Defensive Coordinator Van Malone

[PerunasHoof]

Apparently you do not watch the games. Lots of players are being substituted and repositioned in an attempt to evaluate what we have and how best to use them. No one with any knowledge of the game should have expected more than what we have seen this year. If you put down money that we would be in a bowl game you will get what you deserve.

Is Malone the answer? I do not know. But you have to give time for evaluation and upgrade in order for the defense to improve. That is what is glaringly happening this year and I am fine with it. I expect improvement in 2016 and a solid defense in 2017. To expect anything more is dreaming.

Agree 100%

[chewybmt]

I personally believe in Malone or I wouldn't have sent my kid to him...

[Stallion]

This thread is getting ridiculous. Sorry some are disappointed. Nobody is paying attention to your uninformed temper tantrums. There will be 12-13 true and redshirt freshman defensive players contributing next year-its going to be awhile until the defense becomes marginal. The players that will do it are in high school

[footballdad]

Apparently you do not watch the games. Lots of players are being substituted and repositioned in an attempt to evaluate what we have and how best to use them. No one with any knowledge of the game should have expected more than what we have seen this year. If you put down money that we would be in a bowl game you will get what you deserve.

Is Malone the answer? I do not know. But you have to give time for evaluation and upgrade in order for the defense to improve. That is what is glaringly happening this year and I am fine with it. I expect improvement in 2016 and a solid defense in 2017. To expect anything more is dreaming.

a) I've seen every game this year, and yes, I'm aware of the substitutions and position changes (though I wouldn't describe the latter as "lots")
b) i predicted 2-10, not a bowl game. I was not expecting miracles (though I think the offense borders on this description)
c) I'd like to know how long you think it should take Malone to evaluate players and put them in the right place. Perhaps by game 10 or 11 (and by extension, practice 100 or 110) that process will be complete and we can expect improved results?

Apparently this year's results don't count, next year is another free pass, and then we'll hope 2017 is solid, before considering any changes going into 2018.

[footballdad]

This thread is getting ridiculous. Sorry some are disappointed. Nobody is paying attention to your uninformed temper tantrums. There will be 12-13 true and redshirt freshman defensive players contributing next year-its going to be awhile until the defense becomes marginal. The players that will do it are in high school

Not sure where you see 'temper tantrums'? Looks like a couple new posters (as well as some veterans), who are paying very close attention, making very detailed and rational arguments, why Morris may need to re-evaluate the hiring of a DC with ZERO experience, sooner than later.

[Rebel10]

So Mason has a decent defense when he had decent players but when he loses the better players the defense goes down. Mason had a bad defense last year and now with a new coach we have a bad defense this year. One thing that is a constant is the players. Look I am not saying these kids are bad kids and I do believe they are giving it the best effort they have.

[JasonB]

You have to give Malone some time to get his players in and adjust to his system. I think most of us agree with that.

But I think you have to adjust your system a little bit to fit your players so that you don't have an awful first year. That is what June didn't do, and we all bagged on him for it. It is what Larry did - he wanted to man up from the airport and ended up playing zone his first season.

The 4-2-5 is fine, but I think we are going to have to run more zone centrally against mobile QBs so that we can keep more players in the box and stop the run. To run a 4-2-5 man scheme and stop the run, you have to have a couple of big time difference makers on the defensive line and you have to have speed studs at safety that can hit. You have to have those players who can dominate the defensive battles in the middle of the field, because with that structure, you are going to be flat out short numbers in the middle when the other team runs a spread and has a mobile QB.

I don't think our talent is awful, but we certainly don't have the superstars who can play 8 v 8 on power QB runs and dominate individual battles to make a play. In our 8v8, if one person gets beat, we are done. The current scheme requires players to dominate their opponent in those situations. If you have a bunch of average players, they are going to fail. They don't even have to be below average.

[Rebel10]

You have to give Malone some time to get his players in and adjust to his system. I think most of us agree with that.

But I think you have to adjust your system a little bit to fit your players so that you don't have an awful first year. That is what June didn't do, and we all bagged on him for it. It is what Larry did - he wanted to man up from the airport and ended up playing zone his first season.

The 4-2-5 is fine, but I think we are going to have to run more zone centrally against mobile QBs so that we can keep more players in the box and stop the run. To run a 4-2-5 man scheme and stop the run, you have to have a couple of big time difference makers on the defensive line and you have to have speed studs at safety that can hit. You have to have those players who can dominate the defensive battles in the middle of the field, because with that structure, you are going to be flat out short numbers in the middle when the other team runs a spread and has a mobile QB.

I don't think our talent is awful, but we certainly don't have the superstars who can play 8 v 8 on power QB runs and dominate individual battles to make a play. In our 8v8, if one person gets beat, we are done. The current scheme requires players to dominate their opponent in those situations. If you have a bunch of average players, they are going to fail. They don't even have to be below average.

You are still making excuses and saying we have average talent. We ran a 3-4 last year and were dominated. Now you are saying we have to have 5 star superstars to run this defense. TCU didn't have superstars all over the field when they were in a non BCS conference and they were still good in the 4-2-5. We don't have a bunch of average players like you are suggesting. We have a few above average players with mostly below average FBS players. But if you are saying overall we have average FCS players I would agree. And LB did not run zone his first year here he ran man to man mostly but he just did not press. Again, please stop the redaction.

[ender3]

Everyone in this thread is correct.

The talent is severely sub-par. The coaching has been below-average at best.

Yes, we are dead last in total defense. But you know what? The *only* other team to have played both Baylor and TCU is #124 (Texas Tech, also not a defensive power house).

#126 and #100 are still to come on our schedule (and that does not even include S. Florida). The defense is bad, no, terrible, but we still have a chance to win some games. A few.

As I said many, many months ago "2 wins and competitive in 4 other games would be a pretty significant leap forward."

We're still on pace for that.

[Prideful Pony]

I personally believe in Malone or I wouldn't have sent my kid to him...

Which raises an important question: why are you mailing your toddler to a college football coach? That's commitment.

[Ponyneighbor]

let's just not be intellectually lazy about this and say we can draw absolutely no conclusions based on 2015. That's weak, and it will make future evaluations even more difficult, because I'm sure that talent and results will be better, and it will be difficult to decipher how much of that is due to the talent and how much is due to coaching. We have bases for comparison right now (last year's team, other squads with lower-rated recruits), why not use them?

[mrydel]

No you do not. Different scheme. Different substitution rate for evaluation. Opposition has changed since last year. Younger players being put into play. There is no way to compare this year with last.

[Rebel10]

I personally believe in Malone or I wouldn't have sent my kid to him...

Thank you for allowing your son to come to SMU.

[sbsmith]

If the next guy can't fix the defense in just one season will he be fired as well?

[WildBillPony]

Maybe the problem lies with the strength and conditioning coordinator. None of the linemen on either side of the ball can bench press more than 140 lbs. I'm 64, just had neck surgery, and I can bench more than that.