Picture Pages: (More) Freshman DB Doom

It's easy to think that missing one player is bad, but not the end of the world. That's what makes it so terrifying that missing Woolfolk legitimately cost us four points here on this solitary play. Frustrating to think what this defense would be like with him. Wouldn't solve all our problems, but dang.

i like that we try to do cartwheels on the field.  like in the second to last picture.  cartwheels are a proven defensive tactic.

Is all I can really say.

I am viewing any and all defensive series as "practice for 2011" at this point.  Getting mad at Avery is unfair and unproductive.  OTOH, there are glimmers of hope from him- I think he will be an asset next year. 

i blame the 3-3-5

But raise your hand if you knew the most productive contributor in 2010 from the Cass Tech crew would be Thomas Gordon.

Big Will, BooBoo, Teric Jones (not assumed to be a major contributor, but still), and yet, it's prison abs who actually makes a play here or there.

This post highlights that defense is about 11 guys completing their assignments.  If just one guy messes up, bad things happen. 

It's not that the coaches are terrible, the 3-3-5 doesn't work, or any other nonsense.  It's that we have a lot of inexperienced players making mistakes, and mistakes = blown coverage.

Hopefully the defense will continue to improve throughout the year.  A month of extra practices before a bowl game would be really helpful...

Someone will have to take the fall for all of these secondary shenanigans; like it or not, it's just the reality of being a large football program. 

C. Avery went to my wife's High School and was indeed a QB.  He was the best ATHLETE on the team. He was not a highly polished CB ticketed to go right on to the filed of an elite D1 school.

Hopefully posts like this help people understand what Gerg is working with. As someone said last weekend, can't remember who, and I paraphrase "Lombardi could be coaching this D and it would matter much.

Guys like Avery are probably going to be solid defensive players once they learn their position and mature. Unfortunately, many fans don't understand this, and have the patience for the development to occur.

Everyone is working as hard as they can to do the best they can, but the talent and experience just isn't there yet.

Thank You for the post and the continued education of me as a fan.

Anyone else think we will be sooo thankful for another year of Troy with a more experienced, complete team next year?  Redshirting is a gift...Let's hope he's 100%. 

And much like Cullen didn't see the field last week, let's follow Brian's advice and go with T. Gordon.  Sound good GERG?

You know how you sometimes you instantly like or dislike a player based on something totally idiotic like a quote or how he looks in his jersey or his name or his hype etc.?

Well this is me with Avery, I liked how they described him as a born leader, I liked how he was described as really quick with good change of direction for a corner, then he came out in his uniform and just looked like a corner and I then he made that play where he actually got a jam on the slot and knocked down a pass and I thought to myself you are so smart you knew he was going to out pace C. Christian even though everyone told you no.  You should be a scout.

Then the last 3 weeks happened.  I totally give these freshmen a free pass for this year since none of them came in early, but geesh it's hard to logically justify in your brain.   How could a kid this smart continually play the wrong defense?

I've convinced myself of this, everyone say a prayer it is true.  

He is so smart and wants to win so badly he is trying to do too much and he's forcing things that aren't there.   That's the only explanation.  

Maybe he's so advanced he is already on to route recognition pattern reading?   The nice thing that he has shown is that reroute was a thing we haven't seen much of and he's trying to make plays.  This experience will help him immensely in the offseason.  When they look at film and going over responsibilities he will be miles ahead of where he would have been just redshirting because he lived it.  His understanding of offenses will be greatly accelerated and I expect him to be pushing Floyd next year and be in the nickle package., but this is the price we pay right now. 

Missing Troy Woolfolk is an enormous deal.

we knew it would be. I remember someone saying his loss would cost us an entire game all by itself...perhaps this was the one. Hopefully the only one

The only difference I see is that in a pro 3-4 the 4th LB is athletic enough to do what our "hybrid S/LB"  does with a little more size. That's the perk of being able to buy your LBs. The 5th/1st (not sure how to call it) DB basically justs sits low in the zone or blitzes. For those opposing this scheme, what do we switch to? Use a 4-3 and add more help to a good DL and take away people in coverage from a poor DB core?

I do like RR's solution and move Big Will to OG.......LOL WUT?

If you want to avoid the feeling of aaaaaaaaargh.

The way he sets up the LT outside and then beats him inside is pure awesome.

I would like to point out that this touchdown probably wouldn't have happened if James Rogers was even a decent tackler.  Rogers catches the receiver before he gets to the pylon, but he bites on a stupid deke - the equivalent of a QB pump-faking when he's scrambled 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage - and Rogers bites on it before attempting a weak arm tackle.