"Bend but don't break"

[Bobby Ricigliano]

To me, this seems like taking credit for getting lucky. I also feel our red-zone success to date is due in part to the quality of our opponents. Am I just being too skeptical, or does the shortened field in the red zone make that big of a difference?

 

[dawgstudent]

You have an extra defender in your pass coverage - the endzone. It makes covering space that much easier.

 

[Felonious Junk]

Of course a short field makes a huge difference in coverage. Not just in total area to cover but it negates a receiver's speed, his ability to clear the safeties for underneath and intermediate routes, and it makes it more difficult to run a draw bc the lbs are naturally closer to the line of scrimmage.

 

[57stratdawg]

The size of the front 7 which Mullen recruits will always let us stiffen up in the redzone.

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Yeah, I technically understand that. I just think our success thus far has to do with our opponents. LSU relied on pounding it in, and Auburn had a green QB. I don't put much weight in it and would feel much better if our defense would apply their supposed red-zone mentality to the rest of the field. Flip that switch from the outset & get off the field.

 

[Felonious Junk]

It's not a mentality, it's a spacial reality.

 

[msstate7]

So far this year, we've allowed td's 28.6% on redzone opportunities (#1 in sec). Last year, we allowed td's 43.2% on redzone opportunities (#3 in sec). I don't think it's luck...

 

[TheStateUofMS]

Auburn's longest play was 22 yards. Relax, man.

 

[archdog]

How many more redzone opportunities have our opponents had versus other teams? I mean if our defense has allowed x amount of redzone opportunities, how many have other team allowed? I would be curious to see if we have allowed more.

 

[archdog]

So far this year, we've allowed td's 28.6% on redzone opportunities (#1 in sec). Last year, we allowed td's 43.2% on redzone opportunities (#3 in sec). I don't think it's luck...

I would also like to add, this time last year we gave up tons of long yardage plays. This year, none except when LSU was holding called and uncalled.

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Quotes on mentality from Carskadon's article...

Article here: https://hailstatebeat.wordpress.com...unting-on-redzone-and-big-play-defense-vs-am/

Manny Diaz:
“Our redzone defense, no matter who sits in my chair, comes down to our strength program, the way that our kids are trained in the offseason with Coach Court and his guys,” Diaz said. “Everything you have to have to be dominant in the redzone, they instill in those guys. All I have to do is just call the defense when they get down there. The attitude, the mentality – that is the core value of our program.”

Richie Brown:
“I think it’s just kind of the Mississippi State mindset since we’ve been here. We might bend, we might get knocked back sometimes, because that’s gonna happen in football, but we’re not gonna break. That’s just the mindset. From the strength staff to the coaches, it’s just kind of been how we practice. Bad things happen; get back on our feet, stop the next drive, put the ball down.”

Dak Prescott:
“They just draw a line in the sand,” Prescott said of MSU’s defense. “Bend but don’t break. I think they’ve showed exactly that this year so far. They’ve given up some yardage and put themselves in bad positions in the redzone, but they come out with fourth down stops or no points on the board. They just flip the switch and they just go lock in and make plays. It’s great to see.”

I'd rather see us "flip the switch" when they step on the field and avoid "giv(ing) up some yardage and put(ting) themselves in bad positions in the redzone."

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

How much of that was due to them playing a first-time starter?

 

[msstate7]

How much of that was due to them playing a first-time starter?

Last year, auburn got in the RZ 6 times vs us and scores 2 td's. This year, auburn got in the RZ 4 times and scored 0 td's. So in 10 RZ appearances for auburn the last 2 years, they've scored 2 td's. I don't think it's luck...

 

[KeyserSoze1999]

I am happy that we aren't giving up tons of points and that we are stalling teams in our Red Zone but I would like to see more 3-and-outs and a little better time of possession balance.

When Diaz was hired again, he gave a radio interview where he said, "my job is to get the ball back to Dak and our Offense." Well when you look at the 1st half of the Auburn game you see that MSU only had THREE Offensive possessions. Luckily we were able to get 2 TDs off of those 3 possessions and lucky that Auburn threw an INT on our goal line and missed a chip shot FG.

We really need to get some 3-and-outs, to get Dak back on the field to rack up early scores. This will help make the opponent "one dimensional" which is what every DC wants---they will have to pass the ball to catch up against our 2 Mel Kieper top NFL draft quality CBs and against our blitzing Diaz style defense.

 

[codeDawg]

Manny's philosophy is twofold:
1. Be aggressive early and often and force the O to make a dumb mistake that either gets them off schedule or forces a turnover.
2. Don't give up the home run. If #1 doesn't work and they march down the field 10 yards at a time, the last 20 will be a lot tougher.

We've not done a great job with #1 so far, so this plan hasn't lived up to 2010.

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I concede it's not luck. Perhaps my point would be better described by saying it's a riskier approach to rely on our red zone defense. If our success is due to a mentality, why not apply that mentality further upfield and reduce the overall number of red zone attempts.