AJ: The Truth About Where Carolina Stands Right Now
There are plenty of questions and maybe a few answers about where UNC is after falling to NC State on Friday.
AJ: The Truth About Where Carolina Stands Right Now
- Thread starter andrew jones
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Where Carolina is right now is exactly where you knew it would be with Mack as HC if you truly knew Mack's career: most of the highlights are recruiting; there are a number of embarrassing losses and as many weak sister wins; it is very easy to criticize almost every member of the staff while knowing that if Mack likes the assistant coach, then he can be the worst in the country and Mack will keep him; nowhere close to the best team in the ACC much less a legit team for the postseason; Mack still able to silver tongue his way with everyone.
Higher-end mediocre football. Not back to back 1-10 Mack, but also not close to 1997 Mack.
And he gets older every year. FSU and VT both have yet to fully recover from their Legend HCs staying on too long, getting too old in the job. Mack at UNC Part 2 most certainly is not HOF material, and he is over the thill to keep this up much longer.
Higher-end mediocre football. Not back to back 1-10 Mack, but also not close to 1997 Mack.
And he gets older every year. FSU and VT both have yet to fully recover from their Legend HCs staying on too long, getting too old in the job. Mack at UNC Part 2 most certainly is not HOF material, and he is over the thill to keep this up much longer.
You enjoy the possibility...and you love UNC. Nothing stupid about that.
The defense played good enough to win both of the games they lost. This coaching staff needs one more year to prove they understand what is takes to win games in the ACC. They stopped using all the RBs for absolutely no good reason. Mack started messing with the offense and the running back rotation and trying to change something that didn't need help, talking about scoring to fast. Then had terrible clock management, The timeouts and field goal decisions were unacceptable in almost every game. Those are glaring issues.
The defense did more as the season went on. Mainly because of scrutiny of the defensive concept. They made enough improvements after being criticized. However, the change should have been done much earlier. The defense was saved by the offense to win games. The defense saved the offense several times also.
They are having problems in the running game. They would have been further along had Mack stayed out of it. He has caused more problems than not for the offense for no good reason. He also has had clock management issues, Time out issues, when to take field goal issues, since he came to Carolina, it has been chronic. Hopefully Coach Chiz understands now what he has to do. Coaches can't be the problem anymore, there are too many good coaches out there. Duke, Ga. Tech got Coaches with a concept and understanding of that strategy. Carolina went to a previous coach that was at a sports news desk for 5 years, then that coach went out and got a coach that was doing the same thing. That's chronic behavior.
They deserve one more year. If they don't clean up the above issues? Well let's just say, whoever is hiring football coaches need a paradigm shift.
That game Yesterday was disappointing. However, in both these games they had a chance to win and put the games away. That didn't happen last year. This team has grown.
The defense did more as the season went on. Mainly because of scrutiny of the defensive concept. They made enough improvements after being criticized. However, the change should have been done much earlier. The defense was saved by the offense to win games. The defense saved the offense several times also.
They are having problems in the running game. They would have been further along had Mack stayed out of it. He has caused more problems than not for the offense for no good reason. He also has had clock management issues, Time out issues, when to take field goal issues, since he came to Carolina, it has been chronic. Hopefully Coach Chiz understands now what he has to do. Coaches can't be the problem anymore, there are too many good coaches out there. Duke, Ga. Tech got Coaches with a concept and understanding of that strategy. Carolina went to a previous coach that was at a sports news desk for 5 years, then that coach went out and got a coach that was doing the same thing. That's chronic behavior.
They deserve one more year. If they don't clean up the above issues? Well let's just say, whoever is hiring football coaches need a paradigm shift.
That game Yesterday was disappointing. However, in both these games they had a chance to win and put the games away. That didn't happen last year. This team has grown.
The DL is still getting almost no push. You cannot beat good teams that way.
Putting away teams that are god is one thing putting away teams on a very weak schedule is another and may not mean anything save weak schedule helps a whole lot in terms of Ws.
Where are you seeing improvements on defense? There have been slight improvements against the run. We're giving up about 10 yards less per game. And we're about 2 ppg better in scoring defense. But look at who we've played. A good defense holds State to maybe two TDs. They're not as good as they were last year especially without Leary. Pitt's not as good. UVA is nowhere near as good. VT probably has one of the worst QBs in the conference. Passing defense is about 40 yards per game worse. I haven't looked it up, but I'm seeing a stat float around -- 9 sacks in 8 conference games -- we had 6 against State last year in one game. This is with more talent and more experience in what was supposed to be an easier scheme. I'm not seeing it. The defense is terrible. Has been for most of the year
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What's going to make it worse is that our recruiting on the defensive side of the ball is already slipping. We'll probably see some guys hit the portal. Next year's schedule isn't as easy.
And, you can't expect the same lucky outcomes to go your way.
Chizik's scheme is costly.
I still think that the loss to GT killed the season. You can bitterly tolerate a physical, close game against your biggest rival. Losing at home to GT was absolutely inexcusable.
Also, if the offensive strategy on the last drive of regulation had been the theme from the beginning, they might have blown State out of the water.
I poasted this on the premium board. Thought I'd copy/paste it here as well.
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This point may be a bit tough to articulate but there is one thing I've noticed the last few years that has irritated me to no end.
We all have watched the defense perform at a level that is completely inexcusable, particularly given the level of talent that the staff has recruited. They blow assignments, frequently line up out of position and show a general lack of physicality that is baffling.
But on the rare occasion where somebody makes a play, you'd think they were making a game changing play in a primetime matchup against Alabama or UGA. I'm not against guys having a good time, or enjoying success when they make a play. I realize that celebrating is part of the modern game. But when you have guys jumping around, and running their mouths on a unit that is getting smacked in the mouth, IMO that points to a larger cultural issue.
This always confused me because I never understood how coaches could tolerate their own guys doing that type of stuff while the defense is getting torched, and in many cases the scoreboard was not in our favor. Then earlier this year, I saw what I believe was the root cause. I can't remember the exact play but either Duck or Grimes made a fairly routine play in coverage, they cut down to the sideline and Dre Bly is doing exactly what I just described. Jumping around and celebrating at a level that was completely disproportionate to the situation and the play that was made.
I also think back to the videos of Cross coming into the player meetings and jacking guys up and talking about how great they were going to be. Both of their respective units have underperformed while displaying a lack of discipline and accountability. Both of them seem to act more like cheerleaders than football coaches.
What this program needs are coaches that set a high standard, and crawl up the a*s of anyone that doesn't meet it. We don't need motivators. If they can't get themselves fired up then they shouldn't be playing D1 football.
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This point may be a bit tough to articulate but there is one thing I've noticed the last few years that has irritated me to no end.
We all have watched the defense perform at a level that is completely inexcusable, particularly given the level of talent that the staff has recruited. They blow assignments, frequently line up out of position and show a general lack of physicality that is baffling.
But on the rare occasion where somebody makes a play, you'd think they were making a game changing play in a primetime matchup against Alabama or UGA. I'm not against guys having a good time, or enjoying success when they make a play. I realize that celebrating is part of the modern game. But when you have guys jumping around, and running their mouths on a unit that is getting smacked in the mouth, IMO that points to a larger cultural issue.
This always confused me because I never understood how coaches could tolerate their own guys doing that type of stuff while the defense is getting torched, and in many cases the scoreboard was not in our favor. Then earlier this year, I saw what I believe was the root cause. I can't remember the exact play but either Duck or Grimes made a fairly routine play in coverage, they cut down to the sideline and Dre Bly is doing exactly what I just described. Jumping around and celebrating at a level that was completely disproportionate to the situation and the play that was made.
I also think back to the videos of Cross coming into the player meetings and jacking guys up and talking about how great they were going to be. Both of their respective units have underperformed while displaying a lack of discipline and accountability. Both of them seem to act more like cheerleaders than football coaches.
What this program needs are coaches that set a high standard, and crawl up the a*s of anyone that doesn't meet it. We don't need motivators. If they can't get themselves fired up then they shouldn't be playing D1 football.
That's why I wouldn't blame everything on position coaches. We've taken a step back at almost every level of the defense. We brought in Warren to help with DBs. We're not even close to where we were against garbage QBs. I'd love to be wrong, and will gladly eat crow, but at some point, you have to realize that maybe Chizik is who we thought he was. That scheme might've worked 20 years ago, before spread offenses really took off, but I'm not sure it's going to be as effective now. And he doesn't have the chops for recruiting either unfortunately.
That irritates me to no end as well. Definitely an issue that needs to be addressed starting with coaches.
They just hired him. And, "he's a national championship coach", so... he's here for a while. Brown is here until he's ready to retire.
UNC has never really cared about football. It's never going to care. It's not going to care about it on the same level as a school like Clemson. Keep your expectations low and you're not going to be disappointed.
brad lawing and mack have a relationship and he’s coached at carolina before…his track record is tremendous as far as d-line.
he’s on the radio once a week here, so he can’t be too busy…just throwing out a name.
he’s on the radio once a week here, so he can’t be too busy…just throwing out a name.
and bly is in over his head…we all talked about this when he was hired…like wtf kind of move is this!??!!
we know why he was hired, but the results on the field have sucked…the group has not gotten better at all.
we know why he was hired, but the results on the field have sucked…the group has not gotten better at all.
I feel like this has happened for awhile, not just last few yrs. I wonder if it is even tied to the concept or myth of the 'rude boys' (which might've started around the bly Robert Williams players era)
Well guys our Delima and fortune is, we got the QB going into 2nd year, we got a Defensive Coach and staff going into their 2nd year. We got HC and OC going into 5th year.
Actually, a Forecast, depending on transfers, firings, and or taking other jobs.
They deserve one more year? I believe they do.
Actually, a Forecast, depending on transfers, firings, and or taking other jobs.
They deserve one more year? I believe they do.
Bly is in more of a learning role and is not calling for the defense to play 10 yards off on 3rd and 4. This D is led by Cross, Chiz, Thig and Warren. Folks, for some reason, still don't understand this. He's a prime recruiter and helps with the substitutions etc on the sideline. Recruits will tell you the same thing. He's a recruiter/mentor/motivator of young men and learning the coaching side from the main guys.
It wouldn't make sense to make a lot of big changes at this point if Mack is only going to coach a few more years. That's one of the reasons bringing on Chizik never made a lot of sense to me. You either burn it all down or ride it out. I don't know what Mack's plans are...not sure if anyone does. Doubt our AD fires him after 9 wins. I wouldn't bet on next year being any better, though, with the same people in place, and how the schedule sets up.
Yep, name a corner that has looked improved from one yr to the next the last few yrs.
not trying to be funny but you have to look into the terrible to see it. I know it's a lot to ask.
Jason Staples, who is a major numbers nerd, says the D this year is not much worse than the D was in 2015, except in the Red Zone. That means that this D lacks heart and fight, and also lacks the drive up the middle that is necessary to stop teams that have gotten into the Red Zone. This D is not tough. It is soft, starting and most obviously on the DL.
My point was less about his actual coaching chops and more about the impact on the culture of accountability within the program. The hype man BS that him and Cross seem to engage in isn't working.
I know it gets tiresome when people compare football to the basketball program but imagine Dean or Roy's reaction if a player celebrated a dunk when the team was down by 15. The standard of excellence that they built in the basketball program made it one of the most dominant programs in all of college sports.
Agreed, though DL was nothing special last yr either. And their pad-level, timing, moves, first-step all look poor or lazy.
LB dev has been good. Chaz, Grey, Echols, Gemmel were/all relatively solid.
The rest....
Chiz isn't helping his legacy.
the results have been the same with three constants; cross, thig, and bly.
Saban would use him only in one those advisor roles. He is not helping the program which NEEDS a CB coach who actually can coach. Bly can talk, not coach.
Exactly. Lousy position coaches ruin whatever a coordinator does.
I'd put hyping guys up way at the bottom of the list of problems the program has at the moment. You always want folk to exude confidence, especially at a tough position like DB, but first you need to put them into positions to succeed. Playing off/soft coverage on 3rd and shorts leading to easy pitch and catches needs to be addresses first. Announcers mention it several times throughout the games.
Yep, it's a make-or-break year. 9 wins or bust and 9 wins will still probably get somebody fired.
Cool. Warren and Chiz are the COACHES and are the ones calling the soft plays on critical downs and continuing to play guys like Kelly that are not equipped to do so. Who would you hire as the CB coach? We need BIG TIME hires.
Yes, Fire Bly and let's see if the D starts stopping folks on 3rd and 4 with the CB 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
for years…and to be honest, it’s fine sometimes if you can at least tackle, but….
and we can’t even get to the passer which will make this scheme look inferior vs any qb at this level, see this year.
everyone is frustrated and to extent pissed, but we don’t count until the stands become empty and the merch and bowl tickets aren’t selling.
I'd have to see what he said. We gave up right at 225 yards per game on the ground in 2015. Our secondary was a lot better, but I think that's probably because teams just ran at will against us. We got about the same amount of pressure on QBs as we have this year. He is right about scoring defense being much better though.
Correct. All starts up in the trenches. Asking the DB's to cover for 5-10 seconds isn't attainable. We send 5-6 and can't get pressure whereas State can get pressure on a 3-man rush.
They always play a hype video between the third and fourth quarter. Part of it is one of the players yelling rude boys. I usually pull an eye muscle from rolling my eyes so hard when I hear that.
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