Let’s Talk Defense

[El Paso Eagle]

Okay, let go with the case where the offense will do a better job at moving the ball. Can anyone shine some light on Dodge’s defensive philosophy (sorry but I’ve focused mainly on the “O”). What did they do at SLC? Look at NMSU, Mumme’s offense moves the ball with ease but their defense is really bad.

Thanks

[emmitt01]

I think this will be the story of the season. Our offense should be more balance and much improved but it means nothing if we can't stop anyone. Will we be able to prevent teams from grinding it out, thereby keeping our offense off the field? The story of the Indy Colts until this year was "explosive offense, no defense." It wasn't until the defense showed up this year and shut some people down that their prolific offense paid dividends.

[greenminer]

Well, to state the obvious: if the offense is moving the ball consistently then the defense is getting time to rest and be coached on the sideline.

Going 3-and-out every series doesn't help at all.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

Well, to state the obvious: if the offense is moving the ball consistently then the defense is getting time to rest and be coached on the sideline.

Going 3-and-out every series doesn't help at all.

Huh, I never knew that... what a novel idea...

[KBJ]

On the other hand if the def can make a stop the Off will have the ball more than once a quarter

[Stan R]

Forcing the other team to score less points than our team can only help.

[UNTLifer]

SLC's defense is much like their offense. The kid's were well coached and disciplined in their assignments. Mendoza ran a 4-3, so we will be going away from the 3-4.

[Charlie NT 73]

I beleive our defense will be much improved and stronger. Both starting DE's return, Chapman and Burruss, along with back ups Montey Stevenson and Tye Rexrode. LB's will have 2 reg starters and several back up's that played alot last year. Corners will be a stronger, because the

corners were freshmen and gained good experience. Several good Corners will be available

comming off redshirt year. DT is thin, but, Joseph Miller and Isaac Thomas will be back, redshirt

DT Kendrick Ridge will be in the mix. New recruit, DT Jesse Desoto is raw, but, has the tools to

play this year. I beleive our new defensive coaches will improve the players skills and the entire

defensive system and game plans this upcoming season.

[greenminer]

Huh, I never knew that... what a novel idea...

I looked it up in the internet. It's there, I swear. I just forgot the page number.

[SilverEagle]

I beleive our defense will be much improved and stronger. Both starting DE's return, Chapman and Burruss, along with back ups Montey Stevenson and Tye Rexrode. LB's will have 2 reg starters and several back up's that played alot last year. Corners will be a stronger, because the

corners were freshmen and gained good experience. Several good Corners will be available

comming off redshirt year. DT is thin, but, Joseph Miller and Isaac Thomas will be back, redshirt

DT Kendrick Ridge will be in the mix. New recruit, DT Jesse Desoto is raw, but, has the tools to

play this year. I beleive our new defensive coaches will improve the players skills and the entire

defensive system and game plans this upcoming season.

Unless something has happened that I don't know about, we also have Esteban Santiago who I assume was redshirted last year. If he is still going to play defense, then we have a 6'5" X 275 player to add to the DL.

[FirefightnRick]

The very fact that we now have Butch Lacroix coaching our DB's tells me we will play a more agressive style of defense forcing the opponents QB to have less time to make his reads. This should benefit the DLine. Considering we have a veteran defense returning gives me confidence that we will have a much improved defense this season.

Rick

[GrandGreen]

NT should be in good shape at DE with both starters returning, Burruss & Chapman. Behind them a lot of speculation. Is Ransom going to return for another year? Is Owussu-Hemeng still on the team, the best defensive player in the Texas High School All Star Game? Is Gilmore back? I also think that Ross who played TE last year will go back to this position and has a good chance to excel. Sykes and Krider two red shirt freshmen could be either defensive ends or play inside.

Defensive tackles IMO the weakest part of the defensive has three returning letter men, Thomas, Miller, and Stevenson. Redshirt Ridge is also in the mix. I believe both Menard and Santiago will end up on the offensive line. I think there is a good chance that true freshmen Scoggins and Desoto could contend for time.

Linebacker is loaded with experienced players with seniors Mendoza, Holman, Brown and Monroe. These players will be pushed by juniors Mahon and Dawson, sophmore Nwigwe and redshirt Robinson. The high school freshmen all have a chance to be outstanding, it will be interesting to see if TD redshirts them because of the overall depth of this position.

The defensive backfield should be the strength of the defense with all starters returning. Bush, Washington, Chatman and Green have all shown they can play the corner. Returning starters Weathers and Loren return at the safeties with experienced backups in Warren, Cotton, Higgs and Abogottah (sp).

Last year the NT defense was probably about in the middle of the Belt, but with 10 starters returning and some possible very good additions (Ransom, Owussu-Hemeng, Gilmore, Ross, and the new class) I think the defense could move back to the top of the Belt.

[Green Crazy]

Sometimes if the offense is too good it can be a detriment to the defense. Take Texas Tech, their offense which is somewhat similar to what we will be running, was so good that it would score in about two minutes of game clock (hopefully like ours), which made their defense come back on the field before they were rested. Wearing the defense down by the end of the fourth. Our defense needs to be good, not great, for this thing to work.

[adman]

Is Owussu-Hemeng still on the team

Why wouldn't he be? Were there grade issues?

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

Last year's defense ranked 64th in the country which was near the middle of the pack. Pass defense was #42 and only Weathers had played a lot on pass defense. Green, Carter, and Cotton had played a little the year before but the rest were first timers. The rushing defense was weaker, ranking in the 80s. Ther defense actually wasn't on the field for as many playsm, again ranking somewhere near the middle of the pack.

I don't remember Burruss being a starter and if he was, he shouldn't have been. He had only 8 tackles on the year. I thought that the starters were Chapman, Pruitt, and Stevenson. I believe that Stevenson was the losest in that group with 33'

The only losses from last year's defensive ranks were Pruitt and Graves, and Graves was hurt for much of the year. There are 13 returning on defense that had more than 30 tackles. Add Gilmore to the mix and the defense could be pretty good.

I think that at least one and maybe all three freshman linebackers will play. One reason is that Dodge seems to want his best players on the field and these are three very good linebackers. Another reason is that that there are only four who are not seniors so he would really be short on experience in 2008.

We need more help on the defensive line and I believe that Santiago will play there. I say that because his all-state mention was on defense, not offense. But then again, so was Venegas and look where they had him playing. Worst of all, he looked uncomfortable on offense to me. He had the most 'look out' blocks.

Surely this defense can't possibly be put in as many short field situations as happened last year. Fumbles and interceptions by us caused a lot of the points given up last year. I don't see that happening as much this coming year.

[El Paso Eagle]

Does anyone have additional info. on Coach Mendoza other than the Meangreensports.com info?

Ron Mendoza has been named the defensive coordinator and will take over the reigns of the Mean Green linebackers in 2007. Mendoza has served as an assistant at Southlake Carroll High School since 2000, including the past three years as defensive coordinator. A 27-year coaching veteran, Mendoza was part of four state title teams at Carroll with his defenses playing a dominant role. In the 2006 state-title run the Dragons defense only allowed an average of 10.5 points per game in the playoffs to go alongside the quick-strike Carroll offense that averaged over 44 points per game for the year. In his three years as coordinator the Dragons won

P.S. It would be nice if Meangreensports.com would add pictures to the Asst. Coaches