Defense??

So, does defense win games? Does Defense win championships. Does coaching matter? Do the players really matter? Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Without a dominating defense there is no chance. All you have to do is look at the Mighty Buffs since they joined the Pac 12. Buffs defense since joining the Pac-12 has had its issues in all areas for most of their Pac 12 existence. Earache will say it’s the players. Yup without the players yur chances are probably slim. But the coaches. Ya have to have the coaches. The coaches have to be present to:

Get the players
Grow the players
Lead the players

And they have to be able to do all three. All the time. It is clear HCKD is and will be doing all three where it is clear WacMac could maybe do one.

And, without that it doesn’t matter what players you have. The goal is to win and get to a bowl. That is the basic goal. Rankings, playoffs, National championship are nice, okay great but without the basic goal and execution of getting to a bowl game you have nothing. Witness 8 out of the 10 years in the Pac 12 for the Mighty Buffs. To get that you need the coaching. Again, witness the two years of bowl games.

And it was the defense that got the bowl game in 2016 and because of the coaching. . And of course, the players. The average offense rank in the Pac 12 was 8.6 and it 2016 it was ranked 7? What? How can that be.

And last year the Buff total offense was ranked #2 and yup a new head coach has made the change and has made the change on defense going forward as well. So, expect even more good things in the future on both sides of the ball.

Facts:

The Buffs defense in the Pac 12. I already showed you the offense numbers previously so if you want to see them go look.

Total Defense Scoring defense Defensive Red Zone Stops Opponent 3rd down conversions Conference Record

…….Total Defense……Scoring defense……Red Zone stops….3rd down stops…….win/loss

2011…….12………….12,  17 pts. From #1………. 12…………………..9…………… 2-7

2012…….11……………12,  30 pts.  From #1  …….11…………………10…………….1-8.

2013…….12……………11,  26 pts.  From #1……. .6…………………9………………1-8

2014…….11……………,  11, 10 pts.  From #1 ……..8……….………..10……….…….0-9

2015…….7………………7,  10 pts.  From  #1.… …10………….………8………………..1-8

2016…….3………………3,  1 pt.  From  #1 …………1………….….…2……………….. 8-1

2017….12…………………9,  19 pts.  From #1…… 8…………………7………………..2-7

2018…….5……………….9,  13 pts.  From #1…….8…………………..4………………2-7

2019…….7………………8,  18 pts.  From  #1 … .….7……………….12……… …………2-7

2020…….7……………… 8,  8 pts.  From  #1………3…………….…..1…………………4-2

There it is. Right in front of your noses. And in those three straight 2 and 7 years the Buff offense was ranked 6, 11, and 8. The Buff defense couldn’t save the Buff offense from itself like they did in 2016 with better coaching and yes players. But coaching took them and made them a force. Yup I will harp on the coaching aspect forever. Pretty much coaches lose as many games as players. Maybe more. Again the 3 5 and 7 seasons not all on the players. You have to agree with that if you watched the games.

Will the new defensive coaching structure get the Buffs to the next level? Facts indicate it has a great chance of doing so this year and going forward. The players are young. But, of course HCKD didn’t wait, he made a coaching change. Unlike coaches in the past who created positions for their buddies and were so loyal to them they couldn’t get rid of them even though they added limited or no value. Things have changed. Watch.

DL: 4 juniors, 2 sophomores, 6 freshmen
OL: 3 juniors, 3 freshmen
IL: 1 senior, 3 juniors, 1 sophomore, 4 freshmen
CB: 1 junior, 2 sophomores, 4 freshmen
S.: 3 juniors, 2 sophomores, 3 freshmen

I expect, and you should too that the Buff defense will continue to improve. A revamped defensive coaching staff that focuses on the plays with teaching and scheme generation to allow/demand they be excellent. And again, they are so young so growth is expected. If you go back and review the Buff defense in 2015 and look at the conference rankings what do you see?

Total defense improved.

Still issues in the RedZone and 3rd down defense.

But a humongous improvement in points (14 less) allowed which gave indications of the improvement coming in 2016. And it turned out to be true as the Buff defense ranked #3 or above in all critical defensive statistics. Great defensive coaching staff and players focused on a great scheme.

So, what about 2021? Review 2019 going to 2020:
Total defense stayed the same, ranked 7
Defensive RedZone stops went from #7 to #3
Opponent 3rd down success went from #12 to #1

Scoring defense stayed ranked 8 but in 2019 it was 18 points behind the leader. In 2020 it was 8 points behind the leader. Okay okay funny circumstance etc. blah blah blew. And yes, the points given up stayed about the same, but a homer like me says that is a major improvement period.

Stewart, put unbelievable pressure on me to make these 1500 words. I checked the paid Buffzone writers and sometimes they are less than 500. Volume vs quality. I’ll take my wonderfully informative and pimping writing all day long. I may go back and look at all my posts and put them into several “things” I present to him. It could be a series of unbelievable ramblings. And I could throw in some dumb ones from earache and a couple of weird ones from ep and maybe I got a best seller.

Go Buffs and make my dreams/predictions/desires come true.

“Wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’
Plannin’ and dreamin………………’”

—–

12 Replies to “VK Voice”

  1. I here us harping on players over and over again. And yes, there is a difference between the elite and CU. But we are not trying to be elite, we are trying to just get to some damn bowl games. To do that you need coaching. And sometimes you gotta fire the guy who is only doing ok. Summers was only doing ok. I just rewatched the Texas game. I am not sure you remember but we were in that game until half time….. sure it started out rough, but we started to get back in the game. And then I saw it, probably the stupidest defensive move I have ever witnessed in college football. Pre snap the cornerback shows sign of a corner blitz and he comes on the snap from like 20 yards away. The wide receiver runs a far corner route crossing the field. Our middle linebacker tries to pick up the wide receiver but is trailing him by 5 yards. The safety is playing middle and cannot get over the top to the defensive right and the qb, lofts an easy to pass, pitch and catch 30 yards down the field. The wide receiver is even able to slow down a bit to make the catch easy…. It is a defense like that that gets you fired. No middle linebacker should ever be covering a wide receiver.
    I will also say Chev should be careful. Noyer was not right in that game, the whole time. Once Lewis could prove he could play, he should have played the rest of the game. Texas pulled their star qb once he was hurt and CU was only 7 points back. CU couldn’t make the same call and it hurt us in that game. Lewis would have done better. I liked Noyer but watch that game, he was not able to truly play and the coaches should have known it.

    Coaches matter. I loved Leavitt. He is why we won in 2016. And when he moved on our great defense became lost becuase coordinators matter. Calling defenses and plays is hard. I think Chev is better than the last OC and better than Lindgren, let’s see what he can do this year. Not sure on the DC yet. I tried to look up the stats last time he called plays and could not really Devine anything. I am hopeful though and after watching that stupid defensive play it can’t be any worse….

    1. Let me say that as part of the usual vacuous drivel in here I really appreciate the on the field game time analysis as opposed to the recent flagellation of ancient stats aka “damn lies.”
      Like VK noted, any Buff stats would have to be matched up with the same stats from other teams all over the country to even mean a little.
      As for Lindgren, in his defense, I honestly believe he was on a tighter leash than normal from Mickey Mac’s hands on the rudder (Jay?). As for Lindgren’s apparent improvement at OSU you also have to remember he went to work for an ex QB who would definitely be involved more in the O. Because KD comes from the O side of the ball, with years of NFL experience, that is exactly why I am optimistic about the Buff’s O in the coming year.

  2. The best part? I’m four for four! Hell, I don’t think that guy can even make a single post without trying to throw some shade my way, overtly or otherwise. Mein gott.

    How ’bout using your research to talk about the NFL dudes CU’s had over the last 20yrs? Not their rankings coming into CU, but their rankings (or lack thereof) leaving. I know what you’ll find. A direct correlation to the win/loss totals.

    Yes, coaching matters, but not as much as players making plays. Yes, coaches bring the players. And we all hope that Karl will continue that progress that has been slowly building since circa 2013/2014.

    Go Buffs

    1. I’m gonna use this one in my next deal.

      Even though it’s a repeat.

      Go Buffs

      Note: Ok Stuart time to get the earache to put one up. Can’t wait. He can use his “How ’bout using your research to talk about the NFL dudes CU’s had over the last 20yrs?’ See he never has any he just makes statements and then requires others to provide the data. This is how bankers operate eh?

        1. I have done that.

          I outlined the nfl draftees and unsigned free agents since neuheisel. The verlibner never replied. I will have to go through your archives and just copy and paste. Is there an easy search function?

          Oh, the recall is coming back. The Verlibmer replied about the length of my post, and nothing else. Because he had nothing.

          I can recreate it, if I have to. With pleasure.

          Go Buffs

          1. Looking forward to the analysis of the reasons the Buffs have been so crappy in the Pac is because of lack of nfl draft choices. Now you will have to show how that compares to other pac 12 schools (rank etc) to have it mean anything. Just listing draft choices of the Buffs and not comparing it is just providing info. Which of course is what bankers do.

            Anyway I never responded cause it was a meaningless babble.

            Go Buffs and go Big earache….can’t wait.

            Note: Old news is earache news.

    2. Players making plays is the FINAL ingredient in the recipe for winning football earache but it comes after the coaches not only bringing the players but , teach them motivate them and put them in a well organized situation to make plays. A lot of this also involves discipline from the coaches.
      D1 football aint like pop warner, when a successful l biz man or some other town big shot manages through connections to stack his team with all the early developed and best players. I hope that isnt what you did.

  3. Shocker…a relatively lucid, well reasoned argument backed with supporting facts from Herr Berlin! Shedding light on the fact anything is possible…even a much improved Buff defense.
    The infusion of key pieces of experienced, highly recruited transfers at key positions could be huge.

    As a cup-is-always-half-full black and gold bleeder, me thinks ol’ VK is on the right track here.

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