CougarCorner

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-30T13:12:36-06:00

There is a ton of technique involved which has been explained and demonstrated on AFR. That is why it has been more about inexperience than talent. Fua has been out injured or playing injured, so even that experience has not fully been there to help. Even Kaufusi and Bills had significant mistakes Vs BSU and Bills was not 100% physically either.

Even before the rash of injuries came this defense lacked experience. Injuries worsened that. Throw in the suspensions to the more athletic guys that had HC Violations or missed team meetings and practices, and that assumed they were such studs that they did not need to hit the play book hard or hit the film room hard, and athleticism, is actually solid - but technique, assignment sound positioning, discipline, and execution have been bad.

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Statistics: Posted by Cougarbib — Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:12 pm

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-30T12:44:02-06:00

It starts there it just does not stop there. It is more about experience than talent.

I agree 99.9%. That's why I made mention of the guys who graduated and the experienced guys coming back. All the inside players this year had either not played last year or were limited in back up roles. Stout and Langi didn't even play, Bronson was at Dline and Alisa was an injured RB. The lone experienced guy Alani Fua I believe is being asked to do to much. Guys more a hybrid than an every down OLB.

I look at our defense and for me it's almost always on the linebackers. We can't seem to get pressure fast enough with these LB blitz's and it kills our pass defense.

I do believe talent plays a big role here(more than the .1%!). KVN, Hadley and Unga were very good Lb's. Just Hadley being out last year and then Jorgenson as well showed that drop off.
Maybe Langi will develop really well. I think we know what we have with Mike Alisa, Jherremya Leuta-Douyere and Minoa Pikula. Zac Stout has shown pretty well but isn't Uani Unga. I do believe they could produce a lot better than they are that's for sure.

Takitaki, Hinds and Warner look to be solid future prospects. Cook, Niumatalolo, Amone yet to be seen. Lots of potential though, they were all very good recruits.

Statistics: Posted by stgeorgefan — Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:44 pm

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-30T12:22:48-06:00

I really believe we've missed the boat here thinking the D-lineman and D-Line coach are to blame.

My biggest worry before the season(and I mentioned it here) was linebacker.

The linebackers IMO are the biggest problem with this defense. SOOO many good LB's graduated last year and we had very few experienced guys coming into this season.

Byu's Dline as mentioned is all about stuffing the run and letting the linebackers make the tackles. It's how it's designed and our run D this year(DL) has done a decent job.

Our Linebacker blitz's are working; KVN is long gone getting 1 v 1 pressure. This has let the opposing QB have to much time to pass-give a qb tons of time and ANY WR will get open regardless of the DB.
The sideline to sideline speed of Hadley, Unga, KVN is gone. Guys are killing us on the edge( DB gets blocked by WR and linebackers are to slow to get over)
When teams run up the middle on us its up to the LB's to clog the holes. Usually you have an extra blocker on O when running, its up to the LB to make the tackle.
Who are the leading tacklers on our defense right now(usually a MLB) It's out safeties. Heck Povey is 2nd in tackles. Our LB's aren't doing their jobs and the safeties are left to stop the run from going the distance.

I don't think it's a coaching issue either. Byu's aka Bronco's defense has proven itself to be effective. We are VERY inexperienced and not as talented at LB. To me it starts there.

It starts there it just does not stop there. It is more about experience than talent. Assignment and technique errors are giving up the edge. That inexperience is also causing big issues in the secondary, especially at corner.

I highly recommend that fans watch After Further Review every Tuesday night. Leadership failed to get the defense to spend enough time in the film room given that it was a rebuilding year - not just reloading - on the defense. And Howell lacks the credibility to get the players to trust the system and even some veterans are leaving their assignments to try to get in on plays and have gotten burned.

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Statistics: Posted by Cougarbib — Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:22 pm

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-30T12:09:29-06:00

The last great assistant coach at BYU was probably the OL coach that preceded Weber. What was his name?
Jeff Grimes. Currently OL coach and run-game coordinator in the SEC with LSU. Rumored to be the top paid OL coach in the country.

Grimes was a carry-over from Crowton.

Yes. Grimes. Highly respected nationally. It will be interesting to see if he bumps up to OC at some point. His current title is similar to what Anae had at Arizona.

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Statistics: Posted by Cougarbib — Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:09 pm

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-30T11:57:16-06:00

The last great assistant coach at BYU was probably the OL coach that preceded Weber. What was his name?

Jeff Grimes. Currently OL coach and run-game coordinator in the SEC with LSU. Rumored to be the top paid OL coach in the country.

Grimes was a carry-over from Crowton.

Statistics: Posted by snoscythe — Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:57 am

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-30T11:50:43-06:00

I really believe we've missed the boat here thinking the D-lineman and D-Line coach are to blame.

My biggest worry before the season(and I mentioned it here) was linebacker.

The linebackers IMO are the biggest problem with this defense. SOOO many good LB's graduated last year and we had very few experienced guys coming into this season.

Byu's Dline as mentioned is all about stuffing the run and letting the linebackers make the tackles. It's how it's designed and our run D this year(DL) has done a decent job.

Our Linebacker blitz's are working; KVN is long gone getting 1 v 1 pressure. This has let the opposing QB have to much time to pass-give a qb tons of time and ANY WR will get open regardless of the DB.
The sideline to sideline speed of Hadley, Unga, KVN is gone. Guys are killing us on the edge( DB gets blocked by WR and linebackers are to slow to get over)
When teams run up the middle on us its up to the LB's to clog the holes. Usually you have an extra blocker on O when running, its up to the LB to make the tackle.
Who are the leading tacklers on our defense right now(usually a MLB) It's out safeties. Heck Povey is 2nd in tackles. Our LB's aren't doing their jobs and the safeties are left to stop the run from going the distance.

I don't think it's a coaching issue either. Byu's aka Bronco's defense has proven itself to be effective. We are VERY inexperienced and not as talented at LB. To me it starts there.

Statistics: Posted by stgeorgefan — Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:50 am

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-30T12:13:20-06:00

When Anae relied on Williams, Hine, Brown, and our Rugby playing fullback,

Williams sprained both ankles whole hobbling around on a sprained knee after he got off suspension. JW, rated himself at 85% yesterday.

Hine got a high ankle sprain. He has been out a few weeks, but is expected back Vs MTSU.

Brown got the worst sprain. There are rumors that he is done for the season. He is definitely still out vs MTSU.

And our fullback was seen getting his thigh attended to vs Nevada over on the sidelines, and was used more sparingly than usual vs Boise State.

It is football.

Having said that, Hill (assuming he returns healthy enough to play next year) and CStew both need to become a threat to throw over the top with accuracy, and that will open up everything else.

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Statistics: Posted by Cougarbib — Thu Oct 30, 2014 8:37 am

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-30T00:43:05-06:00

They do not have great assistant coaches now.
You're including Anae, right?
Yes. Until he becomes a hot head coaching candidate or someone I view as the best next BYU HC, I would go with good not great. I still think he might be the best realistically available OC for BYU at this time.

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I would disagree with this. The OC doesn't have to be LDS. If we are comfortable with a revolving door at that position (ie changing every 2 or 3 years because they move on to a bigger program or HC position), then there are plenty of better options.

Is he terrible? No. Do I wish we had someone better? Yeah. But I really wish we had our QB back because we were really good when we had him.

But this is exactly part of the problem. The All hail Taysom Hill approach got him injured and for the most part tanked this team. It was UNSUSTAINABLE--period!! His speed and agility should have been used to help him escape with the means of finding a receiver downfield. Anae's version of Run Taysom, Run killed the guy which then killed the system. How long is it going to take Anae and THill to figure out that if your run you die??
Signed, RGIII.
In other words, if you really want your Qb back, you have to forfeit some of the upsides of his. Ability to run. Figure out the fricken passing game! Get a TE! Use screens w heavy rush! Run smartly, like Stwart, like Russell Wilson--it can be done! And wow, look what happened when ANAE relied upon Lasike and Brown--they actually stepped up, fired up, etc. so did JW. But if a team believe that THill will save us, why do the others need to step up?
Better figure it out, ANAE. And you too THill. Or you ain't gonna do squat as a fifth round pro who can't run near as fast as he used to with a third season ending injury in 2015 (assuming he even comes back).

Statistics: Posted by Cougs_Rule — Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:43 am

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-29T17:39:10-06:00

They do not have great assistant coaches now.
You're including Anae, right?
Yes. Until he becomes a hot head coaching candidate or someone I view as the best next BYU HC, I would go with good not great. I still think he might be the best realistically available OC for BYU at this time.

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I would disagree with this. The OC doesn't have to be LDS. If we are comfortable with a revolving door at that position (ie changing every 2 or 3 years because they move on to a bigger program or HC position), then there are plenty of better options.

Is he terrible? No. Do I wish we had someone better? Yeah. But I really wish we had our QB back because we were really good when we had him.

What exactly was it that you disagree with. Gunk asked if my comment that we do not have GREAT assistant coaches includes Anae. He asked because I think Anae is good, solid, not GREAT. I will label him great when P5 programs start courting him or when I start viewing him as the next BYU head coach. He is good. He is not great.

What did you disagree with?

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Statistics: Posted by Cougarbib — Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:39 pm

Re: BYU's biggest deficiency and liability: Coach Kaufusi

2014-10-29T14:05:57-06:00

They do not have great assistant coaches now.
You're including Anae, right?
Yes. Until he becomes a hot head coaching candidate or someone I view as the best next BYU HC, I would go with good not great. I still think he might be the best realistically available OC for BYU at this time.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

I would disagree with this. The OC doesn't have to be LDS. If we are comfortable with a revolving door at that position (ie changing every 2 or 3 years because they move on to a bigger program or HC position), then there are plenty of better options.

Is he terrible? No. Do I wish we had someone better? Yeah. But I really wish we had our QB back because we were really good when we had him.

Statistics: Posted by stuckinbig10country — Wed Oct 29, 2014 2:05 pm