Defense By The Numbers

[RE Tycoon]

Looking at the defensive stats, there really were no stats...

Sacks = None
QB Hurries = None
INT's = None
Fumbles (Forced and Recovered) = None
Tackles for Loss = 1

Our D-line had 6 unassisted tackles! Our supposed best players (Margus, Reed, JG, Acker, Sanders) were effectively nonexistent the whole game. We were told three of those guys would be playing in the NFL next year! I've never seen a more incomplete defensive stat sheet at any level, it looks like something from the first few minutes of the game.

I'm not worried about the O-line, not worried about the WR's or the Gilbert, but I'm freaking out about this defensive. Don't give me excuses about hurry up offensive, we knew that's what they ran, Art Briles is the coach!

Even if we make the score 14-10 at half, who's to say they still don't blow us out of the water in the second half? Starting the second half, we were only down three scores, Baylor gives up that kind of lead almost every game, and the defensive still got pounded (14 offensive points and one defensive TD), and it was far from garbage time.

If we don't see a reversal fast and a reversion to prime form from the D, there is a 100% chance we enter conference play a 1-3 and a decent chance it's 0-4.

I expected more from Mason and feel like an idiot for believing we had a chance to be a nationally elite defensive.

[ojaipony]

Yep. Bingo. Baylor is a very prolific offense, and I feel they will put up a lot of points on people this year. It being the first game, I'll give our defense a little bit of the benefit of the doubt but NO plays is ridiculous.

I think our safeties are a big problem. Also, no strong pass rusher (I'm afraid Margus is way overrated - great guy, crazy measurables but does he have the skills to go all out all game long?). They BETTER make plays on SFA. If we don't blow out SFA, it's going to be a long year IMHO.

[SMU 86]

Let's hope Coach Mason can make better adjustment as well this upcoming week. In order to be a top 10 defense he has to do so.

[Rebel10]

SMU needs to jack up the Lumberjacks.

[Hoop Fan]

Definitely concerned about our play makers not making plays. I have to think it has something to do with lack of hitting in preseason and will get much better. But nonetheless to follow your logic, what if it was 14-10? 7 of those 14 were absolutely gifted to them by us and the refs on the first possession. Would you really have felt terrible about really only allowing Baylor one legit drive in the first half of the game? Texas won't hold them down that well. Yes, our D was vanilla and not impressive looking, but to hold Baylor to two touchdowns in a half with one of them being a gift, not many teams are gonna do that this year even if RG3 is gone.

As for the second half, basically it was moot. 24-3 was pretty much out of reach the way our offense was playing and everyone felt it.

[RE Tycoon]

Definitely concerned about our play makers not making plays. I have to think it has something to do with lack of hitting in preseason and will get much better.

I'll offer my own Bingo! More astute observes have pointed this out in the past and I've shrugged it off as irrelevant, but I have now come on board to agree this is a huge detriment to our team for the first game of the year. Look at how SMU has performed under this philosophy. Not just losing games, but getting killed. We need to hit in fall camp, for the offense and the defensive.

But nonetheless to follow your logic, what if it was 14-10? 7 of those 14 were absolutely gifted to them by us and the refs on the first possession.

That's what separates teams that go to Birmingham for bowls and teams that get top 25 votes and beat BCS teams on the road. Also goes back to the no hitting in camp and/or just bad coach preparation year after year. This "Fog of War" JJ likes to reference so much only seems to happen to one team on the field.

As for the second half, basically it was moot. 24-3 was pretty much out of reach the way our offense was playing and everyone felt it.

Another indictment on the coaching staff for letting the players think 21 points is too much to overcome on a team that routinely gave that up last year. Also an indictment on the SMU version of the Run n Shoot that a 21-point deficit with a half to play spells game over.

[jimhagle]

We shut down Baylor not once but twice on their first possession as we all know only to have penalties derail us. Who knows how the tempo of the game changes if we force them to punt right off the bat. And it gives our defense a boost immediately it never got.

[Treadway21]

What concerns me is the Line Backer, the supposed strength of the defense, were no shows. Reed a little, but nothing from LG and Sanders, as mentioned by Hoopfan. I am sure they will come round, but that was disappointing.

[WordUpBU]

We shut down Baylor not once but twice on their first possession as we all know only to have penalties derail us. Who knows how the tempo of the game changes if we force them to punt right off the bat. And it gives our defense a boost immediatley it never got.

First one we hurt ourselves as well. Holding on 3rd & 6 set up 3rd & long and we might have gone for it on 4th & 1. On 3rd & long we dropped one we shouldn't have and were bailed out by the penalty.

Second one was a 3rd down IIRC where Nick essentially saw you jump offsides and chucked it deep as an automatic check. He talked about that checkoff in a preseason scrimmage. That throw doesn't happen without you jumping over the line and he likely hits the wide open crossing route.

I will say that the late hit on T Reed was bogus but didn't affect anything 1st down wise as the 11 yd run already moved the chains. It got us closer but 7 yards isn't going to make or break a drive.


My take on your D is that you really miss 3 guys- Thompson, Crawford, & Banjo. Thompson was the pass rush stud last year and held up well in the run too. Crawford vs Parks... enough said. Banjo likely gets over on those cover 3 plays up the seam that your current duo weren't able to.

I think SMU has a good D with some depth concerns but a solid scheme. Don't read too much into this game. KSU's defense held Arkansas better than anyone not playing in the BCS title game last year and we made them look silly on D.

Depending on how much they lost in the mass exodus I think you will have a shot at TCU but GG and the OL have to improve. If you can get solid throws and keep Maponga out of GG's face I think TCU's tendency for tight coverage can bite them for the 2nd year in a row.

A&M will depend on their QB. You need an extra guy to stop their run based on how their OL won the line of scrimmage last year. Tannehill was able to hit some really tough throws and put your D in conflict and I don't know what to expect from A&M's new kid. If he's playing well you won't be able to do it effectively but if he struggles you could hold them well.

Good luck going forward.

[WordUpBU]

What concerns me is the Line Backer, the supposed strength of the defense, were no shows. Reed a little, but nothing from LG and Sanders, as mentioned by Hoopfan. I am sure they will come round, but that was disappointing.

Nick got rid of the ball quickly to negate a lot of Davis' outside pass rush most of the time. In coverage we used a lot of spread sets to attack the DB's and the LB's did ok in that regard as they weren't required to do that much. The 2 long plays up the seam are on the deep safety, not the LBs.

In the run game we did a good job winning vs your DL which will usually make LB's face an uphill battle to make plays.

[ojaipony]

Thanks, WordupBU. I hope you guys go undefeated and win the national championship.

As for our D, I think we DO hit - someone posted that we had a scrimmage of 70 plays of full contact and many references to "hitting the bags" which are fundamental tackling/hand placement drills I think. But, probably not enough.

Anyway, I think Wordup is right - we really miss Crawford and somewhat Thompson (and a little bit of Banjo - great kid, but was overrated, at least he brought the wood occasionally though.) Safety support was the biggest problem and lack of pass rush. I know it's a gamble, but I would blitz more on SFA and if we can't pressure, just drop everyone way off and make them make short passes (of course, that would mean we would have to tackle well).

I think our guys were just way too jacked up (coaching fault) as they over-ran many missed tackles (and the offsides - JG was on a mission to get to the QB but got deflated I feel . . . another coaching issue).

And, whomever said that it's on the coaches to think a 21 point deficit is out of reach is damn right! I'm kind of old school but even Zen Coach Phil Jackson would yell and pep up his players occasionally - would love to see the coaches get up and motivate these young guys to keep their heads up and fight (I wasn't at the game so maybe that was happening but it didn't seem like it on TV).

[WordUpBU]

I know it's a gamble, but I would blitz more on SFA and if we can't pressure, just drop everyone way off and make them make short passes (of course, that would mean we would have to tackle well).

I think your base D of rush 3 DL + 1 LB and sit in quarters coverage will work vs SFA. SFA is a team that essentially copied the Mike Leach Air Raid scheme by hiring coordinators from West Texas A&M who drove to lubbock and literally copied it down. They played us last year and did some decent things here and there but they won't be able to drive Margus, Pit, & Grenier off the ball. Only way they run for a lot is if you give them 5 or fewer in the box.

They have a 2nd year starter at QB who threw a ton of picks last year. Your pass rush and pass D will get ample practice. SMU is good at usually avoiding the big play and I expect a return to that this weekend.

[sbsmith]

I expected more from Mason and feel like an idiot for believing we had a chance to be a nationally elite defensive.

Mason's not a miracle worker and there's only so much he can do schematically with limited personnel against teams like Baylor, A&M, TCU, Tech, etc. We'll look great against scrub teams we can push around up front and not so great against the better teams. Mason's defense will keep us in a lot of games this season.

[JasonB]

Linebackers didn't show up. Period. We knew that we would have some issues at safety, but when the teams best unit puts in an F instead of the usual A, you are not going to have a good day.

[Hoop Fan]

Jason, no doubt they didn't show up, question is why. Are they just not as good as we thought? Or were we outschemed? Or were they too hyped up and not in top football condition and therefore flamed out quickly in the heat? I hope its some combination of the latter two possibilities, and can therefore be turned around before TCU at least.