I’m not saying gut it like the offense, but is there anyone on that side of the ball we could do without?
Any deadweight on the defensive staff?
- Thread starter BugsAreQualityProtein
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Yeah I never understood having two full-time LB coaches. It seems like it would be better to have a Special Teams coordinator. Or even bring in a guy like Carlos Polk who could coach Special Teams and help with LBs.
Our linebacker play improved quite a bit with Dawson on board this year. I agree that we seem to have a glut of LB coaches but our special teams coverages etc also improved this year with him. We HAVE to find more consistent punters and kickers though.
Dawson has been a special teams coordinator before and helped coach special teams in the NFL. What I would like to see is maybe a grad assistant who could coach punters and kickers. Surely there's a former college kicker out there who has done both well who could help these kids. Better yet, just go out and sign the best damned high school punter and kicker you can find. Might be time to start over at both spots.
The problem is Dawson took over ST because there was a need, he really didn't want to do it. In fact that was one of the sticking points with him coming back, he just wanted to coach a position and not ST's. But you are right, the kickers themselves have been the biggest issue.
I agree with all of you we don’t need two LB coaches. I thought when Rudd was first brought in Frost was throwing him a bone, but he has come into his own a bit. Still, I’d take Dawson over him and make room for a full time ST coach.
I also agree that ST has improved but the specialist have sucked. I think though a full time ST coach would rectify that. I remember when Frost was first hired and they interviewed Lightborne about the new staff. He said he liked them but he missed his ST coach, and that he was pretty much on his own.
I also agree that ST has improved but the specialist have sucked. I think though a full time ST coach would rectify that. I remember when Frost was first hired and they interviewed Lightborne about the new staff. He said he liked them but he missed his ST coach, and that he was pretty much on his own.
We could ditch an extra LB coach but each level of D improved this year and so I dont know that you mess with that.
It’s more the players though, Domann will be a huge loss… the other losses on D will be tough too… you’ll see
It’s more the players though, Domann will be a huge loss… the other losses on D will be tough too… you’ll see
I guess we will see. I think we will be very good on defense again, especially if Danniels is back.
DE- Thomas
NT- Danniels
DE- Robinson
OLB- Nelson
ILB- Heinrich
ILB- Reimer
OLB- Tannor
CB- Clark
S- Farmer
S- NPG
CB- Newsome
That group should be every bit as good as this year's defense.
If we are getting rid of a linebacker coach Ruud better be the guy going away.
Not knowledgeable in this area but seems to me that trying to teach a kid to kick once he gets to college is a lost cause. We need to go out and find an excellent kicker on the HS level and offer them the moon to get them to come to NU. Of course what great kicker wants to to go to a school that does not win? Double edged sword!
I have
BUT there have been instances where great kickers don't want to go to schools that score touchdowns all the time and try few fg. There's a double edge sword as well. I remember when people complained we were wasting scholarships on P/K.
I think you're going to be disappointed. The defense will take a step back next year, the question is how much. I don't see Daniels coming back, and that means that step is going to be pretty big. All improvement is going to have to come from the offensive side and special teams if we hope to have a respectable season.
Most perceived OLB improvement was actually DL improvement. If Daniels leaves, our run defense takes a huge step back, and that also leaves Tannor a lot more exposed because he's still a horrible run defender. Dawson is hardly a loss, and it's probably the only way we can both get a special teams coach and overhaul our offense in the same off-season.
I think you are going to be disappointed. That group will be solid.
This is dead-on oldjar. We definitely have some talented LBs, but they have been freed up by our DL, and specifically Daniels. Picking a a quality replacement for him in the transfer portal is, if possible, a must.
Scott Downing seemed to help kickers and punters excel when he was our special teams coordinator. He last was special teams coordinator for Turner at Liberty and is an administrator now. I would bet 250K and getting to be in the box on game days would lure him back.
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