Players opinion on D coordinator

TheReal_jayD · December 17, 2017

Hunter Green · December 17, 2017

Then bottom line is, we need better players to execute the schemes. Not a reflection on the effort or desire of our players. God bless em. We just need better players and more of them.

BTG_Fan1 · December 17, 2017

I gotta say a few things..

1- Fans should be Fans, but fans/students also pay for the football team budget not some mega TV deal so we should be able to “say” what we want..

2- If this is on the players why is Reff a) keeping them out there if they keep screwing up instead of replacing them, b) Why are they not learning from these repeated mistakes they have made ALL SEASON since as eye-placement, c) it has been said on BTG that the younger players reported to the “leaders/Seniors” and they dealt with it instead of the coaches and if that is the case they did not allow Ref to fix this after the REPEATED failures and blowouts..

They have had 2 season in this scheme, 2 bowl seasons as well to improve, on top of the spring and summer.. This defense regressed this year and did not improve.. if it’s on the players why did Reff stick with the same guys, and if It was about the #s, then why did Ref not adjust the defensive game plan??? I’m sorry but 6 non-show defensive performances in 14 games does not and should not allow the man to keep his job..

Mike Jackson · December 17, 2017

I think he is saying what any college player would say about his current coach and teammates. Ask him middle of the season next year if this defense is not performing and see what he says then.

MeanGreen22 · December 17, 2017

Was just coming to make a thread about that. The players have to stick up for their coach. Maybe it really is a matter of execution of the scheme..

but the fact of the matter is the sign of a good coach is taking what you got and making it work. Seth took what he had and put together a terrific offense with a below average oline.

**For the record, I want Reff to return. I’m never a fan of canning a coach after 1 poor year. But he’d be on thin ice if I was making the decision (but of course I’m just a fan and shouldn’t talk out of turn.)**

BillySee58 · December 17, 2017

Players are trained to say just that and think just that. Not surprising at all.

BTG_Fan1 · December 17, 2017

6 minutes ago, MeanGreen22 said:

*For the record, I want Reff to return. I’m never a fan of canning a coach after 1 poor year. But he’d be on thin ice if I was making the decision (but of course I’m just a fan and shouldn’t talk out of turn.)**

I’m honestly curious.. you said you don’t like to fire someone after 1 bad year and he is on thin ice, but this defense regressed so much.. nearly have its games, it didn’t do anything SMU, UAB, Army, FAU x2, and Troy), the 2 best defensive players were either benched (Brooks) or lost for 1/2 the year (McClain)..

What makes you think he could improve next year, with that being said.. he can’t go much lower as a unit so it’s bound to improve, but they are losing a lot of key piece from McClain, Jenkins, Wheeler, Andy/Tillman with us having no idea if has or will rebound (since they stuck with Jenkins yesterday)?

MeanGreen22 · December 17, 2017

3 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

I’m honestly curious.. you said you don’t like to fire someone after 1 bad year and he is on thin ice, but this defense regressed so much.. nearly have its games, it didn’t do anything SMU, UAB, Army, FAU x2, and Troy), the 2 best defensive players were either benched (Brooks) or lost for 1/2 the year (McClain)..

What makes you think he could improve next year, with that being said.. he can’t go much lower as a unit so it’s bound to improve, but they are losing a lot of key piece from McClain, Jenkins, Wheeler, Andy/Tillman with us having no idea if has or will rebound (since they stuck with Jenkins yesterday)?

So many factors can come into play when only evaluating one season. You have to take into consideration the effect of changing coordinators from last year to this year (I know they were “co-coordinators” but still). And who do you bring in? Is he gonna be able to turn it around in 1 year, and if he doesn’t, do you send him packing too? Id love to see how Reff responds. Let him try to work this out over an offseason. I get it was a rough defensive year, but I don’t want a coaching carousal of defense coaches. Continuity seems more important in college with the constant player turnover.

MGNation92 · December 17, 2017

If the players can't execute the scheme, then change the friggin scheme to fit your players strengths. It's like shoving a square peg into a round hole. If you can't recruit players to fit your scheme, you change your scheme. Next year will be almost exclusively Littrell's/Reffett's guys. If he can't get it done after three years, he needs to go.

Side Show Joe · December 17, 2017

55 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

I'm glad to see our defensive players standing up for their coach. That is what honorable players should do. But, the simple truth is that we would not even be having this discussion if our defense would have had a better season.

In all honesty, our defense wasn't very good last season either. In my opinion, this is the second year our defense has under preformed. Any way you slice it, Ref just hasn't produced consistent results. When facing respectable offenses, our 3rd down defense was the worst I've ever seen in FBS or D-I football. Players, coaches, and the athletic administration just can't let that go unaddressed, or expect the fans not to call them out for it. Fans have ever right to be angry and expect changes.

Wag Tag · December 17, 2017

Players know their assignments, usually they can’t execute because of size or speed. Look at the recruiting classes of FAU and Troy. We have to bring in better talent!! We need to make the 3 man front work, because like a lot of schools we have trouble recruiting DT!

MeanGreenTexan · December 17, 2017

30 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Players are trained to say just that and think just that. Not surprising at all.

Precisely.
Players say this about themselves when their coaches are questioned.
Coaches say this about themselves when their players are questioned.

Mean Green Family.

And just like your family, you can opine about your irresponsible cousin having a shotgun wedding. But if an outsider trashes your cousin repeatedly on the internet...

mgfan · December 17, 2017

55 minutes ago, MeanGreen22 said:

but the fact of the matter is the sign of a good coach is taking what you got and making it work. Seth took what he had and put together a terrific offense with a below average oline.

Seth always took what he had and made a below average D. I thought D was suppose to be a strength or at least improve.

Edited December 17, 2017 by mgfan

BTG_Fan1 · December 17, 2017

14 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

Players know their assignments, usually they can’t execute because of size or speed. Look at the recruiting classes of FAU and Troy. We have to bring in better talent!! We need to make the 3 man front work, because like a lot of schools we have trouble recruiting DT!

People get that we don’t have the size and that.. but again if that is the reason for the failure, then adjust the gameplan.. Use 4 DL and 2 LBs, shift over an OL to DL etc.. sticking with the same system and getting no results and making no changes is inexcusable..

25 minutes ago, MGNation92 said:

If the players can't execute the scheme, then change the friggin scheme to fit your players strengths. It's like shoving a square peg into a round hole. If you can't recruit players to fit your scheme, you change your scheme. Next year will be almost exclusively Littrell's/Reffett's guys. If he can't get it done after three years, he needs to go.

Totally agree.. adjust the scheme to the personal we have!

27 minutes ago, MeanGreen22 said:

So many factors can come into play when only evaluating one season. You have to take into consideration the effect of changing coordinators from last year to this year (I know they were “co-coordinators” but still). And who do you bring in? Is he gonna be able to turn it around in 1 year, and if he doesn’t, do you send him packing too? Id love to see how Reff responds. Let him try to work this out over an offseason. I get it was a rough defensive year, but I don’t want a coaching carousal of defense coaches. Continuity seems more important in college with the constant player turnover.

Well see about the Co-DC thing.. it was EK calling plays in Refs scheme... EK was the new one to the scheme and had the successful year of the 2..

Year one we were in the 70/80s range in terms of defense. This year we were in the 110+ following the first FAU game, and likely back around there after Army, FAU and Troy..

I would say you bring in a new DC and you give them a pass year 1 but Reff this defense is/was mostly his guys.. EJ, Wheeler, Hall, Jenkins, Khari, Hambone, Davis played a bunch in the bowl..

Wag Tag · December 18, 2017

1 hour ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

People get that we don’t have the size and that.. but again if that is the reason for the failure, then adjust the gameplan.. Use 4 DL and 2 LBs, shift over an OL to DL etc.. sticking with the same system and getting no results and making no changes is inexcusable..

Totally agree.. adjust the scheme to the personal we have!

Well see about the Co-DC thing.. it was EK calling plays in Refs scheme... EK was the new one to the scheme and had the successful year of the 2..

Year one we were in the 70/80s range in terms of defense. This year we were in the 110+ following the first FAU game, and likely back around there after Army, FAU and Troy..

I would say you bring in a new DC and you give them a pass year 1 but Reff this defense is/was mostly his guys.. EJ, Wheeler, Hall, Jenkins, Khari, Hambone, Davis played a bunch in the bowl..

So go to a 4-2 with 215lb linebackers? You have a system and out of that you may have 5-6 schemes for different offensive senaros. It comes down to recruiting players for your system that are highly regarded. Improve the talent!

BTG_Fan1 · December 18, 2017

1 minute ago, Wag Tag said:

So go to a 4-2 with 215lb linebackers? You have a system and out of that you may have 5-6 schemes for different offensive senaros. It comes down to recruiting players for your system that are highly regarded. Improve the talent!

I was using the example that people say we don’t size... if we don’t put heavier guys out there..

We do need to recruit better players with more size, but how many kids want to come play for a DC that is getting blown out 6 out of 14 games a year who may not be around in a few weeks let alone in a year potentially..

untbowler · December 18, 2017

How about the players ignore the forums and press clippings and just play. Multiple times this year the defense got big heads and then got torched. They should be embarrassed having so many records put up on them for futility, but hey whatever let them defend their coach for their poor play.

TreeFiddy · December 18, 2017

The 3-3-5 is designed to work with undersized/lesser talent much the way the Air Raid is designed to give you a fighting chance against a superior opponent.

If the players are saying it ain’t the coaches and it ain’t the scheme then there is only one other option.

greenminer · December 18, 2017

25 minutes ago, untbowler said:

How about the players ignore the forums and press clippings and just play. Multiple times this year the defense got big heads and then got torched. They should be embarrassed having so many records put up on them for futility, but hey whatever let them defend their coach for their poor play.

The board is pretty much inescapable. We have active Twitter users here that are constantly engaging them when they want to.

Wag Tag · December 18, 2017

29 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

I was using the example that people say we don’t size... if we don’t put heavier guys out there..

We do need to recruit better players with more size, but how many kids want to come play for a DC that is getting blown out 6 out of 14 games a year who may not be around in a few weeks let alone in a year potentially..

There will be not one player we recruit that will know our defensive stats! As you know it is the bigger picture that will attract recruits. With the JC commits it looks like we are getting bigger at LB which is a step in the right direction.

Rudy · December 18, 2017

4 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

I gotta say a few things..

1- Fans should be Fans, but fans/students also pay for the football team budget not some mega TV deal so we should be able to “say” what we want..

This

3 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Precisely.
Players say this about themselves when their coaches are questioned.
Coaches say this about themselves when their players are questioned.

Mean Green Family.

And just like your family, you can opine about your irresponsible cousin having a shotgun wedding. But if an outsider trashes your cousin repeatedly on the internet...

I agree with your statement, however, I think us die hards and donors, should be viewed as a part of the Mean Green family. I don't like there being an us vs them argument when we are the ones who travel, and spend our hard earned money giving these athletes a chance to play.

Got5onIt · December 18, 2017

Players will stick up for their coaches, it’s expected. These guys are in the trenches together, it’s fully expected. There would be a major concern if his players did NOT react this way.

However, it doesn’t change the fact the D performed poorly in most games. They struggled down the stretch....

Travis · December 18, 2017

I blame that new nutrition guy. Can his ass!

TIgreen01 · December 18, 2017

You know something is terribly wrong on defense when:

1) You’re thinking to yourself during a game that we’re playing better, but by the end of the game the scoreboard says you still gave up 50.

2) Players take to social media to defend the coaches.

#1 happened to me in both of the last two games. My expectations have dropped to the point that I’m looking for just 1-2 stops a game against a quality opponent and for the offense to score on every possession.

Cr1028 · December 18, 2017

You can say a lot of things about Ref but one thing we will never be able to say is that he is worse than Cosh or Mendoza. Nobody thought someone could be worse than Mendoza and then Cosh came around. I think we need to see what the D looks like with Bryce plugging up the middle and Rod Young back out at tackle.