“And then I think it’s less buy in, honestly. I mean, when I watch some of these guys tackle — or, I should say, not tackle — it’s like the (Dallas) Cowboys, that dude (safety) Xavier Woods, who said, ‘What, do you expect us to be 100 percent all the time?’ And it’s like, ‘What are you talking about? We’re in the NFL.’ And if you watch the Cowboys, it’s not scheme all the time. It’s just they’re not buying in. They just don’t look like it’s 11 guys that want to run to the ball and hold up their end of the bargain. And when I watched some of these SEC defenses, I just look at guys like (LSU sophomore cornerback Derek) Stingley right now — who’s a great talent — he has zero interest in tackling, zero interest for being accountable in that regard. And if your best players are doing that, that’s going to filter down.
“So I think it’s a combination of COVID, quarantine, style of practicing, not really buying in, not really caring as much as a group — because when you watch Clemson, you see buy in, you see what it’s supposed to be. I don’t even care who’s on the field. I don’t even care about the results. You just see guys flying to the football, taking pride in being there for each other, having each other’s back, hitting people, being sound with the gaps and then playing man to man and guys helping each other up. And I don’t know, man — the way I grew up, that’s how the defenses played football. And when I watch what’s going on, yeah, it’s great offense. Tough to defend. But these defenses, I can’t even imagine what it’s like watching film for them, because it’s embarrassing.”
Stingley played half the Mizzou game injured, so there may be more going on there than just attitude, but, damn.
Get The Picture 
I’ll take a little wait and see attitude until we see the BIG 10 play before we judge what these layoffs really have done to these kids.
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Agent Herbstreit is getting ahead of that particular conversation…if he would have stated the obvious about the pac 12 inabilities to tackle air, maybe he has a point…in the sec “it just means more”…plus bringing in the next levels tackling skills was unwarranted….
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I
m sure that the fact his sons go to Clemson have nothing to do with his new favorite team to prop up. The next team to get his support will be tOSU once they finally play.ll never forget him being booed so loudly by our fans that he went back into his trailer to hide during our visit to Tempe Arizona. Or that Dawg fans drunk the town dry of all descent beverages before kick off. Also the home team sits in the full afternoon 100+ sun while the visitors get the shade. That would never happen in the SEC.I
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How dare those student-athletes tackle poorly!
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I think that David Pollack has a lot more credibility evaluating defenses than Kurbstreet. If he thinks that it is the move to offenses run by guys like Kiffin and Sark, both West Coast guys BTW, then that is probably a more accurate read.
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Stingley may have been hurt, but he showed a Deion Sanders-level enthusiasm for tackling. He is far and away the best player on that defense, so it is no wonder they are struggling on that side of the ball.
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