Once
again, Cal's 2016 defense is historically bad and people want
answers. I don't have them (if I did I'd be collecting half a
million a year and saving Sonny's job), but there are a few things
that can be added to the discussion that might be helpful for
thinking about what we're watching week-in and week-out.
The
biggest questions that people have are based around coverage. There
seems to be a solid consensus that goes something like this: Art
Kaufman is worried that our DB's will get burned if we play
aggressive coverage schemes, and so we play off-coverage and don't
put enough guys in the box, which also limits us in the pass rush.
As a result, not only do we get killed in the run game, but we give
up a ton of passing yards with a “Bend But Don't Break” coverage
strategy. If we're going to get killed in the passing game as it is,
why not play more aggressively with the DB's, load up the box, and
get after the RB/QB?