Chizik vs Akina

by the usual suspects on Nov 12, 2006 9:45 PM CST Comment 6 comments

Somebody help me out. Obviously our D got trashed last night in a bad way. So just who is to blame?

I agree with the sentiment stated by a few on this site that I don't want to blame the players (they are only kids), despite them being the one's on the field making the plays (or not, as the case may be).

So which D-Coordinator should take the responsibility? What is their actual role in game prep, package calling, etc.

I struggle with this issue and I have since the MNC when our D got shredded in the second half. While I love Chizik and don't think we would've won said championship without his coaching, I'm really concerned about our "progress" as a defensive unit. And his linebacker unit, while adequate, doesn't seem to be spectacular.

The secondary has been a major concern this year as they have been scorched time and again. Was our talent that much better last year? While Huff was clearly top-notch, I obviously under-valued Cedric Griffin as a cover corner. Was the group playing above their heads in a year that was meant to be? Or has something else changed - perhaps a defensive philosophy that I'm unaware? And if so, which coach shoulders that responsibility?

Not to say that I want Greg Robinson and Dick Tomey back, but I loved the fact that Robinson's defense seemed to play hard until the whistle blew. I think he even had some drills where he did not blow the whistle until at least 3 or 4 players got to the ball carrier. I just don't see that kind of determination out of this year's squad.

So, just who is to blame on the defensive side of the ball? And what can be done about it? Do we need yet another change to the coaching staff on that side of the ball?

My gut says I hope that Akina takes off for greener pastures and is replaced by one Jerry Gray. Working at least one year with Chizik to refine the players and develop some continuity. But am I jumping to a wrong conclusion? I just don't know.

Poll

Which coach is Most to Blame for our Defensive Struggles this year?

Gene Chizik

10 votes

Duane Akina

22 votes

Mack Brown

5 votes

37 votes | Poll has closed

All comments, FanPosts, and FanShots are the views of the reader-authors who create them.

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I voted for Akina...

Just to even up the poll, because I feel both of them should take equal blame.

Our greatest strength is also our greatest weakness. Teams know they can't run on us, so they don't even bother and our pass D just can't keep up.

by ImBobbo on Nov 12, 2006 11:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

There is plenty of blame to go around.

Injuries, coaching, etc. Saturday's meltdown was the climax of our season long struggle to defend the pass. This came against a rebuilding K St. with a first year coach.

So much was made last year of Huff not just being a terrific player, but also being the intellectual leader of the secondary. He assured that everyone was lined up properly in the correct scheme etc. In my mind, his loss looms even bigger than Vince's.

We make quite a to-do about Chizik here, and most of the time rightfully so. However, the secondary this year has been positively horrendous, and a lot of the blame for that falls on him.

by Brandon 97 on Nov 13, 2006 8:47 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Getting worse

If you look at the passing yardage given up as the year progresses it is getting worse (for the decent Teams)Are the teams getting better? or is the defense getting worse?
One thing is the defense is by now pretty predictable, The coverages, the blitzes, the line stunts. A good offensive coach should be able to look at the film and know what the longhorns are going to do. If your team has a good pass offense like say Tech the longhorns are going to get torched. The shock with Kansas is nobody knew much about the coach or the QB and they were able to one exploit the weakness of the longhorn Defense and execute their plays. The Longhorns seem to have a Philosophy of were going to play our game, Beat us if you can. This works if you have the talent to back it up. Luckily the offense is that good but the defense or at least the Secondary is not up the standard of play that is needed to have that attitude.
Some examples;
Passing yards,
North Texas, 198
Ohio St, 269
Rice, 180
Iowa St, 302
Sam Houston, 105
Oklahoma, 209
Baylor, 302
Nebraska, 302
Teax Tech, 519
Oklahoma St. 346
Kansas St. 323
First 5 games average passing 210.8 per game.
Last 5 games average passing 358.4 per game.
The last five are better teams than the first five but there are not that good.

xerxes

by Xerxes on Nov 13, 2006 10:37 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

A lot of that has to do

with the quality of the oppnent's passing game. Rice is not going to put up 300 yards passing on you. The Ohio State game can be explained by (mostly) good coverage on Ginn and Ohio State's running game. In the second half of the season, we have faced offenses that almost exclusively pass, and our defense has been exposed.

That being said, what scares me the most is how much the Big 12 looks like the Pac-10 right now. Whatever happened to defense, anybody?

by boomhauer25 on Nov 13, 2006 10:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You're right on the quality of air attacks

that we've faced in recent weeks. One of the stats I was most surprised by from Saturday night was holding KS to 23 net yards rushing. It sure seemed to me that they were continually ripping off decent yardage when they needed it. So, given the air attacks we have been facing, is our run D really top 2-3 in the country, or are we about to get exposed against JLane and the sheep f*ers of aggieland?

by the usual suspects on Nov 13, 2006 1:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs