Sounds like the Defense is totally revamping!

[GT Ace]

After all that early 'coachspeak' about the Big D not changing much it appears the D is changing in all facets. The DEs are spacing & rushing differently. The LBs aren't using much zone blitzes, but will use 'man-free' principles based on the Safetys. Huh? The DBs are in a lot more man-to-man. Gulp! I sure hope Coach Womack knows what he's doing.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/gatech/stories/2008/04/01/techburst_0402.html?COXnetJSessionIDbuild85_prod=yJ2BH5jGkPyhZ8pwT2YvtPvBwS8xt2WjMkp1dq4cGPZw9QftTvYq!366940435&UrAuth=%60N]NUOcNZUbTTUWUXUaUZTZUaUWU\UcUZU\U_UcTYWYWZV&urcm=y

 

[ncjacket]

Who said the defense wasn't going to change? What was said was that we will still bring pressure but in different ways, and that we won't run the same coverages all the time. This is completely in line with the earlier comments.

 

[texstinger]

about time it changed.

JT has his merits but we never stopped anyone great when we had to.

More changes coming.

Unlike ccg, CPJ believes he actually has to earn his salary. It is called a Work Ethic.

 

[Ish]

JT has his merits but we never stopped anyone great when we had to.

If a pitcher throws 9 innings of 1-run ball and receives no run support (thus losing the game) is he a bad pitcher?

 

[beej67]

JT stopped plenty of people over and over and over again. His defense was one of the best Tech has ever seen, continually put in terrible situations by the offense.

That said, I think he'd been exposed so often in so many games, he'd used all his tricks up, and the ACC had finally figured him out. You can only throw ROCK so many times before someone starts calling Paper every play. I think the change will do us good, particularly over the short term.

 

[gth816f]

JT has his merits but we never stopped anyone great when we had to.

We stopped a lot of great teams when we had to...a couple of particular instances spring to mind, including upsets of Auburn and Miami that were keyed by the defense. We also held #2 Notre Dame to only 14 and U[sic]GA to a low number of points(less than our offense scored) two years ago. Don't let a poor year last season overshadow what Tenuta did for our program.

 

[beej67]

UGA two years ago really sticks out. We only completed 3 passes all game and still held their offense to less points than our offense scored.

 

[ncjacket]

I think the point you're missing is the number of times we gave up a late drive to lose a game after a good performance to that point. You can legitimately say that the offense let us down in the Wake, ugag, etc., games, but it's also a fair statement to make that the D didn't come up with that one big stop it needed. Either way, I'm looking forward to a new approach and eager to see how it works.

 

[gth816f]

I think the point you're missing is the number of times we gave up a late drive to lose a game after a good performance to that point. You can legitimately say that the offense let us down in the Wake, ugag, etc., games, but it's also a fair statement to make that the D didn't come up with that one big stop it needed. Either way, I'm looking forward to a new approach and eager to see how it works.

That's true, but then you have to mention the number of times that our defense DID step up and make that late stop to win us games, which was many. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing this new approach too, because whether it was due to lack of talent or the rest of the nation figuring us out, we definitely got torched all last season.

 

[WracerX]

That's true, but then you have to mention the number of times that our defense DID step up and make that late stop to win us games, which was many. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing this new approach too, because whether it was due to lack of talent or the rest of the nation figuring us out, we definitely got torched all last season.

Our CB's hurt us last season. We seemed to be lined up a little farther back than usual. The pressure just couldn't get to the QB fast enough to prevent the dump-off to the wideouts. It was an easy 5 yard play all year long. VT must have thrown that pass 15 times.

But as bad as our d was last year (compared to JT's other defenses), we still did ok statistically.

 

[ncjacket]

I don't think we were much different last year in alignments than we were before. Tenuta basically gives up the short passing game and relies on making the quick tackle. That 5 yd pass was there for 6 years, it's just that most teams aren't patient enough to take it and most also don't have good enough athletes to make those 5 yarders, 25.

 

[JacketDan]

College football also always be subject to the chicken or the egg dilemma as well:

During the Fridge years when we put up crazy offensive numbers, so were a lot of other ACC teams and other than FSU there weren't many especially nasty defenses in the league.

Recently it's seemed like there is a dearth of fantastic offensive teams in the ACC and a real shortage of top flight QB's. I mean other Schaub and soon Matt Ryan, I cannot think of a guy drawing a big paycheck in the NFL right now that was an ACC QB in the last 6 years (doesn't mean they aren't there, but I can't think of any.)

But then again, maybe the offensive and defenses back then were just that much better than their competition and that's why their counterparts looked so bad. But personally, I think John "Grimlok" Tenuta looked as good as a he did, because he didn't have many topshelf QB's to go against for 6 years.

 

[odw]

I don't think we were much different last year in alignments than we were before. Tenuta basically gives up the short passing game and relies on making the quick tackle. That 5 yd pass was there for 6 years, it's just that most teams aren't patient enough to take it and most also don't have good enough athletes to make those 5 yarders, 25.

This is pretty clear to all of us since we saw that defense all the time. I think other OCs were starting to catch on last year. Also, I think the ACC's offensive talent is finally starting to come around, so like you said more guys that can more 5 yard playing into 25 yard plays.

I think the can in defensive scheme comes right on time.

 

[beej67]

I think the point you're missing is the number of times we gave up a late drive to lose a game after a good performance to that point. You can legitimately say that the offense let us down in the Wake, ugag, etc., games, but it's also a fair statement to make that the D didn't come up with that one big stop it needed. Either way, I'm looking forward to a new approach and eager to see how it works.

What, like Clemson last year?

We were spoiled by JT's defensive performance. With an average offense, we would have been national champions twice over in the past 6 years. The point you're missing is that in many of our losses JT did get that one game-changing stop, and got it three times in a row, for naught on the offensive end.

 

[fattyjackson]

Whenever you hold the other team to single digit scoring, there is NO WAY you should EVER lose the game.

Just my two cents.

 

[GTKyle]

I don't know much about coverage techniques, but I guess the backpedaling thing is kind of an old way of doing corner coverage. Now they are shuffling, so that seems good.

 

[GT_LUVER]

I mean other Schaub and soon Matt Ryan, I cannot think of a guy drawing a big paycheck in the NFL right now that was an ACC QB in the last 6 years (doesn't mean they aren't there, but I can't think of any.)

Only other one I can think of is Phillip Rivers

 

[beej67]

I mean other Schaub and soon Matt Ryan, I cannot think of a guy drawing a big paycheck in the NFL right now that was an ACC QB in the last 6 years (doesn't mean they aren't there, but I can't think of any.)

Add Philip Rivers to that list, maybe throw Vick in there if you want an argument, then compare the last 6 years of any other conference. Who's the SEC got? The two Mannings, but who else?

There's not a lot of "starting NFL QB" spots.

 

[BCWRECK]

Whenever you hold the other team to single digit scoring, there is NO WAY you should EVER lose the game.

Just my two cents.

-----------------------------------------------------

Which Team shouldn't lose?? Ours??
You rarely see an oxymoron, but I think this is one.

 

[JacketDan]

Add Philip Rivers to that list, maybe throw Vick in there if you want an argument, then compare the last 6 years of any other conference. Who's the SEC got? The two Mannings, but who else?

There's not a lot of "starting NFL QB" spots.

Mike Vick never played in the ACC so that's not really an argument. I did forget about Philip Rivers.

The kid from LSU is drawing a big paycheck, I believe so is Brodie Croyle, Jason Cambell is, Woodson is going to, Tebow will some day, so will Matt Stafford and that doesn't include guys that just had fantastic college careers like David Greene or Chris Leak.