News Journal Article 03/20/24

[tenn hen]

Cluck- I seemed to recall that Saunders-250lb- lined up at left DE when Manny utilized the 4 man front?

[Ramblinrec74]

There is no doubt that UD is going to run into alot of no huddle offenses. If we had a 6'3", 235 LB who had good speed, but could put his hand in the dirt, similar to Colby Reeder used to do, we wouldn't have to worry about matching personel with the no Huddle, especially when it's a run down and we are attempting to exchange personnel accordingly.

[Henny]

There is no doubt that UD is going to run into alot of no huddle offenses. If we had a 6'3", 235 LB who had good speed, but could put his hand in the dirt, similar to Colby Reeder used to do, we wouldn't have to worry about matching personel with the no Huddle, especially when it's a run down and we are attempting to exchange personnel accordingly.

Moving Ty Davis to the Bandit was mentioned in the last NJ article. He's in the process of putting on some more size.

[tenn hen]

is spring practice still running. Have I missed an article from the UD official site? Maybe Tres will be able to provide a weekly update.

[Caldwell Chicken]

is spring practice still running. Have I missed an article from the UD official site? Maybe Tres will be able to provide a weekly update.

From what I understand students are on spring break this week but spring practice is typically three days per week. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

[jd of de]

For years, under several coaches, spring practice has been 15 practices, 3 per week (5 weeks), there are no practices during the spring break week and practice #15 is called the spring game.

[Cluck U]

Strange. My post from earlier today is missing.

It was one of my shortest ones. Simply said:

UD is on Spring Break.

5 words. Gone. Didn’t even quote anyone…just a quick post to answer tenn hen’s question.

Guess folks like my longer responses.

[Section J]

It would be nice if Manny Rojas could develop a MLB type, that could jump down and play DE, and pop up to MLB position. Would give him alot flexibility and create problems for opponents OL.

Appreciate your thought. Good idea.

Unfortunately, Rojas likes to put lighter LBs as the DE.

Strange…almost as though he has an idea of how defenses should work, but doesn’t recognize that he doesn’t have the horses to run it. But, subconsciously, realizing that it won’t work, he plays a passive D that he hopes will “contain” other offenses.

If you can’t match up mano a mano, you have to do something different: attack, take risks…something. Rojas seems to be stuck in IN-BETWEEN-WORLD, where he plays a defense he knows won’t work against better teams, but is resigned to getting beat.

Still think you know more about it than Rojas & Carty..

[Cluck U]

It would be nice if Manny Rojas could develop a MLB type, that could jump down and play DE, and pop up to MLB position. Would give him alot flexibility and create problems for opponents OL.

Appreciate your thought. Good idea.

Unfortunately, Rojas likes to put lighter LBs as the DE.

Strange…almost as though he has an idea of how defenses should work, but doesn’t recognize that he doesn’t have the horses to run it. But, subconsciously, realizing that it won’t work, he plays a passive D that he hopes will “contain” other offenses.

If you can’t match up mano a mano, you have to do something different: attack, take risks…something. Rojas seems to be stuck in IN-BETWEEN-WORLD, where he plays a defense he knows won’t work against better teams, but is resigned to getting beat.

Still think you know more about it than Rojas & Carty..

Well, Rojas has finally come to see what I have been saying...he has admitted he needs to adapt his defense and get bigger players and play more 4 down linemen. Love it when I am proven correct...and a big assist to you for continuing to shine the light on my ability to identify a weakness in a man's stubborn personality and flawed reasoning.

Heck, I wasn't alone. Plenty of posters noticed the same problematic approach (and actually listened to the coach's own words).

Time to take advantage of our righteousness, folks. At the next football tailgate, I will have t-shirts made up that will honor our victory. The front pocket will say:

FANtastic
ASSistant
COACH

The back of the shirt will depend on our posters' vote:

1) About time, Rojas!
2) Bigger actually IS better!
3) We Need More Men in the Trenches...not just a WWI slogan!
4) Throw the ball to the Tight End, Tubby! (flashback edition...limited time, only)
5) We Knew Better!
6) If lawyers and coaches are so smart, then why do half of them lose?
6a) Don't defend someone's bad choices simply because they have a title

Get voting, folks. Vote early, vote often!

[Section J]

"shine the light on my ability to identify a weakness in a man's stubborn personality and flawed reasoning."

, you are clearly speaking of thyself. Called projection.

Carty must be an IDIOT to have a d-coordinator who a "legend in their own mind" message board poster could outsmart.

[Section J]

Rojas said:

“But I don’t see us transitioning and changing to a 4-down defense [full-time],” he added.

“The 3-3-5 structure gives us the ability to really defend the pass and that’s what this game has turned into, a pass happy game. We’re still able to stop the run. I think some of the things that we’re looking to do this spring are get better in our run defense and being able to do different things to deploy that.”

You have misrepresented his position and yours.

[77HEN]

Rojas said:

“But I don’t see us transitioning and changing to a 4-down defense [full-time],” he added.

“The 3-3-5 structure gives us the ability to really defend the pass and that’s what this game has turned into, a pass happy game. We’re still able to stop the run. I think some of the things that we’re looking to do this spring are get better in our run defense and being able to do different things to deploy that.”

You have misrepresented his position and yours.

It’s clear that RC and Co. think they’re playing some kind of basketball game on a gridiron. Reality hits them in the face when a strong team is on the other side of the field. Kind of a funny comment - “We’re still able to stop the run. ….. some of the things that we’re looking to do this spring are get better in our run defense and being able to do different things to deploy that.”. Ok, both can be true but it does seem a big incongruent and the results show they do need to get better at defending the run (and getting a pass rush).

[Cluck U]

Rojas said:

“But I don’t see us transitioning and changing to a 4-down defense [full-time],” he added.

“The 3-3-5 structure gives us the ability to really defend the pass and that’s what this game has turned into, a pass happy game. We’re still able to stop the run. I think some of the things that we’re looking to do this spring are get better in our run defense and being able to do different things to deploy that.”

You have misrepresented his position and yours.

Reading is fundamental.

“Well, Rojas has finally come to see what I have been saying...he has admitted he needs to adapt his defense and get bigger players and play more 4 down linemen.”

He admits he needs to play more 4-down linemen…just doesn’t want to do it full-time.

Now, why on Earth would he want to deploy more 4-down linemen more often?

This isn’t hard.

As I said, love it when I am proven correct...

[Cluck U]

Rojas said:

“But I don’t see us transitioning and changing to a 4-down defense [full-time],” he added.

“The 3-3-5 structure gives us the ability to really defend the pass and that’s what this game has turned into, a pass happy game. We’re still able to stop the run. I think some of the things that we’re looking to do this spring are get better in our run defense and being able to do different things to deploy that.”

You have misrepresented his position and yours.

It’s clear that RC and Co. think they’re playing some kind of basketball game on a gridiron. Reality hits them in the face when a strong team is on the other side of the field. Kind of a funny comment - “We’re still able to stop the run. ….. some of the things that we’re looking to do this spring are get better in our run defense and being able to do different things to deploy that.”. Ok, both can be true but it does seem a big incongruent and the results show they do need to get better at defending the run (and getting a pass rush).

77 is spot on…as usual.

Rojas’ passive defense has been proven (repeatedly) to not work against the better teams. Our D simply gets manhandled up front. We aren’t getting 1,000 yards thrown against us in some sort of Passocalypse video game…we are getting pushed around consistently where it matters. ON THE LINE.

KC Keeler saw the same problem…can’t win playing small ball…said it right there on TV. He adapted and won a national championship.

Rojas likes his small, fast, flexible D. And it works…against lousy teams. Not sure how anyone can try to argue Rojas’ D is working well and that he doesn’t need to change his philosophy. What were the scores of our last three playoff loses?

Mind boggling that anyone would try to defend our DC’s mindset, unless one is looking to win the Pioneer League title.

Loser mentality.

[Hens79]

That the defense is small, not very physical nor aggressive is not really debatable. A 3-3-5 can work but it needs the right players and play calls just like any defense. And the second 3 just got smaller as Davis was moved from the secondary at 200. As the Hens move to FBS/CUSA, they need a talent upgrade.