Tuesday Night Round Table with Coach Hudspeth

[CajunT]

My Tuesday night roundtable notes with Coach Hudspeth, Luke Johnson, Tim Buckley, Nick Fontenot and myself are up for Redzone members. For all others I will replay the interview tomorrow night during the Cajun Redzone Radio show.


http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=345&f...1&pin=13181812

[CajunRed]

Bottom line......."We've got issues."

[ManAboutTown]

No offense to Hud, because at the end of the day, I like the guy and appreciate him for everything he's accomplished here, but right now, I just don't want to hear it.

It's the equivalent to that once every few year argument with the Mrs'. I'll always be in her debt, but sometimes, it takes a few days to get the lovey dovey stuff back on track.

Having said that, I know it's his job to speak to media ppl. He's probably as tired of talking as we are of listening.

[CharlieK]

I don't want to hear specifics. I want him to use cliché's. All giving specifics would do would be aid the opposition. I don't want to hear about what he will do, I want to see it in action in the next game. I fully expect any statements to the press to be cliché filled misdirection. I want him to say his defensive scheme is on the money. Then I want to see blitzes and press coverage, or whatever the hell is the opposite of what we have been doing. Most of us don't know as much football as his worst assistant has forgotten. Time to stop talking and fix it.

[Cajun_Engr]

One thing I don't like is to hear him say things like "the defensive schemes need to be tweaked" .... imho the defense schemes don't need to be tweaked .... they need to be overhauled.

[CajunT]

No offense to Hud, because at the end of the day, I like the guy and appreciate him for everything he's accomplished here, but right now, I just don't want to hear it.

It's the equivalent to that once every few year argument with the Mrs'. I'll always be in her debt, but sometimes, it takes a few days to get the lovey dovey stuff back on track.

Having said that, I know it's his job to speak to media ppl. He's probably as tired of talking as we are of listening.

There are only so many ways to ask the same questions unfortunately. I think all the media is trying to do at this point is provide some coverage and insight as to how they are going to make changes. But yes, he is not going to detail those decisions to the public or discuss changes in the depth chart until absolutely necessary. But I did bring up the question about going through similar stretches, be it just two game streaks rather than three.

Last season it was ULM and South Alabama, with the opening season loss to Arkansas. The year before, it was UNT and Arkansas State, both ugly losses. So Hud and his staff have found a way to get it done in similar situations. That year he fired his defensive coordinator Stewart before the bowl game. He said it last night, there is no easy way to get it done. And truthfully, it hasn't been easy at times in the past two seasons.

[cajun_lannister]

4-2-5!!! why is he so hardheaded sometimes. we don't have the personnel like Alabama to run the D he wants

[HoustonCajun]

One thing I don't like is to hear him say things like "the defensive schemes need to be tweaked" .... imho the defense schemes don't need to be tweaked .... they need to be overhauled.

Why are major overhauls needed in Hud's 4th year with the entire coaching staff back and all the players they recruited?

[TheFan]

4-2-5!!! why is he so hardheaded sometimes. we don't have the personnel like Alabama to run the D he wants

We don't have 2 good DBs, much less 5 good DBs.

[Clutch0364]

We don't have 2 good DBs, much less 5 good DBs.

Easier to recruit DBs than LBs however in my opinion we have not recruited well in either of those areas.

[cajun_lannister]

We don't have 2 good DBs, much less 5 good DBs.

I rather have a db on receivers than linebackers . Plus we need more pressure up front in a bad way

[Just1More]

We don't have 2 good DBs, much less 5 good DBs.

The 4-2-5 places two DBs in corner pressure coverage. Based on the offensive alignment, they shade the WR out or in. A lot of average to good athletes in the south can be taught how to defend in man coverage. The 4-2-5 is not as dependent on DBs as it is LBs and safeties. Everyone has an assignment. It keeps it simple. The only thing LBs and safeties have to do is change alignment based on the offense.

Saying that our DBs aren't that good is precisely why you cannot play a soft prevent. A soft prevent requires exceptional read and react. When you do not force anyone off the line, you are at the mercy of your entire backfield being incredibly good at closing in on the play... after the play is 75% successful. We are expecting other offenses to make mistakes when no one is forcing the mistake.

The 4-2-5, with everyone with an assignment, and the corners pressing, forces mistakes... and/or forces all receivers to deal with a player right off the line of scrimmage. And, it allows someone to fire up a middle gap and one to fire off the edge in certain offensive sets.

Personally, I just cannot see how we didn't pick up some good defensive talent in the past 3 years, as heralded as we've been as a southern mid major on the rise. It just makes no sense. I think the coaching staff needs to reconsider what they're teaching.