Charlie Strong defenses as sole DC going back to 2008:
2014: Total defense #25
2013: Total defense #1
2012: Total defense #23
2011: Total defense #23
2010: Total defense #14
2009: Total defense #4
2008: Total defense #9
The question is, WTF happened this season? Did he forget how to coach defense? Until this season, he's had a top 25 defense 7 years in a row, and a top 10 defense in 3 of those seasons. That's pretty damn good, and leads me to believe this year is an outlier due to youth and inexperience. I know folks don't want to hear that, but my gosh that defense has no upperclassmen help.
When you go back and look at the defense Thanksgiving night, at one point in the game you had this lineup.
Hughes(sophomore)
Cotrell(junior)
Ford(sophomore)
Nelson(freshman)
Hill(freshman)
Bonney(freshman)
Davis(freshman)
Hall(sophomore)
Thomas(senior)
Haines(junior)
Freeman(freshman)
Malik(freshman)
Strong is literally trotting out a unit at times that consists of 3 upper classmen and only 1 senior. Once Jenkins went down he had two true freshman at LB and 2 true freshman at corner. There are no upperclassmen to take these guys under their wing. No one that can get guys in their spots(like Hicks did last year). I guess my point is that if you return pretty much your entire damn defense, and you look at Strong's history as a DC, you can expect Strong to field a top 30 unit in the country next year. Some may call bullshit, but the stats don't lie. If he has the players, the man can coach defense.
All that being said, if the right hire is made at OC, we should have a damn good football team next season. I know I'm higher on Heard than most, but I think Strong can get to 8 wins next year, then will return damn near the same team again in 2017.
2014: Total defense #25
2013: Total defense #1
2012: Total defense #23
2011: Total defense #23
2010: Total defense #14
2009: Total defense #4
2008: Total defense #9
The question is, WTF happened this season? Did he forget how to coach defense? Until this season, he's had a top 25 defense 7 years in a row, and a top 10 defense in 3 of those seasons. That's pretty damn good, and leads me to believe this year is an outlier due to youth and inexperience. I know folks don't want to hear that, but my gosh that defense has no upperclassmen help.
When you go back and look at the defense Thanksgiving night, at one point in the game you had this lineup.
Hughes(sophomore)
Cotrell(junior)
Ford(sophomore)
Nelson(freshman)
Hill(freshman)
Bonney(freshman)
Davis(freshman)
Hall(sophomore)
Thomas(senior)
Haines(junior)
Freeman(freshman)
Malik(freshman)
Strong is literally trotting out a unit at times that consists of 3 upper classmen and only 1 senior. Once Jenkins went down he had two true freshman at LB and 2 true freshman at corner. There are no upperclassmen to take these guys under their wing. No one that can get guys in their spots(like Hicks did last year). I guess my point is that if you return pretty much your entire damn defense, and you look at Strong's history as a DC, you can expect Strong to field a top 30 unit in the country next year. Some may call bullshit, but the stats don't lie. If he has the players, the man can coach defense.
All that being said, if the right hire is made at OC, we should have a damn good football team next season. I know I'm higher on Heard than most, but I think Strong can get to 8 wins next year, then will return damn near the same team again in 2017.
