Tom Allen's D vs. Wally Burnham's D

[Flowers4Heisman]

I was watching the 2007 game against UNC & Butch Davis' first year last night. Our defense was really good that year with lots of starter talent.

Comparing the two defenses (Wally used a 4-3), there are not a lot of differences. But I think Allen's definitely better as a coach; he uses his personnel much better. Sure, we didn't stop Navy, but our defense has been overachieving all year long. You give Allen the talent on that 2007 team and it's lights out!

I really think we have a star in Allen.

[BullFan98]

Agree...great defensive mind.  Hopefully we can keep him here.

[bullsfan27]

we really need to get allen signed to a 5 year deal along with willie

[Orlando Bull]

I can't give the edge one way or another. You may be under-rating our secondary. Allen sends the blitz pretty much any time he expects a pass it looks like to me. That means the guys in our secondary are pretty much on an island. You're probably right to an extent, but, I won't sell Burnham and Leavitt short on what they did with those defenses back then. We were more solid at LB, probably not as stout at DT as we are now.

Allen really impresses me with his ability to use what we have. He seems to have tapped into something with the players we have to elevate their play. When the offense is scoring like ours has been for the last several games, it makes his job much easier also.

[BullyPulpit]

I don't see how a team needing a coach (especially a middle of the pack team) doesn't make a move for him after the improvements he made at Ole Miss and here. Our scoring defense improved to 21.1 ppg from 27.7 ppg (granted some of that has to be attributed to the offense improving), with the scoring defense over the last 8 games only allowing 19.6 ppg (this number is somewhat skewed by the 24 the second half garbage time points put up by Cincy). 

The longer we can hold on to Tom Allen and Danny Hope, the better we will be. The biggest "hope" in keeping Hope is that he was out of the coaching game for 3 seasons prior to coming to USF this year, so it may take another year or two before his name becomes a hot commodity. 

[ahoyboy]

Having Pierre-Paul, Selvie, and Ben Moffitt helped Burnam. Seems like Allen get's the most out of a little less. Imagine if we get some substantial players like the aforementioned. 

[Orlando Bull]

Having Pierre-Paul, Selvie, and Ben Moffitt helped Burnam. Seems like Allen get's the most out of a little less. Imagine if we get some substantial players like the aforementioned. 

Jenkins, Allen, St. Louis and Williams too... but, JPP played 1 year of HS ball I think, Selvie was a center. Nate Allen was a QB... those guys got great at defense because of coaching. I would say that pretty much every defense put on the field in the Jim Leavitt era was good. Give the coaches credit, while on paper, it looks like they had a world of talent on that defense, if you look at where those guys started, you have to say that coaching had some influence on "helping".

[WWMJD]

Tom Allen's D was good most of the time this season. He's got a long way to go to be on the level of Wally's sustained excellence.

[Gismo]

I would take the 2007 and 2008 defense in a heartbeat. Better secondary, more sacks, bigger hits. 

[raptorcj]

Just single-season team vs team, I think the edge would have to go to 2007 because of stronger position players. But the 2015 D is, I agree, better-coached and better-disciplined.