Players have said that the new defense has a steep learning curve. Its a sophisticated pass defense with man and zone coverage and nickel and dime looks. I don't think we have really hit mid-season form yet but it had better happen this week. With the position Les had to offer and the money for it, he could get a top DC and he went with Steele, so I'll give him a season or 2 before judging him. Lot of talent on this team, but lots of youth, too. And rookies make mistakes. Mistakes are fixable, but it takes time that we have run out of.
He's a linebacker coach along with Peveto. He coached linebackers at several schools and in the pros. He also recruits. He was National Recruiter of the Year once.
There was also an article linked here that quoted the players as saying he is much more involved that Chief was.
The difference I see, LSU blitzes more, but gives up more TD's and isn't very good in the red zone and has too many coverage busts. At least with Chavis you knew they had the ability to clamp it down in the red zone. Now, conversely I see this team getting off the field more on 3rd and long. At this point the real difference to me is O. He is really getting a lot out of a group that isn't your typical LSU defensive line. Imagine what he is gonna do in the next few years with all these big boys LSU is gonna bring in. I'm stoked about that. But maybe Red is right and we should wait to pass judgement until we get the defensive cupboard stocked back up, since Chavis left it empty.
Steele is being paid much less than Chavis. In the $500-$600k range vs $1.3 million. Maybe by next season hos system clicks in the players heads the way Crimes system did for the O Line this year but cannot, the Tigers control their own destiny for all the marbles with the brutal stretch coming up. For the rest of this season forget about the zone-man to man system and let the D Backs do more of what they are already good at- man to man coverage
Total. A million a year, which is top pay for coordinators. And a 2-year contract. If Les is not happy, he's gone in two.
