Manny Diaz and the 2015 defense...

[DistrictDawg92]

I've seen multiple people mention that Diaz has said that this year's defense will be the best he has EVER had. I feel like a statement like this, especially from a coach, is best left unsaid unless you are 100% confident in the statement. With Manny's best defense + a top 3 SEC offense lead by a 5th year Senior heisman candidate QB, I don't think anyone, including us as fans, really knows what's about to take the field on the night of Septemeber 12th. As much as we all hated 1A/1B last year, it might be the leading factor to our success this year, outside of the obvious ones, like Dak and Bear. And honestly I'm starting to believe that 1A/1B wasn't Collins, but rather Mullen recognizing that we would be losing so much last year and knew that returning experience on the defense would be key this year. I guarantee 9 out of 10 college football experts would tell you that we are one of the top 3 youngest/inexperienced teams in the SEC, when in reality, our whole 2 deep is upperclassmen. If this isn't the year, I don't know what is.

[Bubb Rubb]

I've seen multiple people mention that Diaz has said that this year's defense will be the best he has EVER had. I feel like a statement like this, especially from a coach, is best left unsaid unless you are 100% confident in the statement. With Manny's best defense + a top 3 SEC offense lead by a 5th year Senior heisman candidate QB, I don't think anyone, including us as fans, really knows what's about to take the field on the night of Septemeber 12th. As much as we all hated 1A/1B last year, it might be the leading factor to our success this year, outside of the obvious ones, like Dak and Bear. And honestly I'm starting to believe that 1A/1B wasn't Collins, but rather Mullen recognizing that we would be losing so much last year and knew that returning experience on the defense would be key this year. I guarantee 9 out of 10 college football experts would tell you that we are one of the top 3 youngest/inexperienced teams in the SEC, when in reality, our whole 2 deep is upperclassmen. If this isn't the year, I don't know what is.

I think we all need to pump the brakes a little bit. There's good reason for optimism, but we did lose defensive talent that will be difficult to replace. All those 1Bs you're referring to were a noticeable dropoff in talent and production from the 1As (for the most part). Those guys have to step up their game this year. You also never know about injuries.

Let's be excited and be optimistic, but we have to be real, too. We have a chance to be very good, but nothing is etched in stone, particularly due to the 1A/1B stuff. Preston, B-Mac, and Matt Wells are leaving some very big holes to fill.

I would expect that Diaz didn't say this, at least not in this context. He would be crazy as a coach to say something like that. I think what he said was more along the lines of having more talent here than he did the first time, and that's a fair statement. Talent doesn't always translate into performance, though, and you can't account for injuries.

[RiverCityDawg]

Where is/was it that Diaz said this would be his best defense ever? I assume this is "he said, she said" off-the-record stuff?

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I think we all need to pump the brakes a little bit. There's good reason for optimism, but we did lose defensive talent that will be difficult to replace. All those 1Bs you're referring to were a noticeable dropoff in talent and production from the 1As (for the most part). Those guys have to step up their game this year. You also never know about injuries.

Let's be excited and be optimistic, but we have to be real, too. We have a chance to be very good, but nothing is etched in stone, particularly due to the 1A/1B stuff. Preston, B-Mac, and Matt Wells are leaving some very big holes to fill.

I would expect that Diaz didn't say this, at least not in this context. He would be crazy as a coach to say something like that. I think what he said was more along the lines of having more talent here than he did the first time, and that's a fair statement. Talent doesn't always translate into performance, though, and you can't account for injuries.

F&%K IT!!!! Say it loud & say it over & over again. Don't be timid & reserved & bashful. No other fan base is. Auburn is saying Muschamp is the greatest thing ever. A&M has Chavis on the Mt. Rushmore of DC's. Why can't Manny come in & be that good. Let's stop playing it safe & be wait & see. Let's beat our chest & have some confidence. We want respect you have to carry yourself with a confident, cocky attitude. Forget being the quiet & humble fanbase. Grab your nuts sometimes & let folks know.

[Dawgology]

F&%K IT!!!! Say it loud & say it over & over again. Don't be timid & reserved & bashful. No other fan base is. Auburn is saying Muschamp is the greatest thing ever. A&M has Chavis on the Mt. Rushmore of DC's. Why can't Manny come in & be that good. Let's stop playing it safe & be wait & see. Let's beat our chest & have some confidence. We want respect you have to carry yourself with a confident, cocky attitude. Forget being the quiet & humble fanbase. Grab your nuts sometimes & let folks know.

**** 'em! We are going to kick some ass this year.

[BeardoMSU]

Grab your nuts sometimes & let folks know.

Dan's "inner Ben Gordon"....

[TrapGame]

I think we all need to pump the brakes a little bit. There's good reason for optimism, but we did lose defensive talent that will be difficult to replace. All those 1Bs you're referring to were a noticeable dropoff in talent and production from the 1As (for the most part). Those guys have to step up their game this year. You also never know about injuries.

Let's be excited and be optimistic, but we have to be real, too. We have a chance to be very good, but nothing is etched in stone, particularly due to the 1A/1B stuff. Preston, B-Mac, and Matt Wells are leaving some very big holes to fill.

I would expect that Diaz didn't say this, at least not in this context. He would be crazy as a coach to say something like that. I think what he said was more along the lines of having more talent here than he did the first time, and that's a fair statement. Talent doesn't always translate into performance, though, and you can't account for injuries.

And some of that drop off was Collins' scheme, his horrid lack of communication in the secondary (which is now fixed per Will Redmond) and his knack for putting guys in the wrong position (i.e. Wells replaced by Jackson).

[Jack Lambert]

ONe thing for sure, this board will be very active Sunday either way talking about it. I personally think both offense and defense will be fun to watch this season.

[mic]

I have probably said this at least a dozen times
Diaz > Collins
And yeah we lost some key players
So did basically every other team
And not many teams have 2 possible 1st rounders starting on defense
We do...

[Bubb Rubb]

F&%K IT!!!! Say it loud & say it over & over again. Don't be timid & reserved & bashful. No other fan base is. Auburn is saying Muschamp is the greatest thing ever. A&M has Chavis on the Mt. Rushmore of DC's. Why can't Manny come in & be that good. Let's stop playing it safe & be wait & see. Let's beat our chest & have some confidence. We want respect you have to carry yourself with a confident, cocky attitude. Forget being the quiet & humble fanbase. Grab your nuts sometimes & let folks know.

I'm not saying don't be confident or even cocky. I'm saying be wary. There are a lot of moving parts.

I assure you the real Dan isn't running around pounding his chest. He's confident, but he also needs to see some guys step up. Manny is confident, but he needs to see some guys step up. I like Manny as much as everyone else but he is not at Muschamp or Chavis's level. He has something to prove. If that serves as a chip on his shoulder that drives him to be better, great. But assuming it to be so sets you up for a mighty big fall later if things don't go just right. Then you have everyone going full retard and calling for OMGHUDSPETH.

[BeardoMSU]

And some of that drop off was Collins' scheme, his horrid lack of communication in the secondary (which is now fixed per Will Redmond) and his knack for putting guys in the wrong position (i.e. Wells replaced by Jackson).

Safety play was absolutely horrid under Collins. I expect a big improvement with Manny.

The biggest thing, as I've mentioned before, is Manny's in-game adjustments. He's gonna win us some games this year.

Book it.

[archdog]

Screw it, I am in.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I'm not saying don't be confident or even cocky. I'm saying be wary. There are a lot of moving parts.

I assure you the real Dan isn't running around pounding his chest. He's confident, but he also needs to see some guys step up. Manny is confident, but he needs to see some guys step up. I like Manny as much as everyone else but he is not at Muschamp or Chavis's level. He has something to prove. If that serves as a chip on his shoulder that drives him to be better, great. But assuming it to be so sets you up for a mighty big fall later if things don't go just right. Then you have everyone going full retard and calling for OMGHUDSPETH.

That's just it folks are going to go crazy no matter what if you're losing. They going to lose their minds if you're loud & cocky or if you're quiet & humble. May as well be loud & confident just in case it works out.

[Dawgheadcheese]

F&%K IT!!!! Say it loud & say it over & over again. Don't be timid & reserved & bashful. No other fan base is. Auburn is saying Muschamp is the greatest thing ever. A&M has Chavis on the Mt. Rushmore of DC's. Why can't Manny come in & be that good. Let's stop playing it safe & be wait & see. Let's beat our chest & have some confidence. We want respect you have to carry yourself with a confident, cocky attitude. Forget being the quiet & humble fanbase. Grab your nuts sometimes & let folks know.

I like you.

[RiverCityDawg]

And some of that drop off was Collins' scheme, his horrid lack of communication in the secondary (which is now fixed per Will Redmond) and his knack for putting guys in the wrong position (i.e. Wells replaced by Jackson).

Agree. I never liked Collins scheme with regards to him covering slot receivers with a LB. I get it with Wells but NO ONE else should have been doing that.

Of course, I also seem to remember us trying to cover Randall Cobb in the slot with a LB in 2010, so I hope we don't have d?j? vu with that.

[Dawg496]

Not as good as Muschamp and Chavis?

Did those two in particular actually impress you with their defenses last year??

[Bubb Rubb]

Not as good as Muschamp and Chavis?

Did those two in particular actually impress you with their defenses last year??

Slow your roll. I didn't say not as good. I said not at their level, as in not as accomplished. That's not even a debatable point. Those guys were coordinators on national championship teams.

[SDDawg]

Regardless of what Diaz said, Collins is a "juiced up" LB coach. Nothing more- he's going to FLOP hard at FL, may not even have a job next year. This isn't sour grapes, it's what we all know after watching last season unfold. We were an offensive juggernaut with some great talent in the front 7 but not a great defense by any stretch. Poor D killed us against OM and Ga Tech. I didn't think it would be possible, but we're going to shock the world *AGAIN* this year.

ETA: Yes, I know Collins was gone before the Orange Bowl but we were left with his mess to clean up and only a few weeks to do it.

[Dawg496]

Slow your roll. I didn't say not as good. I said not at their level, as in not as accomplished. That's not even a debatable point. Those guys were coordinators on national championship teams.

If you meant not as accomplished, you should've said that. I think most people would assume not on their level meant the level of skill.

Robert Horry is not on Lebron's level.. but he's certainly accomplished more (in terms of championships). (I'm not comparing Muschavis to Robert Horry vs Diaz to Lebron)

[Bubb Rubb]

If you meant not as accomplished, you should've said that. I think most people would assume not on their level meant the level of skill.

Robert Horry is not on Lebron's level.. but he's certainly accomplished more (in terms of championships). (I'm not comparing Muschavis to Robert Horry vs Diaz to Lebron)

You shouldn't speak for most people. If some took it the way you did, that's fine. My point is valid.