I know this thread is going to get a lot of Boo's and trust me when I say I'm on the bandwagon of concern with Charles Kelly's performance in his first year... BUT... let's face it ... a lot of the interceptions / turnovers on Offense last year happened deep in our own territory and early on last year... also, we wouldn't have been able to come back in the second half if Kelly hadn't made a few adjustments that maybe not Mickey Andrewsesque or anything but they were able to at least LET us come back. AND it was his first full year as a Def. Coordinator AND one of the biggest deficits on def was a lack of leadership... now how much Kelly can take responsibility for that I really don't know... but loosing LJ and TJ was huuuuuge last year AND Sal Sunseri's DE philosophy is more about setting the edges than getting pressure on the QB which I think hurt us there some... not saying he's anything less of a coach just a better pro DE coach than a college one... AND I have all the trust and faith in Jimbo to make the right calls which also includes toughening up Kelly's abilities and making a change if/when necessary.
That being said... I'm just making this thread to say... our defense is going to be VERY young and VERY wet behind the ears next year so it is going to be difficult to really judge Kelly's performance after even this next year... what I'll be looking for is improvement as the year progresses... BUT the talent we are bringing in on Def... the year after next we should be a legitimate ~8-12 def in the nation ... and two years from now in the '17 season... if we aren't so lights out... that we are a 1-2 def in the nation I will be sorely disappointed and I mean runaway 1-2 defense in the nation. The problem is is that if Kelly squanders the defense two years from now, it will be a blown opportunity... and by blown opportunity I mean ... if he squanders it I think that's a lost National Championship as with the talent we will should have developed on both sides of the football should put us in direct contention for another.
That being said... I'm just making this thread to say... our defense is going to be VERY young and VERY wet behind the ears next year so it is going to be difficult to really judge Kelly's performance after even this next year... what I'll be looking for is improvement as the year progresses... BUT the talent we are bringing in on Def... the year after next we should be a legitimate ~8-12 def in the nation ... and two years from now in the '17 season... if we aren't so lights out... that we are a 1-2 def in the nation I will be sorely disappointed and I mean runaway 1-2 defense in the nation. The problem is is that if Kelly squanders the defense two years from now, it will be a blown opportunity... and by blown opportunity I mean ... if he squanders it I think that's a lost National Championship as with the talent we will should have developed on both sides of the football should put us in direct contention for another.
