DD passed the test last year. What was missed last year is that the d actually took a step back…hard to believe with the talent we had, but it did. I have been conflicted on Dad’s tenure for a while.
Chop, I’m going to take your post one chunk at a time and treat the whole thing like we are having a conversation over a cold one.
Possibly most of the problems were with the LB’s, the nickel and the DB’s. A little improvement in all areas is possible and I say likely. So what’s going to be different? IMO Ted Roof is going to make a difference coaching the safeties and as coaching Henry as Henry learns to coach the Nickel position. Plus as Co-DC he will be coordinating the CBs and saferies and Nickel’s. This may have been Doeren’s best recruit this spring.
I see lots of good things and I really like what he has done in terms of program building, but he has struggled in getting conference wins and until last year – winning the close games.
Ain’t it so. Doeren seems to be turning more and more of the game coaching to assistants. Drinkwitz is maturing. Hux isn’t near as bad as some seem to think. With Hux in the box and Roof on the field our defensive brain trust is IMO in pretty good shape. Let Doeren do what the really successful coaches do. Let assistants manage the details and DD work the refs and make the decisions assistants are afraid to make like Saban making the QB change in the NC game.
I don’t think he’s out of the woods yet… Maybe Finley continues his growth and emerges somewhere between Brisset and RW and Philip Rivers.
All good stuff beginning to end of this paragraph. I especially like your comment about Emeka Emezie’s passion for the game. I also like that Drink, McDonald or whoever put him in the game. No “seniority” rights here.
Grey – good call on DL coach. He stepped into a great situation. I suspect we lose our OL coach shortly. He had done a fantastic job and I doubt we can keep the 1% at Bay too long, but apparently we did last year. I should be worried about this unit, but I have a lot of confidence in this coach.
Debbie knows that to keep good coaches you have to pay them — not necessarily top dollar but fairly. Our assistants are doing okay at the pay window. What will make a difference is the coaching culture that Doeren has created. He wants his assistants to be home for family time, be able to plan vacations and in general to be happy with their coaching environment.
Ledford and his wife are both from Marion NC, i.e., near both grandparents of their 2 boys, 4 and 1. (Doeren is still here because momma and his boys didn’t want to move away. Of utmost importance keep momma happy. We all know that if momma ain’t happy ain’t nobody going to be happy.) I have no illusions about keeping Ledford as a line coach forever but I’d bet bunches he won’t be leaving for slingsh!t, Louisiana to make a few bucks more any time soon.
Kevin Patrick was very specific about coming here to be in the family atmosphere and coaching culture.
I think it is amazing that we have as little pure turnover (no lateral moves) as we do.
I as much as anybody want to see more wins. I am confident as long as DD continues to do all the right things the right way, the wins will come.
