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King talks offensive performance in first scrimmage

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Coach Macho said:
If the offense struggled I'd be saying it's a new system with a bunch of new players and it's understandable.

I've been a part of rebuilding a couple programs. Generally when there's new schemes being installed, the defense is ALWAYS ahead of the offense. In this case, only one half of the ball is new (offense)...so the defense should REALLY be ahead of the offense.

The whole offense isn't even in yet, I can guarantee that. But the whole defense is definitely in.

There weren't just "some big plays". Look at the YPC averages for the RB's and WR's.
I don't care whether it was against the 1st string or 3rd string. 2ND AND 3RD STRING OFFENSIVE GUYS WERE MAKING PLAYS. It wasn't like we had certified veterans making plays against the back-up defense.

Restrepo, a 3-star True Freshman, had a 70 yard TD run and two catches for 50-something yards? So he averaged 40 yards per touch? Unless our 2nd and 3rd string defense still has 9th graders on it, how does this not warrant concern? LOL

Yall act like we should give this defensive staff the benefit of the doubt after seeing what happened to them any time they've faced a legit spread OC.

Maybe I'm overreacting but let's see how the next scrimmage goes.
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I’m done getting hype for this program
 
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I think it’s both. King is a stud who has had time to study our defense. Lashlee too. We know what happens when good DCs and smart QBs have time to prepare for Baker. We get shredded.

So we should be excited about the offense. Because King and Lashlee are the real deal.

But we should also worry about the defense. I mean, we did lose to UNC, FIU, Duke, Ga Tech and La Tech last year. I realize the offense was horrible. But the defense wasn’t great. Our DTs and CBs, especially, have something to prove.
 
grover said:
I think it’s both. King is a stud who has had time to study our defense. Lashlee too. We know what happens when good DCs and smart QBs have time to prepare for Baker. We get shredded.

So we should be excited about the offense. Because King and Lashlee are the real deal.

But we should also worry about the defense. I mean, we did lose to UNC, FIU, Duke, Ga Tech and La Tech last year. I realize the offense was horrible. But the defense wasn’t great. Our DTs and CBs, especially, have something to prove.
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I will say this though...

If the offense ends up being as good as we think it can, our defense is still good enough to win most of our games.
 
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Coach Macho said:
I will say this though...

If the offense ends up being as good as we think it can, our defense is still good enough to win most of our games.
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I hear what Macho is saying, this unit, even sans GR15, has some real talent in the front seven, but there's something uncoordinated about Blake Baker's defense. That first half of that Vatech game still bother me. It was as poorly as coached and prepared a unit as I can remember..
 
Coach Macho said:
I will say this though...

If the offense ends up being as good as we think it can, our defense is still good enough to win most of our games.
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Offense: Coordinator = A+, TE = A+, QB = A, RB = A, WR = A-/B+, Interior OL = B, OT = C-. If Lashlee/King can mitigate the OT situation, we will score a crapload of points.

Defense: Coordinator = C, DE = A and S = A though both not enough depth, OLB = A-/B+, STK = B, MLB = B-, CBs = B, DT = TBD

Good OCs can game plan against us. Spread, dual-threat QB, and power run teams can gash us. We are feast/famine under Baker who gets too cute with his blitz packages that get picked up too often.

Even with our issues, though, I agree we should win a lot of games. Replacing the OOC games and Duke with Clemson and Louisville makes it a lot tougher though. Our schedule has to be one of the toughest in the hardest in the country.
 
Coach Macho said:
What's it say about our defense when a brand new offense, with a bunch of brand new players, is able to have their way with us? The whole offense likely isn't even installed yet and the defense is on like year 34. It's a good thing we don't play against Lashlee.

Judging by the stats, there were a lot of big plays as well as a high YPC (carry & catch) average. The offense was taking chunks out of our defense, which is no surprise considering what we've seen any decent spread OC due to our defense over the last few years.

I feel like the defense should be ahead of the offense right now.

Maybe it's hyperbole on my part and I'm just jumping to conclusions. Y'all think I'm trippin?
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NO, here's:

 
k9cane said:
That first half of that Vatech game still bother me. It was as poorly as coached and prepared a unit as I can remember..
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LOL...VT's TE just scored again.

Our LB unit was/is easily the worse coached unit on the entire team.

If Shaq had a legit LB coach He goes 2nd or 3rd Rd., no way Shaq was a 5th Rd. pick.
 
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Coach Macho said:
What's it say about our defense when a brand new offense, with a bunch of brand new players, is able to have their way with us? The whole offense likely isn't even installed yet and the defense is on like year 34. It's a good thing we don't play against Lashlee.

Judging by the stats, there were a lot of big plays as well as a high YPC (carry & catch) average. The offense was taking chunks out of our defense, which is no surprise considering what we've seen any decent spread OC due to our defense over the last few years.

I feel like the defense should be ahead of the offense right now.

Maybe it's hyperbole on my part and I'm just jumping to conclusions. Y'all think I'm trippin?
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wasn't there a few defensive starters sitting out the 1st scrimmage? I would be curious to see how the offense does when they are back in. Roche, Nesta, a couple of others on dline sat out.
 
People forget that Baker is our DC and not Manny. Last season Manny had to step in because Baker wasn't getting it done. If something similar happens again this season, we'll have a new DC in 21
 
Mahoney-Pearson said:
a little.

King is a big deal; any other QB doesn't necessarily pull it all together like that. The tempo, quick reads and OL improvement can't be overlooked either. Credit to Manny for making some strong decisions on offense.

I think the D will fine but it's generally limited by Baker. He seems too low energy and passive on downs when he should be aggressive. Bend but don't break defense.
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Strong decisions? ****, any idiot could fire Enos and hire Lashlee and know it's an upgrade.

I'll agree. King is a really big deal. The tempo is a big deal. The OL improvement due to those two things, plus added depth and experience is a big deal.

Our D has been facing absolute garbage in practice for years, so I am not shocked one bit the O did well against them. Just wait until the ACC faces this O.
 
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Coach Macho said:
What's it say about our defense when a brand new offense, with a bunch of brand new players, is able to have their way with us? The whole offense likely isn't even installed yet and the defense is on like year 34. It's a good thing we don't play against Lashlee.

Judging by the stats, there were a lot of big plays as well as a high YPC (carry & catch) average. The offense was taking chunks out of our defense, which is no surprise considering what we've seen any decent spread OC due to our defense over the last few years.

I feel like the defense should be ahead of the offense right now.

Maybe it's hyperbole on my part and I'm just jumping to conclusions. Y'all think I'm trippin?
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1st scrimmage plus there is alot we don't know. Base defense etc, we'll know more game 1 but it also says alot about the qb plus the offense.
 
Coach Macho said:
Ok but...
Who's Silvera right now? LOL
He ain't done ****.
He definitely hasn't established himself as someone who would warrant your defense being shredded if he wasn't in the game.
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I think you bring up a valid concern. I just don't think Baker is the guy and as soneone said he limits the defense. Its early and there were many defensive guys out for the scrimmage so we'll see. I do feel the next step for this program will be Manny admitting to himself that he isn't the most brilliant Defensive Coordinator in the world and bring in a DC who can show him a few things.
 
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I definitely think if Lashlee's O is for real and we're scoring lots of points in an uptempo fashion it puts the D back on the field quite a bit, albeit with a lead more often than not, which puts baker in an even bigger spot to be further exposed than he was last year. I think our talent on D is good and the natural growth, maturity of some key guys at DT & in the secondary may bail out bakers poor coaching.
 
k9cane said:
I hear what Macho is saying, this unit, even sans GR15, has some real talent in the front seven, but there's something uncoordinated about Blake Baker's defense. That first half of that Vatech game still bother me. It was as poorly as coached and prepared a unit as I can remember..
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Baker is atrocious! The dude was in way over his head last year. Just look at the guy in interviews and pressers. He looks fidgety and uncomfortable because he knows he's way out of his league. Good OCs will give him trouble. Very good to great OCs will curb stomp him. The only thing that bailed him out last year was the talent he is fortunate enough to be coaching. Speaking of the talent at his disposal, anyone paying attention last year could tell that he had no earthly clue how to use the talent on his defense. Without GR15 last year Baker would have been routinely bent over the sink.


As excited as I am about finally running the type of offense that is best suited for our natural talent base I am also very apprehensive about what to expect on defense. I have a bad feeling that Baker is going to have us in shootout after shootout. What may save him somewhat is that the overall talent and depth on defense is getting better and better each year. I have to think that Manny isn't brain dead enough to let this goofball have full autonomy over the defense.

Manny needs to be the defacto DC this season. Diaz would have to be a real piece of Samsonite to put his career in the hands of a rube like Baker. Unless I am proven to be completely wrong on the above, then Manny's next off-season move is going to have to be getting the best DC he can get in here. Assuming that we continue to recruit the way we have been, getting a quality DC shouldn't be a problem as this defense continues to stack elite athletes.
 
FrancisSaywer said:
Baker is atrocious! The dude was in way over his head last year. Just look at the guy in interviews and pressers. He looks fidgety and uncomfortable because he knows he's way out of his league. Good OCs will give him trouble. Very good to great OCs will curb stomp him. The only thing that bailed him out last year was the talent he is fortunate enough to be coaching. Speaking of the talent at his disposal, anyone paying attention last year could tell that he had no earthly clue how to use the talent on his defense. Without GR15 last year Baker would have been routinely bent over the sink.

As excited as I am about finally running the type of offense that is best suited for our natural talent base I am also very apprehensive about what to expect on defense. I have a bad feeling that Baker is going to have us in shootout after shootout. What may save him somewhat is that the overall talent and depth on defense is getting better and better each year. I have to think that Manny isn't brain dead enough to let this goofball have full autonomy over the defense.

Manny needs to be the defacto DC this season. Diaz would have to be a real piece of Samsonite to put his career in the hands of a rube like Baker. Unless I am proven to be completely wrong on the above, then Manny's next off-season move is going to have to be getting the best DC he can get in here. Assuming that we continue to recruit the way we have been, getting a quality DC shouldn't be a problem as this defense continues to stack elite athletes.
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I get the feeling that Baker is on a short leash.... he screws up like last year especially with the offense doing well, he is gone....

With Enos' shenanigans last year, I think Manuel had his hands full... this year might be different.
 
caneworld said:
I get the feeling that Baker is on a short leash.... he screws up like last year especially with the offense doing well, he is gone....

With Enos' shenanigans last year, I think Manuel had his hands full... this year might be different.
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Manny can’t afford any shenanigans or he is screwed. But will he have the stones to rid himself of the yes men on defense. The only one there not his boy is Rumph. And every offseason Rumph gets fired. It would make me smile ear to ear if manny canned Baker and patke and brought in a respected DC. Cause then at least I know he’s got the stones to be a P5 coach
 
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