Figure I'm well qualified to make the analysis for you.
Coach Austin is a better position coach than coordinator. Under his coaching, our defense played above expectations on takeaways (for the first half of the season) leading the nation with 9 INT's through the first 3 games. We couldn't force them in the second half, but traditionally, even going back to his NFL days where he was a DB position coach for the Arizona Cardinals, his players were always taught to go for the pick rather than the tackle, subsequently forcing more turnovers. Our linebackers and defensive line underperformed terribly the entire year, so much so that had Urban stayed those position coaches were likely going to go. We generated zero pass rush the entire year, and Coach Austin's blitzes were very unimaginative. However, the reason that after a single season Coach Austin's job was under scrutiny was our 3rd down play on defense. We just couldn't dial up a defense on 3rd down to get the offense off the field. Against Mississippi state, at home, in our own homecoming game, they ran the ball against us 22 of 24 plays in the 2nd half. And we couldn't stop them. He refused to go to a heavy set formation because he was convinced they were 'just about to throw in a play action'. He was a clear and obvious step down from Charlie Strong, now the head coach at Louisville. Urban called out Coach Austin publicly multiple times last season, something he has not done with any other coach during his tenure at Florida.
Btw. Thanks for Coach Boom
