Head coaches might be the ones subject to the hot seat, but these days it's their coordinators who are in the line of fire.

Les Miles and his Milacles might be unbeaten, but a significant segment of Louisiana State fans would love to send offensive coordinator Gary Crowton to where the crows fly.

Florida has won national titles recently, but Gator Nation spent Saturday night booing coordinator Steve Addazio between snaps.

At Kentucky, Steve Brown is the man being knocked around town.

"Mumblings and rumblings," the defensive coordinator acknowledged Tuesday.

Never mind that under Brown, the UK defense has allowed 356.3 yards per game, the best four-year statistical stretch since 1987-90.

It's who have you stopped for me lately?

"It's a tough job," said Brown, smiling. "But that's the job description."

His job might be tougher than most. UK is 12th in the 12-team Southeastern Conference in rush defense. It's 11th in scoring defense. Its upcoming opponent, South Carolina, has a knock-em-back running back in Marcus Lattimore and the momentum from upsetting No. 1 Alabama.

"There's nothing wrong with people having opinions," said head coach Joker Phillips, who heard the critics during his five years as offensive coordinator. "But people's opinions don't change the way we are going to be as coaches."

It's that block-out-the-noise Rich Brooks talked about.

"Words without knowledge," said Phillips.

Here's some knowledge: Brown knew he had some rebuilding to do this season. The Cats graduated NFL draftees Corey Peters and Trevard Lindley. They lost linebackers Micah Johnson and Sam Maxwell. Then senior cornerback Paul Warford turned up academically ineligible, as did promising tackle Mister Cobble.

"We're playing with a lot of new faces, but you know what, it is what it is," Brown said. "Our job is to get them to be as good as they can be, prepare them for each game, and see what happens."

Sometimes what happens is good, as when the Cats started 3-0. Sometimes what happens is not so good, as when UK hit SEC play.

Saturday, against a potent offense (Auburn) and a Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback (Cameron Newton), UK played poorly the first half, falling behind 31-14, then much better the third quarter — intercepting a pass, forcing a pair of three-and-outs.

But with 7:52 left, the game tied and Auburn starting a drive at its 7-yard line, Kentucky just could not stop the Tigers. Newton and Co. ran 18 plays before Wes Byrum's 25-yard field goal at the horn won it 37-34.

"It's one of those situations where, at some point, someone needed to make a play," Brown said Tuesday.

To make plays you need playmakers, however. The good defenses have them; the struggling defenses do not. At this point, with this young group, Brown hasn't yet developed enough playmakers.

Stat: Through six games, Kentucky has forced six turnovers. No other defense in the league has forced fewer.

Fans want blitzes. They see Rex Ryan on television. They speak longingly of Joe Lee Dunn's aggressive alignments, forgetting that Joe Lee is now with Hal Mumme at Division III McMurry.

Blitzes are to the defense what No. 2 quarterbacks are to the offense.

"You always take in account what your players are capable of doing," Brown said. "We did run a few pressures (against Auburn), and I'd say, 80 percent, we didn't run them right. And if you make a mistake, it's a slot machine, ding-ding-ding-ding. Somebody's band is playing."

That said ...

"I probably do err too much on the side of caution because I want to know that our guys know what they're doing," Brown said. "But we'll see this week. We're gonna do a little bit more, and see what happens."

Maybe the defense can make some noise of its own.