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Who was Penn State’s best defensive coordinator ever?

We ran a base 5-2 when Joe took over. He developed and implemented the innovative 4-4-3 in 1967 and we ran it until '76. When Jerry "Assnugget" Sandusky became DC, we switched to a 5-2 and ran it until '80. We then switched back to a modified 4-4-3 in '81 and changed to a standard 3-4 from 1985-1992. When we joined the Big 10(22....) we switched to a 4-3 base. Now I need a damn nap.
small point of order, when we switched (81?) we switched to a 4-3-4 . 4 linemen, 3 LBers and 4 DB's. that's the way it was listed in the program, and more importantly that's the way it was played on the field/film. See my notations above.
 
small point of order, when we switched (81?) we switched to a 4-3-4 . 4 linemen, 3 LBers and 4 DB's. that's the way it was listed in the program, and more importantly that's the way it was played on the field/film. See my notations above.
Fair enough, why I call it a modified 4-4 is to differentiate it from the standard 4-3-4 that everybody knows and we use currently (with a MLB and four DB's). The D we played from '81-'84 featured two ILB's plus a four man front, and a 'Hero' who was a hybrid of a 'Sam' OLB and a SS.

It's funny, my wife used to think this was a porn site I was on when she saw "Well-Known Member" under my logo one day, but when she sees me post comments like the one above, she realizes she probably has little to worry about. :)
 
Fair enough, why I call it a modified 4-4 is to differentiate it from the standard 4-3-4 that everybody knows and we use currently (with a MLB and four DB's). The D we played from '81-'84 featured two ILB's plus a four man front, and a 'Hero' who was a hybrid of a 'Sam' OLB and a SS.

It's funny, my wife used to think this was a porn site I was on when she saw "Well-Known Member" under my logo one day, but when she sees me post comments like the one above, she realizes how lame I am and knows she probably has nothing to worry about. :)
So she had "no comment" regarding the "50 yard line after dark" location descriptor :)
 
So she had "no comment" regarding the "50 yard line after dark" location descriptor :)
Well, gotta keep at least a small hint of mystery so they don't take you too much for granted.

Oh, shit, she's coming down the hall, gotta go before she sees your "photo" and thinks I'm having an affair with some chick with short black hair...
 
I've read a lot B.S. in this thread, but we beg the question of who was/is our best defensive coordinator. So I've revised my list.

Sandusky (2 national championships)
Bradley
O'Hora
Pry (but the jury is still out on his legacy)

These are the only DCs that we have had to my knowledge worthy of consideration. Under O'Brien, don't even remember their names ot the first dude under Franklin.
 
Do you also believe Lawrence Taylor should be disqualified from any discussion of best linebackers of all time?

He pled guilty to child sexual abuse.

http://www.espn.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5167613

Yes, there are many better than him. And no, I am not going to rack my brain just to argue with you, but two I can think of real quick are guys named: Ham & Lambert oh yea, Bednarik. Then there was the guys from the Packers, Bears, Dallas and a pretty good one with 4 super bowl rings: Millen. Come to think of two current ones that will be considered great: Posluszny and Lee. You think Taylor is the best; then so be it.
 
Hate to say it but Sandusky

I do question if Sandusky really was that great of a defensive coordinator. He had lots of talent to work with, but his teams often underachieved, especially in the 1990s.

Remember, Joe Paterno did not want Sandusky succeeding him and actually did not care for Sandusky much at all because he felt Jerry was shirking his football coaching duties because of the time he was spending with his children’s charity The Second Mile. But I guess Paterno actually kept Sandusky on staff all those years because he felt children were more important than football and didn’t want to fire the man who committed so much of his life to at-risk kids just to achieve maybe a couple more wins.
 
I've read a lot B.S. in this thread, but we beg the question of who was/is our best defensive coordinator. So I've revised my list.

Sandusky (2 national championships)
Bradley
O'Hora
Pry (but the jury is still out on his legacy)

These are the only DCs that we have had to my knowledge worthy of consideration. Under O'Brien, don't even remember their names ot the first dude under Franklin.
Curious, why Bradley over O'Hora or Al Michaels? I like Scrap, but we only fielded about four top notch defensive units on his watch (in 12 years) and a bunch of solid ones. Not bad. But Michaels and O'Hora were brilliant, innovative coaches who had little to work with (we didn't even give out schollies much of the time) yet crafted dominant units year after year.
 
I do question if Sandusky really was that great of a defensive coordinator. He had lots of talent to work with, but his teams often underachieved, especially in the 1990s.

Remember, Joe Paterno did not want Sandusky succeeding him and actually did not care for Sandusky much at all because he felt Jerry was shirking his football coaching duties because of the time he was spending with his children’s charity The Second Mile. But I guess Paterno actually kept Sandusky on staff all those years because he felt children were more important than football and didn’t want to fire the man who committed so much of his life to at-risk kids just to achieve maybe a couple more wins.
The 1999 defense was the most under achieving defense in the modern history of the program. Practically ANY other coordinator, and that team plays for the National Championship.
 
The 1999 defense was the most under achieving defense in the modern history of the program. Practically ANY other coordinator, and that team plays for the National Championship.
So you lay that all on the coordinator and non on the players ?
 
Curious, why Bradley over O'Hora or Al Michaels? I like Scrap, but we only fielded about four top notch defensive units on his watch (in 12 years) and a bunch of solid ones. Not bad. But Michaels and O'Hora were brilliant, innovative coaches who had little to work with (we didn't even give out schollies much of the time) yet crafted dominant units year after year.
Because O'Hora to best of knowledge was never a "defensive coordinator". They did not exist during his tenure. Never heard of Al Michaels.
 
The 1999 defense was the most under achieving defense in the modern history of the program. Practically ANY other coordinator, and that team plays for the National Championship.
So you lay that all on the coordinator and non on the players ?


Also to be fair, Paterno handcuffed Sandusky who wanted to be more aggressive with his defensive schemes. The bend don’t break philosophy was both of them but many times Paterno was the one who required a safer approach. Which was in line with his offensive philosophy.

JS was ahead of his time in a lot of areas, his defense during the Sugar bowl was utilizing a zone blitz scheme before it was ever called zone blitzing. He had schemes and blitzes that were quite ahead of his time. Now if you want to say the 99 team under performed that is arguable but again some of that could be because of Joe.

Before Sandusky became the DC, Paterno called both sides of the ball (can you imagine any coach doing that?) but at that time the Offenses were mostly all Delaware wing -T and a version of the 4-4.
No one ran spread offenses or even rarely had 2 guys split out.

I remember when Bradley took over and Miami just torched him with 4 verticals and he refused to get out of cover 3. I believe Bradley’s defenses improved greatly after Vanderlinden was hired. My opinion.
 
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Because O'Hora to best of knowledge was never a "defensive coordinator". They did not exist during his tenure. Never heard of Al Michaels.
While I'll agree JVP wasn't big on titles, there is no doubt he was a defensive coordinator

O'Hora initially served as line coach. He became the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach (1974–76). O'Hora was a key factor in Penn State earning 29 winning seasons during his 31 years on the staff.[4]

O'Hora directed the Nittany Lionsdefenses on the unbeaten 1947, 1968, 1969 and 1973 squads. The 1968 Penn State team allowed less than 10 points in six games. The 1969 Lion squad did not allow the opposition to score more than nine points in seven games. The last 1969 game was a 10–3 win over Missouri in the Orange Bowl. The 1973 defense did not permit more than nine points in any of Penn State's initial six games. They ended PSU’s first 12–0 season with a 16–9 win over Louisiana State University in the Orange Bowl. * [5]
 
I've read a lot B.S. in this thread, but we beg the question of who was/is our best defensive coordinator. So I've revised my list.

Sandusky (2 national championships)
Bradley
O'Hora
Pry (but the jury is still out on his legacy)

These are the only DCs that we have had to my knowledge worthy of consideration. Under O'Brien, don't even remember their names ot the first dude under Franklin.

I thought Ted Roof did a very good job. The adjustment he made in the Wisconsin game allowed us to win.
 
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