It's not Kiffin's fault it's the personnel

[Parcells4Life]

In the summer I compared Kiffin's 4-3 to Parcells 3-4. Most of you agreed on here that the plan is just to beat your am. 1 on 1 and try to limit the big play.

Well this year our DLine didn't have the talent to win those 1 on 1 battles and it's hard to stop the run when the OLine is at the second level constantly.

In the pass game when the DLine can't when 1 on 1 battles it becomes flag football for the QB.

So people say why not blitz more? Well given how bad our linebackers were they weren't getting home either so it becomes flag football without enough guys in coverage.

You won't see a big change from Kiffin to Marinelli since Kiffin taught Marinelli the scheme. It's a PR/accountability stunt designed to intimidate in players in the locker room who shouldn't be on the team in the first place. And let's be honest the general fan isn't going to buy or not buy tickets based on who the DC is.

Bottom line is we just need talent! If we can get a dominant line this scheme will be PHENOMINAL bc it will constantly win the 1-on-1 battles and collapse the pocket.

 

[KB1122]

I don't particularly like the scheme. But the talent (and injuries) are the problem.

 

[DOUBLE WING]

I hate the scheme and I want Kiffin gone. He was pushed out of the NFL years ago and forced out of college last year by his own son of all people. The game has passed him by and it's time he retired.

 

[Nation]

It is very true. Our ownership and even some fans don't understand that you can't just change schemes each year and expect things to improve. You need to add talent for that to happen from the front of the defense to the back of it.

 

[VThokie7]

Getting a dominant defensive line is easier said than done. And would make any scheme phenomenal. I'd rather find a scheme our personnel fits.

 

[Alexander]

It is very true. Our ownership and even some fans don't understand that you can't just change schemes each year and expect things to improve. You need to add talent for that to happen from the front of the defense to the back of it.

It can be improved if there are concerted efforts to make it happen. There should have been a full court press on the defensive line last offseason to get the most important piece of the scheme in place. Instead, Kiffin advises Jones that meeting rooms are full and we start drafting spare tight ends and backups.

This offseason needs to be what last year should have been. Finding the 3-technique tackle and getting better depth on the DL as well as linebacker.

 

[SDCowboy]

It's likely both.

 

[The Natural]

It's likely both.

This

Getting a dominant defensive line is easier said than done. And would make any scheme phenomenal. I'd rather find a scheme our personnel fits.

I think getting a dominant defensive line is easier than finding a scheme to fit this ragtag group of players we have on defense

 

[Nation]

It can be improved if there are concerted efforts to make it happen. There should have been a full court press on the defensive line last offseason to get the most important piece of the scheme in place. Instead, Kiffin advises Jones that meeting rooms are full and we start drafting spare tight ends and backups.

This offseason needs to be what last year should have been. Finding the 3-technique tackle and getting better depth on the DL as well as linebacker.

Those rooms did have Spencer, Ratliff, Crawford, and Bass at the time. That quote was not about the defense being good to go, it was in reference to how he thought they needed linebackers. It's on the GMs hands to be forward thinking in terms of player injuries and depth and which areas are most important for the future.

 

[Alexander]

Those rooms did have Spencer, Ratliff, Crawford, and Bass at the time. That quote was not about the defense being good to go, it was in reference to how he thought they needed linebackers. It's on the GMs hands to be forward thinking in terms of player injuries and depth and which areas are most important for the future.

Ah yes, Ben Bass. I forgot about that future star. And since he thought we needed linebackers, why was Holloman the only one chosen?

That comment was indicative of how they thought. They thought Ratliff would be a terror in this defense. They thought Ware and Spencer would be dominant edge rushers and could stand up to the physical pounding in a 4-3. They thought people like Crawford and Bass were budding stars that did not need competition. They thought Brian Price was going to be a find.

They thought wrong. On every single front. Amazingly the one player they were uncertain about in Hatcher turned out being the one who actually surprised.

That takes skill to be that utterly and completely wrong.

 

[Parcells4Life]

And Durant would stop the run, Carter would be a beast and Lee could be healthy for 16 games. Self evaluation by fans and GM and coaches was terrible.

 

[Alexander]

And Durant would stop the run, Carter would be a beast and Lee could be healthy for 16 games. Self evaluation by fans and GM and coaches was terrible.

Fans are not evaluating these players for the most part.

Most are simply guilty of believing in the awful analysis by the decision makers who have demonstrated an alarming capacity to be wrong repeatedly.

 

[Nation]

Ah yes, Ben Bass. I forgot about that future star. And since he thought we needed linebackers, why was Holloman the only one chosen?

That comment was indicative of how they thought. They thought Ratliff would be a terror in this defense. They thought Ware and Spencer would be dominant edge rushers and could stand up to the physical pounding in a 4-3. They thought people like Crawford and Bass were budding stars that did not need competition. They thought Brian Price was going to be a find.

They thought wrong. On every single front. Amazingly the one player they were uncertain about in Hatcher turned out being the one who actually surprised.

That takes skill to be that utterly and completely wrong.

They were completely wrong about how guys would fit in the Tampa 2. But this team didn't succeed in Rob Ryan's dumbed down defense in 2012. They didn't succeed in his blitz heavy defense in 2011. Or in the Phillips 3-4 in 2010. At some point they need to realize blaming scheme is not the problem and adding talent is. Successful teams do not have defensive coordinators who are in charge of assessing personnel on a macro level and change their philosophy year to year because things aren't working. Successful teams have a GM who has built a team based on an identity and put coaches and players in place to execute that plan.

 

[VThokie7]

I think getting a dominant defensive line is easier than finding a scheme to fit this ragtag group of players we have on defense

You could start by not getting a zone defense for man coverage corners. And Carter took a massive step backwards in this defense.

 

[The Natural]

You could start by not getting a zone defense for man coverage corners. And Carter took a massive step backwards in this defense.

I agree on Claiborne not really benefiting from the system, but I've been meaning to ask how good is Carr really as a man coverage corner? Because I'm looking at a lot of the games where he was getting toasted and it wasn't because of the zone he was simply getting burnt.

 

[Alexander]

Successful teams have a GM who has built a team based on an identity and put coaches and players in place to execute that plan.

Therein lies the problem.

Jerry Jones is at the mercy of whatever person he asks about the talent because he is completely incapable of looking at the roster himself and either affirming or disproving anything he is told. Most of the time he is deferring to recommendations because he simply cannot judge talent. Not even a little bit.

 

[Flinger]

I'm pretty sure Kiffin didn't see 20 defensive linemen playing for him in 2013. Since his defense is predicated on his 'rushmen', I wonder if injuries had anything to do with it?

 

[Alexander]

You could start by not getting a zone defense for man coverage corners. And Carter took a massive step backwards in this defense.

We played man and it still did not matter. The bigger issues were the linebacker and safety support. After he was exposed in the Charger game, Carter fell apart and in retrospect it appears we made things worse, not better, by dumping Will Allen, who at least knew the system.

 

[VThokie7]

I agree on Claiborne not really benefiting from the system, but I've been meaning to ask how good is Carr really as a man coverage corner? Because I'm looking at a lot of the games where he was getting toasted and it wasn't because of the zone he was simply getting burnt.

He was just fine in man coverage last year and his previous 4 in KC. But I agree he was getting burnt once they made the switch over.

 

[Alexander]

I'm pretty sure Kiffin didn't see 20 defensive linemen playing for him in 2013. Since his defense is predicated on his 'rushmen', I wonder if injuries had anything to do with it?

People keep on acting like the 20 DL thing was the only reason for the failure.

It was doomed from the beginning, even if we had fewer injuries.

Our philosophy on the personnel from the moment he walked in the door was wrong, the biggest one being that Jay Ratliff could still play, regardless of his malingering. The rest of the issues were the snowball effect from there.