For grins: DC candidates

[Hank Bukowski]

I’m an optimist and believe Coach Heup is smart enough to know that we need a defense if we are to compete for championships. I believe we might see a change in our defensive coaching staff in the off-season. Just for grins, I looked up the best performing defenses in college football this year…as measured statistically by the NCAA.

You can check out the stats here — NCAA FBS statistics 2022. I encourage you guys to check it out as the numbers are revealing, at least to me.

Defensive metrics I looked at, by team:

3rd down conversion percentage
1st down defense
Passing yards allowed
Red zone defense
Rushing defense
Scoring defense
Team passing efficiency defense
Total defense

A few teams’ defenses rank in the top 10 in almost all of these categories —GA, MI for example. But there are a couple who show up just as frequently in the 10 ten — IL and MN.

IL in particular is conspicuous in their defensive statistics.

IL is…

6th in 3rd down conversion percentage
6th in 1st down defense
7th in Passing yards allowed
19th in Red zone defense
7th in Rushing defense
3rd in Scoring defense
1st in Team passing efficiency defense
2nd in Total defense

If we had that defense, I am confident we would be in the playoffs with reasonable championship aspirations.

There are a handful of other schools present in the top 10 of these categories — e.g Iowa, Boise St., TA&M.

Personally, I have given up on Tim Banks and Willie Martinez. I hope to see them soon move on to greener pastures. So yeah…I’m nosing around looking for their possible replacements. We have a lot of free time here at Pelican Bay…

 

[DocVol]

Anybody else.

/thread

 

[Vol865]

Anyone who is aggressive and can teach man coverage

 

[m1al]

Personally, IF a change is made, I don't need to see the BIG name hire. Give me someone with a verifiable history of being able to scheme against different types of offenses and someone that can think out of the box when necessary.

 

[xfactorutk]

While I tend to agree with you about it being time to move on from those guys, I wonder how much of Illinois' success is the schedule they play? They did play well against Michigan yesterday though. I am serious when I ask this, could a B1G DC come here and fix the problems immediately?

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

We can only hope Heupel looks for someone else but I have a bad feeling that Banks and Martinez both wil be here next year.

 

[benholt06]

Jerod Mayo. Been in the Pats system for years. Would prob have to make him the highest paid DC in America. He wants a HC job but the NFL will give him the run-around as the Rooney rule interviewee for awhile.

Def a long shot as they really like him in NE but he’s a VFL with big time coaching experience.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Personally, IF a change is made, I don't need to see the BIG name hire. Give me someone with a verifiable history of being able to scheme against different types of offenses and someone that can think out of the box when necessary.

Agreed. Also I would add someone who has a good track record of developing talent.

 

[loservol]

Personally, IF a change is made, I don't need to see the BIG name hire. Give me someone with a verifiable history of being able to scheme against different types of offenses and someone that can think out of the box when necessary.

I'm so over the big name coaches too. Just find someone who is football competent.

 

[Boston Vol]

Ryan Walters

 

[GAVol]

Anyone who is aggressive and can teach man coverage

They can teach all they want. This group of DBs isn’t good enough physically to play a lot of man coverage.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

We can only hope Heupel looks for someone else but I have a bad feeling that Banks and Martinez both wil be here next year.

There’s always at least 1 coach who leaves.

 

[Hank Bukowski]

While I tend to agree with you about it being time to move on from those guys, I wonder how much of Illinois' success is the schedule they play? They did play well against Michigan yesterday though. I am serious when I ask this, could a B1G DC come here and fix the problems immediately?

That is the central question in my mind, for sure. If we take that risk, he’d better get here in a hurry because we have a long way to go, at least in the secondary.

 

[m1al]

Agreed. Also I would add someone who has a good track record of developing talent.

A good teacher... Yes.

 

[tnvolfan16]

so i guess out of my ignorance, someone tell me, when you have no DB's that can cover, no DL that can get pressure, and a shortage of bodies at LB, what is a new coordinator going to do. are you assuming slaughter is just a bottle of potential talent who needs a new coach to make him an all american? i assume you think a new coordinator replaces rodney garner and all is fixed on the line? and i guess a new coach will just sh!t a new MLB. personally, i dont think it matters who is coordinator, everyone thought going in to the season that there was a shortage of talent on defense, and not people think that we have all americans all over the place and it just isnt being coached. i dont know if banks i great or not, i just dont think he has had a fair shot with SEC level talent, since most of our SEC talent on defense is at other schools now

 

[Hank Bukowski]

They can teach all they want. This group of DBs isn’t good enough physically to play a lot of man coverage.

I am afraid you might be right based on what we’ve seen this year.

 

[Hank Bukowski]

so i guess out of my ignorance, someone tell me, when you have no DB's that can cover, no DL that can get pressure, and a shortage of bodies at LB, what is a new coordinator going to do. are you assuming slaughter is just a bottle of potential talent who needs a new coach to make him an all american? i assume you think a new coordinator replaces rodney garner and all is fixed on the line? and i guess a new coach will just sh!t a new MLB. personally, i dont think it matters who is coordinator, everyone thought going in to the season that there was a shortage of talent on defense, and not people think that we have all americans all over the place and it just isnt being coached. i dont know if banks i great or not, i just dont think he has had a fair shot with SEC level talent, since most of our SEC talent on defense is at other schools now

Letting Rodney Garner out of Knoxville would be a crime.

 

[JMSqb11]

It’s simple. Go get Barry Odom, Derek Mason, or Zach Arnett

 

[vol94]

so i guess out of my ignorance, someone tell me, when you have no DB's that can cover, no DL that can get pressure, and a shortage of bodies at LB, what is a new coordinator going to do. are you assuming slaughter is just a bottle of potential talent who needs a new coach to make him an all american? i assume you think a new coordinator replaces rodney garner and all is fixed on the line? and i guess a new coach will just sh!t a new MLB. personally, i dont think it matters who is coordinator, everyone thought going in to the season that there was a shortage of talent on defense, and not people think that we have all americans all over the place and it just isnt being coached. i dont know if banks i great or not, i just dont think he has had a fair shot with SEC level talent, since most of our SEC talent on defense is at other schools now

I think the frustration was the lack of adjustments to USCjr game plan. Their RBs were both injured but I think TN was surprised they threw all night. The swing pass was open and we couldn’t get off their blocks which is fundamental football. Plus our sd line couldn’t get pressure so many think TN should’ve blitzed. They tried zone but that is more difficult to play than man. I’ve never been a fan of Martinez. Richt loves him but let him go years ago. I think he is a decent (maybe good) recruiter, though. I don’t know the answer. We need more talent but need a coach able to make adjustments on the fly.

 

[GrayWaterCanine]

There’s always at least 1 coach who leaves.

I think Golesh or Mack are more likely to leave than Banks or Martinez

 

[djwes]

Honestly, I'd approach Will Muschamp for the DC role and throw a truckload of $ at him. May not be best HBC but he's a proven winner as a DC. Currently co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at UGA.

 

[SouthpawTN]

Illinois also played some of the most pathetic offenses in the nation. Not saying it’s all bunk but that has to be taken into account.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Personally, IF a change is made, I don't need to see the BIG name hire. Give me someone with a verifiable history of being able to scheme against different types of offenses and someone that can think out of the box when necessary.

Agreed. Also I would add someone who has a good track record of developing talent.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Honestly, I'd approach Will Muschamp for the DC role and throw a truckload of $ at him. May not be best HBC but he's a proven winner as a DC. Currently co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at UGA.

Yep I made a thread about this. He could also be the DBs coach. He is also a really good recruiter.

 

[Alto1]

I’m an optimist and believe Coach Heup is smart enough to know that we need a defense if we are to compete for championships. I believe we might see a change in our defensive coaching staff in the off-season. Just for grins, I looked up the best performing defenses in college football this year…as measured statistically by the NCAA.

You can check out the stats here — NCAA FBS statistics 2022. I encourage you guys to check it out as the numbers are revealing, at least to me.

Defensive metrics I looked at, by team:

3rd down conversion percentage
1st down defense
Passing yards allowed
Red zone defense
Rushing defense
Scoring defense
Team passing efficiency defense
Total defense

A few teams’ defenses rank in the top 10 in almost all of these categories —GA, MI for example. But there are a couple who show up just as frequently in the 10 ten — IL and MN.

IL in particular is conspicuous in their defensive statistics.

IL is…

6th in 3rd down conversion percentage
6th in 1st down defense
7th in Passing yards allowed
19th in Red zone defense
7th in Rushing defense
3rd in Scoring defense
1st in Team passing efficiency defense
2nd in Total defense

If we had that defense, I am confident we would be in the playoffs with reasonable championship aspirations.

There are a handful of other schools present in the top 10 of these categories — e.g Iowa, Boise St., TA&M.

Personally, I have given up on Tim Banks and Willie Martinez. I hope to see them soon move on to greener pastures. So yeah…I’m nosing around looking for their possible replacements. We have a lot of free time here at Pelican Bay…

I agree with you OP.
We have a championship caliber offense and with the TP and NIL no reason not to have a championship caliber defense. If we are to take next step, we must upgrade Banks and Martinez. At the very minimum Martinez should be shown the door…..