Does Joe Kines Deserve Another Year?
by Beergut on Dec 18, 2009 6:22 PM CST
15 comments
I like Joe Kines; I really do. He is an aqmusing interview, his players love him, he possesses a wealth of football knowledge, and he is a well-known innovator in defensive football. However, his units at A&M have done poorly the past two seasons. Last year, we fininshed last in total defense, and this year we have finished last in total defense. I let last year go because we simply didn't have the athletes we needed to do what he wanted to do scheme-wise on defense. This year, we have put some true freshmen and true sophomores on the field to execute his scheme, but the results have been mixed, at best.
We have doubled our sack production from over a season ago, going from 16 sacks in 2008 to 36 sacks so far in 2009. Von Miller, who Kines moved from LB to the hybrid Jack LB/DE position, has 17 sacks by himself. Kines is one of the people who were integral in the development of the 'anchor end' position, a way to make even front defenses play like odd fronts. It is notable that we have finished last in the Big 12 in passing defense, giving up an average of 263 yards per game, and 10th in the Big 12 in rushing defense, giving up an average of 169 yards per game. This comes out to a total of 432 yards per game, good for last in the Big 12. We also give up a Big 12-worse 32.7 points per game, which is almost 4 full points worse than Colorado, who has one of the worst defenses I have ever seen this season.
So, the question with Kines is, do we give him another year? Are our issues this season all attributable to youth, and therefore worthy of being overlooked as we look toward next season? My only problem with the youth issue is that we are still a fundamentally-poor tackling football team, which isn't a youth issue; that is a coach issue. If we were able to tackle well, I'd be more positive about our future on defense, but this is a continuing problem. The other issue with blaming our struggles on youth is that youth improves as the year goes on, and while we have the misfortune of playing Oklahoma and texas in the last month of the season, our defense didn't seem to get better as the year went on.
So, does Joe Kines deserve another season as the defensive coordinator for the Aggies?
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I believe firmly that coaches deserve at least 3 years, and that includes assists. If the Aggie D does not improve to some appreciable degree after the 2010 season, then Kines must go. I do appreciate his increased aggressive schemes in 2009 though.
Poor tackling has been a chronic issue at A&M since the days of Fran. Hell, maybe even before, I don’t remember anymore.
et vs hunter
i think earl thomas is a better safety than trent hunter. what do u think beergut
hunter is the greatest thing since sliced bread, thomas is overrated cause he’s on the #2 team in the nation.
by Displaced Longhorn on Dec 19, 2009 1:36 AM CST up reply actions
how has your recruiting on defense been the last few years? looks like last year you only had one defensive 4* prospect make it to campus… not all that great to work with when your freshmen weren’t that talented on the defensive side.
give kines a contract extension, he’s too humorous to not to.
by Displaced Longhorn on Dec 19, 2009 1:24 AM CST reply actions
I think we should make a change. No excuse for being the worst in the Big 12.
by miketag on Dec 20, 2009 1:18 AM CST via mobile reply actions
This is something i’ve been giving some thought to. It’s a difficult decision mostly because it has to be determined wether its an issue of the overall talent on defense or is it Kines. While poor tackling is partly due to bad coaching, but its also on the players because we relied heavily on freshman who just last year could get by with not wrapping up every play to bring a player down.
The main issue i’ve see with this defense is the secondary. The linebackers have had to play back a lot this season to compensate for the secondary’s lack of ability. Terrence Frederick has established himself as our best corner by far and not the focus of the concerns. It’s the opposite side of him. This defense took a huge hit when coryell Judie came in late and had the shoulder injury. That forced Dustin Harris in the oklahoma state game showed how much he is lacking. Trent hunter is servicable and Pugh did his job for the most part. If Judie can be health and as lockdown as advertised next year, you’ll see a whole new defense. The linebackers can play up more and be more physical. The linebackers were on their heals all year.
If we can get Von to stay and somehow lure Alton Dixon to replace Pugh…we’ll be a much improved defense, these kids just need a lot more seasoning.
Hunter has been more that serviceable
he has been awesome considering everything we ask him to do. I agree that we need to find another corner to play opposite Frederick, and I think Harris can be that guy. It isn’t a coincidence that our defense struggled against Colorado after he went down with an injury. I think Harris is a playmaker, and he and Judie should give us some options at the other CB spot next season.
I think Justin McQueen has been serviceable for us, but there is only so much we can ask him to do.
I disagree about the linebackers; anytime we play a spread offense, they are going to have some coverage responsibilities; this isn’t a function of having a poor secondary and needing them to play back, b/c we don’t ask them to drop further than the flats. My biggest issue with the LBs is they seem to disappear in the rungame sometimes. They need to work on getting off blocks.
Harris should have been nothing more than a nickel back in his true freshman year, i agree he has potential to be a playmaker, but not right now. Of course LB’s have to play coverage but because of the inexperience in the secondary, they had to play predominantly in coverage which allows other teams to start running and as soon as the LB’s creep up, they hit the big play through the air that murdered us all season…A defense has to be balanced, and we are weaker in the secondary.
I would argue the exact opposite
our secondary was serviceable, our front seven (with the exception of Von Miller) has been poor most of the season.
I like the front seven for the most part, i think mangan has the potential to be a really good linebacker but he has to get stronger, he can’t let get ran over at the goaline anymore, i also think sean porter has potential as well. I like the DT’s as well, i’m also biased cause i know lucas patterson, but the younger guys are pretty good. The sack numbers, outside of Von went up so they were obviously improved, as well as the run defense. The team is great in spurts and horrible in spurts. All around there is talent, i beleive strongly that the issue this past season was mental and inexperience from being young.
I agree when you say the D was great in spurts and horrible in spurts. So many times we would play well for 2 or 3 downs and then give up a 20 yd gain.
by the12thman11 on Dec 21, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions
I like Mangan
but he is one of the people who struggles to get off blocks.
Our DTs make one good play, then have two bad plays, and don’t get penetration as often as they should.
Patterson is one of the players who causes me the most consternation, because he doesn’t get good leverage, and is very inconsistent.
I think Porter and Jonathan Stewart are going to be good for us, but they make as many mistakes as they make plays right now.
Poor tackling is a fundamental issue that has nothing to do with youth, and is my biggest criticism of this coaching staff.
I'll agree with that for the most part
Tackling is a fundamental thing, there is not argument about that, but its things like tackling is characteristic of being young, its habit from high school and a consequence of playing above your head, that is why most defensive freshman redshirt. These kids are forced to play above their head, give them a spring and they’ll be tons better. Shedding blocks is also pretty relatively new to the freshman because most of them are physical specimens coming out of high school and probably didn’t have much trouble with it high school. Speed in the secondary is something you can’t coach, and that is something a few of the guys in the secondary strait up lack.
If that unit could make a tackle on Thanksgiving, we win that game and Longhorns everywhere cry like Tebow.
Fact of the matter is, however, that they are poor in fundamentals and on talent, with a few exceptions. I’m almost out of patience for everyone, Sherman included, because this school has floundered for a decade, which is ridiculous.
I am all for change, though I do enjoy Kines’ interviews/comments. If I were in charge, he’d be gone.
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