What if you were the DC for Michigan?

Kill myself

make my hair white and beautiful

Honestly, I know nothing about coaching football...baseball is my trade (if I can even say that...) But I would just rush 4 or 5, 75%* of the time.   If my secondary is suspect, we're not giving the QB any time to exploit it.  Big hits on the QB, Alan Branch style.

* By 75%, i really mean i don't want to be predictable...

Oh, and Roh on the Line.

Resign.

as Jibreel Black and play at DE.  I would also try to have David Harris pose as Obi Ezeh and play at MLB.  Charles Woodson posing as CC and play at CB.  There!  I win.

I would...uhh...uhh...

i'd have a lot more money than i do now.

DE - Roh

DT - Martin

DT - Banks

DE - RVB

OLB - Mouton

MLB - Demens

OLB - Fitzjerald

FS - C. Gordon

SS - C. Johnson

CB - Rogers

CB - Avery

I would blitz almost every down with either the SS, OLB, MLB, CB!  This would cause the quarterback to get the ball out of his hand quickly in a passing down or have an extra defender on running play!  Then I would pray that someone would make a tackle!

Roh up in a 4-3.  Blitz Cam Gordon at will.  Bring Mouton or Demens up to the line pre-snap to show LB blitz.  Make the RS Freshman with 137 passing yards a game and 10tds/ 7ints see the pressure before the play starts.

He has watched zero film with UM doing this.  He will have had zero practice with this as even a possibility.

It will be like when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor....

I know I sure would, norm.

I know nothing beyond watching a bunch of football and playing a few years in High School.  

First, I think I would make them do up-downs in practice.  Maybe have them run through the gauntlet some as well.  Next they would tackle some foam tackle dummies and run some sprints.

As for the game, probably run a 4-4 w/ two CB's and a Safety.  I played MLB so the coverages will be arbitrary.  Just keep mixing it up between man and cover-2 and cover-3.  Then we would decide who is filling which gaps and whether or not the D-end or OLB has contain.  Flow to the ball.  Ready... BREAK!!

We were 0-9, oh well.

than admiring my hair in the mirror.  I'm waiting for the TV to catch him holding a mirror in front of his face during a crucial third down. 

my resume.........I see there's a high school in Grand Junction looking for a D-Coordinator...........

Defensive Coordinator

Thu, 02/26/2009 - 12:33 — Coach O

Speak up.

Assert myself.

Stick up for myself.

Don't take "no" for an answer.

Kick some ass.

And at the very last, go out with a bang. 

Besides update my resume, i would put..

4 men on the line

Roh one of those 4 men with his hand down on an end

2 deep safetys with freshman corners in press man-to-man coverage

Send 5-6 to kill qb every play

and if none of this works, at least i updated my resume

If I'm taking over now, the defense would probably run a 3-4.

DEs - RVB, Banks

DT - Martin

OLBs - Roh, Random Freshman

ILBs - Mouton, Ezeh

SS - Kovacs

FS- C. Gordon

CBs - Any warm body

I think a 4-3 would be the best alignment for our personell, but there's no way that your'e going to install that dramatic of a scheme change this late in the season.  A 3-4 would be less dramatic, and to be honest, wouldn't look too much different than this version of the 3-3-5 that isn't a 3-3-5.

I'd be as aggressive as RR's offense.  If we get burnt, at least the O is back on the field.  It makes no sense to force the pace on the O side and then be passive on D.

http://alumni.umich.edu/sports/jim-brandstatters-blog/archive?post=17

Sometimes the game is really simple. Sometimes it isn't rocket science, and in the case of Michigan over the past few weeks, the reason for their struggles is simple. Thats what you get. You want any more, hang out on your web pages, and blog sites. Waste your time gnashing your teeth over what are the basics of the game...go ahead if thats what floats your boat.

Blocking and tackling, despite your scheme, despite all the other issues that sometimes cloud analytical experts of the game, are the basic fundamentals of the game. If you block better than the other guy, and you tackle better, you will ususally win. If you make the plays available to you when they present themselves, and the other guys don't, you'll usually win.

 

That may sound too simplistic to some, but for the most part it's true. Twice in the Penn State game, Michigan had opportunities for interceptions, they didn't make those plays. It could have turned the game in their favor. A couple of more possessions for Michigan and a couple less for Penn State in a ten point game...big difference.

 

I'm not here to beat anybody up. These kids are playing hard. The effort in practice and in games is great. Playing better is the answer.

I have a two part plan

1. Send Mike Barwis with a clone army of Mike Martins to invade the top 20 schools in the country and force players to transfer.

2. Then take the previously mentioned army of Mike Martins and have them "attend" a NCAA rules meeting and "suggest" that they should make an exception to the transfer rule for Michigan in the 2011 season.

---

The other option would be to offer the Mike Martin clones scholarships and play them at every defensive position.  This just doesn't feel right.  I mean an army of Mike Martins would probably crush the idea of competitive balance.   As well as crush most other ideas, people and buildings for that matter.

Recruit kids that can actually get into Michigan, and kids that won't cause trouble when they get here.

Brush up my resume and get the suit out of the dry cleaners.  Oh....and have a "friend" taste my food before I eat it.

When tackling, coverage, zone spacing, and making reads are consistent problems, then I don't think scheme is going to help any of that.  I guess I would work on those fundamentals before I worried too much about scheme.

I understand the coaches worry about too many tackling drills resulting in injury.  But A) we're getting pretty injured anyway, and B) fuck it we're going into the 9th game, fundamentals have to be a priority.  Focus on teaching the basics, because they're sorely lacking in that department and nothing else will improve until that improves.

Other than that, I don't know that there's anything a DC can really do at this point.

I would have a drinking problem.

A serious drinking problem.

Pray to the Michigan gods by day, and hang out with David Arquette by night.

Since it has become painfully obvious (should have been clear without the experiment but oh well) that making big position and alignment changes mid year is a big fucking mistake (hello purdue and penn state) I would keep the current alignment as close to the 3-3-5 as possible, but I put Roh on the line.

strong DE-VanBergen/Banks

NT-Martin/Sageese

weak DE-Roh/Black

ILB-Demens/Ezeh

OLB-Mouton/

OLB-Fitzgerald/Herron

Bandit-Kovacs/Marving Robinson

Spur-Thomas Gordon/Carvin Johnson

CB-Rogers/Christian

CB-Talbott/Avery

FS-C. Gordon/R. Vinopal

Not much different than we have been running other than starting Roh at defensive end and brining in Fitzgerald for Banks. If you want 4 d linemen then I would pull Fitzgerald for Banks. Put Banks at DT, Roh at DE and run 2 linebackers.

For next year,

DE-VanBergen/

NT-Martin/Q. Washington

DE-Roh/Black

ILB-Demens/

OLB-Jones

OLB-Fitzgerald/C Gordon

Bandit-Kovacs/MRob (It will be really interesting to see if Kovacs somehow keeps his job)

Spur-TGordon/C Johnson

CB-Christian/Hollowell

CB-Talbott/Avery

FS-Vinopal/Freshman (hopefully Avery Walls or Clinton-Dix)

If we wanted to keep the allignment. Otherwise, get rid of Spur and start Martin next to Washington (or one of the current freshman)

Base: 4-2-5

• Stud (strongside end, 7-tech): Banks/Black
• Tackle (3-tech): Van Bergen (Sagesse)
• Nose: Martin (Patterson)
• End (weakside 5-tech): Roh (Black/Herron)
• Backer (strongside): Mouton (Fitz)
• Mike: Demens (Obi)
• Rover (strongside overhang): Tom Gordon (Cam)
• Whip (weakside overhang): Kovacs (Furman)
• Corners: Whoever is best at bump man
• Free: M. Robinson (C. Johnson)

Coverages: Va. Tech robber, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 2-deep fire zone, 3-deep fire zone

Other packages: 3-4 for spread, Bear/46 for goal line/heavy

Whip and End are hybrid players.  In 3-4, no subs; free moves to SS, whip moves to WS, End moves to weakside overhang.

In general, these DBs need help.  How do you best help those in coverage? Pressure.  If the DL can get it by itself, utopia.  Otherwise, I'm blitzing with 5- to 8-man pressures, mixing up the coverages and disguising them. 

People have argued that we will get burned deep with man b/c the technique isn't there.  Well, we're getting burned in zone b/c the technique and the understanding isn't there.  With man or zone we having trouble executing, but with zone there's the additional problem of not understanding one's assignment.  At least with man guys know, "I have that guy."  Furthermore, it's easier to shake off one blown coverage from the previous possession than 5 or 6.  You want to destroy a D's confidence?  Have them get their zone picked apart by a former walk-on making his first start.

I would tailgate my ass off before the game tomorrow.

5-5-5

I’d instruct the team to punch the opposing QB in the face on the first play. Have a walk-on do it, get him ejected. The whole game, go on the attack. Jam the shit out of receivers at the LOS, hit running backs as hard as you possibly can, and get in the QB’s face as much as possible. Make the other team think that the DC is fucking insane and wants his players to kill you. Once you have that, their will to play will be significantly less.

I would have the cornerbacks man up and simply run with the wide receiver and make the QB make a good throw. This should help a little. If the young db jams and takes away the inside he can use the sideline as team mate. Making for a more difficult throw. 

On tackling, I would unstruct the linebackers and secondary to simply latch onto a leg to slow them down until other wolverines can come along for the gang tackle.

I would make the player run his butt off in practice if he tried to tackle a running back up high. 

put my house up for sale

1.  Take advantage of all that Gatorade (seriously, it is like free refills all day long on the practice field)

2.  Load up on free Michigan gear (even those ugly pale yellow sweatshirts can be used as gifts for less-loved family members)

3.  Swear.  A lot.  (What other job allows you to just cus people out all day?  Great stress reliever.)

4.  Do something outrageous in the locker room that will create a crazy internet rumor for years to come  (Think Woody choking out Lou Holtz or Rick Majerus pooping into a towel)

5.  Hope nobody notices that my playbook is copied directly from Madden '94.

We do a poor job disguising the blitz now.  Blitz on third and long far more frequently.

Schemes and personnel changes won't do much more for this season.  The defensive play calling is the only hope -- need to beat them at RPS.

Coaching Qualifications: 2 Years (1 HS), Limited defensive responsibility. Held numerous conversations about different defensive schemes & philosophies with qualified defensive coach(es).

Considering the following factors, this would be my defense:

- No Floyd, Woolfolk, Jones

-Bunch of freshman

- No spring/off-season to install

- All personnel who is looking like a red-shirt (Ash, Furman, etc.) will remain that way.

Base: 4-2-5

Why? Provides versatility, somewhat close to what we run/ran so the transition wouldn't be too difficult, considering it is mid-season. Takes advantage of available bodies, talent.

SDE: Ryan Van Bergen, Greg Banks/Craig Roh

DT: Greg Banks, Adam Patterson/Renaldo Sagesse, Ryan Van Bergen

NT: Mike Martin, Renaldo Sagesse/Quinton Washington,  Adam Patterson

WDE: Craig Roh, Jibreel Black, JB Fitzgerald, Steve Watson

Why? 

The most difficult part of this is depth, which could be why we use a 3-man front so much (as others have noted on this site before. Craig Roh gets put back on the line where he has been more effective. Martin is an obvious choice. Banks/Van Bergen could switch, but I trust RVB more on the outside than I do Banks. Black has played up and down this year, struggling in the run game more so than in the pass game, which is understandable given his youth; this is why he is only listed as a WDE. Sagesse/Washington battles for back-up DT, I would hope Washington wins, so I could use Sagesse more at DT. Patterson would be able to use his athleticism at DT more than at NT, so he is the back-up at DT. Banks and Roh are the only two that I think could do a decent job at SDE, so I would put them in and put in Black at WDE or Patterson/Sagesse in at DT. It isn't that I don't like a 3-man front, when you have the personnel to use it, but Banks is clearly over matched at the DE spot, a 4-man front gives him help, while allowing Roh to move to his more natural position. The obvious downside is lack of depth.

Mike LB: Kenny Demens, Obi Ezeh/Isaiah Bell/JB Fitzgerald

Will LB: Jonas Mouton, Brandon Herron/JB Fitzgerald/Kevin Leach

Why?

Demens, for the most part, has been effective at stopping the run, while struggling vs. the pass. Obi struggles at everything. I haven't seen Bell, but my hope would be that he could win the back-up spot. Mouton has the athleticism necessary for the Will, unfortunately he has been up and down all year (mostly down). He is still most likely the best option, unless Fitzgerald surprises. Demens main focus is stop the run, he will be pulled on obvious pass downs (more on this later).

CB: James Rogers/Cullen Christian

CB: Terrence Talbott/Courtney Avery

FS: Marvin Robinson/Ray Vinopal/Cameron Gordon/Carvin Johnson/James Rogers

SS/Rover (strong-side always): Jordan Kovacs/Marvin Robinson, Cam Gordon

Wolverine (weak-side always): Thomas Gordon/Carvin Johnson/Marvin Robinson, Cam Gordon/Brandin Hawthorne, Floyd Simmons

Why?

Free Safety: Wide open competition, I don't care who starts, just someone competent who can cover deep without a) getting beat routinely, b) taking bad angles in coverage and coming up vs. the run, and c) support run. Any plays made would be a bonus. Corners: We have no one else. I will change the coverage though (more later). SS/Rover: Gives Marvin another chance to start get time. Kovacs is solid vs. the run, bad vs. the pass. Cam Gordon closer to the line. Run responsibilities are outside contain, with the goal to turn it inside to the DL, Demens, and Mouton, and clean-up. Pass responsibilities will mainly be short (more later) Wolverine: Another chance for Marvin to see the field. Thomas Gordon and Carvin Johnson have played solid at the hybrid position, despite being freshman and a bit undersized. Run responsibilities are outside contain and clean-up. Pass responsibilities will be detailed later.

Goal line Defense:

Rogers/Christian                Banks-Q. Wash-Martin-Sagesse-RVB                       Talbott/Avery

                                   M. Robinson              Demens           Mouton         T. Gordon/C. Johnson

Nickel Defense:

Rogers/Christian                           Roh-RVB-Martin-Black                              Talbott/Avery

                                                        Mouton           Bell/M. Robinson

                               M.Robinson/T. Gordon                                 T. Gordon/C. Johnson

                                                       M. Robinson/Vinopal/C. Johnson

Strategy vs. the run:

Force everything inside to the DL and Demens/Mouton. The SS/Rover & Wolverine will take a read-step just like linebackers. In the event a runner gets outside, the responsibility falls on the SS/Rover & Wolverine, with backside pursuit from the LB's. FS main goal is to prevent deep, so his responsibility in the run game is minimal, if he has to keep making tackles, that means the front 6 & hybrids did't do their job.

Strategy vs. the pass:

This will be limited due to the experience of the secondary. Will be a mix of man and zone. 

Man Defense: Press Coverage and regular man (about 6 yards off). 

DL: Rush passer

Corners: Man

FS: Deep Coverage Only

LB: Man or Blitz [Depends on opposing offense and what defense were in (base vs. nickel)]

Hybrids: Man or Blitz [Depends on opposing offense and what defense were in (base vs. nickel)]

Zone Defense: Cover 1, 2, 3

Cover 1: FS Deep

Cover 2: FS & Wolverine Deep; Corners Flats; SS/Rover & Will have curls Middle has middle.

Cover 3: FS, Strong-side corner and Wolverine Deep; SS/Rover & weak-side corner have flats; LB's have curls. Short/medium middle is vulnerable.

Miscellaneous:

* Always rush at least 4.

* FS is always deep.

* Blitz a lot. Mainly Mouton and from the hybrid positions.

Why?

The secondary is clearly the biggest weakness, pressure will help them. Mouton and the hybrids have the athleticism needed to create pressure and can disguise it. Don't want too many (if any) secondary blitzed because of the youth. Give the FS one responsibility only, that is his only job, he should be able to do it.

Projected Results:

The defense will still struggle, especially given the depth on the DL and youth in the secondary, but this should be an improvement. The defense should go from terrible to average, maybe slightly below-average.

I agree with most of the people up here.  I would keep the 3-3-5 because it really is just a hybrid defense and I like the versatility of safeties.  I would blitz like crazy, not necessarily bringing 7 or 8, but creative blitzes with 5 or 6 allowing the corners and safeties to cover for much shorter periods of time.