I do respect your (I Hate Holt) opinions but you amuse me because you guys aren't looking deep enough for the cause of the problems on defense. You guys are forgetting that this was always going to be a five year rebuilding process...and that Sark is actually ahead of the curve in that regard.
(I want to mention another thing...asking for Coach Holt to be fired in every single thread is getting old...we get it...we won't forget it...you want Coach Holt gone...we know....despite that he isn't going anywhere...maybe you should vent here...they love constant venting over there.)
To simplify it all by saying that it is a coaching problem that can only be rectified by firing some or all of the coaches on defense is something that I can't buy into at this point. Sure...I have seen games where the schemes could have been better/different...but the overriding factor has always been the overall lack of talent, speed, size, and experience on the field.
Bad defense at UW didn't start with Nick Holt. The seeds for that were sewn when Lambo was fired and Neuheisel was hired. How many successful DC's have we had since then? Tim Hundley? Phil Snow? Kent Baer? Ed Donatell? Nick Holt? Were these guys all terrible DC's or is there something else terribly wrong?
Great defenses start with great recruiting and as I examine the five classes dating back to 2007 that make up the current roster I don't see great recruiting on defensive side of the ball. (I really don't see great recruiting period pre- Sark) except for some lucky gets with local guys in 2008...by the way...the attrition and dead wood in that particular class is just embarrassing.)
72 total players were recruited during that time period and only 36 of them lasted 4-5 years at Washington. You can't build great teams or defenses with a 50% attrition rate in your three oldest classes. You also can't do it when you have to play young players too early to make up for it each year.
Below is a list of the guys who lasted 4-5 years on the defensive side of the ball. How many Tim Peoples, Jimmy Rodgers, Dennis Brown's, Demarco Farr's, Mark Lee's, Fred Small's, Anthony Mason's, Travis Richardson's, Jason Chorak's, Tommy Smith's, Larry Triplett's, Shane Pahukoa's, Willie Galoia's, Steve Emtman's, and Chico Fraley's... (must I keep going on...) do you see on the list below?
2007...Marquis Persley, Quinton Richardson, Nate Williams, Cort Dennison, Vic Aiyewa, Vonzell McDowell, Kelani Aldrich, and Mason Foster.
2008...Alameda Ta'amu, Everrette Thompson, Justin Glenn, Anthony Gobern, Adam Long, and Greg Walker.
2009...Semisi Tokolahi, Talia Chrichton, Desmond Trufant, Nate Fellner, and Will Shamburger.
The problems with our defense can only be corrected by:
- Recruiting better players.(The next two classes are extremely key.)
- Not playing those better players immediately so they don't get hurt. (Aren't you sick of freshmen DB's having shoulder surgery and missing a year of development to play a few meaningless plays?)
- Doing a better job developing those better players. (I guess this would be all about coaching...please interject Lear.)
- Keeping the majority of those better players in the program 4-5 years. (You won't win with a 50% retention rate.)
- Recruiting some major impact guys on defense. (We need some ASJ's and KW's on the defensive side of the ball.)
Please Discuss!