Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Spagnoulo Not What the Saints Needed

Let's face it, the 2012 edition of the NO Saints defense has been more painful to watch than season three of Treme.  Each week it breaks an NFL record for futility.  Can't stop the run.  Can't stop the pass.  Can't create turnovers. Can't get off the field.  I haven't seen a defense this bad since Buddy D did his sportscast with a bag on his head.  As Saints fans across the world bear witness to the unfolding of the worst defense in the history of the NFL, a concensus is growing that the problem is not coaching, it's personnel.

Don't count me among that number.  Sure the Saints lack the playmakers needed to build a solid defense, but the coaches have let them down by forcing a scheme that doesn't match the personnel..

Which brings me to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnoulo.  I'm sure a fine man and a good coach.  That's what we were all told upon his hire.  He did take an underachieving Giants defense ranked 28th in the NFL in 2006 and lead them to the 7th ranked total defense and #1 in sacks in 2007 en route to a Super Bowl victory.  As head coach of the Rams, after three seasons his defense ranked a mediocre 22nd.  Just two spots better than the Saints of that year.

There's no doubt, Spagnoulo knows how to build a defense.  But to build a defense in New Orleans it will take multiple successful drafts and free agent pick ups.  Something a newly hired head coach would want from a DC. That's not what the Saints situation calls for.  What they need is a proven turnaround specialist.

Bum Phillips ounce said a good coach can "take his'n and beat your'n then take your'n and beat his'n".  When it comes to coaching defense, Bum's son Wade is that coach.  With Wade Phillips, your defense is better the instant he steps into the building.  At every stop as defensive coordinator, he has turned that defense around immediately. Why? See above quote.  Houston is a prime example. In 2010, the Texans defense ranked 30th in the NFL. Gary Kubiak was in the verge of being fired.  Mario Williams was being called a bust.  Desperate and given one last chance, Kubiak hired Wade Phillips for the 2011 season.  He took that team's talent, moved Williams to OLB. Result? The Texans improved from #30 to #2 in the league in total defense!  Williams got paid!  He signed a huge free agent contract with Buffalo.  As of this point he's back to being called a bust again.  As for Phillips, from New Orleans in the early 80's to Houston now, his'n is consistently in the upper echelon in the NFL. 

Vic Fangio is another one.  Currently the DC of the 49ers, he took the players on hand from #13 to #4 and lead that team to the NFC chanpionship game.  Ask Pierre Thomas about that D.

The Ryan twins, Jack Del Rio and Dom Capers. All turnaround DC's.  All are able to create quality defenses using mostly players they already have.

Saints fans have seen such a coach.  Gregg Williams, 2009.  The further removed from that defense the more remarkable that feat appears.  He did it with a bunch of unknowns, castoffs and has-beens.  Scott Fujita was once buried in Dallas's dept chart.  Jonathon Vilma was cast off from the Jets.  Darren Sharper was written off.  These three fed off Williams' personality and brought it to the field, younger players followed suit and for the only time in the Payton/Brees era, fans went to games to see how much choas the defense would create. Thus creating a season for the ages.

However, Williams could never recreate that magic.  But with the explosive Saints offense, you can believe other potential defensive turnaround specialist would love to try.







Sunday, October 7, 2012

LSU Offense in Disarray...Again!

Jimbo Fisher, Gary Crowton, Steve Kragthorpe and Greg Studrawa.  These are the last four offesensive coordinators at LSU. 

Fisher, a tireless recruiter, began his LSU career under Nick Saban.  A QB guru, Fisher developed Josh Booty and Rohan Davey, underachieving leftovers from the Dinardo era, into NFL draft picks. In Davey's case, an SEC and Sugar Bowl champion.  He molded a strong armed pro baseball reject, Matt Mauch, into a BCS champion.  He was able to  bring along an enormanously gifted but immature Jemarcus Russell into the number one pick in the entire NFL draft.  He laid the ground work for Matt Flynn to win the BCSNC in his first and only season as a collge starter. After one season with Les Miles, Fisher bolted to become the head coach in waiting at Florida St.  That wait was four seasons. He chose losing for four seasons rather than win under Miles as OC.

Gary Crowton was considered an offensive "Wizard".  As head coach and OC of Louisiana Tech, his offense averaged 36 points per game over four years including upset wins over SEC teams at Mississippi St and at Alabama. After a short stay as OC for the Chicgo Bears, he was chosen to replace BYU legendary head coach Lavell Edwards. Before LSU he lead the offense at Oregon. Known for his wide-open spread option, Crowton was thought to be a perfect fit for the speed of LSU's skilled players.  Indeed in his 39 games, LSU scored at least 30 points in 25 of those games. However, with multiple sets and personell packages, LSU was often disorganized. This lead to penatlies, turnovers and infuriating clock mismanagement. He is now coaching the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.

Steve Kragthorpe's tenure as OC at LSU ended before it began due to the tragic onset of Parkinson's Disease.  Known as a QB developer, he stepped down as OC and focused solely on the QBs. The only LSU player to benefit from his tutelage was Jarrett Lee.  Lee showed poise and leadership as his team raced to an 8-0 record. However, after a poor showing against Alabama, Lee never saw the field in a meaningful way for LSU again.  Kragthorpe had zero effect on Jordan Jefferson and up to now, his prized pupil, Zach Mettenberger shows no sign of development.  This despite two springs and two falls under Krag's watch.

Greg Studrawa took over for Kragthorpe as OC. After an incredible string a victories against highly ranked teams and an 8-0 start in 2011, he demoted Lee for poor play during the Alabama game.  Jordan Jefferson was inserted as the starter.  Coach "Stud"continued to succeed with JJ under center as he benefitted from a world class defense and a dominate running game.  However, as his offense unraveled in the BCSCG, he stubbornly called run play after run play with no success.  He absolutely refused to replace Jefferson for the same reason he replaced Lee.  We all know how that turned out.

2012 started with great promise for the offense.  The deepest set of RB's in America. An OL returning multiple starters.  Finally, FINALLY, a legit QB with an NFL arm.  As the season started and the offense was slow out of the gait, the thought was they needed time to gel and by the start of SEC play, they would be ready to roll.  After two conference games, this offense looks worse than Obama's debate against Romney. With key injuries to the O-line and RB and no confidence in the passing game, LSU has become one dimensional.  Make that non-dimensional.  Starting in the Auburn game, defenses have lined up in run stopping formations with no fear of being attacked in the passing game.  LSU has obliged and unlike Obama, they show no sign they can improve their performance.  Sadly, LSU just isn't as good as we all thought they were.  It's not that the OL is missing blocks, it's that they are unable to block.  It's not that the WR's aren't trying, they just can't catch.  LSU has no where to go, no one to turn to.

This was boldly demonstarted last Saturday in Gainesville, in their possesion just before halftime.  After the defense provided a huge gift and gave the ball to the offense at the Gator six yardline.  LSU could not get closer than the three. On third down, confused, LSU called a timeout to regroup.  As they lined up after the timeout, the playclock had ticked down so much that another timeout had to be called.  This would be embarassing to a playground team. So what did LSU get for their two timeouts? Zip, zilch, nada. A humiliating attempt at a jump pass from the worst down/distance and most obvious formation and personell package possible.  Gee, I wonder why a former high school QB is in at tailback on this play? His ONLY play of the game.  Way to disguise it, Stud. how did they ever figure it out?!

The one constant through all these OC's has been Les Miles.  The OC's change but the style remains they same.  Toss up the middle, gain of two.  Toss up the middle, no gain.  False start. Pass. Complete!  Holding. Sack. Punt.  Defense forces three and out.  Toss up the middle, gain of 5.  Toss up the middle, gain of one.  Third and three.  Toss up the middle, no gain. Punt.  Defense holds again.  Ware up the middle, no gain.  Ford tries the edge, gets three.  Pass complete.  Illegal formation.  Delay of game. Timeout. Sack. Punt.   The only person who could possible think this is fun to watch is Miles. But because of the greatest recruit Miles ever signed, John Chavis. LSU will be in all games going into the fourth quarter.

So prepare yourself for this until the Miles era comes to a merciful end.