Tweedle-What? Excuse Me, I Can't Hear You PB
by Peter Bean on Oct 23, 2007 1:02 PM CDT
in Texas Longhorns Football
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PrintWhat happens when you replace Aaron Ross with Ryan Palmer, Tarrell Brown with Brandon Foster, Michael Griffin with his younger brother, and Marcus Griffin with Erick Jackson?
Improvement!
Though we noted before the season that Texas' pass defense was tremendously likely to improve (nowhere to go but up, regression to the mean, etc), the improvement - at least statistically - has been better than expected, especially considering the change in personnel.
How much better has the '07 pass defense been? Take a look at the cumulative numbers:
The difference is stark; most notably, Texas has successfully avoided giving up the big pass plays this season. Once more, context counts, so let's take a minute to look at how Texas' opponents perform in the passing game overall.
(The text and numbers in red represent Texas' future 2007 opponents; the average in red at the bottom of the table what Texas' opponent averages will be with future opponents' ratings and ranks included.)
Though Texas' pass defense has improved statistically from a season ago, it's thus far been against relatively less competent passing teams. And, looking at Texas' upcoming opponents, the stiffest tests are yet to come; only A&M provides an opponent with a subpar passing game.
Conclusion? Though Texas hasn't faced much elite passing competition this year (Oklahoma excluded), the significant statistical improvement is a welcome development. Best of all, the secondary has steadily improved as this season has progressed. Deon Beasley, who struggled in the earliest games of the season, had a fantastic game against Baylor and is looking more and more each week like a legitimate starter. Ryan Palmer has been outstanding all season long (in run support, too). Brandon Foster's been picked on at times, but he played mostly terrific football against both Iowa State and Baylor.
Even more encouraging, the weakest link in the secondary has been Erick Jackson, who may have been demoted during the Baylor game after continued ineffectiveness. In limited time, Ishie Oduegwu looked like an immediate upgrade at free safety.
Credit must go to the man who also must endure the criticisms - Duane Akina. Though the starting linebackers have been subpar and the blitzing schemes too often reckless and without good design, the numbers don't lie: Akina's done a very nice job working this secondary into an effective unit. As Texas continues to usher out the KBD era and moves further into the Kindle-Norton-Muckelroy era, the defense should continue to improve.
We'll hold the champagne until we see how Texas finishes the season, but it's so far so good for the pass defense in 2007.
--PB--
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its a tradeoff
Akina has traded a big play defense (2006) for a bend don't break defense (2007). He's doing more with less than Chizik had, which I can respect tremendously.
That said, big play ability is still largely missing from this defense. Sure there were 4 picks vs Baylor, but that was a back up QB, and it was still Baylor.
Part of the problem I think is the lack of safety and corner blitzes that previous coordinators have used to keep the offense on its heels. To me, there is only one explanation for this --- Akina knows that regardless of what the defense has done so far, the secondary (and not LBs) is still the most exploitable area of the team. I can't remember a time when Griffin or Jackson have shown blitz and actually followed through with it. More often than not they actually retreat to coverage position on a hard count by the opposing QB. This makes the LB blitz less effective because the QB knows where the pressure is coming from, and his RB knows where to pick up the blitzing guy from.
Akina has been reluctant to leave his guys on an island -- probably for good measure -- but against the teams that remain on our schedule we will need to get more pressure on the QB to keep up our fairly strong showing versus the pass.
Excellent points
Agree with you here. As with most things with this defense, the limitations of the linebackers have crimped our effectiveness.
I'd much rather Akina not leave us exposed to the big play than use DBs to blitz ineffectively, but there has to be a happy middle ground. As noted in the postgame react, we've gone from one extreme to the other in the Chizik-Akina switch.
Blitzes
This may have been mentioned elsewhere but it seemed like the Baylor staff knew when we were going to blitz, 2 calls in particular after turnovers, one went for a TD.
Also, I actually saw Lokey dropping into coverage on one play. Is that really what we want him doing? He found his spot and covered a receiver initially but they ended up going to his area for a first.
Uh-huh. Lokey. In. Coverage.
I know he is our fullback, so he can probably run, but as a neophyte I have to wonder about any call that results in a DT covering a back.
by MBAHick on Oct 23, 2007 2:35 PM CDT reply actions
Dropping Orakpo into coverage, sure
But Lokey? No.
You're right, though - I saw it, too. On two separate occasions. Dropping a DE into coverage is one thing; dropping Derek Lokey isn't how I'd go about it, either.
Outhinking yourself as a coach
"I know what'll really blow their minds! (schhuuup - sssss - cough-cough) We'll put Lokey in coverage!"
(passes the joint across the meeting room table)
"Mgmmmgtszzz! Yah! Wild idea!"
by MBAHick on Oct 23, 2007 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Ishie
yeah, my kid was a breath of fresh air. speaking of which, are we reporting on our adoptees this week?
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