Kelly about the plans to modify the defensive scheme? There are countless posts about this where people point out the need for change - I would have to assume that this would be a top interview question. Are reporters scared about being put down or losing access?
When will the reporters with inside access ask...
- Thread starter DillonDomer
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Countless posts? From fans or from media types? I have not seen much criticism of the defensive scheme except from fans, who may not really not what is happening ranging for the specific play calling and weekly game planning to the results of practice. Redfield seems to be the primary person mentioned when the scheme is mentioned; why rarely if ever do other players not get mentioned as unhappy with the defensive playbook?
It's a legitimate question Dillon. I would also like to learn how Kelly gets his face to turn purple when he's angered?
It's not just fans, you could clearly see Kelly was pissed after the second TD of the bowl game. And you don't need to be Knute to see there is a problem. Any uneducated fan can do math and understand that the outcome isn't good. We gave all three top ten teams a 14 pt lead. There's a problem. Maybe someone doesn't study film before the games. Seems weird.
I agree with the broad outlines that there is a weakness, but I do not generally agree with the specific notions, advanced mostly by fans, about what is wrong with the defense.
In '14 we set the ND single season record for giving up points per game....
29.12
In 15 we gave up 24+ ppg.
Those are the worst back to back point totals (53) in ND history...
I agree, Coach Kelly also seems to place an emphasis on the change of scheme and philosophy between Diaco and VanGorder approaches, I believe that Kelly was very clear on what he wanted the defense to look like when he made this change in Defensive co-ordinators . He went out and hired a well known [to him] coach.
This sounds a lot like Al Golden at Miami. He was an offensive type coach and left the defense to a good friend that he had a coaching history with. Over the years the defense continued to decline even though new players were recruited to shore up the defense. After 5 years and even with a winning record the fan base became more and more disgruntled until eventually the last straw was reached when the Hurricanes suffered their most humiliating defeat in history to Clemson 58 to 0. Following that game the administration just couldn't take it anymore and dismissed Al Golden replacing him with assistant coach Larry Scott. Ironically, Miami then won 4 of their next 5 games. Golden's downfall was keeping his DC around based on his personal friend's historical success prior to coaching at Miami. The real cause for Al Golden's firing............stubbornness.
Watch the 30 for 30 about issues a too complex defense can mean even in the NFL. The 86 Bears were one of the most dominating defenses ever and they had Buddy Ryan cut back the gameplan. You can over think football.
Not comparable. 5 years vs 2 years with a change in scheme. Plus Miami has a shitty fan base. They never got behind Golden because he wanted to win with class.
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“I didn't have to sell it,” said Kelly, who signed a six-year contract extension last week. “I've got a great defensive coordinator in Brian VanGorder, great experience, former Broyles Award winner, is [one of the most] outstanding assistant coaches in the country. Look, we made a pretty substantial change in defensive philosophy from a 3-4 two-gapping defense that played cover two, to a 4-3 attacking defense that played cover one. That's a huge change, and it requires a bit of a transition.”
Part of the transition included surrendering 5.57 yards per play last season, which ranked 64th in the nation with a number of starters that have piqued the interest of professional scouts.
During Notre Dame’s Fiesta Bowl preparations in Arizona, VanGorder used the word “inconsistent” several times to discuss the 2015 defense.
“That’s really what the season shows,” he said. “For the most part they’ve been really good, but there’s four or five or six plays a game that are hard to explain. We don’t like that, and these are young players. They’re all developing. They’re all involved in a process of developing. The process is different for all of them. We’ve just had some inconsistencies. That’s player and that’s coach responsibility. We’ve got to coach it better. Players have got to play it better consistently.”
Any doubts that Kelly was prepared to give VanGorder a third season in South Bend were laid to rest with the head coach’s ringing endorsement Wednesday.
“As we were transitioning, we were winning some football games along the way,” Kelly said. “We're not where we want to be defensively and we're not going to apologize for the fact that we had injuries. We had injuries. But we're going to play great defense under Brian VanGorder and the staff that we've put together.”
The understandable question is when.
“It was an opportunity to play at Notre Dame under a coach that has had great success coaching football at the college level and the NFL level and an opportunity, a great opportunity, as evidenced by the seven defensive backs that we were able to encourage to come to Notre Dame,” Kelly added.
Part of the transition included surrendering 5.57 yards per play last season, which ranked 64th in the nation with a number of starters that have piqued the interest of professional scouts.
During Notre Dame’s Fiesta Bowl preparations in Arizona, VanGorder used the word “inconsistent” several times to discuss the 2015 defense.
“That’s really what the season shows,” he said. “For the most part they’ve been really good, but there’s four or five or six plays a game that are hard to explain. We don’t like that, and these are young players. They’re all developing. They’re all involved in a process of developing. The process is different for all of them. We’ve just had some inconsistencies. That’s player and that’s coach responsibility. We’ve got to coach it better. Players have got to play it better consistently.”
Any doubts that Kelly was prepared to give VanGorder a third season in South Bend were laid to rest with the head coach’s ringing endorsement Wednesday.
“As we were transitioning, we were winning some football games along the way,” Kelly said. “We're not where we want to be defensively and we're not going to apologize for the fact that we had injuries. We had injuries. But we're going to play great defense under Brian VanGorder and the staff that we've put together.”
The understandable question is when.
“It was an opportunity to play at Notre Dame under a coach that has had great success coaching football at the college level and the NFL level and an opportunity, a great opportunity, as evidenced by the seven defensive backs that we were able to encourage to come to Notre Dame,” Kelly added.
I'm still not convinced BVG will be back for next season. I just don't know how Kelly can risk it. ND was ranked #75 in total sacks in 2015. Right below Northern Illinois and right above Syracuse. How does that happen when you have Jaylon Smith and Sheldon Day? A better question is how does Jaylon finish with only a single sack in 2015?
BTW, the team with the most sacks -- Alabama and Clemson ranked #2.
BTW, the team with the most sacks -- Alabama and Clemson ranked #2.
Forget about the fan base..............so, your saying if the current D coach is still around in 3 years and the D is still having problems.............only then is it comparable to Miami. Keep in mind that's when Miami's coach got fired. Well then, whatever you say.................... the clock is ticking.
Kelly got a 6 year extension. Right now he is probably less at risk then he ever has been. If BVG was going to get cut why wait until after signing day and give the new guy no voice in the cycle at all?
The question not being asked....not sure. Maybe BK gets a bit surly with media on tough questions...who knows.
I see some posts above and one thing that seems to be left out of this is BVG is one of his homies. In other words BVG has coached with Kelly many years ago. Kelly obviously likes him otherwise he wouldn't have signed him to join the current staff.
Is this relationship so thick that Kelly would be willing to go down with the ship ...ship being named SS Brian Van Gorder..??..!!
I see some posts above and one thing that seems to be left out of this is BVG is one of his homies. In other words BVG has coached with Kelly many years ago. Kelly obviously likes him otherwise he wouldn't have signed him to join the current staff.
Is this relationship so thick that Kelly would be willing to go down with the ship ...ship being named SS Brian Van Gorder..??..!!
The Auburn Coach purchased a NC with Scam Fig Newton - his subsequent "D" had him run out of town within 2 years.
Bodizephax
I've posted how many times?
Bodi..............
Keeping a malingering D coach so long that it costs the head coach his job is exactly what I was referring to when I compared it to the recent situation at Miami. That is exactly what happened to Al Golden at Miami...........and he had a contract extension that necessitated a substantial buy out! Nothing quite like Charlie Weis but still substantial none the less.
Coaching friendships can cost a coach his job............happens every once and a while. Firing offensive and defensive coordinators can also add a year or two to a coaches tenure.............and that happens fairly often.
And interestingly enough keeping the right D coach can prolong a head coaches tenure.
Case in point:
Virginia Tech D Coach Bud Foster probably kept Frank Beamer around as head coach several years beyond his more than necessary time to retire. So, it works both ways.
Contract extensions?
Once fans become disgruntled and the media picks up on it contract extensions mean little or nothing. Once pictures appeared on TV with small planes towing signs that read "Fire Al Golden" the outcome was apparent. When you see those planes flying over South Bend with a similar message be prepared for a change.
Keeping a malingering D coach so long that it costs the head coach his job is exactly what I was referring to when I compared it to the recent situation at Miami. That is exactly what happened to Al Golden at Miami...........and he had a contract extension that necessitated a substantial buy out! Nothing quite like Charlie Weis but still substantial none the less.
Coaching friendships can cost a coach his job............happens every once and a while. Firing offensive and defensive coordinators can also add a year or two to a coaches tenure.............and that happens fairly often.
And interestingly enough keeping the right D coach can prolong a head coaches tenure.
Case in point:
Virginia Tech D Coach Bud Foster probably kept Frank Beamer around as head coach several years beyond his more than necessary time to retire. So, it works both ways.
Contract extensions?
Once fans become disgruntled and the media picks up on it contract extensions mean little or nothing. Once pictures appeared on TV with small planes towing signs that read "Fire Al Golden" the outcome was apparent. When you see those planes flying over South Bend with a similar message be prepared for a change.
If you think # of sacks had something to do with scheme vs not having talented DE's you should attend more clinics re football.
The staff signed three H.S. DE's and one five star linebacker that they are already grooming to play with his hand on the ground ( Hayes ) I simply can not understand why someone would think a staff of trained professionals would incorporate something in schemes that would prevent players from putting pressure on the QB
Do you think Aaron Lynch's ability to get to the QB had something to do w what Diaco was putting in his cereal in the morning ??
Do you think there was something BVG was teaching that prevented someone like Trumbetti from getting to the QB ?
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...........heroes,,,,,,,,,,,,
Like it or not the fans and the media are going to point to things like the declining # of sacks and that will add fuel to the fire for somebody's head to roll.
I think that is a very good question . The defense had to play a clearly less athletic linebacker simply to be able to make the right calls . Something is wrong with this defense ! A defense has to have some complexity but it also must be simple enough for players to understand and execute without having to think too much
x's and o's, explanations up the wazzoo, just, what do you see? what are the results? you have 1:20 to answer.
