I've been rewatching the A & M game tonight

[Liverpooldawg]

It's nice to see a MSU defense that brings the lumber again. It's been a while.

[Commercecomet24]

Yeah we are fast and physical! Just goes to show you how much of last year was a coaching problem and not a talent problem

[Leeshouldveflanked]

MSU Defense got that wood!!!!! The one thing that aggressive defense does is that it leaves us vulnerable to the deep ball....

[Liverpooldawg]

MSU Defense got that wood!!!!! The one thing that aggressive defense does is that it leaves us vulnerable to the deep ball....

We were even more vulnerable to the deep ball last year. We just sucked all the way around on D. It really is amazing that changing the coordinator has made this much difference. It normally wouldn't, but it looks like we exchanged a REALLY bad one for a really good one. It especially looks that way since the other team involved has done right the opposite.

[Commercecomet24]

We were even more vulnerable to the deep ball last year. We just sucked all the way around on D. It really is amazing that changing the coordinator has made this much difference. It normally wouldn't, but it looks like we exchanged a REALLY bad one for a really good one. It especially looks that way since the other team involved has done right the opposite.

Yep. We were vulnerable to the deep ball, the short ball, the run and everything else last year lol. As our players become more and more familiar with Grantham scheme we are playing faster and faster and by next year it?s gonna be even better.

[NCDawg]

We were lucky at the start of that game. They had a guy open on the first pass and the QB overthrew him. Their guy got behind no.7 on the second play and he just dropped the ball in the end zone. We really need to watch for those long passes. We've gotten burned too many times.

[Dallas_Dawg]

That QB was off but it was because we were smoking him. He is having nightmares of Sweat and Company

[Mjoelner34]

We were even more vulnerable to the deep ball last year. We just sucked all the way around on D. It really is amazing that changing the coordinator has made this much difference. It normally wouldn't, but it looks like we exchanged a REALLY bad one for a really good one. It especially looks that way since the other team involved has done right the opposite.

The way we tackled ever since Diaz screwed us with that 'hawk tackling' crap, a tunnel screen was as effective against us as a deep ball. THANK YOU GRANTHAM!

[Bucky Dog]

It just started on CBSSports if you want to watch it again!

[Lance Harbor]

Every game starts with a wide open deep route. State wins when it?s not completed and loses when it is. Might as well boil the game down to one play.



We were lucky at the start of that game. They had a guy open on the first pass and the QB overthrew him. Their guy got behind no.7 on the second play and he just dropped the ball in the end zone. We really need to watch for those long passes. We've gotten burned too many times.

[Todd4State]

I'd rather give up an occasional deep ball for a touchdown than watch our guys sit their ass back in zone and wait on the other team to screw up and stop themselves. The thing about deep passes, yes obviously if you connect it's at best for a defense an explosive play and at worst for a defense a touchdown. But the reality is they are also generally low percentage plays. It's more difficult to connect on a 50 yard pass than a 10 yard pass percentage wise. So, basically we're saying that to beat us you have to block all of our guys that we're bringing and then you have to connect on a low percentage pass play. Good luck. In the meantime, we're getting sacks, TFL's, and turnovers- those are things that stop offenses and end possessions. And people can say- "Well you have to have talent for it to work. See Joe Lee Dunn". The reality is you have to have talent for ANY scheme in football to work.

But I never have liked the idea of bend but don't break to the extent of basically limiting plays because what often times happens is you at best lose field position- whereas good field position makes it easier for your offense to score and you lose game time waiting on the other team to screw up while they are methodically driving down the field. When the other team has the ball and your offense doesn't- your a lot less likely to score. And even if you stop them in the red zone and allow only a field goal- those are still valuable points. And to me the idea of defense isn't to just let a team drive down the field and kick a field goal. It's to stop them, get the ball back with the best possible field position, and to not allow points.

Now, I'm OK with bend but don't break if we're up 35 points but other than that, we should generally bring pressure and try to get sacks, turnovers, TFL's and basically try to demoralize and humiliate the other team.

The scary thing for our opponents is while we were prone to getting beat deep it seems like our safety play is progressing and improving. Once those guys master their position we'll likely get burned even less.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

It's nice to see a MSU defense that brings the lumber again. It's been a while.

A&M knew the blitz was coming on third downs but yet there was not a thing they could do to stop it!! I love seeing that from our defense!!

[Coach34]

While Grantham and English being on the defensive side are huge upgrades- its not just coaching.

We added Sweat and Abram
Cleveland returned
Bryant, Mac, Simmons, Leo, Spencer, Hoyett, Green, and the rest are a year older. Maturity helps
We have more depth

[Reason2succeed]

While Grantham and English being on the defensive side are huge upgrades- its not just coaching.

We added Sweat and Abram
Cleveland returned
Bryant, Mac, Simmons, Leo, Spencer, Hoyett, Green, and the rest are a year older. Maturity helps
We have more depth

And Coach34 is back too.

[Turfdawg67]

We were lucky at the start of that game. They had a guy open on the first pass and the QB overthrew him. Their guy got behind no.7 on the second play and he just dropped the ball in the end zone. We really need to watch for those long passes. We've gotten burned too many times.

I'll take getting burned a few times as opposed to CBs playing 10 yards off the WRs while the QB picks us apart. Give me aggressive all day, everyday.

[BulldogBear]

I'll take getting burned a few times as opposed to CBs playing 10 yards off the WRs while the QB picks us apart. Give me aggressive all day, everyday.

Man, yeah. Give me an aggressive D all day. I'll eat the occasional bomb. It's generally made up for elsewhere if everything else is going well. And I want that "extra DB" out there whose name is Pressure. QB pressure causes mistakes and bad throws.

[Liverpooldawg]

While Grantham and English being on the defensive side are huge upgrades- its not just coaching.

We added Sweat and Abram
Cleveland returned
Bryant, Mac, Simmons, Leo, Spencer, Hoyett, Green, and the rest are a year older. Maturity helps
We have more depth

True, but these same guys under Sirmon......not nearly as good I think.

[Coach34]

True, but these same guys under Sirmon......not nearly as good I think.

these guys were younger- we are a development program remember? Players are supposed to get better every season. Simmons is a lot better now that he has a year under his belt. And we added Sweat, Abram, and Cleveland. That's a big deal also

its not JUST coaching

[Liverpooldawg]

these guys were younger- we are a development program remember? Players are supposed to get better every season. Simmons is a lot better now that he has a year under his belt. And we added Sweat, Abram, and Cleveland. That's a big deal also

its not JUST coaching

These guy THIS year, as good under Sirmon? Yes or no.

[BB30]

these guys were younger- we are a development program remember? Players are supposed to get better every season. Simmons is a lot better now that he has a year under his belt. And we added Sweat, Abram, and Cleveland. That's a big deal also

its not JUST coaching

Agreed and said something similar the other day. We are definitely light years ahead of where we would be with Sirmon but the additions we added plus the players having another year of development / DC change has really turned the defense around.

With Grantham here last year we would have been much better fundamentally and the results would have probably meant we won another game or two but they would not be the defense we are seeing this year.

I am just ready for us to have another smoot/slay show up at corner at some point. You add a lock down corner or two to this group next year and they will be one of the top defensive units in the country.

[Coach34]

These guy THIS year, as good under Sirmon? Yes or no.

athletically? Yes
physically? Yes

scheme? No

[Liverpooldawg]

athletically? Yes
physically? Yes

scheme? No

As I said, not as good. I agree by the way.....but this difference is WAY to much to explain by guys getting older or adding a couple to the mix. You hardly ever see turnarounds this drastic for the better in one year. You do see them go the other way sometimes due to graduation. I have no idea if that happened at Louisville.

[DanDority]

These guy THIS year, as good under Sirmon? Yes or no.

Under Sirmon we don't add Sweat and Abram.

[Liverpooldawg]

Under Sirmon we don't add Sweat and Abram.

Most likely correct.

[Liverpooldawg]

As I said, not as good. I agree by the way.....but this difference is WAY to much to explain by guys getting older or adding a couple to the mix. You hardly ever see turnarounds this drastic for the better in one year. You do see them go the other way sometimes due to graduation. I have no idea if that happened at Louisville.

I just saw where Louisville had quit a bit more returning, and off a very good defense, than we did.

[Jarius]

And next year we are adding in Landrews, Cole, Rivers, Aaron Odom, and James Jackson while only losing 3 players.

[Percho]

Was there a little disagreement between TG and DM on A&M"s last play on offense?

[1bigdawg]

Don't discount that we had some very good players who were seniors last year and have gone. We lost a lot of "mature" production on defense. They were just misused.

The current guys are a year older, but that does not explain it. Coaching does.

[TrapGame]

Don't discount that we had some very good players who were seniors last year and have gone. We lost a lot of "mature" production on defense. They were just misused.

The current guys are a year older, but that does not explain it. Coaching does.

I would have loved to have seen Ritchie Brown in Grantham's defense.

[tcdog70]

Give Durr some love-He is having a really good year.

[TXDawg]

Was there a little disagreement between TG and DM on A&M"s last play on offense?

I noticed that too watching on TV Saturday night. Looked like Dan wanted to go conservative, but Todd wanted to keep the pressure up.

At the end of it, though, Dan walked away laughing and said "Do what you want." Pretty sure we ended up pressuring the QB into an incompletion. I liked seeing the dialogue and LOVED seeing Dan let Todd do what he does best.

[Lance Harbor]

Was Mullen laughing or cussing? I thought the latter.


I noticed that too watching on TV Saturday night. Looked like Dan wanted to go conservative, but Todd wanted to keep the pressure up.

At the end of it, though, Dan walked away laughing and said "Do what you want." Pretty sure we ended up pressuring the QB into an incompletion. I liked seeing the dialogue and LOVED seeing Dan let Todd do what he does best.

[Commercecomet24]

Give Durr some love-He is having a really good year.

Truth. Hardly heard his name mentioned during the broadcasts, which if you?re a cb is a very good thing. Hes covered very well and his run support been stout too.

[MSUDAWGFAN]

And next year we are adding in Landrews, Cole, Rivers, Aaron Odom, and James Jackson while only losing 3 players.

Jarius - I sent you a PM.