Fun "We get the opportunity to go huntin'." Blackshirts on Third Down

[knapplc]

Lately you may have noticed I've been on this kick about having fun. I think it's a huge part of what being a fan is all about, and I think it's a huge part of what makes good teams into great teams. You talk to some of the Blackshirts from the 1990s and they'll tell you they had the time of their lives attacking opposing offenses. They were men possessed because they knew McBride was going to unleash hell on their opponents. Some examples:

 

 

My personal opinion on what holds Bo's defenses back from being good to being truly great - legendary, perhaps - is that lack of fun. They react too much. They don't dictate enough. They dictate some, but Bo needs to unleash hell from the opening snap. I will forever be of this belief, that attacking defenders are happy defenders.

 

And happy defenders are a quarterback's worst nightmare.

 

So I read this article from the LJS today, and it says the defense loves third downs, they're very effective on third downs, because as Kevin Williams puts it, "[They] get the opportunity to go huntin'."

 

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The Huskers are sixth nationally in third-down conversion percentage defense, with opponents having converted just 31 of 111 attempts (27.9 percent).

 

"We spend a lot of time on protections and how we can exploit what teams are doing," he said. "We try to be creative in what we're doing and give a lot of different looks. Not only pressurewise, but also coveragewise."

 

That creativity is something Nebraska players have taken a liking to. Defensive end Jack Gangwish said the defense looks forward to third-and-long situations more than anything, and he took advantage of one such occasion when he teamed with Kevin Williams for a third-down sack in the third quarter Saturday.

 

"We get the opportunity to go huntin'," the Wood River native said. "At that point, you get to pin your ears back and get after the quarterback. Short-yardage and first down, that's the hard part, but when you've earned the position to be in third-and-10, that's when you get a chance to have fun. ... That's when you get to eat."

 

LINK

 

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Clearly that "huntin'" mentality works. It takes the right personnel, sure - but when you have that personnel, I'd like to see nearly every down be a "huntin'" down. Let the defense pursue, attack, dictate. An attacking defense is a happy defense, a defense having fun.

 

If the defense knows they're going to be allowed to play at Mach 5 with their hair on fire nearly every down they're going to have more fun, and that can only translate to better success on the recruiting trail, better players, more talent, more effective attacking... a hell of a lot more fun for everyone.

[Count 'Bility]

I agree. I see guys like Banderas and Cooper, who we know have the ability, always a step behind. There just seems to be too much thinking goin on. Sure, when it works and everyone gets it and the talent is sufficient at all levels, it's a beautiful display of innovative defense, but how often has and does that happen?

[Landlord]

Is that a realistic model for a team in 2014 on every snap?

 

I'm not saying it is or it isn't, but do we see other teams doing that successfully? LSU seems pretty similar, and I know Michigan State and Alabama are great on defense but I don't watch enough to know if I could qualify it as attacking or reactionary; it's just good.

[Count 'Bility]

Is that a realistic model for a team in 2014 on every snap?

 

I'm not saying it is or it isn't, but do we see other teams doing that successfully? LSU seems pretty similar, and I know Michigan State and Alabama are great on defense but I don't watch enough to know if I could qualify it as attacking or reactionary; it's just good.

Obviously it's more technical, and needs to be. But watch other teams play on saturday, then watch us play defense. Body language. Aggression. Passion. Etc. Including our sideline. Then try to tell me there isnt somethign missing.

 

Seems like way too much of a business as usual mentality or something. The guys all across the team just need to let loose a little.

[Redux]

The 09 unit would take the field and we would all rejoice knowing the game was either A) about to turn in our favor or B) become even further out of reach for our opponent. The Defense was what we paid to see.

 

The last few years it was a liability. We expected shootouts, and if we fell behind we knew we were doomed. The last year and a half its been getting back to that feel good vibe we used to have. Got a long way to go though.

 

I agree completely. Unleash hell. Release the hounds. Drop the hammer every down. At least then, the QB and the RB know they are in for a world of hurt and a really long game the moment the step foot off the bus. Beat them mentally two weeks before kickoff. A scared offense is an honest offense. Love to get back to hearing how teams hate playing our defense

[BigRedBuster]

It has been argued that teams countered the "unleashing the hell from first snap" by developing the mobile QB that can also pass.

 

When you have a statue back there, it's easy to terrorize the back field. But, when you have a QB that can hit multiple receivers and, if they are covered, tuck it and run for 30 yards, it's much harder to just "pin your ears back".

[Landlord]

 

Is that a realistic model for a team in 2014 on every snap?

 

I'm not saying it is or it isn't, but do we see other teams doing that successfully? LSU seems pretty similar, and I know Michigan State and Alabama are great on defense but I don't watch enough to know if I could qualify it as attacking or reactionary; it's just good.

Obviously it's more technical, and needs to be. But watch other teams play on saturday, then watch us play defense. Body language. Aggression. Passion. Etc. Including our sideline. Then try to tell me there isnt somethign missing.

 

Seems like way too much of a business as usual mentality or something. The guys all across the team just need to let loose a little.

 

 

 

The 2009 and 2010 teams seemed equally as 'business as usual' and serious and tight and seemed to do just fine.

[EmeraldIngot]

It has been argued that teams countered the "unleashing the hell from first snap" by developing the mobile QB that can also pass.

 

When you have a statue back there, it's easy to terrorize the back field. But, when you have a QB that can hit multiple receivers and, if they are covered, tuck it and run for 30 yards, it's much harder to just "pin your ears back".

The counter to this is a rotating zone blitz. Have Gregory stand up and pace the line so you don't really know where he's coming from. Then, wherever he is on the line when the ball is snapped, the nearest LB blitzes with him. Those two guys are the ones who get into and terrorize the backfield. The other linemen slant away from them, drawing blockers away, push into the backfield a few yards, then play a two-gap contain technique. The other LBs drop into shallow zone to cover quick passes and stay ready to chase down a runner. The DBs can drop into a cover two, cover 3, or cover 4.

 

This causes high pressure from one side, forcing a QB out of the pocket on a roll out. While the QB is running in one direction, his ability to throw across his body to the side of the field he came from is very limited. This cuts the field practically in half and potentially removes one or two recievers from the play. The D linemen who are playing contain can continue to slide in that direction, and unless the QB is a burner, they should at least be able to limit cutback lanes. The LBs can swing out and down in coverage and can possibly get a sack if Gregory doesn't run him down from behind. Incredible pressure, forcing the QB to throw on the run, which will most likely either fall incomplete, or could give our guys a chance to jump routes. And I bet it would be fun to play.

 

Just my $.02

[BigRedBuster]

 

It has been argued that teams countered the "unleashing the hell from first snap" by developing the mobile QB that can also pass.

 

When you have a statue back there, it's easy to terrorize the back field. But, when you have a QB that can hit multiple receivers and, if they are covered, tuck it and run for 30 yards, it's much harder to just "pin your ears back".

The counter to this is a rotating zone blitz. Have Gregory stand up and pace the line so you don't really know where he's coming from. Then, wherever he is on the line when the ball is snapped, the nearest LB blitzes with him. Those two guys are the ones who get into and terrorize the backfield. The other linemen slant away from them, drawing blockers away, push into the backfield a few yards, then play a two-gap contain technique. The other LBs drop into shallow zone to cover quick passes and stay ready to chase down a runner. The DBs can drop into a cover two, cover 3, or cover 4.

 

This causes high pressure from one side, forcing a QB out of the pocket on a roll out. While the QB is running in one direction, his ability to throw across his body to the side of the field he came from is very limited. This cuts the field practically in half and potentially removes one or two recievers from the play. The D linemen who are playing contain can continue to slide in that direction, and unless the QB is a burner, they should at least be able to limit cutback lanes. The LBs can swing out and down in coverage and can possibly get a sack if Gregory doesn't run him down from behind. Incredible pressure, forcing the QB to throw on the run, which will most likely either fall incomplete, or could give our guys a chance to jump routes. And I bet it would be fun to play.

 

Just my $.02

 

 

 

And, how I would counter that with a good dual threat QB is put 5 receivers on the field (or 4 with the RB coming out of the back field). This takes up basically at very MINIMUM 5 DBs and probably at least 6.

 

That leaves 4 DL and 1-2 LBs. If I don't want to put every single DB on one on one, I have to have at least some safety help.

 

If you watch Nebraska many times, we have maybe 4 DLs and only 1 LB. This makes it very hard to do what you just described with having Gregory roam around and both of them blitz. A good dual threat QB would kill that.

[Count 'Bility]

 

 

Is that a realistic model for a team in 2014 on every snap?

 

I'm not saying it is or it isn't, but do we see other teams doing that successfully? LSU seems pretty similar, and I know Michigan State and Alabama are great on defense but I don't watch enough to know if I could qualify it as attacking or reactionary; it's just good.

Obviously it's more technical, and needs to be. But watch other teams play on saturday, then watch us play defense. Body language. Aggression. Passion. Etc. Including our sideline. Then try to tell me there isnt somethign missing.

 

Seems like way too much of a business as usual mentality or something. The guys all across the team just need to let loose a little.

 

 

 

The 2009 and 2010 teams seemed equally as 'business as usual' and serious and tight and seemed to do just fine.

 

 

I agree. I see guys like Banderas and Cooper, who we know have the ability, always a step behind. There just seems to be too much thinking goin on. Sure, when it works and everyone gets it and the talent is sufficient at all levels, it's a beautiful display of innovative defense, but how often has and does that happen?

 

 

It's a very interesting topic to me though. Sports psychololgy interests me very much. I really wish I'd went into such a field.

[MichiganDad3]

Release the hounds!

[TheSker]

It's still about having the talent. Using the example of the defensive end position, it makes a difference if you're "unleashing" a Randy Gregory versus a Cam Meredith.

[Spooky Tooth]

It has been argued that teams countered the "unleashing the hell from first snap" by developing the mobile QB that can also pass.

 

When you have a statue back there, it's easy to terrorize the back field. But, when you have a QB that can hit multiple receivers and, if they are covered, tuck it and run for 30 yards, it's much harder to just "pin your ears back".

 

 

Cordell Stewart. Hardly a statue but was nonetheless terrorized by the 93 and 94 defenses. Don't get me wrong, I mostly agree with your point, but those Ds could also hurt mobile QBs.

[JJ Husker]

Nothing to add. +1 to the op. I say turn em lose and let em hunt.

[EmeraldIngot]

 

 

 

It has been argued that teams countered the "unleashing the hell from first snap" by developing the mobile QB that can also pass.

 

When you have a statue back there, it's easy to terrorize the back field. But, when you have a QB that can hit multiple receivers and, if they are covered, tuck it and run for 30 yards, it's much harder to just "pin your ears back".

The counter to this is a rotating zone blitz. Have Gregory stand up and pace the line so you don't really know where he's coming from. Then, wherever he is on the line when the ball is snapped, the nearest LB blitzes with him. Those two guys are the ones who get into and terrorize the backfield. The other linemen slant away from them, drawing blockers away, push into the backfield a few yards, then play a two-gap contain technique. The other LBs drop into shallow zone to cover quick passes and stay ready to chase down a runner. The DBs can drop into a cover two, cover 3, or cover 4.

 

This causes high pressure from one side, forcing a QB out of the pocket on a roll out. While the QB is running in one direction, his ability to throw across his body to the side of the field he came from is very limited. This cuts the field practically in half and potentially removes one or two recievers from the play. The D linemen who are playing contain can continue to slide in that direction, and unless the QB is a burner, they should at least be able to limit cutback lanes. The LBs can swing out and down in coverage and can possibly get a sack if Gregory doesn't run him down from behind. Incredible pressure, forcing the QB to throw on the run, which will most likely either fall incomplete, or could give our guys a chance to jump routes. And I bet it would be fun to play.

 

Just my $.02

 

And, how I would counter that with a good dual threat QB is put 5 receivers on the field (or 4 with the RB coming out of the back field). This takes up basically at very MINIMUM 5 DBs and probably at least 6.

 

That leaves 4 DL and 1-2 LBs. If I don't want to put every single DB on one on one, I have to have at least some safety help.

 

If you watch Nebraska many times, we have maybe 4 DLs and only 1 LB. This makes it very hard to do what you just described with having Gregory roam around and both of them blitz. A good dual threat QB would kill that.

Then go with a cover 1 deep zone with man coverage up front out of a dime package. 6 DBs. 1 LB. 4 DL. Have Gregory roam again, but have other 3 DL play 2 gap to cover a straight run, and have gregory and LB blitz from opposite sides. QB scrambles away from Gregory, LB gets him. Away from LB, Randy gets him. Moves up in the pocket, a DL can get free from his block and give him nowhere to run while Gregory and LB crash on him from behind.

 

The bump and run coverage throws off the timing of the routes and forces the play to take longer to develope, giving our guys more time to get to the QB. Have a DB key on the RB to act as a contain LB if it's a run, as a man cover if RB goes for the pass, have him either play a shallow zone/QB spy if RB goes into pass protection. Save for the very very very best of dual threat QBs like Mariota or Miller who MIGHT be able to break contain, this D will shut down that play.