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Brady Hoke is supposed to be an outstanding DL coach, if nothing else. Yet, our run D is awful and our interior line has looked soft all year.  Could it be that Shoops/Jones just weren't letting Hoke go with the personnel he wanted to play?  And now that he's the HC, he could maybe overule Shoop on some awful LB decisions (if we are only going to play two, then please Lord let it be Sapp and Bituli).

In short, will the run D get a jolt from Hoke being in charge?  I sure hope so, we are going to need it!
My over/under on Guise yards is 280.   :doh:

The main, consistent issue with run defense has been the 2nd level, primarily #53. In general, our LB play has been beyond bad, especially in run defense.  We aren't helped by the fact that one of our safeties is far too slow for SEC level play. He plays well, just a step too slow,

The interior play actually has improved with the returning to form by Tuttle. 

I will be more interested in substitution patterns and see if FCBJ was responsible for the lack of PT for the kids.

Sorry i'm not buying it.  I often see the opposing RB go 3 or 4 yards before anyone lays a mitt on him.  I recall when we had Haynesorth and Henderson RBs would literally bounce backwards.  MacKenzie took a year off and is soft IMO.

Tuttle is good but got punked several times last game.

I freely admit LB play at stopping run next level bad and likely just as big or bigger of a factor.  But inside runs are almost all on the DL.

Either way, maybe we improve today.

Pirate speaks the truth. When you don't have linebackers filling gaps it makes your DL look worse than it is. Never thought I'd see the day UT would be as bad at the linebacker position than we've been lately. The one's that are SEC level stay hurt most of the time. We are in much need at the corner position too. Lacking at the DE positions too.

It's a combination of both.  The DL essentially blocks for the LBs if you look at it in a particular way.  The DL has played just plain awful.  Our LBs have played worse though, IMO.  53 looks like a BAD HS player out there at times, if not ALL the damn time.  I hate to be so negative, but that has been the eye torture we have all gone thru this season.  It is just flat out terrible.  I had the same thoughts as you Bandit, how in the hell could Hoke let this shizzle go on???  something in the coaching is broken.  I really doubt it is something that you can fix overnight.

Then maybe he just did not have that much to work with.

KMac has not lived up to his hype....Tuttle has stayed injured. Our DL has played better and you can't judge on making tackles....Linebackers are called LINE-BACKERS for a reason and we have been poor there. 53 couldn't start for many DII programs. Something more than he's just able to make defensive calls as to why he's been in there way too much.

I'll buy that it's more on the LBs than the DL, just not letting the DL off the hook completely.

Having said that, they did look much better tonight, and I think personnel had something to do with it.   :nod: