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2009 Aug 20
Ranking the Big 12 DCs
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T1. Brent Venables/Oklahoma: The Sooners might have had a down year on defense in 2008, but Venables consistently translates head coach Bob Stoops’ overall vision into on-field success. Encourages his players to take chances, and usually knows when to bring the heat. Additionally, he’s a superior linebackers coach.
T1. Bo and Carl Pelini/Nebraska: Carl has the title, but head coach Bo is still dialing up the blitzes on Saturday. More creative, and arguably more daring, than any defensive guy in the Big 12, Bo occasionally called blitzes at the wrong time in 2008, and the Huskers were burned because of it. Still – this is a braintrust that gets after the quarterback and consistently produces sacks. And Carl’s done an excellent job thus far of coaching the defensive line.
T1. Will Muschamp/Texas: There’s no question he’s fiery, and works his players into a fever pitch, as well. Muschamp gets a lot out of base sets and the work of his front four. His scheme does tend to leave cornerbacks in a bind, but they’ve seemed to hold up well over the years. He’ got a national title in his cap from his LSU days.
4. Bill Young/Oklahoma State: Young’s coached in a lot of places – including one Bo Pelini at Ohio State - and picked up his share of tricks along the way. His success has been so-so. Does anybody remember his time as Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator, in 1996 and 1997, fondly? We doubt it. He had his moments, or lack thereof, with the Buckeyes. But the guy knows his way around a scheme, and he turned around a pretty average Kansas unit.
5. Paul Rhoads and Wally Burnham/Iowa State: We like the foundation of defense first in Ames, and Rhoads, who’s spent most of the last 15 years of his career at ISU and Pittsburgh, runs a solid 4-3 Cover 2 scheme that’s helped a typically rancid offense at Pitt, and gave some respect to Iowa State. Burnham the DC who helped turn around South Florida’s program. Good minds here.
6. Joe Kines/Texas A&M: Another gentleman who’s been around, and prefers to use a slightly more exotic approach to scheme. He’ll use 3-4, 3-3-5, robbers and rovers, you name it. He worked for a stint at Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and other locales. His first year at A&M was a disaster. He knows his stuff, but is, like Young, a bit of a gun for hire. He was also born on a train, if that kind of thing interests you.
7. Ruffin McNeill/Texas Tech: The defense remains maligned in Lubbock, but McNeill’s put a little shine on the shoes in the last 1 ½ seasons. He’ll have considerably less talent to work with this year, though.
8. Dave Steckel/Missouri: We think this is potentially a very good hire for Mizzou, as Steckel is promoted to replace the Cosgrove-like Matt Eberflus. Steckel’s style is more blunt and aggressive than his predecessor, something the Tigers need in 2009. This ranking could be higher in 2010.
9. Brian Norwood/Baylor: Good first year for the longtime Penn State coach, at least in terms of improving Baylor. Norwood favors a fairly conservative 4-3 that uses safety Jordan Lake as a eighth man against the run. If nothing else, it produced a more consistent, dependable defense in 2008, if not outstanding.
10. Chris Cosh and Vic Koenning/Kansas State: Spotty resumes for the both of these guys, coaching Maryland and Clemson, respectively. Both had defenses accused of being too soft against the run in big games, and both probably aren’t as aggressive as some of the other coordinator in the Big 12. We’ll see if they’re conservatism pays off in a wild Big 12.
11. Bill Miller and Clint Bowen/Kansas: KU’s defense was awful one year after Bill Young left, and so head Mark Mangino brought in Miller, previously the coordinator at Western Michigan, to help Bowen. Miller is known for being aggressive, putting eight men in the box to stop the run, and blitzing when called for. Still, on the basis of Bowen’s work last year, we’re not optimistic.
12. Ron Collins/Colorado: Brought over by head coach Dan Hawkins, Collins hasn’t been jaw-dropping in his time thus far. What’s more, CU’s linebackers coach, Brain Cabral, was a better DC than Collins was. This guy will be heading out the door when and if Hawkins does.
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T1. Bo and Carl Pelini/Nebraska: Carl has the title, but head coach Bo is still dialing up the blitzes on Saturday. More creative, and arguably more daring, than any defensive guy in the Big 12, Bo occasionally called blitzes at the wrong time in 2008, and the Huskers were burned because of it. Still – this is a braintrust that gets after the quarterback and consistently produces sacks. And Carl’s done an excellent job thus far of coaching the defensive line.
T1. Will Muschamp/Texas: There’s no question he’s fiery, and works his players into a fever pitch, as well. Muschamp gets a lot out of base sets and the work of his front four. His scheme does tend to leave cornerbacks in a bind, but they’ve seemed to hold up well over the years. He’ got a national title in his cap from his LSU days.
4. Bill Young/Oklahoma State: Young’s coached in a lot of places – including one Bo Pelini at Ohio State - and picked up his share of tricks along the way. His success has been so-so. Does anybody remember his time as Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator, in 1996 and 1997, fondly? We doubt it. He had his moments, or lack thereof, with the Buckeyes. But the guy knows his way around a scheme, and he turned around a pretty average Kansas unit.
5. Paul Rhoads and Wally Burnham/Iowa State: We like the foundation of defense first in Ames, and Rhoads, who’s spent most of the last 15 years of his career at ISU and Pittsburgh, runs a solid 4-3 Cover 2 scheme that’s helped a typically rancid offense at Pitt, and gave some respect to Iowa State. Burnham the DC who helped turn around South Florida’s program. Good minds here.
6. Joe Kines/Texas A&M: Another gentleman who’s been around, and prefers to use a slightly more exotic approach to scheme. He’ll use 3-4, 3-3-5, robbers and rovers, you name it. He worked for a stint at Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and other locales. His first year at A&M was a disaster. He knows his stuff, but is, like Young, a bit of a gun for hire. He was also born on a train, if that kind of thing interests you.
7. Ruffin McNeill/Texas Tech: The defense remains maligned in Lubbock, but McNeill’s put a little shine on the shoes in the last 1 ½ seasons. He’ll have considerably less talent to work with this year, though.
8. Dave Steckel/Missouri: We think this is potentially a very good hire for Mizzou, as Steckel is promoted to replace the Cosgrove-like Matt Eberflus. Steckel’s style is more blunt and aggressive than his predecessor, something the Tigers need in 2009. This ranking could be higher in 2010.
9. Brian Norwood/Baylor: Good first year for the longtime Penn State coach, at least in terms of improving Baylor. Norwood favors a fairly conservative 4-3 that uses safety Jordan Lake as a eighth man against the run. If nothing else, it produced a more consistent, dependable defense in 2008, if not outstanding.
10. Chris Cosh and Vic Koenning/Kansas State: Spotty resumes for the both of these guys, coaching Maryland and Clemson, respectively. Both had defenses accused of being too soft against the run in big games, and both probably aren’t as aggressive as some of the other coordinator in the Big 12. We’ll see if they’re conservatism pays off in a wild Big 12.
11. Bill Miller and Clint Bowen/Kansas: KU’s defense was awful one year after Bill Young left, and so head Mark Mangino brought in Miller, previously the coordinator at Western Michigan, to help Bowen. Miller is known for being aggressive, putting eight men in the box to stop the run, and blitzing when called for. Still, on the basis of Bowen’s work last year, we’re not optimistic.
12. Ron Collins/Colorado: Brought over by head coach Dan Hawkins, Collins hasn’t been jaw-dropping in his time thus far. What’s more, CU’s linebackers coach, Brain Cabral, was a better DC than Collins was. This guy will be heading out the door when and if Hawkins does.
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Tags: big 12, carl pelini, bo pelini, brent venables, will muschamp
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