Answer Saturday! (Part 2)
In this segment, the defense is a hot topic.
Q: Hard Way said:
The 2010 season was, by most important measures, the worst year ever for the USC defense. Already in 2011, the Full Monte Defense (always fully exposed, credit to TFO), gave up back to back 40 point games for the first time in USC history, gave up more first downs (37) than any defense in USC history, and with Oregon, Stanford and Notre Dame ahead, is on pace to be even worse than the 2010 defense. If you're Ed Ogeron, are you a) patiently waiting for Lane to move pops out to pasture in a defensive consultant role; b) e-mail blasting your newly updated cover letter and resume minimizing your responsibility for this debacle; c) planning on slipping ex-lax into Pop's coffee before the next game so he'll be otherwise occupied and unable to call the defensive signals; d) taking Max and Pat out to talk about coaching "issues" over a few pops; e) all of the above?
A: As much as I love the ``Full Monte'' line, I'm going to assign the burden to Lane Kiffin. He approves the defensive game plan. If there is a problem, it is his job to change it. This is why I have suggested (and been criticized by spin doctors at USC intent on protecting Kiffin) that being head coach/offensive coordinator is something that needs to be scrutinized. USC needs to someone to be supervising the defense (and offense). That's what a head coach does. If you immersed on one side of the ball, I wonder how much time there is to really make clear decisions about the other side.
Q: dcard1097 said:
I really like Dion Bailey as a football player. He has a nose for the ball, is a great tackler, and is in on every play. Given the fact that we have a lot of young talent at linebacker, do you see Bailey possibly moving to strong safety next year to make up for the lackluster play of Starling, also giving Tre Medden or Anthony Sarao a chance to shine at the LB position? Your thoughts.
A: I think he could move provided the other prospects develop and are at least close to being as good. Right now he is so good at linebacker it would be hard to move him because like Matt Grootegoed, he is undersized but makes a lot of plays. So I think Madden and Co. would need to demonstrate they can make the same impact. In the meantime, USC needs to recruit some safeties because it needs to upgrade and also plan for the departure of T.J. McDonald.
Scott I'm in total agreement with your pointing to LK for the entire team concept. He needs to either learn to accept he's a overviewer or give his responsibilities to another head coach. He can't just watch one part of the job. Pete tried it but in the end he got burned.
The last head coach/offensive coordinator at a major/historic program?
Charlie Weis at Notre Dame.
How did that turn out?
I'm sorry Wolf..but Monte is a disaster. He makes several million dollars and has produced nothing. No adjustments mid-game. No pressure on the qb. He would be fired by any other program in the country. ASU ran the same plays over and over and Monte had nothing. What has he brought to the table...? What is special? How could things be any worse? They can't...
I agree with your answer for the discussion about our Defense when you said Lane needs to recruit more Safeties for next year.
The good news is Drew McAllister will be back as a Senior to fill that slot left by T.J. Demetrius Wright will be at Strong and Starling will shuffle in and out. We have some really good CB's coming back and the Secondary should be greatly improved. Starling has been a disaster this year. Why don't they move McAllister to Strong because of his ball hawking abilities?