DJD-
*Scheme versatile; he bases out of the same 4-2-5 front the Steele employed, what all Saban tree defensive coaches spend 60% of their time in, "big nickel". 3 True DL, one hybrid Edge, two box LB's, a box Safety/$tar, and 4 defensive backs. It can morph into a 3 man front when either team's personnel needs it to be, can become a 4-3 with one substitution vs 20/21 personnel groupings.
*Plays sound and adept pattern match zone most of the time, not soft zone, match quarters and single high rip/liz match. He will lean into man coverage heavy game plans when a high volume of blitzes and pressures are to be called.
*Don't get caught up in the PPG statistic, the most important metric in defensive football is Points Per Play; a .25 number there is elite, anything between .25 and .30 is really good. .25 PPP would mean it takes an offese an average of 28 plays to get 7 point. In the days of hurry up offenses, defenses often play 85-100 snaps a game, so the accurate metric has to be assessed. Same as being a DC for a team with a really bad offense, where you might play a lot really good football, but have to follow up 7-9 three and out posessions a game. Durkin's teams have had a very good PPP metric at every stop.
*DJD's defenses do put a lot of pressure on safety play, and that's where his teams have busted the most when they did struggle. That's where having CK is the ace in the hole. He is as good coaching the back end of a defense as anyone in the game (he struggled to marry coverages and fronts as a playcaller). This is the coaching combination that Saban himself was looking to employ at bama for next season, had he stayed.
*If you like Muschamp's energy and sideline fire, he has it on that same level.
*He is familiar with, approved by, and meshes very well with the rest of the defensive staff.
Cons-
Yeah, the optics are bad. Had I lost a kid in my program during training, I'm not sure my conscience would even let me stay in the business. A coach with Freeze's baggage, hiring another coach with baggage doesn't look pretty. He also had some personality conflicts with both Kiffin and Fisher, but could you blame him.....
However, the rest of the world already doesn't view Auburn in hte virtuous light that Auburn fans do.
From a "business" perspective this is the kind of hire you want to see Freeze make. I think this gives Auburn, perhaps, the most complete and competent defensive staff in the SEC.
We can all only hope that DJD proves to be a man far beyond what an outsider's perspective of him is, ala Bruce Pearl and hopefully Hugh Freeze.
*Scheme versatile; he bases out of the same 4-2-5 front the Steele employed, what all Saban tree defensive coaches spend 60% of their time in, "big nickel". 3 True DL, one hybrid Edge, two box LB's, a box Safety/$tar, and 4 defensive backs. It can morph into a 3 man front when either team's personnel needs it to be, can become a 4-3 with one substitution vs 20/21 personnel groupings.
*Plays sound and adept pattern match zone most of the time, not soft zone, match quarters and single high rip/liz match. He will lean into man coverage heavy game plans when a high volume of blitzes and pressures are to be called.
*Don't get caught up in the PPG statistic, the most important metric in defensive football is Points Per Play; a .25 number there is elite, anything between .25 and .30 is really good. .25 PPP would mean it takes an offese an average of 28 plays to get 7 point. In the days of hurry up offenses, defenses often play 85-100 snaps a game, so the accurate metric has to be assessed. Same as being a DC for a team with a really bad offense, where you might play a lot really good football, but have to follow up 7-9 three and out posessions a game. Durkin's teams have had a very good PPP metric at every stop.
*DJD's defenses do put a lot of pressure on safety play, and that's where his teams have busted the most when they did struggle. That's where having CK is the ace in the hole. He is as good coaching the back end of a defense as anyone in the game (he struggled to marry coverages and fronts as a playcaller). This is the coaching combination that Saban himself was looking to employ at bama for next season, had he stayed.
*If you like Muschamp's energy and sideline fire, he has it on that same level.
*He is familiar with, approved by, and meshes very well with the rest of the defensive staff.
Cons-
Yeah, the optics are bad. Had I lost a kid in my program during training, I'm not sure my conscience would even let me stay in the business. A coach with Freeze's baggage, hiring another coach with baggage doesn't look pretty. He also had some personality conflicts with both Kiffin and Fisher, but could you blame him.....
However, the rest of the world already doesn't view Auburn in hte virtuous light that Auburn fans do.
From a "business" perspective this is the kind of hire you want to see Freeze make. I think this gives Auburn, perhaps, the most complete and competent defensive staff in the SEC.
We can all only hope that DJD proves to be a man far beyond what an outsider's perspective of him is, ala Bruce Pearl and hopefully Hugh Freeze.
