(07-22-2013 08:29 AM)panama Wrote:  JT is a mess as a DC. Saw it in person for 3 years

His mess produced an excellent result at ASU last year.

We like his messes.

(07-18-2013 01:51 PM)AtlantaJag Wrote:  

(07-18-2013 11:37 AM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(07-18-2013 12:57 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(07-18-2013 12:53 AM)CatMom Wrote:  

(07-18-2013 12:45 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Arkansas State has the best defensive front
Western Kentucky has the best defensive back
South Alabama returns the best total defense

Georgia State will probably have the best defense.

And TXST the best Special Teams

There you go.

Point is, with two new teams in the league, its hard to gauge who will be the best at what. The next 2 years are going to be sort of like starting fresh. We wont know enough about each other to make accurate decisions.

ULM returns the most starts of anyone in the country. We actually return 11 true starters in defense with the return of Kentarius Caldwell and LB Cameron Blake's, a 5th year Senior who is probably our best defensive player. Run defense is stout. The real question is whether we have improved out defensive back field. Word is we have with moving DC Refett to coaching them, etc. I'll believe it when I see it though.

With one safety returning who was a starter in 2011 and lost last year due to academics, plus the presence of a pair experienced defensive tackles, USA actually has starting experience at every position on defense. With two first-team all-conference players and the returning second ranked defense statistically, USA has a great chance to lead the conference this year.

If our offense can keep them off the field for any amount of time, I think our D has a legit shot at leading the conference.
If they spend 75% of the time on the field again, not so much.

I expect big years from Page, Romelle, Enrique, and Pearson.

(07-22-2013 08:29 AM)panama Wrote:  JT is a mess as a DC. Saw it in person for 3 years

I don't know anything about your school or its talent level the last few years, but Thompson has a track record of success as a defensive coordinator.

stAte was 36th in scoring defense under Thompson, with 23.5/game - despite the Oregon debacle.

From his bio:

Thompson was the defensive coordinator at Florida in 2002, when the Gators' pass defense was ranked seventh in the nation, allowing just 162.4 yards per game.

He also spent two years at Arkansas, serving as co-defensive coordinator in 2000 and then defensive coordinator in 2001. In 2000, the Razorbacks were second in the nation in pass defense while leading the SEC in pass defense and total defense. The following year, Thompson helped lead Arkansas to the Cotton Bowl.

In Thompson's seven seasons at Southern Miss (1992-98), the Golden Eagles won or shared two Conference USA titles, twice ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and made two bowl appearances.

In one season at Memphis in 1999, his Tiger defense ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense and 23rd in total defense.

(07-22-2013 08:48 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 08:29 AM)panama Wrote:  JT is a mess as a DC. Saw it in person for 3 years

I don't know anything about your school or its talent level the last few years, but Thompson has a track record of success as a defensive coordinator.

stAte was 36th in scoring defense under Thompson, with 23.5/game - despite the Oregon debacle.

From his bio:

Thompson was the defensive coordinator at Florida in 2002, when the Gators' pass defense was ranked seventh in the nation, allowing just 162.4 yards per game.

He also spent two years at Arkansas, serving as co-defensive coordinator in 2000 and then defensive coordinator in 2001. In 2000, the Razorbacks were second in the nation in pass defense while leading the SEC in pass defense and total defense. The following year, Thompson helped lead Arkansas to the Cotton Bowl.

In Thompson's seven seasons at Southern Miss (1992-98), the Golden Eagles won or shared two Conference USA titles, twice ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and made two bowl appearances.

In one season at Memphis in 1999, his Tiger defense ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense and 23rd in total defense.

I guess he forgot how to coach for 3 years

(07-22-2013 08:48 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 08:29 AM)panama Wrote:  JT is a mess as a DC. Saw it in person for 3 years

I don't know anything about your school or its talent level the last few years, but Thompson has a track record of success as a defensive coordinator.

stAte was 36th in scoring defense under Thompson, with 23.5/game - despite the Oregon debacle.

From his bio:

Thompson was the defensive coordinator at Florida in 2002, when the Gators' pass defense was ranked seventh in the nation, allowing just 162.4 yards per game.

He also spent two years at Arkansas, serving as co-defensive coordinator in 2000 and then defensive coordinator in 2001. In 2000, the Razorbacks were second in the nation in pass defense while leading the SEC in pass defense and total defense. The following year, Thompson helped lead Arkansas to the Cotton Bowl.

In Thompson's seven seasons at Southern Miss (1992-98), the Golden Eagles won or shared two Conference USA titles, twice ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and made two bowl appearances.

In one season at Memphis in 1999, his Tiger defense ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense and 23rd in total defense.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Even the best chef in the world needs decent ingredients.

(07-22-2013 09:22 AM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 08:48 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 08:29 AM)panama Wrote:  JT is a mess as a DC. Saw it in person for 3 years

I don't know anything about your school or its talent level the last few years, but Thompson has a track record of success as a defensive coordinator.

stAte was 36th in scoring defense under Thompson, with 23.5/game - despite the Oregon debacle.

From his bio:

Thompson was the defensive coordinator at Florida in 2002, when the Gators' pass defense was ranked seventh in the nation, allowing just 162.4 yards per game.

He also spent two years at Arkansas, serving as co-defensive coordinator in 2000 and then defensive coordinator in 2001. In 2000, the Razorbacks were second in the nation in pass defense while leading the SEC in pass defense and total defense. The following year, Thompson helped lead Arkansas to the Cotton Bowl.

In Thompson's seven seasons at Southern Miss (1992-98), the Golden Eagles won or shared two Conference USA titles, twice ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and made two bowl appearances.

In one season at Memphis in 1999, his Tiger defense ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense and 23rd in total defense.

I guess he forgot how to coach for 3 years

To be fair, your team was really bad.

(07-22-2013 09:28 AM)Klak Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 09:22 AM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 08:48 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 08:29 AM)panama Wrote:  JT is a mess as a DC. Saw it in person for 3 years

I don't know anything about your school or its talent level the last few years, but Thompson has a track record of success as a defensive coordinator.

stAte was 36th in scoring defense under Thompson, with 23.5/game - despite the Oregon debacle.

From his bio:

Thompson was the defensive coordinator at Florida in 2002, when the Gators' pass defense was ranked seventh in the nation, allowing just 162.4 yards per game.

He also spent two years at Arkansas, serving as co-defensive coordinator in 2000 and then defensive coordinator in 2001. In 2000, the Razorbacks were second in the nation in pass defense while leading the SEC in pass defense and total defense. The following year, Thompson helped lead Arkansas to the Cotton Bowl.

In Thompson's seven seasons at Southern Miss (1992-98), the Golden Eagles won or shared two Conference USA titles, twice ranked among the top 25 nationally in scoring defense and made two bowl appearances.

In one season at Memphis in 1999, his Tiger defense ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense and 23rd in total defense.

I guess he forgot how to coach for 3 years

To be fair, your team was really bad.

Hey,to be fair, I didnt recruit them and put them out of position. I didnt try and run the 3-4 without a NG. I didnt play a kid who is on an NFL roster as an ILB , outside as an OLB. I didnt play a kid who is on an NFL roster as a DT now, as a DE then. I didnt watch opposing player strike Walter Payton poses on the way to career games and make zero adjustments, in game...at halftime...during the week. There are likely 4 more players on the defensive side of the ball who will be on NFL rosters in the next year or two. Yet we made even SC State's QB look like Johnny Football. Maybe he is good at coaching players who already there in a program. But he is not a good talent evaluator and he is not good at overseeing teaching of fundamentals. I can only assume that his freshmen are drilled in diving at people's feet. This is raising my presure.

I dislike those guys...

You can disregard his time at USM and ASU and focus on the time with GSU if you want but the guy has been successful as a DC when he was with decent programs.

As for positions in college versus NFL, that is par for the course. We have guys who played DE who now play DT in the NFL. Don Jones was a hybrid LB/S for ASU and Miami is looking at him as a CB/S. Heck, we has a DT who moved to FB for the Lions a few years ago. You use your guys at the college level the way you need them against other college teams.

(07-22-2013 10:01 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  You can disregard his time at USM and ASU and focus on the time with GSU if you want but the guy has been successful as a DC when he was with decent programs.

As for positions in college versus NFL, that is par for the course. We have guys who played DE who now play DT in the NFL. Don Jones was a hybrid LB/S for ASU and Miami is looking at him as a CB/S. Heck, we has a DT who moved to FB for the Lions a few years ago. You use your guys at the college level the way you need them against other college teams.

The above is the key and my point. He recruited these kids. He installed the defense. He was starting from scratch. No excuses that the cupboard was bare or he was coaching someone else's guys. He built the cupboard. And if he was playing players that he recruited where he needed them then heaven help us if he had not played them "where he needed them", because to describe his defense as porous is an understatement.

(07-22-2013 10:01 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  You can disregard his time at USM and ASU and focus on the time with GSU if you want but the guy has been successful as a DC when he was with decent programs.

As for positions in college versus NFL, that is par for the course. We have guys who played DE who now play DT in the NFL. Don Jones was a hybrid LB/S for ASU and Miami is looking at him as a CB/S. Heck, we has a DT who moved to FB for the Lions a few years ago. You use your guys at the college level the way you need them against other college teams.

I agree. We has a lot of talent coming back.

(07-18-2013 11:37 AM)Arrowhead Wrote:  ULM returns the most starts of anyone in the country. We actually return 11 true starters in defense with the return of Kentarius Caldwell and LB Cameron Blake's, a 5th year Senior who is probably our best defensive player. Run defense is stout. The real question is whether we have improved out defensive back field. Word is we have with moving DC Refett to coaching them, etc. I'll believe it when I see it though.

Is it a good thing to return 11 starters who gave up 40+ points 5 times last year?

(07-22-2013 10:32 AM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:01 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  You can disregard his time at USM and ASU and focus on the time with GSU if you want but the guy has been successful as a DC when he was with decent programs.

As for positions in college versus NFL, that is par for the course. We have guys who played DE who now play DT in the NFL. Don Jones was a hybrid LB/S for ASU and Miami is looking at him as a CB/S. Heck, we has a DT who moved to FB for the Lions a few years ago. You use your guys at the college level the way you need them against other college teams.

The above is the key and my point. He recruited these kids. He installed the defense. He was starting from scratch. No excuses that the cupboard was bare or he was coaching someone else's guys. He built the cupboard. And if he was playing players that he recruited where he needed them then heaven help us if he had not played them "where he needed them", because to describe his defense as porous is an understatement.

The problem might be that those were the best he could get to come to a startup program located in Atlanta.

(07-22-2013 12:13 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:32 AM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:01 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  You can disregard his time at USM and ASU and focus on the time with GSU if you want but the guy has been successful as a DC when he was with decent programs.

As for positions in college versus NFL, that is par for the course. We have guys who played DE who now play DT in the NFL. Don Jones was a hybrid LB/S for ASU and Miami is looking at him as a CB/S. Heck, we has a DT who moved to FB for the Lions a few years ago. You use your guys at the college level the way you need them against other college teams.

The above is the key and my point. He recruited these kids. He installed the defense. He was starting from scratch. No excuses that the cupboard was bare or he was coaching someone else's guys. He built the cupboard. And if he was playing players that he recruited where he needed them then heaven help us if he had not played them "where he needed them", because to describe his defense as porous is an understatement.

The problem might be that those were the best he could get to come to a startup program located in Atlanta.

Either there is talent or they suck. It cant be both. If there is no talent and Atlanta is a horrible place then those kids dont beat South Alabama or quiet Neyland in the first half. At the same time they allowed almost as many points vs. Maine as they did vs. Houston and Alabama. I dont doubt that he can manage a situation when its handed to him but he is not a builder at all. And I saw enough in person from Row 4 to know that when stuff goes sideways, he isnt the guy who is going to adjust on the fly.

(07-22-2013 02:30 PM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 12:13 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:32 AM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:01 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  You can disregard his time at USM and ASU and focus on the time with GSU if you want but the guy has been successful as a DC when he was with decent programs.

As for positions in college versus NFL, that is par for the course. We have guys who played DE who now play DT in the NFL. Don Jones was a hybrid LB/S for ASU and Miami is looking at him as a CB/S. Heck, we has a DT who moved to FB for the Lions a few years ago. You use your guys at the college level the way you need them against other college teams.

The above is the key and my point. He recruited these kids. He installed the defense. He was starting from scratch. No excuses that the cupboard was bare or he was coaching someone else's guys. He built the cupboard. And if he was playing players that he recruited where he needed them then heaven help us if he had not played them "where he needed them", because to describe his defense as porous is an understatement.

The problem might be that those were the best he could get to come to a startup program located in Atlanta.

Either there is talent or they suck. It cant be both. If there is no talent and Atlanta is a horrible place then those kids dont beat South Alabama or quiet Neyland in the first half. At the same time they allowed almost as many points vs. Maine as they did vs. Houston and Alabama. I dont doubt that he can manage a situation when its handed to him but he is not a builder at all. And I saw enough in person from Row 4 to know that when stuff goes sideways, he isnt the guy who is going to adjust on the fly.

I never said they had a lot of talent. That was my point. Thompson transitioned our defense to more of a hybrid 3-4/nickel and moved a RS FR from TE to DE very successfully. His defense is why we were able to beat a top 25 team in a bowl game last year.

(07-22-2013 02:30 PM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 12:13 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:32 AM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:01 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  You can disregard his time at USM and ASU and focus on the time with GSU if you want but the guy has been successful as a DC when he was with decent programs.

As for positions in college versus NFL, that is par for the course. We have guys who played DE who now play DT in the NFL. Don Jones was a hybrid LB/S for ASU and Miami is looking at him as a CB/S. Heck, we has a DT who moved to FB for the Lions a few years ago. You use your guys at the college level the way you need them against other college teams.

The above is the key and my point. He recruited these kids. He installed the defense. He was starting from scratch. No excuses that the cupboard was bare or he was coaching someone else's guys. He built the cupboard. And if he was playing players that he recruited where he needed them then heaven help us if he had not played them "where he needed them", because to describe his defense as porous is an understatement.

The problem might be that those were the best he could get to come to a startup program located in Atlanta.

Either there is talent or they suck. It cant be both. If there is no talent and Atlanta is a horrible place then those kids dont beat South Alabama or quiet Neyland in the first half. At the same time they allowed almost as many points vs. Maine as they did vs. Houston and Alabama. I dont doubt that he can manage a situation when its handed to him but he is not a builder at all. And I saw enough in person from Row 4 to know that when stuff goes sideways, he isnt the guy who is going to adjust on the fly.

If there was talent then why did you guys give up more points in 2012 when Thompson left. Also, I wouldn't brag about trailing 28-6 at the half to a mediocre Tennessee squad that gave up a million points to Troy.

(07-22-2013 03:16 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 02:30 PM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 12:13 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:32 AM)panama Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 10:01 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  You can disregard his time at USM and ASU and focus on the time with GSU if you want but the guy has been successful as a DC when he was with decent programs.

As for positions in college versus NFL, that is par for the course. We have guys who played DE who now play DT in the NFL. Don Jones was a hybrid LB/S for ASU and Miami is looking at him as a CB/S. Heck, we has a DT who moved to FB for the Lions a few years ago. You use your guys at the college level the way you need them against other college teams.

The above is the key and my point. He recruited these kids. He installed the defense. He was starting from scratch. No excuses that the cupboard was bare or he was coaching someone else's guys. He built the cupboard. And if he was playing players that he recruited where he needed them then heaven help us if he had not played them "where he needed them", because to describe his defense as porous is an understatement.

The problem might be that those were the best he could get to come to a startup program located in Atlanta.

Either there is talent or they suck. It cant be both. If there is no talent and Atlanta is a horrible place then those kids dont beat South Alabama or quiet Neyland in the first half. At the same time they allowed almost as many points vs. Maine as they did vs. Houston and Alabama. I dont doubt that he can manage a situation when its handed to him but he is not a builder at all. And I saw enough in person from Row 4 to know that when stuff goes sideways, he isnt the guy who is going to adjust on the fly.

If there was talent then why did you guys give up more points in 2012 when Thompson left. Also, I wouldn't brag about trailing 28-6 at the half to a mediocre Tennessee squad that gave up a million points to Troy.

Given up "more" is like saying Titanic sank faster than most ships. Defense was not "good" under Thompson 2011. He decided to install the 4-2-5 last Spring and then took the Ark State job. 2012 was a disaster from the minute we were left with no QB, our HC was forced out and then our team quit. As for Tennessee, the first quarter score was 7-3 and it was 14-6 with 5 minutes left in the first half. There was better effort in that half than virtually all of last year and all of 2011 except for the South Alabama game.