DC Bobby Hauck out at Illinois

#276      
Besides some espoused Sommelier level olfactory capabilities, what do you have to support your opinion that is contrary to what was on this board from good sources that played out throughout the offseason of 25'-early 26'?

No-one is saying that he was committed to totally changing the defense, what is being said that he adopted the change in defensive scheme due to the coach he decided to hire out of lack of alternatives.

But maybe you have a hotline to Miss Cleo that is still active.

Maybe Brett should have checked with Miss Cleo before hiring this cat in the first place!

Miss Cleo Infomercial GIF
 
#277      
It's certainly possible but I didn't think so before the presser.

BB may have told him he's demoted, he may have said, no I'm not, I'm gone.

Or

He told BB it's my defense, I'm doing what I want and BB said, bye.

At least the way BB lead into today talking about the prior in-season demotions, it may be the first scenario.

He’s a guy that’s been a HC most of career. I’m sure he didn’t like being called out or told what to do. He’s also a guy who retired because he didn’t like the current landscape of college football. I also don’t think he’s ever coached at the P4 level.
 
#278      
And I don't believe at all it was that clean.
I do. There is no reason not to.

Was Coach B happy with Bobby’s performance? No.

Were there “discussions” like what happen daily on a college football team? Yes.

Did Bobby know he was doing poorly or possibly over his head? Probably

Did Bobby get fired or asked to leave? No.
 
#280      
I liked the idea of 3-3-5 just to be different. I would not give up on it. Hauk was just the wrong guy.

All these HS kids payed 43 or 34 in HS. You could shift them back to that in a week. It would be plain vanilla with cover 1 or cover 2 but it could be done with you wanted to bring in Wilcox or soembody else
 
#283      
what do you have to support your opinion that is contrary to what was on this board from good sources that played out throughout the offseason of 25'-early 26'?
As a matter of fact it is precisely what we heard from those good sources that makes me think this way.

During the period days after the transfer window had opened, when it looked like we were on track for the smaller number of departures we had been used to, defensive front seven guys started trickling out, and the response from the insiders was that the staff didn't think these players were worth the money they were asking for and that we could do better replacing them. Later the insiders told us there was a deal in the works to bring Tomiwa Durojaiye back which didn't come to fruition.

And then of course the insiders (and other sources) told us we had a deal in place with Chris Partridge that he backed out of when they won the Super Bowl. What the Seahawks do isn't exactly a Rocky Long 3-3-5, but the principles are comparable in terms of a tradeoff of size for speed within the box and generating uncertainty as to who is rushing and who is dropping on any given play. Both are ways of answering the question "how do we get results on defense if we can't afford quality and depth among 300+lb DT's?"

It's not my speculation that our change in defensive philosophy was forced by the price level for size on the interior going through the roof, Bret Bielema has said that publicly. But that's not something that became apparent until pretty late in our process, when we suffered something that has hit every program in the country at one time or another: sticker shock at the portal prices.

That's a much more coherent and plausible story than us spending five critical weeks sending letters of recommendation around for someone to relieve us of the burden of firing our incompetent DC. That line actually doesn't align with the information we've gotten here at all, nor does it follow basic common sense, but it DOES stoke the dedicated anti-Henry campaign around here that certain of our wise sages have chosen to lend their credibility to for reasons that I can't fathom.
 
#284      
I liked the idea of 3-3-5 just to be different. I would not give up on it. Hauk was just the wrong guy.

All these HS kids payed 43 or 34 in HS. You could shift them back to that in a week. It would be plain vanilla with cover 1 or cover 2 but it could be done with you wanted to bring in Wilcox or soembody else
you can pretty much bank on it that we ditch the 3-3-5 in the off season if we hire a long term DC who hasnt run it.
 
#285      
I liked the idea of 3-3-5 just to be different. I would not give up on it. Hauk was just the wrong guy.

All these HS kids payed 43 or 34 in HS. You could shift them back to that in a week. It would be plain vanilla with cover 1 or cover 2 but it could be done with you wanted to bring in Wilcox or soembody else

You 100% can’t change the defense in a week. You also aren’t bringing in a new coach to call the defense in week 5. My guess is that Bradford will call the defense for the rest of the season.
 
#287      
You 100% can’t change the defense in a week. You also aren’t bringing in a new coach to call the defense in week 5. My guess is that Bradford will call the defense for the rest of the season.
What makes you think they are going to change anything? All of these guys coached 3-5-3 at Montana. I can only go by what I have heard from BB. And some of it is BS. But unless you have Buddy Ryan and 13 defensive players the Bears had - for any defense to be successful what they do has to fit into an overall game plan.

Since i have already commented on this more than once, the Illinois offense is quick strike, fast pace approach which leaves the defense on the field for more than 30 mins/game.

Therefore the "best fit" defense is one that (1) doesn't give up big plays and (2) finishes on 3rd and long. With the returning players we have, that would be the correct strategy regardless of formation. Its all about personnel an match ups.

Now I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to see BBs frustration. The defensive mechanics that Hauk was using (firing linebackers and leaving corners in man cover) is designed to make the big play. But when it doesn't make the big play, it gives up large yardage.

BB wants his defensive backfield to be the strength and by isolating them so often, bigger or more athletic receivers are going to be able to get the ball. And we certainly saw enough of that on Saturday.
 
#290      
What makes you think they are going to change anything? All of these guys coached 3-5-3 at Montana. I can only go by what I have heard from BB. And some of it is BS. But unless you have Buddy Ryan and 13 defensive players the Bears had - for any defense to be successful what they do has to fit into an overall game plan.

Since i have already commented on this more than once, the Illinois offense is quick strike, fast pace approach which leaves the defense on the field for more than 30 mins/game.

Therefore the "best fit" defense is one that (1) doesn't give up big plays and (2) finishes on 3rd and long. With the returning players we have, that would be the correct strategy regardless of formation. Its all about personnel an match ups.

Now I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to see BBs frustration. The defensive mechanics that Hauk was using (firing linebackers and leaving corners in man cover) is designed to make the big play. But when it doesn't make the big play, it gives up large yardage.

BB wants his defensive backfield to be the strength and by isolating them so often, bigger or more athletic receivers are going to be able to get the ball. And we certainly saw enough of that on Saturday.

I literally said they aren’t going to change anything. The other poster had said about changing to a 3-4 or a 4-3 for this weeks game and brining in Wilcox as the dc for the rest of the season. Also Hauck ran zone a majority of the time. He wasn’t leaving guys out in man all game
 
#291      
a. henry's No. 3-ranked ND defense is ranked #1 in total defense (3.6 yards/play) and #2 scoring defense (8.0 pts./game)....

maybe we're pointing the finger at the wrong guy?
1) Chris Ash is their defensive coordinator, not Henry.

2) ND’s talent on defense is about 100x better than Illinois. Starting with one of the best CB prospects of all time.

(No opinionated statement on whether firing Henry was the right or wrong move)
 
#292      
I will say this with 100% certainty
the change would not have been made without BB knowing exactly how to finish out the season from a defense play calling basis
it’s either himself or someone else he has identified already
Sounds like from the press conference that BB was completely in the dark and taken by surprise
 
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