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Take it or Leavitt: Can new DC save Buffs defense?

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In 2004, when USF was Division 1 Independent, their scoring D ranked 94th in the country at 31.9 pts/game. The next year, which was their first year in the Big East, they jumped 80 spots in the rankings to 14th at 18.4 pts/game. The following year, they dropped in the rankings but actually improved upon their scoring defense (24th at 17.8 pts/game). In 2007, 2008 and 2009, he kept the defense roughly in the same neighborhood at 26th (20.7/game), 30th (20.5/game), and 19th (19.8/game) respectively. So yeah, it's fair to say Leavitt has a pretty solid track record of having a positive effect on his defenses.

With that said, the Pac 12 is an entirely different animal than the Big East, ACC or even SEC when it comes to high powered offenses. Taking that into consideration, I think it's very possible to see a 20-30 spot jump in the rankings, which would put them right at the 29-32 pt/game mark. If the offense can up their production and get up to the P12 average of scoring 33 points/game, the Buffs should be in the majority of their games and competing for a bowl by Utah week.
 
In 2004, when USF was Division 1 Independent, their scoring D ranked 94th in the country at 31.9 pts/game. The next year, which was their first year in the Big East, they jumped 80 spots in the rankings to 14th at 18.4 pts/game. The following year, they dropped in the rankings but actually improved upon their scoring defense (24th at 17.8 pts/game). In 2007, 2008 and 2009, he kept the defense roughly in the same neighborhood at 26th (20.7/game), 30th (20.5/game), and 19th (19.8/game) respectively. So yeah, it's fair to say Leavitt has a pretty solid track record of having a positive effect on his defenses.

With that said, the Pac 12 is an entirely different animal than the Big East, ACC or even SEC when it comes to high powered offenses. Taking that into consideration, I think it's very possible to see a 20-30 spot jump in the rankings, which would put them right at the 29-32 pt/game mark. If the offense can up their production and get up to the P12 average of scoring 33 points/game, the Buffs should be in the majority of their games and competing for a bowl by Utah week.

baby steps.
 
In 2004, when USF was Division 1 Independent, their scoring D ranked 94th in the country at 31.9 pts/game. The next year, which was their first year in the Big East, they jumped 80 spots in the rankings to 14th at 18.4 pts/game. The following year, they dropped in the rankings but actually improved upon their scoring defense (24th at 17.8 pts/game). In 2007, 2008 and 2009, he kept the defense roughly in the same neighborhood at 26th (20.7/game), 30th (20.5/game), and 19th (19.8/game) respectively. So yeah, it's fair to say Leavitt has a pretty solid track record of having a positive effect on his defenses.

With that said, the Pac 12 is an entirely different animal than the Big East, ACC or even SEC when it comes to high powered offenses. Taking that into consideration, I think it's very possible to see a 20-30 spot jump in the rankings, which would put them right at the 29-32 pt/game mark. If the offense can up their production and get up to the P12 average of scoring 33 points/game, the Buffs should be in the majority of their games and competing for a bowl by Utah week.

Wasn't that the year that Miami and V Tech left the Big East? That would definitely help.
 
Wasn't that the year that Miami and V Tech left the Big East? That would definitely help.

They played Miami in 2005 but lost 27-7. Obviously, playing in the Big East 10 years ago is not comparable to the Pac 12 today, in terms of offensive fire power. That's why I believe a modest, one year jump of 20-30 spots in the rankings would be about right. If this staff remains in tact for 2-3+ more years with JL as the DC, I could see the defense getting to a point where they are ranked in the 45-60 range, giving up 24-26/game.
 
Different game in a different era. But qualifiers aside, his work at KSU is probably his most impressive.
 
Different game in a different era. But qualifiers aside, his work at KSU is probably his most impressive.

I don't know... the linebacker crew at SF the last three years has been amazing. Very good at developing young talent as well.
 
I don't know... the linebacker crew at SF the last three years has been amazing. Very good at developing young talent as well.

I don't watch pro football, but my understanding is that he had tremendous talent to work with at SF.

He had nothing at KSU, no tradition, no talent, nothing. And I think he turned it from one of the worst defenses in college football to number one in two or three seasons.
 
I don't watch pro football, but my understanding is that he had tremendous talent to work with at SF.

He had nothing at KSU, no tradition, no talent, nothing. And I think he turned it from one of the worst defenses in college football to number one in two or three seasons.

Yeah, I would say so. Aldon Smith, Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman? Yes, please.

The KSU stuff is obviously impressive, but he was just a piece of the puzzle there. Bill Snyder is a top 3-5 college football coach of all time, and has shown that he is able to do it w/ or w/o JL. I think his building of USF and maintaining that defensive efficiency, while competing for the 3rd and 4th tier recruits in the South, is the most impressive.
 
I don't watch pro football, but my understanding is that he had tremendous talent to work with at SF.

He had nothing at KSU, no tradition, no talent, nothing. And I think he turned it from one of the worst defenses in college football to number one in two or three seasons.

Yeah but Navarro Bowman was a third round draft pick in 2010 and he seemed to develop him well. Willis was always a beast but he also did well throwing Borland into the fire this year as a rookie. Aldon Smith was more of a defensive end.
 
In looking at our defense the last few years think about the number of times we have had defenders, especially LBs bite on play fakes, make bad reads, line up in bad position, take each other out of plays and all the other stuff that turns a play into a big gainer.

We still lack talent, we are developing and are better than we were but will still get beat by teams that are simply more talented than we are.

If Leavitt can simply reduce the number of times we beat ourselves and let us play up to our abilities we still won't be a great defense but we will be much better than we have been.
 
In looking at our defense the last few years think about the number of times we have had defenders, especially LBs bite on play fakes, make bad reads, line up in bad position, take each other out of plays and all the other stuff that turns a play into a big gainer.

We still lack talent, we are developing and are better than we were but will still get beat by teams that are simply more talented than we are.

If Leavitt can simply reduce the number of times we beat ourselves and let us play up to our abilities we still won't be a great defense but we will be much better than we have been.

Yes. Sound, fundamental football goes a long way and can easily overcome superior talent, if that talent lacks discipline and basic fundamentals.
 
Yes. Sound, fundamental football goes a long way and can easily overcome superior talent, if that talent lacks discipline and basic fundamentals.

And even if they have discipline and basic fundamentals you at least give yourself a chance. We have had to many plays where we didn't even give ourselves a chance.
 
And even if they have discipline and basic fundamentals you at least give yourself a chance. We have had to many plays where we didn't even give ourselves a chance.

Its not even just poor execution or mental errors, its the timing of them. We always screw up at the worst possible moment in a game. Its infuriating.
 
Imagine being a coach.

You'd be shocked at how hard it can be just getting kids to understand basic football concepts. Some of them are so athletically gifted that they can get by without actually understanding how the game works. Having a coach that can get the kids to relate to the concepts and schemes and actually get them to understand how their job fits with the rest of the defense and why they're supposed to be in a certain spot is 75% of the battle.
 
You'd be shocked at how hard it can be just getting kids to understand basic football concepts. Some of them are so athletically gifted that they can get by without actually understanding how the game works. Having a coach that can get the kids to relate to the concepts and schemes and actually get them to understand how their job fits with the rest of the defense and why they're supposed to be in a certain spot is 75% of the battle.

I think FLounder's brother coached at CU.

FLounder is obviously the Danny Devito of the two.
 
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