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I can't square the guy who got run off the field at home by MTSU, was average at best with NFL talent at LSU, and who famously gave up 70 points in a bowl game having dominant defenses at Auburn and now Alabama. I know Pete Golding was bad but he can't be this bad. Maybe there's some truth to the rumor Lane was spreading about someone else calling the plays. But can he stop Jayden Daniels? I doubt it, though if he can I will officially take back all the bad things I've said about him.

It's pretty simple. Kevin Steele runs a defense and teaches it in a way that allows players to play fast and without thinking. He puts them in good spots and has a pretty good sense of when to bring guys and when to lay back.

However, he is not some X's and O's whiz and he's not going to invent some wonky scheme week to week that surprises opponents. Therefore, he's a really, really good DC for a talented roster and a pretty average one for rosters where you need to trick teams or overcompensate for lack of talent.

Almost all of the improvement on the defensive side of the ball comes down to fundamental improvement and guys never being confused about their responsibility, which leads to them playing faster and not making nearly as many mistakes. The other improvement is the fact that Bala seems to be a pretty good ILB coach and Pete's biggest fault was that he was a very bad ILB coach. The difference in consistent play at ILB this season is night and day.

This post was edited on 10/24/23 at 9:22 am