What would you consider success for DC AG?

[HelenaCoug]

So - I see a lot of doubt on here about the DC hiring. I for one trust that the those in the job understand the situation much better than any of us laymen do. What would you consider a successful hire?

I think if the WSU D improves in their ability to create TOs, give up fewer yards per play (6.18 this year!) - they will have a successful season. This may be simplistic, but creating turnovers is a huge benefit and decreasing the yards per play will lead to more 3 and outs on a whole.

What say you?

 

[BraindeadCoug]

Get 30 turnovers for the season and allow an average of no more than 24 points per game.

 

[dgibbons]

Originally posted by HelenaCoug:
So - I see a lot of doubt on here about the DC hiring. I for one trust that the those in the job understand the situation much better than any of us laymen do. What would you consider a successful hire?

I think if the WSU D improves in their ability to create TOs, give up fewer yards per play (6.18 this year!) - they will have a successful season. This may be simplistic, but creating turnovers is a huge benefit and decreasing the yards per play will lead to more 3 and outs on a whole.

What say you?

Get us to average, and do something well consistently- cause turnovers, pressure on the QB, stop the run.

 

[CrimsonWazzu]

Limit the big plays and get tough in the red zone, attack the ball better, tackle better.

I don't worry about total defense(yards allowed). Giving up FG's instead of TD's is big in games like ours, where we should be scoring in the 30's and 40's consistently.

 

[Brent H.]

Just don't suck, get turnovers, limit the big plays.

 

[JBrown4435]

Limit scoring, create turnovers and get pressure on the QB. We failed at all of these things last year and that lead to many yards and points against.

 

[GoldenCoug]

In the are of his responsibility (Defense not including special teams)

Reduce points allowed down to the middle of the pack in NCAA and that would reduce that by about 10 points to 28 points a game. This alone would produce at least 3 more wins based on last season.Install some type of defense that our secondary at least understands and doesn't get lost several times a game. It is understandable to get beat at times, but not to get beat because you are out of position.Improve our interceptions of the opposition. In the Pac 12 you have to defend the pass very well and that includes interceptions. We need to get up to at least 12 from our level of 3 last season.Increase fumble recovery up to 10 from 5 last season.Sacks we were decent but improve from 29 to 40 . There are many opportunities for sacks in our league so an improved scheme could help us here. We should have talent in the D Line and l with blitz packages to get there. Maintain tackles for loss in the top 50.
If we can do this our D will be scary good. Achieve all this , and if our offense stays good we win 7 to 8 games next season.

 

[Coug90]

Our safety play was atrocious last year and Deone obviously covered deficiencies at our other safety spot in previous years. I'd think we will see huge strides at that position in particular under Grinch, which would have a major impact on the success of the defense. Safety was by far our weakest link, and they looked poorly coached.

 

[wazzupdx]

The biggest thing is for him to be able to make in game adjustments on the fly, not just at halftime. Breske seemed to have a problem identifying what needed to be changed during a game.

 

[bhamm03]

My current goals for the season with Coach Grinch would be this.
1. Teach better technique to DB's we were awful in all aspects. they didn't turn their heads when looking for the ball for one.
2. get interceptions
3. force turnovers, I want hard hitting players that go for the ball.
4. in the middle of the conference in sacks and TFL
5. not getting blown out.
6. coming into the middle of the conference in all Defensive categories.
7. BEAT UW

 

[britton ransford]

Originally posted by wazzupdx:
The biggest thing is for him to be able to make in game adjustments on the fly, not just at halftime. Breske seemed to have a problem identifying what needed to be changed during a game.

100 percent agree with this.

 

[CougPatrol]

In my opinion, the biggest immediate hurdle he's face is how he handles his new authority. Management success/failure is largely determined how well you're able to delegate, and it seems that with AG's ability to coach and teach the back 7 coupled with Joe's knowledge of the trenches, there's a really good foundation to build on.

Will AG be the type of DC who wants to get his hands into everything, or will he focus on his strengths and allow the other coaches to handle their areas? Will our other coaches respect the new kid on the block, or will there be alienation issues?

As far as reasonable goals for the next year or two, the 2014 defensive stats say it all.


We ranked 114th in scoring defense at 38.6 ppgWe ranked 124th (dead last) is turnovers gainedWe ranked 122nd in pass efficiency defenseWe ranked 96th in red zone defenseWe ranked 123rd in punt return defenseWe ranked 88th in kickoff return defense
I realize the kickoff and punt defense numbers aren't in AG's jurisdiction, but I've always felt that good defensive teaching and good special teams coverage usually (not always, though) go hand in hand.

For 2015, the two most important areas of improvement need to be

1) reducing the number of big plays we allow; particularly early in games, and
2) Create more turnovers

It's one thing for a defense to get worn out as a game wears on due to depth issues, but we surrendered an alarming number of big plays early in games because of blown assignments and broken coverage's. There's nothing more devastating to team and fan psyche than falling behind at home on 80 yard bombs on the first play from scrimmage, surrendering punt return TD's, and watching the entire back-7 blow zone read assignments.

Just getting back to baseline where we make teams earn their yards/points, and create some turnovers would be a huge step in the right direction.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Lots of reasonable goals.

I'd put it this way. For 2015, the first year with a new DC and probably a new D system, no worse than 8th in the league in scoring defense. That is my yardstick.

Details:

For us to be 8th in scoring D, we probably need to be 6th or 7th in takeaways.
We also probably need to be 6th or better in yards rushing allowed.
And we probably need to be no worse than 8th in sacks.
Do this and the D will have put us in a position to go to a bowl. The results on O and ST will determine the season from there.

I'll add that for 2016, instead of no worse than 8th, reasonable progress would be no worse than 6th in scoring defense.

 

[CrimsonDisciple]

UPGRADE TALENT!!!!!