By Mick McGrane, GoAztecs.com Senior Writer
(@MickOnTheMesa)
The way San Diego State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett sees it, the less he talks to defensive assistant Kevin McGarry on game day this week, the better.
Given the opponent, however, it's unlikely the two will be giving each other the silent treatment.
"If there's one week of the season where there's more communication going on between our coaches up in the booth and our coaches on the field, it's option week," Arnett said of Friday's matchup against Air Force. "Hopefully, there's not too much (talk), because that usually means they aren't doing anything that's completely new to us or shocking to us and creating a gigantic problem.
"But they're always trying to do something to create issues you have to adjust to. I know that's true for every team, but it's especially amplified when you play against the option. All of us coaches on the sideline are going to communicate what we see to Coach (Rocky) Long and whether he wants to make a change with a position group, but most of that will come from the eyes of Coach McGarry up in the box."
After what transpired in last Saturday's win at Boise State, there also may be a few eyes on Arnett. Prior to the start of the season, Long said the only fear he had in promoting Arnett as successor to former defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales was that Arnett might be the next assistant poached from the Aztec staff.
Indeed, after five games, SDSU, ever reflective of its head coach, ranks 17th in the nation in total defense and No. 2 against the run. The Aztecs are coming off an extraordinary effort on the road, limiting Boise State's No. 8-ranked offense to 229 total yards, its fewest in a home game in 20 years. The Broncos, who had been averaging nearly 550 yards and 45 points per game, were held to 13 points, a total that might have been lower if not for a fumbled punt that allowed BSU to start a drive at the SDSU 4-yard line (a drive that still necessitated three plays).
For their effort, the Aztecs were rewarded with a short week to prepare for an offense Long calls the best ever designed, and one that can keep a first-year defensive coordinator awake deep into the night.
Arnett, who just turned 32 last month, played for Long at New Mexico from 2005-08 when the latter was head coach of the Lobos. A 5-foot-10 middle linebacker considered as tireless as he was tough, Arnett was viewed as the undisputed leader of New Mexico's defense as team captain his senior year.
Yet it was only by default that he ever found the field. Though he had excelled in football at Albuquerque La Cuevas High, where he was a two-time Class 5A all-state selection, Arnett also was a catcher for the school's baseball team. This was not your average high school baseball team, mind you, this was a team that during Arnett's career went 85-1, winning three consecutive state titles and establishing a national prep record with 70 straight wins. He signed to play baseball at New Mexico, but was given a football scholarship when one became available shortly before the start of fall camp in 2005.
"It was so late in the recruiting process at that point that they probably weren't going to go out and find another guy," he said. "I guess they were good-willed enough to give a scholarship to a local high school kid, and I was the recipient. I'm not an economist, but I knew that the percentage of having a full-ride football scholarship was probably better than having a partial scholarship in baseball.
"But playing under Coach Long and now coaching under him, you always know exactly where you stand. He's always going to shoot you straight, and that's exactly how he is with his players. He's going to let you know when you're right and doing a good job and he's going to let you know when you're wrong. It makes it pretty easy. I've obviously learned that he looks at the game of football in a certain way, and that's being tough, physical and aggressive. He believes that's the way the game was meant to be played. It's a philosophy that permeates throughout this entire program. You just follow his lead."
If that sounds simple, rest assured his defense is not. Arnett, who played in the Gordian Knot that is Long's 3-3-5 defense, grins when recalling his freshman season. As with virtually all newcomers attempting to understand its complexity, you simply hope you're in the right place at the right time.
"That first year in his defense, you better have thick skin," he said. "I think the biggest shock for every freshman that comes in here is that they're typically coming from high school programs where as a linebacker or a defensive back they probably had about two assignments per game. When they get to college, you have 50 times the assignments. The number of assignments and variation in alignments take the longest amount of time for any new player. Defensive linemen and linebackers tend to have the biggest variations in alignments and movements. Cover guys obviously have a lot of different coverages. It's tough."
But if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, a number of teams throughout the country are following suit, utilizing a multi-faceted player such as senior safety Parker Baldwin in the middle of the field to confound offenses. Arizona State, Iowa State and Tulsa are just a few of the schools employing the approach, the object being to stifle blocking schemes by having an extra player to stop the run.
If there's any question as to its efficiency, consider SDSU's season opener against Stanford. Though the Cardinal ultimately took advantage of some big pass plays, the Aztecs limited Heisman-hyped Stanford tailback Bryce Love to 29 yards on 18 carries.
"I think you're starting to see defenses with a lot more hybrid positions," Arnett said. "If you look at Alabama and it's first-and-10, you see these gigantic defensive linemen come in who are run stoppers. You stop the run, put the other team's offense in a passing situation, and suddenly five new guys, all speed rushers, are coming onto the field. You're seeing guys who might be outside linebackers who are now playing as stand-up pass rushers, playing on the edge half the time and dropping into coverage half the time. It's all about putting guys in the best position to be successful.
"I think offenses have become so good that if you line up in just a couple different formations, and they get a bead on what you're doing, they're going to pick you apart. It doesn't matter what the offense is. It can be the spread (formation) where you're throwing the ball all over the place, or it can be like Air Force, with the triple option. I guarantee that if you only give our offense a couple of different looks that they're going to draw up a run scheme that creates great angles and gets it blocked for a big play. You have to be multiple (on defense) and you've got to create some minus plays. You hear offensive coaches all the time talk about staying ahead of the chains or staying on schedule. If that's happening, the advantage goes to the offense.
"On defense, if you can give offenses a new look and create a negative play, now the advantage goes to you. I just think you're seeing more and more defenses doing more movement, bringing blitzes from different areas just to create some minus plays. It's almost become a battle for turnover margin. Turnovers have always been important, but if you can help create a couple of extra possessions for your offense, it's going to greatly increase your chances of winning."
Which, in the case of SDSU, equates to 42 wins in its last 49 games. And among a pile of notable defensive accomplishments thus far, this one might be the most eye-popping: In their last 18 drives defended, the Aztecs have allowed the opposition more than 29 yards exactly once. In 10 of those drives, the opponent has gained seven or fewer yards.
And while Arnett defers to Long in the arena of play-calling responsibilities, the would-be baseball player who served as a graduate assistant and linebackers coach before assuming his new role is taking full advantage of a fountain of knowledge.
"It's really made me realize how lucky and how fortunate I am," he said. "Obviously, you go through the (graduate assistant) process first, then you're looking for a job anywhere just to get a start. For me, I was just fortunate enough that Coach Long wanted to keep me here, and (being named defensive coordinator) certainly didn't mean that I was the most qualified guy for the job. He could have gone out and found any number of experienced coaches who were a lot more qualified than I was, because for any young coach, you don't even realize how much you don't know about this game until you actually start. And the triple option this week will make you feel even more like that.
"I don't know of another job where you can get the kind of adrenaline rush, the excitement, especially when your guys are playing well. That's the reward. As frustrating as the week may be when you're trying to get them ready for Saturday, if they go out and perform well, I don't know of many other jobs where you can find that sort of satisfaction.
"I'm probably just mature enough to realize that I've been given a great opportunity here to learn from somebody who has been incredibly successful his entire career. I just try to shut up and pay attention and learn a whole lot that will stay with me for a long time. I'm certainly in no rush to go anywhere. I know who the real defensive coordinator is here. I'm given the freedom to put in my two cents and get our guys coached up, but I also know, as do the rest of our defensive coaches, that we need to take advantage of being observant while learning from one of the best there is."
McGrane: Arnett Tackling New Role with Relish
