Defense observation

[BullsFanInTX]

8 hours ago, Bulls On Parade said:

Why can't our defense hold a large lead...is it because Strong once we get up big likes to put in younger guys for experience and to save players or do players take intensity down a great deal and let teams move the ball and Strong is ok with them eating up game clock?

These are leads we had in several games this season and if we had kept them I feel many would not be as quite as upset about the defense.

Uconn  31-14 early 4th quarter

Umass 51-28 early 4th quarter

Elon 31-0 mid 3rd quarter.

This defense seems to play its best when in a tight game but once we get any sort of decent lead it all goes down hill.  One positive is I really doubt we will get a big

lead vs Houston so we won't blow any big score. 

My guess is that the defense isn't quite as horrible as some think it is...it isn't going to hold Houston to under 20 but I think they can maybe hold them near 35 and that gives 

us a punchers chance on the road.

Go Bulls.

 

Strong doesn't believe in running up scores on people.  He likes to become predictable with a decent lead, run the ball, and chew up clock.

Taggart on the other hand, didn't take his foot off the gas ever.  He tacked on style point touchdowns whenever he could.  Strong just won't.  Taggart would have found a way to tack on one during the last drive to make it 45-30, rather than 38-30.

Strong at his core is a ground and pound, defensive, play not to lose type of coach.  3 yards and a cloud of dust win by one score coach.

Taggart was a score first and worry about defense later coach, and if he could score 60 on you he would without hesitation.

By the way, both philosophies can and do work, but which one would you rather watch.

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by BullsFanInTX

[Gatorbull325]

I think the defensive issues are really our age, experience and size. Next year, there are a lot of kids that will gain 10-25 Ibs of muscle and will have had at least 1 good year of experience under their belt.  We haven't even gone into John Waller and Devin Leacock.  I'm hoping Brandon Boyce comes in and immediately kicks a.$$ during the Houston game.  People fail to realize that  this defense gets the stops. BB. threw 2 interceptions in the 1st quarter and our offense didnt even score until the end of the 2nd quarter. Yet all UCON was able to do is 1 touch down. This is how its been all year. Our offense has put all of the burden on the defense. Take away the 4th quarter and we pretty  much covered the spread. I didnt see the game yet, but I'm assuming the defense was tired by then. Our defense may not be dominating, but we still can win games with this defense. 

[Orlando Bull]

12 hours ago, BullsFanInTX said:

Strong doesn't believe in running up scores on people.  He likes to become predictable with a decent lead, run the ball, and chew up clock.

Taggart on the other hand, didn't take his foot off the gas ever.  He tacked on style point touchdowns whenever he could.  Strong just won't.  Taggart would have found a way to tack on one during the last drive to make it 45-30, rather than 38-30.

Strong at his core is a ground and pound, defensive, play not to lose type of coach.  3 yards and a cloud of dust win by one score coach.

Taggart was a score first and worry about defense later coach, and if he could score 60 on you he would without hesitation.

By the way, both philosophies can and do work, but which one would you rather watch.

 

 

 

Again, look at what he did at Louisville with a good team. He had a 72-0 game in there, you don't do that if you're squeamish about running up the score. I don't think this is true. He's either not involved enough in the offense, his OC is terrible, or, his team just isn't as good as some people think.

[goldenbrahm1996]

28 minutes ago, Orlando Bull said:

Again, look at what he did at Louisville with a good team. He had a 72-0 game in there, you don't do that if you're squeamish about running up the score. I don't think this is true. He's either not involved enough in the offense, his OC is terrible, or, his team just isn't as good as some people think.

I think it's all of the above.

[Bulls On Parade]

58 minutes ago, Gatorbull325 said:

 I didnt see the game yet, but I'm assuming the defense was tired by then. Our defense may not be dominating, but we still can win games with this defense. 

Yea Uconn had ball 10 more mins.  

 

[BDYZR]

1 hour ago, Orlando Bull said:

Again, look at what he did at Louisville with a good team. He had a 72-0 game in there, you don't do that if you're squeamish about running up the score. I don't think this is true. He's either not involved enough in the offense, his OC is terrible, or, his team just isn't as good as some people think.

Another boring 616 yards and 38 points. 

[Orlando Bull]

16 minutes ago, BDYZR said:

Another boring 616 yards and 38 points. 

I didn't say that WAS the case, it was 1 of my 3 options for the possible reason we're not blowing people out. I guess the 4th option is what I was referencing and that is that CCS doesn't like to blow teams out. For reference though... UConn gives up an average of 51.4 per game, good for dead last in FBS. They also give up an average of 651 yards per game, also dead last. We brought those averages down for them, but, not enough for them to not be last, so, I guess we can take pride in that.

(FWIW, I am not a Gilbert fan, but, I honestly think that our team is just not that great, that is my opinion of why we're not blowing teams out. I have said it multiple times. Skill positions are pretty good, but, in the trenches, we're bad on both sides of the ball)

[Apis Bull]

Just now, Orlando Bull said:

I didn't say that WAS the case, it was 1 of my 3 options for the possible reason we're not blowing people out. I guess the 4th option is what I was referencing and that is that CCS doesn't like to blow teams out. For reference though... UConn gives up an average of 51.4 per game, good for dead last in FBS. They also give up an average of 651 yards per game, also dead last. We brought those averages down for them, but, not enough for them to not be last, so, I guess we can take pride in that.

(FWIW, I am not a Gilbert fan, but, I honestly think that our team is just not that great, that is my opinion of why we're not blowing teams out. I have said it multiple times. Skill positions are pretty good, but, in the trenches, we're bad on both sides of the ball)

The three turnovers kept us from blowing them out early

[Orlando Bull]

1 minute ago, Apis Bull said:

The three turnovers kept us from blowing them out early

Probably very true. But, that doesn't really fit the Mr Nice Guy CCS doesn't like to hurt the other teams' feelings narrative... You are right though, those kept UConn in it, and, gave them confidence. If we don't turn it over, there's a chance that we can squash that confidence before it starts building.

Completely unrelated, did anyone notice the graphic of Edsall's only top-25 win...ever... USF, 2007. That was a kick to the nuts that I didn't need during the game.

[BDYZR]

3 minutes ago, Apis Bull said:

The three turnovers kept us from blowing them out early

And adding how many yards? I'm guessing more than the 35 needed to be above average. maybe even the two TD's to be above average.