Reading a couple of Manny interview this week leads me to this conclusion

[Irondawg]

We have a severe lack of emotional leaders on defense. We come out basic and ask our guys to win their matchups and make plays. That isn't happening so Manny spends a lot of time adjusting the scheme during the game. To his credit he has been really good at that.

Basically I don't think he wants to gamble early and give up a huge play in the 1Q so he does a lot of probing to see what the offense is doing and how to adjust. However, the issue is that while we don't give up the huge play we are getting picked apart on the first few drives. A few goalline stands and an INT have made it look better than it's really been.

We need to find some mojo on defense and part of that may mean we have to start with more aggressive schemes early and hope for the best.

Also hope some of the young guy can supply some kind of spark b/c as a group we just seem to lack any passion out there.

[msstate7]

In manny's defense, I'm sure we thought our offense was gonna be much better this year. If we were scoring like we should on offense, our defensive approach would be more than adequate.

We haven't been as good as we thought on offense though, so we need to attack more on defense to try and give our offense the short field more.

[BB30]

Question for yall, considering we seem to give up a score on the opening drive what do yall think about sending our offense out first to gain try and gain some momentum. Good idea/terrible idea?

[msstate7]

Question for yall, considering we seem to give up a score on the opening drive what do yall think about sending our offense out first to gain try and gain some momentum. Good idea/terrible idea?

Good idea.

[War Machine Dawg]

Question for yall, considering we seem to give up a score on the opening drive what do yall think about sending our offense out first to gain try and gain some momentum. Good idea/terrible idea?

I'm all for it. If we score on the opening possession, it's 7-7. If we don't score, it's 0-7 and we're getting the ball like we would have anyway.

[LC Dawg]

Question for yall, considering we seem to give up a score on the opening drive what do yall think about sending our offense out first to gain try and gain some momentum. Good idea/terrible idea?

Good idea. I said that when we deferred against A&M. I think it's an even better idea against a high powered offense.

[TimberBeast]

Question for yall, considering we seem to give up a score on the opening drive what do yall think about sending our offense out first to gain try and gain some momentum. Good idea/terrible idea?

I'm for keeping our defense off the field as much as possible. My only problem with this is that we are struggling badly on offense right now, so more than likely instead of kicking off and putting them around the 25 to start their drive, we will probably run a few plays and punt giving them the ball around the 35. All I see out of that strategy is a shorter field for the opposing team on their opening drive, which has pretty much been a guaranteed score this season.

[tcdog70]

If our Defense is good enough to pretty much shut out SEC teams in the second half--then our offensive Guru Coach should score enough points to win all the games. Against LSU the reason they scored in the 1st quarter was a shitty phantom holding call and a short field because of a 3 and out and a $hitastic punt.You hold A&M to a 6 point second half and lose, then it is all on Dan and his offense. The huge cluster series right before half where our offense does a quick 3 and out followed by a shanked punt that allows A&M to score was also on Dan.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

We have a severe lack of emotional leaders on defense.

Me and a bud were discussing this the other day and other than Benni B and AJ, I don't see much passion on that side of the ball. Even when were a bad team, we would hit you in the mouth and everyone would know that we came with bad intentions. Why have we gotten soft on that side of the ball?

[AROB44]

If our Defense is good enough to pretty much shut out SEC teams in the second half--then our offensive Guru Coach should score enough points to win all the games. Against LSU the reason they scored in the 1st quarter was a shitty phantom holding call and a short field because of a 3 and out and a $hitastic punt.You hold A&M to a 6 point second half and lose, then it is all on Dan and his offense. The huge cluster series right before half where our offense does a quick 3 and out followed by a shanked punt that allows A&M to score was also on Dan.

I understand what you are saying, but it's not Dan's fault the punt was shanked. I know....he is ultimately responsible for everything, but the kid has got to get a better punt than that. Our punter has been really good in most situations.....not that one however.

[tcdog70]

I understand what you are saying, but it's not Dan's fault the punt was shanked. I know....he is ultimately responsible for everything, but the kid has got to get a better punt than that. Our punter has been really good in most situations.....not that one however.

i was actually blaming Dan more for the piss poor clock management and 3 and out more than the punt

[Todd4State]

Dan does not like players that have swag. The result is we have a bunch of unemotional players who basically have to be kicked in the ass.

Dan needs to come to grips with the fact that just because you have swag it doesn't mean a player won't work hard. See Deion Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, etc.

[Homedawg]

Dan does not like players that have swag. The result is we have a bunch of unemotional players who basically have to be kicked in the ass.

Dan needs to come to grips with the fact that just because you have swag it doesn't mean a player won't work hard. See Deion Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, etc.

Where in the world did you come up w this shit? Wtf ever.

[Todd4State]

Where in the world did you come up w this shit? Wtf ever.

Ask Josh Robinson.

[Homedawg]

Ask Josh Robinson.

Gosh dang man you've really lost it. You do realize there are some people that believe everything read on here. Including ignorant ass shit like this.

[Schultzy]

We shank more punts in conference than a D golfer at Bay Pointe.

I'm sure Jung will give us two good years at LB and hoping Rankin will at tackle.

I'm so ready to have a good run blocking OL again and I think Clayborne could be a Gabe Jackson type if he were at guard. Having at least one road grater helps a lot but it's hard to be that at center.

[Todd4State]

Gosh dang man you've really lost it. You do realize there are some people that believe everything read on here. Including ignorant ass shit like this.

It's pretty obvious if you watch from the stands. The team usually takes on the personality of it's coach or how the coach shapes the team.

[gravedigger]

Dan does not like players that have swag. The result is we have a bunch of unemotional players who basically have to be kicked in the ass.

Dan needs to come to grips with the fact that just because you have swag it doesn't mean a player won't work hard. See Deion Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, etc.

Gonna have to call u on this one. I think you've been unfairly attacked on the board recently, but this is just untrue in every sense of the word. Dan is a program coach and kids who know it are trusted over kids who are less experienced, but the "swag" thing is pure crap. He is probably a perfectionist to a fault. But a player with swag that makes his assignments will play mire than the less talented kid.

Dans fault is that hes forgotten that his offense is about creating missmatches. Run, pass, whatever. We beat auburn because they took away the run and we passed it quickly.
We lost to lsu because we took 30 minutes to do that very thing. We lost to a&m because we couldnt hold onto the football. In the end all this other bullshit about who to play or start is a bunch of caca.

[Homedawg]

Oh so you made it up from your own "personal observations" shit.

[TopDog58]

It's pretty obvious if you watch from the stands. The team usually takes on the personality of it's coach or how the coach shapes the team.

So the coach that wears godawful looking Yeezy's to media days and touted "juice points" for years doesnt allow the team to have any swag?

[Schultzy]

He didn't seem to stifle Boobie's swag.

[Homedawg]

He didn't seem to stifle Boobie's swag.

Impossible, Todd saw from the stands that Dan doesn't like swag. This board has gone from being decently fun to the only reason to read it is pure comic relief for all the bullshit.

[War Machine Dawg]

Me and a bud were discussing this the other day and other than Benni B and AJ, I don't see much passion on that side of the ball. Even when were a bad team, we would hit you in the mouth and everyone would know that we came with bad intentions. Why have we gotten soft on that side of the ball?

Bend but don't break. It breeds softness. Players are asked to read and react instead of attack. It makes them tentative by taking away aggressiveness. It's why I HATE that style of D. I can live with a few more big plays if we're forcing more 3 & outs and turnovers.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

Bend but don't break. It breeds softness. Players are asked to read and react instead of attack. It makes them tentative by taking away aggressiveness. It's why I HATE that style of D. I can live with a few more big plays if we're forcing more 3 & outs and turnovers.

I think that's part of it, too. How much does going against a non-physical offense in practice have to do with it? If we're passing greater than 60% in games, does that mean we practice more passing?

[defiantdog]

First off..... Can everyone quit using the word swag? No one uses that word anymore. Second off..... Dan promotes flash because he understands that attracts recruits. Josh Robinson developed arrogance..... That's different from that other word. Our players promote the blue collar attitude though..... They play with a chip. By the way, Miami Ray Lewis was a lot different than Ravens Ray Lewis.

[smootness]

Ask Josh Robinson.

Your evidence that Mullen doesn't like players with 'swag' is a player who had 'swag'...and became our sole RB who was an integral part of the entire team on our rise to #1 last year?

Good one.

[Todd4State]

Your evidence that Mullen doesn't like players with 'swag' is a player who had 'swag'...and became our sole RB who was an integral part of the entire team on our rise to #1 last year?

Good one.

After being not allowed to get 200 yards despite begging for it. After being lectured in the Egg Bowl for throwing up the landshark even though it didn't draw a penalty. Despite being criticized for his blocking despite throwing the key block against Arkansas in OT to help us go on our Liberty Bowl run...

If Perkins is on our team last year, who do you think Dan starts?

[War Machine Dawg]

I think that's part of it, too. How much does going against a non-physical offense in practice have to do with it? If we're passing greater than 60% in games, does that mean we practice more passing?

That's part of it too. But they're working against the scout team this time of year, not our offense. Of course, if the scout team is soft, that could be a problem. Mainly, being physical is an attitude. You have to want to be nasty when you're on the field. And it's part of the DNA of a program and team. We had it early on in Mullen's tenure and we saw it resurface for a while last season. But now we're back to where we were in 2012 and part of 2013.

That's another reason I wanted to hire O as DC instead of Manny. Say whatever else you will about him, but that dude's attitude breeds toughness. And he wouldn't take Mullen's shit.