What's your DC short list?

[Mikey 16,550]

Another thing about Shannon: If recruiting is a factor, Shannon knows his way around the Miami area better than most and there is a wealth of talent there. There are enough "overlooked" kids in South Florida to field a competitive D1 team year in and year out.

[war eagle6 0]

This^^

[doc4aday 1,887]

What DC currently in college football has the best stats over the past few years? I say we find this person and offer him a boat load of money to come to Auburn and agree to a 3 year contract.

[metafour 4,958]

What DC currently in college football has the best stats over the past few years? I say we find this person and offer him a boat load of money to come to Auburn and agree to a 3 year contract.

That is your answer, seriously?

[doc4aday 1,887]

What DC currently in college football has the best stats over the past few years? I say we find this person and offer him a boat load of money to come to Auburn and agree to a 3 year contract.

That is your answer, seriously?

Actually, this is my answer. Find the best DC over the past 3-5 years (excluding Smart in that his defense got mauled to death by Marshall & CAP) and hire him.

I do like the DC at Penn State (Rob Shoop I think) He did a super job at Vandy while he was there. This was no small feat. There is no perfect DC out there, and all come with some weaknesses.

We have a choice of excellent DCs out there to choose from. I think Gus will pick a solid DC that can get us there. Ifeel that once we have a formidable defense, our offense will get much better of which is a very scary proposition to opposing defenses.

If we can crack the top 20 schools in total defense, then we will rock!

[Fricking Ray 47]

Tyson Summers is a good young coach who's done phenomenal at UCF. People here may not like him though because he's a VanGorder disciple. Coached under him as a GA at Georgia and then as a linebackers coach under him at Georgia Southern.

He is also a Gator all the way.

On the upside UCF has a great defense and he would help recruiting in the talent rich sunshine state.

NCAA Stats 2014

Total Defense ranked 3rd nationally giving up 283 YPG

Scoring Defense ranked 9th nationally giving up 17.9 PPG

Rushing Defense ranked 5th nationally giving up 97.4 YPG

Red Zone Defense ranked 8th nationally averaging .711

Passing Yards Allowed ranked 11th nationally giving up 185.4 YPG

Passes Intercepted tied for 9th at 18 Total

Fumbles Recovered tied for 59th with 9 Total

First Downs Allowed ranked 11th at 199

Defensive TD's UNRANKED W/ LESS THAN 2

Turnovers Gained tied at 16th with 27

4th Down Conversion % Defense tied for 8th at .286

3th Down Conversion % Defense 41st at .371

I think its clear if you ignore Total Defense, Scoring Defense, Rushing Defense, and Red Zone Defense that he shouldn't be considered.

[Fricking Ray 47]

Summers is my B choice.

I like Diaz as my C choice. Reminds me of Joe Lee Dunn. showing blitz 90% of the time. He is also very good a disguising where the pressure is coming.

For those throwing out names like Aranda, Clark or Odom please explain to me how we are going to field a team in 2015 implementing their 3-4-4 defense?

[metafour 4,958]

Actually, this is my answer. Find the best DC over the past 3-5 years (excluding Smart in that his defense got mauled to death by Marshall & CAP) and hire him.

You really think stats tell you who the "best" DC is?

Defensive metrics are nice, but they are skewed by talent, opposition played, and a host of other factors. Who is the "better" DC: the guy who's team ranks 8th in Scoring Defense, or the guy who's team ranks 12th but with half the talent on roster?

Furthermore, your "strategy" completely looks past fit. This isn't a video game where you plug in 'X' coach and your Defense rises to so-and-so arbitrary value. A DC has to mesh with his staff and furthermore the HC. A DC has to be able able to recruit in this conference, and they also have to be ready to work 24/7 in a year round high-pressure scenario...is a defensive metric going to show you any of that? Absolutely not.

That is why I scoff at your suggestion that you simply pull up a national ranking of defensive performance and hire off that. That is akin to doing your recruiting by looking at a few recruiting websites. There is much more that needs to be considered.

[aubaseball 2,583]

I don't see why a good DC couldn't come in and teach a 3-4 defense.

[Fricking Ray 47]

I don't see why a good DC couldn't come in and teach a 3-4 defense.

See http://www.aufamily....-possibilities/

It would take a couple of years to get the right players.

*Edit* The problem is that Gus would be on the hot seat before we could make it work.

[aubaseball 2,583]

BS on getting the right players. Football players are football players. High schools aren't running sophisticated defenses. Those players just plug in at alabama and keep producing. Alabama players aren't that much bigger than auburns. Mckinsy and swain are big middle backers and lawson could play the same position as pettway. They are almost equal size. Frost is as big or bigger than evans. So, i don't buy into we aren't built for the 3-4.

[cammycam2 173]

Whoever coaches Darrell Williams at Hoover High School should be on the staff. Looking at his film, someone taught that kid to read, break down and wrap up correctly. Reminds me of Luke Kuechly's fundamentals. I don't care if Homer Simpson coaches the D as long as they play with strong fundamentals. Now, more then ever (with the rules changes re: contact around defense), fundamentally strong players will succeed.

Im a high school player. Or was. (This past season was my senior season.) The man you are looking for is a physics teacher at hillcrest high school in tuscaloosa. Lol. I will ask him if he is interested. He is my coach now, was williams' coach up until this summer. I will ask him if he is interested XD

[aufan57 922]

Bo Pelini Update

FootballScoop Staff ‏@FootballScoop 18m18 minutes ago

Sources tell FootballScoop that Bo Pelini plans to accept the head coaching position at Youngstown State http://footballscoop.com/the-scoop/

[WeagleTheBeagle 60]

I'd be pleased as punch with Muschamp, Venables, or Diaz. Its important to get a big name IMO because this recruiting class is critical...mainly because we can't lose ground to Bama, UGA, LSU, etc with the defensive guys.

[Fricking Ray 47]

I am not as high on Venables because he is going to land a HC job sooner rather than later. A big splash hire does have the potential to shore up our defensive recruiting efforts. Diaz dropped off the radar after 2012. He has established himself again at La Tech but I wouldn't call hiring him a splash hire. His defense makes huge plays and gives up huge plays and the stats reflect that. Like I said earlier he is a modern day Joe Lee Dunn.

aubaseball...You are entitled to your opinion and I refuse to argue with you over it.

[cole256 17,039]

BS on getting the right players. Football players are football players. High schools aren't running sophisticated defenses. Those players just plug in at alabama and keep producing. Alabama players aren't that much bigger than auburns. Mckinsy and swain are big middle backers and lawson could play the same position as pettway. They are almost equal size. Frost is as big or bigger than evans. So, i don't buy into we aren't built for the 3-4.

But then you have the d line....And the nose is the most important on defense. Two years ago we could have played a 3-4 not now. Not to mention your corners have to be physical tackles and pretty good in man situations and your safeties have to be great at open field tackling....we DEFINITELY don't have that.

Two years ago gabe at d end Blackson at nose did we still have siglar then if so him at d end if not Daniels would be fine Dee, frost, Cass, Lawson shore up those linebacker spots. We had Davis to play one corner, pray for the other. Safeties would be so so in coverage not to great at open field tackling though

[Barnacle 9,064]

Has anyone mentioned Bud Foster? I heard his name mentioned today in relation to the TA&M job. I think he'd be a slam dunk for them, and a great choice for Auburn as well.

[tsande07 271]

Bud Foster is the highest paid assistant coach in football. (Yes, even more than Smart.) He also has had incredible job stability at VT. Doesn't seem realistic, imho.

[Barnacle 9,064]

Bud Foster is the highest paid assistant coach in football. (Yes, even more than Smart.) He also has had incredible job stability at VT. Doesn't seem realistic, imho.

Reasoning was that VT is trending in a downward spiral, so now would actually be a good time for him to leave, unless he expects to take over once Beamer leaves. Is he actually the highest paid assistant, or only this year because of the $800,000 annuity in his contract? I think his salary is around $500k. Not sure what other incentives he gets.

[Barnacle 9,064]

Yeah, I looked into it "highest paid assistant coach" is misleading, because that annuity in his contract paid out this year, so for this year only he is the highest paid coach, but will drop back off that list again in 2015. Now that his annuity has paid out, this would actually be an opportune time for him to leave.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

#1 Will Muschamp

#2 Pat Narduzzi

#3 Brent Venables

[mom2kid 216]

Time to get this thread going again?

[blueridge 29]

Bud Foster is the highest paid assistant coach in football. (Yes, even more than Smart.) He also has had incredible job stability at VT. Doesn't seem realistic, imho.

Foster and Frank Beamer are very close friends and both are really dug in at Va Tech. The fact that Tech has struggled lately is, in my opinion, a reason why Foster would be unlikely to jump ship for another DC position. He is a very loyal guy.