Mailbag question: Coach Rod and Defense
GBMW,
Looking back on last's year defense, it seems to me it should have performed much better than it did given all the returning upperclassmen. Why do you think the UM defense performed so poorly? Do you think Scott Schafer was unfairly given the label of a scapegoat?
Do you think that this reveals a flaw in Coach Rod, i.e., an inability to put together an effective staff to coach his defense? I can understand why this year's defense performed poorly but not last years.
Peter F.
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Thanks for the question.
We think Coach Shafer was a poor fit and we also think he was indeed the scapegoat. Those who did not want to admit the defense was bad last year got a repeat performance this year.
Look at the 2009 defense and the stats were not as good as the 2008 defense. But still Coach Robinson was not held responsible nearly to the degree Coach Shafer was held in 2008. Why is that? Also, factor in the fact that the 2009 offense improved somewhat and even with this extra help the defense still struggled.
Fairness is never an issue with us as we are 100% result based.
There were indeed a number of issues with the 2008 defense:
Yes UM had a lot of experience, but how many of those players were drafted? That should tell you all you need to know talent wise.
In our opinion the poor fit and lack of cohesion with the staff killed any chance of 2008 defensive success. The problems behind the scenes were not good and demonstrated little chance of improvement.
Switching schemes three times in the last three games of 2009 made no sense to us. We knew after the Purdue game, when Coach Shafer was striped of his scheme and duties that he was basically on his way out. Purdue was essentially a failed hypothesis.
In Coach Rod's defense, it is our opinion that he really believed Coach Casteel was going to join him at Michigan. That is why he constructed a staff with experience and expertise at playing 3-3 odd stack defense.
When Jeff Casteel decided to stay at West Virginia, Coach Rod was forced to adapt his staff. As stated before, this was not a good match and the results verified this conclusion.
It is simply time to move forward, leaving the past behind, and focus on the 2010 football season, because no one can change what happened in 2008 or 2009, no matter how badly people would love too.
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
6 comments:
Shafer scapegoated after Casteel jilted him. That is exactly how I've elt about this situation.
Now Rodriguez has cost himself two years and will be starting over AGAIN in Year 3.
And all this defensive recruiting last minute tuff really looks like desperation--something not to do at the 11th hour.
A good ending is not in store here.
What what I hear is being said in this article, is that RR 1) inherited no talent on the defense, 2) Didn't recruit any more talent on the defense, 3) depended on Casteel and didn't have a good plan B, 4) Picked Shafer from a Sears catelog without doing a quality search for a quality DC, 5) We've expected GRobinson to do better with less and when he couldn't work miracles who will we blame now?
So do we give RR/GR time to develop the defense like he is developing the offense? I am convinced that RR doesn't have a clue or the desire to work with the defense. You would think that someone with his experieince would know that you win with defense. I know that and I don't know anything.
This team will not be good or elite if they do not improve this defense.
They need to start competing with the big boys on the recruiting trail along with on the field because 3-13 in the Big Ten will not cut it at Michigan.
And now that Brian Kelly(my choice for U of M) is at ND, Mich will likely not win against that rival for many, many, many years to come. I am sorry, I have stood by Coach Rod at first, gave him the benefit of the doubt, but this man is not a good fit, nor was he ever, for Michigan. I am not saying we needed a Michigan man like others(Bo wasnt one), but come on... sone one with Tradition, a sense of what it takes in the Big Ten, and more than ANYTHING, DEFENSE,DEFENSE,DEFENSE!!!! It will be many years before we see the winged helmet raised in Glory again I think, but when it is, I bet you it will not be with Coach Rod. HE is not a bad man, just not the right one for this job.
I think we have seen the past two years that the problem was not Coach Shafer's fault and that Coach Robinson was not the savior like many thought he would be and be able to just "sap his fingers" and all the problems would go away.
They need to recruit better as you guys have been saying for two years now.
Tim
Coach Kelly at Notre Dame said something that really caught my attention.
He has expectations to play at a high level right away ... not years down the line or not as fast as fans want.
He also said "being the head coach your responsible and should have a interest in all three phases of the game -- offense, defense and special teams. Not just offense."
Tom
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