around me got frustrated the couple times they threw it in the 2nd half.

 

[The Franchise]

K9, thanks for the write up - hard to disagree with any of it.

Can you be more specific of what you saw in the players as they were filing out to the buses?

Im not gonna name names, but guys seemed like they were good with everything, like it was fine. Lotsa smiling and stuff. Again, I don't want to make too much of this because these guys are meeting up with friends and families but I just recall how the Johnson/Erickson players would react to losses( some would cry right on the field or be in disbelief just watch that BYU game in 1990 and the immediate aftermath). But this stuff is very reminscent of what I saw after the Clemson loss at 2004( and I mentioned it on Grassy back then).

Losing has to be a worse feeling, than whatever emotion you get from winning, if you want to be that type of program UM once was and what Bama and FSU are now. Perhaps that's unfair and not a lot of fun, but that's the deal.

BTW, seeing Golden's press conferences quotes, good grief, for a guy who once said all the right things -- now he's saying all the wrong things. I don't even know what to say anymore....

The team is corched by a loser who doesn't take losing hard. They're used to it.

The shame is when the young guys get infected with the disease, and they all do eventually. They come in like Kaaya and Berrios from winning teams with winning attitudes and then they turn into guys who readily accept getting their asses handed to them.

Bottom line: You play and act like you're coached.

 

[Dynasty]

Nice write-up, k9, but the reason our Safeties (and everyone else you mentioned on D) suck is because of the corching. It's impossible to have so mainly highly recruited guys that everyone in the country wanted all coincidentally be busts who can't play. Is it easier to tackle a rolling soda machine like Abdullah The Butcher if you can get a couple hats on him early than it is when he has 7 yards to get a full head of steam before he's touched on any play?

You were very tough on the players in this write-up, and I just don't think that's justified given the corching constraints. Any team in the country would have been elated to have signed guys like Carter and Bush at Safety.

I think the criticism regarding safety is fair. I think we need more speed and range from the position. That said, Bush actually fits the mode of what you're looking for in a modern day safety. Someone who is a former high school cornerback, capable of providing solid deep coverage and good tacking ability in space. And although he's struggled with the latter, I do agree that it is asking an awful lot of him to be a force player when aligned at 15 yards (if that's actually the case). So, yes, there are some coaching constraints which need correcting.

When Carter signed with UM I thought he would make an outstanding SLB. In Miami's traditional 4-3, he would give you solid coverage (a former safety and space player), especially when detaching from the box against a slot receiver (zone coverage). With Carter at SLB there's enough speed at OLB where you could actually play base against 2x1 sets.

We just need more speed in the back seven. It's there. I know speed isn't everything, but you simply can't teach it. Safeties running 4.6ish? Man, historically, that's below average linebacker speed at UM. At least it use to be. Heck, we've even had some DLmen who actually ran 4.6ish.

I think Burns at safety would be interesting. I like the idea. I also like Gunter there too. If nothing else, it would be an instant upgrade in terms of speed and coverage ability. JMO.

 

[The Franchise]

Nice write-up, k9, but the reason our Safeties (and everyone else you mentioned on D) suck is because of the corching. It's impossible to have so mainly highly recruited guys that everyone in the country wanted all coincidentally be busts who can't play. Is it easier to tackle a rolling soda machine like Abdullah The Butcher if you can get a couple hats on him early than it is when he has 7 yards to get a full head of steam before he's touched on any play?

You were very tough on the players in this write-up, and I just don't think that's justified given the corching constraints. Any team in the country would have been elated to have signed guys like Carter and Bush at Safety.

I think the criticism regarding safety is fair. I think we need more speed and range from the position. That said, Bush actually fits the mode of what you're looking for in a modern day safety. Someone who is a former high school cornerback, capable of providing solid deep coverage and good tacking ability in space. And although he's struggled with the latter, I do agree that it is asking an awful lot of him to be a force player when aligned at 15 yards (if that's actually the case). So, yes, there are some coaching constraints which need correcting.

When Carter signed with UM I thought he would make an outstanding SLB. In Miami's traditional 4-3, he would give you solid coverage (a former safety and space player), especially when detaching from the box against a slot receiver (zone coverage). With Carter at SLB there's enough speed at OLB where you could actually play base against 2x1 sets.

We just need more speed in the back seven. It's there. I know speed isn't everything, but you simply can't teach it. Safeties running 4.6ish? Man, historically, that's below average linebacker speed at UM. At least it use to be. Heck, we've even had some DLmen who actually ran 4.6ish.

I think Burns at safety would be interesting. I like the idea. I also like Gunter there too. If nothing else, it would be an instant upgrade in terms of speed and coverage ability. JMO.

I don't think the criticism is fair at all. I think there's plenty of athleticism at Safety and two of the main guys back there were Alabama/LSU recruits. Athletes always look slow when they're thinking too much and being asked to do things that they shouldn't be doing.

I just find it way too coincidental that all of our big-time recruits look like **** in the secondary. Guys like Bush, Carter, Howard, and Burns were all good enough for the likes of Bama and LSU, but they suddenly can't play in the ACC. Doesn't compute.

 

[Dynasty]

Nice write-up, k9, but the reason our Safeties (and everyone else you mentioned on D) suck is because of the corching. It's impossible to have so mainly highly recruited guys that everyone in the country wanted all coincidentally be busts who can't play. Is it easier to tackle a rolling soda machine like Abdullah The Butcher if you can get a couple hats on him early than it is when he has 7 yards to get a full head of steam before he's touched on any play?

You were very tough on the players in this write-up, and I just don't think that's justified given the corching constraints. Any team in the country would have been elated to have signed guys like Carter and Bush at Safety.

I think the criticism regarding safety is fair. I think we need more speed and range from the position. That said, Bush actually fits the mode of what you're looking for in a modern day safety. Someone who is a former high school cornerback, capable of providing solid deep coverage and good tacking ability in space. And although he's struggled with the latter, I do agree that it is asking an awful lot of him to be a force player when aligned at 15 yards (if that's actually the case). So, yes, there are some coaching constraints which need correcting.

When Carter signed with UM I thought he would make an outstanding SLB. In Miami's traditional 4-3, he would give you solid coverage (a former safety and space player), especially when detaching from the box against a slot receiver (zone coverage). With Carter at SLB there's enough speed at OLB where you could actually play base against 2x1 sets.

We just need more speed in the back seven. It's there. I know speed isn't everything, but you simply can't teach it. Safeties running 4.6ish? Man, historically, that's below average linebacker speed at UM. At least it use to be. Heck, we've even had some DLmen who actually ran 4.6ish.

I think Burns at safety would be interesting. I like the idea. I also like Gunter there too. If nothing else, it would be an instant upgrade in terms of speed and coverage ability. JMO.

I don't think the criticism is fair at all. I think there's plenty of athleticism at Safety and two of the main guys back there were Alabama/LSU recruits. Athletes always look slow when they're thinking too much and being asked to do things that they shouldn't be doing.

I just find it way too coincidental that all of our big-time recruits look like **** in the secondary. Guys like Bush, Carter, Howard, and Burns were all good enough for the likes of Bama and LSU, but they suddenly can't play in the ACC. Doesn't compute.

Of course the system is trash. We agree on that.

 

[k9cane]

K9, thanks for the write up - hard to disagree with any of it.

Can you be more specific of what you saw in the players as they were filing out to the buses?

Im not gonna name names, but guys seemed like they were good with everything, like it was fine. Lotsa smiling and stuff. Again, I don't want to make too much of this because these guys are meeting up with friends and families but I just recall how the Johnson/Erickson players would react to losses( some would cry right on the field or be in disbelief just watch that BYU game in 1990 and the immediate aftermath). But this stuff is very reminscent of what I saw after the Clemson loss at 2004( and I mentioned it on Grassy back then).

Losing has to be a worse feeling, than whatever emotion you get from winning, if you want to be that type of program UM once was and what Bama and FSU are now. Perhaps that's unfair and not a lot of fun, but that's the deal.

BTW, seeing Golden's press conferences quotes, good grief, for a guy who once said all the right things -- now he's saying all the wrong things. I don't even know what to say anymore....

The team is corched by a loser who doesn't take losing hard. They're used to it.

The shame is when the young guys get infected with the disease, and they all do eventually. They come in like Kaaya and Berrios from winning teams with winning attitudes and then they turn into guys who readily accept getting their asses handed to them.

Bottom line: You play and act like you're coached.

Chise that's my greatest fear, our version of the football Stockholm Syndrome, where guys get used to it and accept their fate and today's freshman, in a year or two, have the same mentality

I get the sinking feeling Golden is losing some guys...

 

[bambam]

Franchise,

Dude you absolutely nailed on all your thoughts! And those wanting to place all of the blame on D'onofrio, go back into Al's past........this is HIS defense of choice and his brother-in-law was hand-picked (or hen-pecked) to run that scheme. It's been stated before; no D'O no AG! So they all must go.

I'm starting to wonder what was the real reason for Barrow's stepping down. Could it be because he does not agree with the flawed "process." Al's process is the living example of insanity. Keep doing it, it'll work! No it will not! At least not with the current talent. I'm not of the opinion that we are not talented on defense, we simply do not have the personnel to run that base 3-4 defense. It is very effective when you have the right personnel, and this is yet another indictment on AG. A good CEO has the wisdom and willingness to manipulate or massage his philosophy when he does not have the talent to fit his system. This defense can be outstanding in the right scheme because they are talented ans was pursued by the top programs in the country.

Lastly, I do not think we should ever consider going back to a Butch Davis or any of the former coaches mentioned as replacements. Think of this way - Nick Saban was an unknown assistant at MSU before he started his ascent the being the best at his craft and there are many other examples. The point is, get someone who The U can realistically afford and let them drive this program back to stardom. Do a little research on Ruffin McNeill @ East Carolina. Watch him work his team during the games. They are like soldiers under his complete control and they are convinced they can do anything. That's high-level coaching. AG will make $2.138m this year and McNeill will make $400k....do the math. Better coach/less money and he's doing it with players rated as NR, 1*, 2*, & 3*s. Ask Beamer and Fidora how good he is. McNeill handled a VT team and curb-stoomped NC. Sadly both of those teams will probably beat us!

I'm a loyalist but my faith in Golden is gone. A friend of mine mentioned AG as a replacement for Donna and I replied with "that may be his calling." AG is administrative material just not cut out to call shots from the trenches. Bring in Ruffin and his staff, keep JColey, & Ice, and watch this program compete next year!

 

[UMJer026]

The safeties are fast enough, they're just playing slow because of what they're asked to do.

 

[CANE1775]

Good stuff Burt.

 

[Pentagon Cane]

It's embarrassing, but the university painted itself into a corner when they hand out multi-year extensions like candy to someone who doesn't deserve it. Will they have the stomach to fire him and pay him off to go away? I just don't see it, sadly, until we get crowds of 5-10k at Son Life.


And believe me, those days are coming.

My understanding is the buyout is a little more favorable under the extension. We're at the point now where if the university makes another change it will make the necessary investment to bring in a quality guy with quality assistants. This would be the 4th coach in 10 years.

 

[LuCane]

Nice write-up, k9, but the reason our Safeties (and everyone else you mentioned on D) suck is because of the corching. It's impossible to have so mainly highly recruited guys that everyone in the country wanted all coincidentally be busts who can't play. Is it easier to tackle a rolling soda machine like Abdullah The Butcher if you can get a couple hats on him early than it is when he has 7 yards to get a full head of steam before he's touched on any play?

You were very tough on the players in this write-up, and I just don't think that's justified given the corching constraints. Any team in the country would have been elated to have signed guys like Carter and Bush at Safety.

I think the criticism regarding safety is fair. I think we need more speed and range from the position. That said, Bush actually fits the mode of what you're looking for in a modern day safety. Someone who is a former high school cornerback, capable of providing solid deep coverage and good tacking ability in space. And although he's struggled with the latter, I do agree that it is asking an awful lot of him to be a force player when aligned at 15 yards (if that's actually the case). So, yes, there are some coaching constraints which need correcting.

When Carter signed with UM I thought he would make an outstanding SLB. In Miami's traditional 4-3, he would give you solid coverage (a former safety and space player), especially when detaching from the box against a slot receiver (zone coverage). With Carter at SLB there's enough speed at OLB where you could actually play base against 2x1 sets.

We just need more speed in the back seven. It's there. I know speed isn't everything, but you simply can't teach it. Safeties running 4.6ish? Man, historically, that's below average linebacker speed at UM. At least it use to be. Heck, we've even had some DLmen who actually ran 4.6ish.

I think Burns at safety would be interesting. I like the idea. I also like Gunter there too. If nothing else, it would be an instant upgrade in terms of speed and coverage ability. JMO.

Ya'll know where I stand on this. I'm biased because I'm usually in support of players and especially DBs (Safeties, specifically). I don't think we're moving completely back to Safeties as OLBs. Modern football has plenty of Safeties who aren't very fast, but play/think fast. I think, relative to what I see from other teams, our Safeties are sufficiently fast and have decent enough range.

Bush and Carter (amongst other DBs) are playing wildly tentative football. A key indicator for me is Dallas Crawford. He's a naturally instinctive and aggressive player. He looks like pure crap right now. That makes you raise an eyebrow. Did he suddenly lose his willingness to be a generally downhill player? I mentioned in my summary after the game that we're asking Safeties to come down from 14-15 yards (when we're in 2 Safeties deep, we're typically at 10-12) and tackle pianos rolling downhill. And, that I'd hate playing Safety in this system.

As I think Coach Macho pointed out, we're technically asking them to set the edge as if they're OLBs playing 3 yards off the ball. One can easily deduce why these two things lead to consistent plays beyond the LOS. In theory, it provides incredible security for our defense against the big play and sufficient support against the run where we'd limit plays to 4-5 yards and wait for the offense to self-destruct. In reality, guys make mistakes when they're in tough spots and 4 yards turns into 6 or 8 or 12.