It helps to have the Jimmies and Joes on the defensive side, but playing good defense is so much more about overall philosophy and effort. Both have been sub par all year. Our philosophy to shut down the run but play soft coverage has allowed very average QBs to look like Tom Brady and keeps opponents in games late.
As far as effort goes, re watch the SC game and the effort the gamecocks defense gave in covering Hyatt. They played their a$$es off and tackled in space. That’s effort and discipline. Our defense has none and I’m afraid Heupel simply believed he could outscore everyone and just didn’t care what happened in that side of the ball. It’s an issue and he must address it or we will be one of those teams that boat races scrubs and gets our lunch taken by teams that play good D
Its funny that I’m reading your comments now as a Mizz fan told me three weeks ago this would happen. I told him he was an angry Mizz fan so me Heup left them over night but to accept the coaching job at Central FL. Well, maybe he was correct.
He said a couple of things:
1. Oklahoma- Stoops fired him because he didn’t want to adapt certain schemes to improve time of possession. I wasn’t there so who knows.
2. Mizz- same as number one. He was only interested on his side of the ball, meaning not as concerned with complimentary football. Again, I want there
3. Central FL- head coach and offense put up points. He thought he could outscore everyone each week.
He recruited mostly offensive players and less time on defense
My take - Heup is a former QB with an offensive mind. He has two years of head coaching experience in the best league in the country. He now understands the feeling (as head coach) of being number one for a week and losing a possible playoff birth due to inexplicable and inexcusable defensive performance.
My hope is he will help land elite defensive players and find the position coaches (if they are not on staff) to develop them. Also, I hope he hits the portal as the incoming freshmen won’t be ready to play SEC football.