Grantham and Defense

[MaroonFlounder]

I'm sick of the "buzzwords" every time a new defensive coordinator comes to town. You know the words I'm talking about (aggressive, pressure, psycho, etc). Spare me. Nothing ever materializes to match that description. I can count on one hand the number of blitzes last season vs SEC teams. Chicken shit Sirmon. Hell, if they're gonna beat you anyway, you might as well go ALL OUT. I'm sick of hearing how we are gonna bring the heat vs opposing QBs and make things uncomfortable for him. And then we are stuck watching the same old "read and react" and "bend but don't break" BS. I understand we can't pin our ears back and blitz vs the zone read, but we didn't even do it vs drop back pro style either. And think back to Collins and Wilson----very little pressure. Manny (1st stint) was the closest to some Joe Lee Dunn pressure I've seen, maybe only because of the personnel we had on defense. I'm ready to live or die by the blitz, JLD style. So what if the opposition hits the hot route every now and then and burns us. We have an offense that can move the chains and score points.

Is Grantham able to make the MSU defense "feared" again? Will he pull the trigger on some blitz packages, or will it be all talk? Will that dialogue just be there to put that element into our opponents' heads? Anyone know more about Grantham than myself, chime in with what we as fans can expect.

[QuadrupleOption]

I'd be happy if the first guy to the ball carrier would actually tackler the mother****er. It seems like it's been 5 years since our defense has tackled worth a shit in one-on-one situations.

[louisvilledawg]

I'd be happy if the first guy to the ball carrier would actually tackler the mother****er. It seems like it's been 5 years since our defense has tackled worth a shit in one-on-one situations.

I think Leo Lewis will oblige your request.

[Hypnodawg]

I watched the SECN MSU year in review and I had forgotten just how bad our D was last year. It would be hard to do less on D than we did.

I'm fairly certain my little league coach could have drawn something up to stop Arkansas once.

We gave up 41 points to Samford... SAMFORD. Samford only scored 41 points or more in 2 other game and that was against the powerhouses of VMI and Mars Hill.

We held opponents under 20 points 1 time all season. Vanderbilt did it 5 times. BYU did it 7 times. Bama did it 10 times. What Sirmon did with our defense is damn near criminal. Him taking a paycheck for that shit show is tantamount to fraud.

I sure as hell hope Grantham turns it around in a hurry.

[Randolph Dupree]

We'll have to see the on the field product but my guys tell me things are VERY different as opposed to last year. Hearing the intensity and coaching level is way up. What that translates to on the field, we'll have to see but for now I'm cautiously optimistic.

[JoseBrown]

We will know soon if Grantham has " total control" of the defense or if Mullen still does as some have said (bend but don't break). But in comparison to Sirmons shitshow last year it better be night and day! And I have no reason to believe it won't be.

[Bothrops]

We are going to have the "Stalk and Attack" scheme defense, get ready....

[1bigdawg]

Georgia fans complained and his last defense there was his worst. However, he was really just a sacrificial lamb to Richt to stay.

Statistically, his defenses have been great and I am excited to see it this year. I believe we will have a top 50 defense this year and be better next year.

[NCDawg]

I watched the SECN MSU year in review and I had forgotten just how bad our D was last year. It would be hard to do less on D than we did.

I'm fairly certain my little league coach could have drawn something up to stop Arkansas once.

We gave up 41 points to Samford... SAMFORD. Samford only scored 41 points or more in 2 other game and that was against the powerhouses of VMI and Mars Hill.

We held opponents under 20 points 1 time all season. Vanderbilt did it 5 times. BYU did it 7 times. Bama did it 10 times. What Sirmon did with our defense is damn near criminal. Him taking a paycheck for that shit show is tantamount to fraud.

I sure as hell hope Grantham turns it around in a hurry.


Auburn and Alabama toyed with our defense. They could have beaten us as bad as they wanted to.

[Political Hack]

W haven't recruited well on defense the last five years imo. That's never been a problem, but you can't run a D with one Jeffrey simmons. You need 4 of them to compete in the SEC west. Outside of our LBs, we've been thin everywhere else for over half a decade.

[Jack Lambert]

W haven't recruited well on defense the last five years imo. That's never been a problem, but you can't run a D with one Jeffrey simmons. You need 4 of them to compete in the SEC west. Outside of our LBs, we've been thin everywhere else for over half a decade.

Last year had more to do with that stupid 3-4 hybridized defense they ran and a DC who was not experience enough to make adjustments during the game and half time. The SEC West is not a conference to break in a new virgin DC. Notice how good our defense played against Ole Miss. I heard they dumb it down for that game. I have not heard this but I think someone else drew up the defense for that game.

[Offshore Dawg]

My hope for this year is that the defense can get more stops, and give the offense more touches. Hell last year the other team could be in a third and whatever and it seemed 8 out of 10 times they ended up with a first down. That is the shit I want to see stopped.

[Turfdawg67]

Nice post... wish some like you would post more! Quality vs. quantity.

[Turfdawg67]

We're not going to pay an established DC an established DC's salary and then allow Dan to boss him around. C'mon dude. Grantham didn't come from Middle TN.

[Turfdawg67]

W haven't recruited well on defense the last five years imo. That's never been a problem, but you can't run a D with one Jeffrey simmons. You need 4 of them to compete in the SEC west. Outside of our LBs, we've been thin everywhere else for over half a decade.

Ummm.... that's MSU. I remember a TV broadcast when the announcers stated that "Fletcher Cox is as good as anyone on the Alabama defensive line. The only problem is that Alabama has five Fletcher Cox like players". Not exactly true, but the point was clear.

[lamont]

Last year had more to do with that stupid 3-4 hybridized defense they ran and a DC who was not experience enough to make adjustments during the game and half time. The SEC West is not a conference to break in a new virgin DC. Notice how good our defense played against Ole Miss. I heard they dumb it down for that game. I have not heard this but I think someone else drew up the defense for that game.

not true- we lacked talent on D last year with the older guys and the younger guys werent ready. Sirmon wont be so bad at Louisville this Fall- make sure and keep up.

[lamont]

Things I know to be true:

1. Grantham runs our D. And our defensive staff is an absolute upgrade this year
2. Sirmon's problem was trying to do too many things with undertalented upperclassmen and green freshmen. We were lost alot and thinking too much
3. Sweat and Abrams coming in have upgraded our talent
4. The young guys are more experienced and will be better
5. We still wont be a top 5 SEC D- but we will be very improved

[maroonmania]

I watched the SECN MSU year in review and I had forgotten just how bad our D was last year. It would be hard to do less on D than we did.

I'm fairly certain my little league coach could have drawn something up to stop Arkansas once.

We gave up 41 points to Samford... SAMFORD. Samford only scored 41 points or more in 2 other game and that was against the powerhouses of VMI and Mars Hill.

We held opponents under 20 points 1 time all season. Vanderbilt did it 5 times. BYU did it 7 times. Bama did it 10 times. What Sirmon did with our defense is damn near criminal. Him taking a paycheck for that shit show is tantamount to fraud.

I sure as hell hope Grantham turns it around in a hurry.

At least when we hired Sirmon he was supposedly an up and comer and we were giving him his big break. Now that his incompetence in running a defense has been demonstrated, what's Louisville's excuse?

[Jack Lambert]

not true- we lacked talent on D last year with the older guys and the younger guys werent ready. Sirmon wont be so bad at Louisville this Fall- make sure and keep up.

I am not saying we had the best talent on defense but if we still had our last DC defense would not have been as bad. Coaching was 50% of the problem. Knowing how to put your guys in the right positions and making adjustments with what you have is big. Your a coach right?

[Reason2succeed]

So are you saying you are against the name sh!tbird defense?!?***

It wasn't just Sirmon either. The Maurice Linguist experiment was a huge failure too. I like the overall defensive coaches MUCH better. Almost every coach has big time college coaching experience and ties to the NFL.

What I read is that Grantham simplified his system at Louisville which always helps and he is personally intense. If what they did to Mullen's offense during the Spring game is any indication I think we will all be pleased this year. At least everyone but Rmadon. He's never pleased.

[lamont]

Your a coach right?

"You're"

No mf'er- I manage a Taco Bell in Southaven

[Lord McBuckethead]

Ummm.... that's MSU. I remember a TV broadcast when the announcers stated that "Fletcher Cox is as good as anyone on the Alabama defensive line. The only problem is that Alabama has five Fletcher Cox like players". Not exactly true, but the point was clear.

I believe that quote was said again about Chris Jones and Preston Smith.