New Defensive Coordinator - TONY WHITE

17 minutes ago, M.A. said:



Too much thinking! It's much like figuring out a program or how an operating system works. Someone is sitting there watching, there's reluctance due to concern for making an error. Inaction becomes a thing. Several times done though, the better one gets. We don't want a lot of errors of course, though near perfection comes in time. 

Forgetting is a good thing. It's a necessary component to learning! The important thing is to take action and, with more and more repetition the mind-body connection does it's work. Then fluency takes place. New neural pathways caused by experiences. Aim and shot becoming one. Keep on throwing darts! 

There's nothing wrong at all with analysis if your an analyst. The more one does, the more one improves with it. There's a time and a place for it. For players though, we don't need analysis. At least not during the play or game. We want execution. 

Visualization and sleep helps, too.  ;)

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Good stuff!

 
This is also why play action is effective even if the offense hasn't been particularly good at running the ball.

For the vast majority of snaps, the ability to instantly read your keys allows you to play very fast. Against something like play action, it also means there is a slight hesitation before you realize your response is wrong.

This is also why film study is very important. The offense will often leave little hints as to what they're doing. WR line splits may slightly change, an OT may open his stance more expecting a pass rush, an offensive coordinator may have a strong tendency to call draws on 2nd and 10 from his territory.

What White was trying to tell the reporters today, and I'm not sure they understood because they're all trying to write the articles for pregame instead of Day 2 of camp, is he's focusing right now on them playing fast. The details will come with time. This defense isn't about being super gap sound and hoping the one guy free makes the tackle. It's about creating chaos and knowing you can create chaos because 10 other guys are running to the ball. The reporters are unintentionally and probably unknowingly doing a disservice here asking players about roles and responsibilities when White's message right now is just violence, aggression and running to the ball. To the player's credit, I think they've handled those questions well.

 
M.A. said:
Love the approach of as many of players as possible getting as many reps as possible. The other route might have shorter term benefits though it's a desperation move while the alternative multiplies collective experiences and helps to build depth.
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You learn the best by teaching. A lot of these players in interviews are talking about teaching other players, often times the younger guys. That's not a completely selfless act at the end of the day, they're making themselves better, too. You really find out how well you know something when teaching it to others.

It's nice they're moving people between groups and making them 'uncomfortable' as Rhule says. If you're the 3rd string QB when you get on the field, it's now your offense. If you were a 3rd string LB in fall camp, you may be 1st string on a cold afternoon in late November due to injuries. You don't want that player acting like he's the 3rd string guy just because he wasn't treated that way up to that point.

 
brophog said:
You learn the best by teaching. A lot of these players in interviews are talking about teaching other players, often times the younger guys. That's not a completely selfless act at the end of the day, they're making themselves better, too. You really find out how well you know something when teaching it to others.

It's nice they're moving people between groups and making them 'uncomfortable' as Rhule says. If you're the 3rd string QB when you get on the field, it's now your offense. If you were a 3rd string LB in fall camp, you may be 1st string on a cold afternoon in late November due to injuries. You don't want that player acting like he's the 3rd string guy just because he wasn't treated that way up to that point.
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Sometimes I share things to remind myself and not forget the value of their importance...lol

That's absolutely true! Years ago worked for a guy that would not allow team members to learn different positions. That was okay until the lead person couldn't perform their obligations. Then what! Someone has to attempt to perform positions wasting valuable time and compromising the main objective from being achieved. It's fear-based leadership and a lack of patience and TRUST. It's difficult to accomplish much without trust. 

Things happen like what I call dictations whereupon the "leader" is dictating one's every move which makes the performer dependent upon this leader. We're back to overthinking again, except worse. Even more rigidity and not being able to function very well. We want to get people to a place where players are in "the zone" tuned in to what they are doing absent distractions simply responding effectively. In "flow". 

Sure, the employee/player is going to goof up. Maybe that makes one look bad initially or it requires time (that tests one's patience). No. Suspend your ego and get out of the way! I want members making mistakes now (and learning from them) so that in the future when it becomes necessary to lean on them the team can and will with confidence. Thus, the call for getting better on a continuum. Getting to a point where YOU are a teacher for others further accelerating you're learning and not looking around for the coach for answers when you should  be PLAYING. 

The more teachers teaching, the better. All the parts become a living, learning organism/organization. 

When you've got some limitations, you want a host of people around where some can contribute in a variety of capacities and, you want backups that can be relied upon when occasions arise as they do. There's been some playing with fear going on for some time too (of failure and success).  

These guys have got to have trusting relationships all around. Courage, maybe even a little bit of a leap of faith that the folks coaching them have their very best interests at heart. For some, that's gotta be challenging and they must.

 
M.A. said:
These guys have got to have trusting relationships all around.
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What did Rhule say the other day in regards to young players finding playing time? They got to know the playbook. In his opinion, that's what keeps younger guys from seeing more playing time.

That's his way of saying he has to trust they know what they're doing. You're talking a different context than football, but you hit the nail on the head. The reason coaches often play the upperclassmen and not the talented young guy is simply trust.

Anyone wondering why they should feel this Year 1 is different than Temple and Baylor.....it's because this extended conversation we're all having here didn't happen at those stops. Rhule didn't get what he wanted out of his upperclassmen and so he played the young guys even if it meant they'd lose every game. That's not what we're seeing here. I get the strong feeling these guys are tired of losing and they seem to be embracing this more structured approach.

 
You live long enough to see all of it cycle I guess lol.

I'm not even that old but I remember after Callahan was fired, there were all sorts of offseason stories about how the players were never corrected when they made mistakes in the moment, but would be later in film study. People thought it was a breath of fresh air when Bo's staff changed that and was coaching them up in the moment. Now we've cycled back at least some degree in narrative.

I also remember Frost harping multiple times in his first preseason about never letting any player stand around and building up the walk-on program so everyone would constantly be getting reps and everybody loved it. 

I guess it's very rare for an approach to a specific thing like that to be objectively the right or wrong one - success is all about the details and the process by which you go after it. But since we don't really know what those are and they're not very easy to turn into soundbytes, the narratives and offseason fluff satiate us well enough to keep forgetting that we suck and dare to hope again.

 
brophog said:
What did Rhule say the other day in regards to young players finding playing time? They got to know the playbook. In his opinion, that's what keeps younger guys from seeing more playing time.

That's his way of saying he has to trust they know what they're doing. You're talking a different context than football, but you hit the nail on the head. The reason coaches often play the upperclassmen and not the talented young guy is simply trust.

Anyone wondering why they should feel this Year 1 is different than Temple and Baylor.....it's because this extended conversation we're all having here didn't happen at those stops. Rhule didn't get what he wanted out of his upperclassmen and so he played the young guys even if it meant they'd lose every game. That's not what we're seeing here. I get the strong feeling these guys are tired of losing and they seem to be embracing this more structured approach.
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The message is being communicated, be committed to putting in the effort and there will be dividends for both you and this team. Also, we're not going to allow things slide that causes prospects we want to go elsewhere. Championship level achievers want to surround themselves with those whom adhere to the standards that will deliver success. If we take some hits, so be it, we're going to accomplish our objectives. 

I'm reminded of what Singletary said while he was coaching the 49ers. I'd rather be penalized now than to sacrifice future successes and lengthen the long stretch of misery. "Little" things matter. If we can't trust you to do those, how are we supposed to be able to consider you a reliable contributor across the board going forth?

Do you want to play and win or not. We're building something special here that you can be a part of. "24OURS" provides a sense of urgency while doing a number of critical things to set the trajectory. The needle moves into alignment though remedying a variety of success limiting features. 

One more story than I'll shut up. Many, many years ago I used to grumble about guys not bringing other coworkers lunch buckets, coats and other personal items to a table when they were exiting a pickup they had parked or whatever. So what, it's not mine right? Theirs to worry about wherever they are, whatever they're doing.

Well, there's plenty to be concerned about...Looking out only for ourselves on a team doesn't work. Ever. You're just sort of existing together though not functioning at the highest level possible. Other teams you'll be facing will. What are they going to do, let up so you can experience the satisfaction of being winners (Lol). And, if they're not delivering their best, how much more would you learn and be a better team had they?

It's not about being sweet and considerate (Although that's part). It's about being 100% in this together. Not 50% or even 90%. You are either ALL IN or, not. Guys! We won 70% of a game, let's celebrate? Not the way it works. 

You don't even have to particularly like everyone in your group. You will, however, without question do everything in your power to execute the mission however "insignificant" it (might) seem. 

 
They were pretty similar in terms of limiting explosive plays in 2021 until late where some injuries got to them. They've done very good there the last two years.

That's the upside of those stats. The downside is they allowed the opposition to move the ball pretty consistently last year. Now, the opponents moved the ball slowly which aided in allowing Syracuse to grind out wins against lower ranked teams. Also note, they didn't have some massive talent that just wrecked shop, either. As talent rises, so should these numbers.

 
I imagine that it has occurred to multiple people on this board, that DC Tony White's last game with Syracuse was a 28-20 loss to Minnesota (in the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl) and so Minnesota will be facing a Tony White defense (with different personnel) for the 2nd game in a row.

So I wonder hope our personnel are quick studies and that Tony throws is a few wrinkles to cross the Golden Gomers up.

Not sure whose video this is (it's not mine) but it was only uploaded 6 days ago and doesn't have a lot of views (yet):

https://youtu.be/_oqYuBZYA94



 
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39 minutes ago, cheekygeek said:

I imagine that it has occurred to multiple people on this board, that DC Tony White's last game with Syracuse was a 28-20 loss to Minnesota (in the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl) and so Minnesota will be facing a Tony White defense (with different personnel) for the 2nd game in a row.

So I wonder hope our personnel are quick studies and that Tony throws is a few wrinkles to cross the Golden Gomers up.

Not sure whose video this is (it's not mine) but it was only uploaded 6 days ago and doesn't have a lot of views (yet):

https://youtu.be/_oqYuBZYA94

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Very solid point here.  First game of the season with a new staff, on the road, and the opponent just saw/has their own film for the opposing coach.  Tough hill to climb right out of the gate.  People love to downplay the Gophers, but they just don't beat themselves.

 
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