I'm not sure that I really support this move. The seconardy may have had communication issues last year, but now they are the more experienced group. Sending Minter (def. cord and linebackers) up to the box leaves the inexperienced linebacking group on the sideline without their coach.

It sounds like we are just duplicating the problem from last year - the most inexperienced group on defense does not have their coach on the sidelines.
Chris | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 10:54 am | #

Don't forget that Polian is the asst linebacker coach and he'll still be on the sidelines. Last year the most the secondary had in the way of hands-on instruction during the game was a grad assistant.
Jay | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 10:57 am | #

That's not a switcheroo. It's a "what's good for the goose is good for the gander."
Cartwright | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 11:01 am | #

This move makes sense for two reasons. First, being McNeil and Walls. Weis has gone on record as saying these guys will play since they can cover man. Now, Lewis will be there on the sideline to help them as they progress. Second, we got caught with bad substitution patterns on defense last year in a couple of key situations. The move to the booth keeps Minter from getting caught with his pants down.
Dennis | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 11:03 am | #

Chiming in with support for the move. It actually makes more sense this way. Minter, the guy in charge of the WHOLE defense, can watch plays develop, see what issues we're having, if the inexperienced linebackers are making any mistakes, and then relay that information to the appropriate assistants on the field. Instead of having to communicate Lewis's issues, Minter can spend more time dictating the defense and his coaches.
Pete | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 11:11 am | #

When the head coach is not calling the plays, the play-caller is generally in the booth. I don't think we had problems with substitutions last year, except for the fact that we had few qualified substitutes.
Andy | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 11:31 am | #

I think its a wonderful move. It's much easier to see, from both a strategic and tactical point of view, what tendencies are occuring during a game from up on high. That's why coaches always take film of practices from above using end-zone and side-line views. I think this will allow Minter to worry less about the morale of his senior led defense and the small things, and focus more on play-calling and strategy. This can only make us better.


Besides, like I said, its easier to tell what's going on during a game and how to adjust to it by viewing from far above. Just ask ANY fan sitting up in the new section. They'll tell you EXACTLY what needs to be done to make the team better and win the game.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 11:45 am | #

I don't know. It's a bit strange to me. Can anybody think of another team who's DC is in the box?

Lewis was the DC on Georgia's 1980 championship team, so he's got some experience there. At any rate, if we do have de facto co-DC's, and everybody's fine with that ... I'm all for it.
Shane MacGowan's Teeth | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 1:14 pm | #

This is an excellent move. Hindsight, but maybe he could have seen some adjustments to make against Ginn and Holmes last year.

Def. Co., needs to see the whole field and how is guys are reacting to the plays as the develop. No better place to do that than in the Box.

Either way, there is no way this D is worse than last year. The frosh with be playing top minutes this year because you can't deny their speed.

Is it Saturday yet?
Patrick | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 1:17 pm | #

OC's do it all the time. That happens in spite of the fact that most OC's often are the "QB coach" and are responsible for that position, and must communicate substitutions on offense.

Why is a DC who coaches LB's (the "Quarterback of the defense") and communicates substitutions any different?

I have a feeling that a year from now, everyone will be copying us.
Andrew | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 1:19 pm | #

I believe that GaTech's DC is in the box, as I seem to remember EsPN showing Tenuta there about 5,000x during the GT/Duh U game last year.
Domer95 | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 1:38 pm | #

It's pretty common in the NFL as well. The view is first hand and you see everything develop from beginning to end. There's no waiting for pix from above or translation through the headset. Since it's Minter's D he has the best idea of what to do to stop whatever they may encounter.
Domer Dan | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 2:00 pm | #

I've got to agree with the majority here. Sure, the LB's are inexperienced, but Crum is a second year starter and TT is a 5th year (even though it's his first on D). Polian can easily handle the morale and adjustment factors for them on the sidelines during the game. Let's face it. Every team on the schedule is going to play-action deep and run the QB (if their QB is at all mobile) as often as possible until we prove we can stop it, so having Lewis down there makes those adjustments for the secondary easier.

I know as a coordinator I'd rather be in the booth. As mentioned above you have a much better view and you don't have to worry about the individual players, just the overall strategy of the defense. Position coaches get paid to deal with the individuals the rest of the time, why not during the game?
JohnWA | Email | Homepage | 08.31.06 - 4:33 pm | #

I disagree with everything except the one thing that makes sense.

Jez, the unemployment rate among Domers should be expected to rise based on this kind of blog traffic...
Yago | Email | Homepage | 09.01.06 - 8:23 am | #

If you have one of the best DB coaches around and you know that your achilles heel is the secondary, wouldn't you put that guy on the sidelines so he can coach? Also, if you have two freshman that will be playing it makes sense to get them coached up during the game so they aren't like deer in the headlights.

All makes sense to me.

Go Irish.
Hoosier95 | Email | Homepage | 09.01.06 - 10:33 am | #