On the second-team defense not allowing a score at the end: "That was something that we really...

On the second-team defense not allowing a score at the end: "That was something that we really tried to emphasize this year as opposed to last year. Last year there were a lot of times where we tried to sub and get a lot of guys some playing time, and we let a lot of scores go in. We told those guys there is a certain standard that we have at The University of Texas on defense, and we do not want to let people into the end zone late in the game, and I thought our players did a great job of making that stop there late."

Discuss.

Comments

Best part about our defense

This kind of attitude breeds depth. The second team guys go in there with the same attitude the first string guys do.

Muschamp has been doing a lot more rotating of players than I’m used to seeing, or maybe I’m just watching closer, I don’t know.

At the beginning of the season it seems like he was determined to create depth by frequently rotating players, and it’s paying off now. It’s like we have two first strings of defense, instead of a first and second.

by notsofst on Nov 10, 2009 2:03 PM CST reply actions

I HATED this in years past

But absolutely love they way they’ve turned this around. I hated that our scoring defense wasn’t that great because we kept letting opponents score late in the game against 2nd & 3rd teams.

notsofst brings up a great point, also. This kind of mentality really helps with the development of the future of our defense. I don’t want our future defense to be beaten up in games when they’re young. I want them playing competitively no matter the situation.

Great Job, Muschamp!

by GoHorns on Nov 10, 2009 2:28 PM CST reply actions

I hated to see the shutout lost,

but it’s a small thing in the big picture. I’d be irked at the late-game defense something awful were it not for a few facts:

1. There are no backup defensive tackles; seems like Higgins (walk-on) was in there at the end; not sure who else. Mims? He’s an end
2. The linebackers were part-time starters because Norton is gone, Muck was held out and Earnest had played most of the game. Roberson, I think, was on the field some of the time.
3. The secondary subs were essentially the third time; they’ve played barely at all. The top three safeties and top four corners weren’t on the field; think that left Davis (true freshman) and Ford (former walk-on) at corners and Vaccaro (true freshman) and who knows (after Wells went out) at safety.

Some of these guys — Davis, Vaccaro, Mims — will be second-teamers getting regular game time next season.

by edsp on Nov 19, 2009 6:42 PM CST reply actions