Head Coach Larry Fedora's official Southern Mississippi (USM) bio says his football team will, “'attack' in all phases of the game.” Fedora Bio. This post looks at Fedora's attacking defense. Read about the attacking offense here.
The USM defense was maligned in 2009, yielding yardage and points. However, if you go behind the basic statistics for 2009 you see a lot of reasons why Fedora has so much defensive optimism. Earlier this fall, Fedora predicted, "We're going to be much better defensively. [Defense] is going to be the strength of this team. We've got guys with talent who have experience. We have young guys to back them up with a lot of talent. We have nine returning starters and everybody has played. They've played hundreds of snaps and they know what it feels like and they know the defense.” Clarion Ledger, Confident Fedora: 'I've got the pieces of the puzzle in place' (July 26, 2010)
It's not just Fedora. Touts at both Athlon and Phil Steele pick USM to win Conference USA. And, the USM players are even saying that its 2010 defense will live up to the old USM defensive nick name, “the nasty bunch.”
The USM defense returns 9 starters including the entire front seven. That front achieved an impressive 34 sacks (18th nationally). Junior defensive end Cordarro Law (number 49) and junior middle linebacker Korey Williams (number 42) led USM's defense with 7.5 sacks each. NCAA Southern Miss Defensive Statistics, Sacks. Williams is a standout middle linebacker named by touts to the preseason The Butkus Award Watch List.
Mammoth defensive tackle Anthony Gray (number 95), who weighs 314 pounds, admits that the USM defensive line talks a lot of trash to opponents. Gray disclosed that defensive end Terrance Pope (number 90), “runs his mouth all day long." Gray bragged, “That's his game. You can't stop how he plays. He plays very hard and he deserves to talk as much trash as he wants to.” Patrick Magee's Clarion Ledger Blog (Aug. 25, 2010).
Even though USM's defense bent during 2009, it was still an opportunistic D. In 2009, the D ranked an impressive 10th nationally in turnover margin (+.77). It helped that the USM offense did not make many mistakes, but that defense also generated 12 interceptions and forced 15 fumbles (10th nationally). Coderro Law, the 2009 sack leader, recovered five of the fumbles.
To put the USM defensive statistics in context consider the chart below:
(Source: NCAA 2009 Football Statistics).
Some touts figure the USM defensive backfield may be vulnerable. However, USM thinks it will be solid.especially when Alabama transfer Alonzo Lawrence adjusts to the scheme. [Lawrence quit the USM football team in June 2010.] A vigorous pass rush that gives opposing quarterbacks little time to pass will help the defensive backfield.
Everyone knows that on July 15, 2010, Fedora, USM's Head Coach, promised fans his Golden Eagle football team would beat the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Fedora probably believes that the strengths of his attacking USM defense will match up well with the weaknesses of the Gamecock offensive team. For example, the Gamecocks ranked 81st (-.31) in turnover margin compared to USM's ranking of 10th. Similarly, the 2009 USM defense ranked 18th in sacks made (35) while the Gamecock offense was ranked 105th in sacks allowed (37).
That data suggests an statistical advantage for USM in the important category of turnovers. The turnover margin directly correlates to winning and losing. Moreover, the ability of a team such as USM to execute an effective pass rush will enhance the probability of creating turnovers.
Gamecock fans must expect the USM defense to blitz the offense often and from all directions. A lot will depend on the Gamecock offensive line, which is as of yet an unproven commodity. If they can pick up the blitzing backers, that will give Gamecock quarterbacks time to find receivers and burn Fedora's over-aggressive defensive strategy.
The Gamecock quarterbacks and receivers must read the blitzes and try to take advantage of USM's high risk strategy. If they see it, they can audible or adjust routes into better plays and connect on screens and quick slants into holes created by blitzing linebackers and safeties.
On USM run blitzes, if the line can create a seam, the Gamecock backs could be running free into an exhausted secondary.
Fans that watch this game may see the Gamecock offense make a whole bunch of big offensive plays. When a big offensive play comes, then we will all know that Fedora's attacking defensive strategy has backfired again.
On behalf of all Gamecock fans, we certainly hope Fedora, the USM players, and her fans will leave Williams Brice before the end of the fourth quarter aware that their bold, pre-game dreams have all been shattered.
The USM defense was maligned in 2009, yielding yardage and points. However, if you go behind the basic statistics for 2009 you see a lot of reasons why Fedora has so much defensive optimism. Earlier this fall, Fedora predicted, "We're going to be much better defensively. [Defense] is going to be the strength of this team. We've got guys with talent who have experience. We have young guys to back them up with a lot of talent. We have nine returning starters and everybody has played. They've played hundreds of snaps and they know what it feels like and they know the defense.” Clarion Ledger, Confident Fedora: 'I've got the pieces of the puzzle in place' (July 26, 2010)
It's not just Fedora. Touts at both Athlon and Phil Steele pick USM to win Conference USA. And, the USM players are even saying that its 2010 defense will live up to the old USM defensive nick name, “the nasty bunch.”
Mammoth defensive tackle Anthony Gray (number 95), who weighs 314 pounds, admits that the USM defensive line talks a lot of trash to opponents. Gray disclosed that defensive end Terrance Pope (number 90), “runs his mouth all day long." Gray bragged, “That's his game. You can't stop how he plays. He plays very hard and he deserves to talk as much trash as he wants to.” Patrick Magee's Clarion Ledger Blog (Aug. 25, 2010).
Even though USM's defense bent during 2009, it was still an opportunistic D. In 2009, the D ranked an impressive 10th nationally in turnover margin (+.77). It helped that the USM offense did not make many mistakes, but that defense also generated 12 interceptions and forced 15 fumbles (10th nationally). Coderro Law, the 2009 sack leader, recovered five of the fumbles.
To put the USM defensive statistics in context consider the chart below:
Some touts figure the USM defensive backfield may be vulnerable. However, USM thinks it will be solid.
Everyone knows that on July 15, 2010, Fedora, USM's Head Coach, promised fans his Golden Eagle football team would beat the South Carolina Gamecocks.
"'The first college football game of the 2010 season is us. So every college football fan in this entire country will be watching us - watching the Golden Eagles beating South Carolina,' he said to a rocking applause. 'And I've already told the guys when it happens, walk across the field and shake their hands like you expected it to happen.'"Gamecocks First Football Opponent Shows USC No Respect (July 31, 2010).
Fedora probably believes that the strengths of his attacking USM defense will match up well with the weaknesses of the Gamecock offensive team. For example, the Gamecocks ranked 81st (-.31) in turnover margin compared to USM's ranking of 10th. Similarly, the 2009 USM defense ranked 18th in sacks made (35) while the Gamecock offense was ranked 105th in sacks allowed (37).
That data suggests an statistical advantage for USM in the important category of turnovers. The turnover margin directly correlates to winning and losing. Moreover, the ability of a team such as USM to execute an effective pass rush will enhance the probability of creating turnovers.
Gamecock fans must expect the USM defense to blitz the offense often and from all directions. A lot will depend on the Gamecock offensive line, which is as of yet an unproven commodity. If they can pick up the blitzing backers, that will give Gamecock quarterbacks time to find receivers and burn Fedora's over-aggressive defensive strategy.
The Gamecock quarterbacks and receivers must read the blitzes and try to take advantage of USM's high risk strategy. If they see it, they can audible or adjust routes into better plays and connect on screens and quick slants into holes created by blitzing linebackers and safeties.
On USM run blitzes, if the line can create a seam, the Gamecock backs could be running free into an exhausted secondary.
Fans that watch this game may see the Gamecock offense make a whole bunch of big offensive plays. When a big offensive play comes, then we will all know that Fedora's attacking defensive strategy has backfired again.
On behalf of all Gamecock fans, we certainly hope Fedora, the USM players, and her fans will leave Williams Brice before the end of the fourth quarter aware that their bold, pre-game dreams have all been shattered.
![[Valid Atom 1.0]](http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1353/1261352791_02837d3c48_t.jpg "Validate my Atom 1.0 feed")
0 comments:
Post a Comment