I’ve been giving Anderson props in the sense that he’s gotten my last two game balls. Clearly the defense is improved and working good game plans to bend but not break. The players have credited much improved energy that allows more team defense and I think that’s evident and also a credit to coaching. So sure.
But we should be clear what “improved” means. Anderson’s defense over the last numerous years (5-6 years) has been one of the very worst in the Pac-12. It’s been debatable whether we’ve even be top 100 in defense the last few years. This year we do look improved…..to top 75. It’s no doubt improvement but it’s also nowhere near good. We get worse performance out of our defense than the talent on the field just like we always do.
That being said, Anderson getting improvements in what could have been viewed as a defensive rebuilding year given the DL situation is notable. If one were looking for a big assistant coach change to demonstrate action (not saying Shaw will ever do that), it’s becoming less likely Anderson is where Shaw looks. We’ll have an internal narrative about what Anderson can accomplish next year with a talented and more experienced front seven. It will be a bit of a crock, just like all of our narratives about year to year improvement are, because the DB and LB corps will be gutted by attrition. Nonetheless, I think it’s very likely a defensive coordinator will go his sixth straight season without a good defense and get a reprieve because we will have an excuse to keep a coach Shaw doesn’t want to get rid of.
But we should be clear what “improved” means. Anderson’s defense over the last numerous years (5-6 years) has been one of the very worst in the Pac-12. It’s been debatable whether we’ve even be top 100 in defense the last few years. This year we do look improved…..to top 75. It’s no doubt improvement but it’s also nowhere near good. We get worse performance out of our defense than the talent on the field just like we always do.
That being said, Anderson getting improvements in what could have been viewed as a defensive rebuilding year given the DL situation is notable. If one were looking for a big assistant coach change to demonstrate action (not saying Shaw will ever do that), it’s becoming less likely Anderson is where Shaw looks. We’ll have an internal narrative about what Anderson can accomplish next year with a talented and more experienced front seven. It will be a bit of a crock, just like all of our narratives about year to year improvement are, because the DB and LB corps will be gutted by attrition. Nonetheless, I think it’s very likely a defensive coordinator will go his sixth straight season without a good defense and get a reprieve because we will have an excuse to keep a coach Shaw doesn’t want to get rid of.