[washingtonismoney]

I think that is mischaracterizing what I said.  I just said that tackles as a metric might not be as misleading a stat (generally), though it might be in Perez' case.  Here are the team's leading tackler and (if the leading tackler wasn't a linebacker) the leading tackler among linebackers the last 10 years:
2017: Harrison Phillips, Bobby Okereke
2016: Solomon Thomas, Peter Kalambayi
2015: Blake Martinez
2014: Blake Martinez
2013: Shayne Skov
2012: Shayne Skov
2011: Jared Lancaster
2010: Shayne Skov
2009: Bo McNally, Shayne Skov
2008: Bo McNally, Pat Maynor

Looking at the list, you wouldn't really say that having a lot of tackles correlated with being a good player (perhaps Lancaster the year Skov was injured might be the weakest player on the list).  Perez is fourth on the team in tackles, second amongst linebackers.  Last year, that would have been Alfieri/Kalambayi, the year before Kodi Whitfield/Kalambayi, 2014 Tarpley/Anderson, 2013 Lyons/Tarpley, 2012 Terrence Brown/Chase Thomas.  By and large you don't see bad players get on the list at the levels that Perez is.  5 tackles per game would have led the team last year, would have been second in 2015, fourth in 2014, fourth in 2013, third in 2012.

Another data point... Perez last year, when he was widely acknowledged to have been not so good only had 28 tackles over the season (20 solo, 8 assisted), good for 15th on the team, and 7th among linebackers.

I get what you are saying about impact plays, but it is hard to put that in context of what he is being asked to do (for example, it is hard for an inside linebacker to get a sack if he is not asked to blitz).  I think if you are talking about red flags for Perez, the lack of pass break-ups and interceptions given the number of times he's dropped into coverage is a concern.

I think that's fair, and don't want to mischaracterize what you say. To me, what "having a lot of tackles" tells me is that...you're a middle linebacker. At least for Stanford's defense.

Perez may be unique here, in that he has gotten (relatively) a lot of tackles but not made impact plays -- whether TFL/"stuffs"/sacks or PBU/Ints (as the relative responsibilities may be). Whereas other guys generally have been able to accompany their tackles with other impact plays.

Anyway, I'd say the entire ILB unit has been disappointing for one reason or another. Okereke had a nice game against SDSU but not much otherwise. Barton contributed -- when healthy. Alfieri hasn't been making the field much and the switchover looks like a wasted year of eligibility. (Speaking of poor coaching decisions made this year...) Targeting Perez is a bit unfair, though I still can't figure out why the coaches seem to like him so much.

[washingtonismoney]

I think that is mischaracterizing what I said.  I just said that tackles as a metric might not be as misleading a stat (generally), though it might be in Perez' case.  Here are the team's leading tackler and (if the leading tackler wasn't a linebacker) the leading tackler among linebackers the last 10 years:
2017: Harrison Phillips, Bobby Okereke
2016: Solomon Thomas, Peter Kalambayi
2015: Blake Martinez
2014: Blake Martinez
2013: Shayne Skov
2012: Shayne Skov
2011: Jared Lancaster
2010: Shayne Skov
2009: Bo McNally, Shayne Skov
2008: Bo McNally, Pat Maynor

Looking at the list, you wouldn't really say that having a lot of tackles correlated with being a good player (perhaps Lancaster the year Skov was injured might be the weakest player on the list).  Perez is fourth on the team in tackles, second amongst linebackers.  Last year, that would have been Alfieri/Kalambayi, the year before Kodi Whitfield/Kalambayi, 2014 Tarpley/Anderson, 2013 Lyons/Tarpley, 2012 Terrence Brown/Chase Thomas.  By and large you don't see bad players get on the list at the levels that Perez is.  5 tackles per game would have led the team last year, would have been second in 2015, fourth in 2014, fourth in 2013, third in 2012.

Another data point... Perez last year, when he was widely acknowledged to have been not so good only had 28 tackles over the season (20 solo, 8 assisted), good for 15th on the team, and 7th among linebackers.

I get what you are saying about impact plays, but it is hard to put that in context of what he is being asked to do (for example, it is hard for an inside linebacker to get a sack if he is not asked to blitz).  I think if you are talking about red flags for Perez, the lack of pass break-ups and interceptions given the number of times he's dropped into coverage is a concern.

I think that's fair, and don't want to mischaracterize what you say. To me, what "having a lot of tackles" tells me is that...you're a middle linebacker. At least for Stanford's defense.

Perez may be unique here, in that he has gotten (relatively) a lot of tackles but not made impact plays -- whether TFL/"stuffs"/sacks or PBU/Ints (as the relative responsibilities may be). Whereas other guys generally have been able to accompany their tackles with other impact plays.

Anyway, I'd say the entire ILB unit has been disappointing for one reason or another. Okereke had a nice game against SDSU but not much otherwise. Barton contributed -- when healthy. Alfieri hasn't been making the field much and the switchover looks like a wasted year of eligibility. (Speaking of poor coaching decisions made this year...) Targeting Perez is a bit unfair, though I still can't figure out why the coaches seem to like him so much.