Getting a good read on the defense

[The King]

Pelini will adjust on Offense, but not defense. After the multiple turnover loss to Iowa State, Pelini forced SW to run a basic offense. Then he forced SW to go to the zone read, and then Pelini replaced SW. The defense has been going downhill for 3 years, and there have been no changes.

Smith said he knew everything Nebraska's defense was going to do based on how they lined up. But no worries. The defense dominated in '09, it's not the scheme.

Honest question. Do you think Bo hasn't altered the scheme at least once or twice since 2009? Hell, or even since the Wisconsin game?

The only example I can think of is when we played more zone to contain Robinson last season. And guess what, it kinda worked. What are some other examples?

I believe Kaz is on record saying they started to shift away from the 2 gap at certain points during the season, because they really struggled with putting it on film (execution, understanding). (Coaching error, I guess - or because our DTs sucked balls. One of the two.)

They have admitted they've simplified the scheme a bit and have changed some of the verbiage - eliminating some of the calls entirely. They've changed blitz packages numerous times to accommodate our personnel. (We have sent blitzes in the past - a lot of times players weren't quick enough to get there.)

You saw some of the new 3-4 look with Gregory dropping back into a zone coverage. Thats new schematically. We play a lot less cover 2 now also.

Just to name a few.

 

[The King]

Pelini will adjust on Offense, but not defense. After the multiple turnover loss to Iowa State, Pelini forced SW to run a basic offense. Then he forced SW to go to the zone read, and then Pelini replaced SW. The defense has been going downhill for 3 years, and there have been no changes.

Smith said he knew everything Nebraska's defense was going to do based on how they lined up. But no worries. The defense dominated in '09, it's not the scheme.

Honest question. Do you think Bo hasn't altered the scheme at least once or twice since 2009? Hell, or even since the Wisconsin game?

I am sure there have been some minor adjustments, but nothing major. I see the same plan of attack from different opponents. The results speak for themselves. Four of the worst 10 defensive performances in Husker history have come in the last 14 games. Six hundred plus yards in 3 games in a row, and a new record for the number of 1st downs allowed (35). If major adjustments have been made, then we urgently need new defensive coaches.

So you want an all new scheme then, right?

Edit - As for the 600 yards 3 games in a row... this defense is NOT last years. Tons of different faces. Completely different defenses. Its a new year. Forget last year. Wow.

 

[The Dude]

Pelini will adjust on Offense, but not defense. After the multiple turnover loss to Iowa State, Pelini forced SW to run a basic offense. Then he forced SW to go to the zone read, and then Pelini replaced SW. The defense has been going downhill for 3 years, and there have been no changes.

Smith said he knew everything Nebraska's defense was going to do based on how they lined up. But no worries. The defense dominated in '09, it's not the scheme.

Honest question. Do you think Bo hasn't altered the scheme at least once or twice since 2009? Hell, or even since the Wisconsin game?

The only example I can think of is when we played more zone to contain Robinson last season. And guess what, it kinda worked. What are some other examples?

I believe Kaz is on record saying they started to shift away from the 2 gap at certain points during the season, because they really struggled with putting it on film (execution, understanding). (Coaching error, I guess - or because our DTs sucked balls. One of the two.)

They have admitted they've simplified the scheme a bit and have changed some of the verbiage - eliminating some of the calls entirely. They've changed blitz packages numerous times to accommodate our personnel. (We have sent blitzes in the past - a lot of times players weren't quick enough to get there.)

You saw some of the new 3-4 look with Gregory dropping back into a zone coverage. Thats new schematically. We play a lot less cover 2 now also.

Just to name a few.

Okay fair enough, but to nitpick, the 3-4 is a formation (and to nitpick further, we did line up in a 30 front, but not a 3-4 [and to nitpick even further, it's not new, think Missouri '10]). That's not really what I think of when I think scheme.

If we changed so much schematically, it's even more curious that Smith knew precisely what we were going to do based on film study. I guess we can just chalk it up as a "vanilla gameplan" and think of something else to blame the next time we lay an egg.

 

[TheKiD]

I remember during the offseason hearing a lot about how good the defense was going to be because of how well they were doing against our offense in practice/scrimmage. Is it possible that part of the problem is having our defense practicing against our offense too much and thinking that going against our 'multiple' offense will prepare them for everything? How effective is our scout team and how much is it actually used in preparing the defense? It would seem to me that since we keep getting beat up by the same types of things (motion, misdirection, etc..) that having the scout team running those kinds of things over and over against the defense would help us prepare for it. I might be wrong, but I really wonder how much they are actually practicing against what other teams are actually doing and how much they are just running against our offense and thinking that will prepare them for anything. In the end our offense does a lot of different things, but going up against a team that does one thing really well is a whole different deal and seeing our offense do it a little bit just isn't the same as practicing specifically against a certain style.

 

[lo country]

I wish I could find the article from around 2009 ref a comment from SUH. It was in regards to how pass happy the Big XII version of the spread was. Defenses running squared, couldn't stop it etc.... It was in spring or fall that SUH said Pelini had something new that would shut it down. He did and it did.

This is the Pelini we need back. The defensive guru who can create a whole new scheme to stifle opponents. Maybe, it doesn't work in reverse ie they exploit you, but you can't stop them. Who knows. I know that he figured something out before (and relatively quickly) I just am lost as to why we have seen the same issues since moving to the B1G. Needs to get fixed or we are in for one long season.

 

[JTrain]

While the offense didn't impress me, the defense was just terrible. Sure their quarterback is great, but he was there last year and their offense was 70th in the country. They played three defenses that finished in the top 50, and zero that finished in the top 25. They put up 600+ yards zero times, 550+ zero times, and 500+ two times.

Sure we had a few promising players. We were playing lots of new faces. So were a whole bunch of other teams. 600 yards is just terrible. You have to have Kool-Aid flowing out of your eye lids to spin it any other way. I'm not saying we can't or won't improve drastically in the coming weeks. But this was really, really bad.

 

[JJ Husker]

I initially thought it was a scheme problem but the more I watch it again, it is more of a philosophy and play calling problem. When we brought some heat, it almost always worked in our favor. When we only rushed four (really only two because the middle guys would eat up blocks rather than truly charging the qb) is when we gave up yardage. For the most part we maintained good coverage but Smith made some hellacious plays with both his arm and feet. If were going to have to cover wr's for 8 seconds, we have got to leave a backer/spy on the qb so he can't pull it down and run for fifteen yards. That is the one noticeable scheme flaw that I witnessed. However the main problem was lack of aggressive play calling. We've got the guys to get after it, the coaches have to turn em loose.

 

[TheSker]

If were going to have to cover wr's for 8 seconds, we have got to leave a backer/spy on the qb so he can't pull it down and run for fifteen yards. That is the one noticeable scheme flaw that I witnessed. However the main problem was lack of aggressive play calling. We've got the guys to get after it, the coaches have to turn em loose.

A couple of players had trouble getting off blocks. It was an issue last season also. This season we have the depth to see if the #2 guy can get it done.

 

[JJ Husker]

I will also add that when we needed the offense the most they failed to sustain a drive and had two turnovers. We should own the fourth quarter and we didn't. That's no excuse for the D giving up 600 yards but it sure didn't help.

 

[RedDenver]

Wow. This thread could be about a huge number of non-con games from almost every year I've been a Husker fan. Teams, no matter how good, have bad games. Usually the first game opponent is lousy so we don't notice, but Wyoming played their butts off and it showed.

Maybe Wyoming spent a lot of time preparing for us (based on Smith's post-game comments, might be true). Maybe our youth showed and they exploited it. Maybe Bo's scheme sucks and we'll never get better. I always remember that McBride and Osborne got constantly criticized for their schemes - even during the amazing run of TO's last 5 years.

The defensive performance is certainly alarming, but let's wait and see how we do against at least UCLA before we melt down.

 

[Enhance]

The scheme has shown to be successful. Alabama runs a version of the two-gap, talent discrepancies aside. So is this a scheme problem or a coaching/play calling problem? I don't know. It's easy to blame the scheme, which I've been doing, only because whatever adjustments we're making inside the scheme appear to be ineffective.

UCLA is beatable with a decent defense. Whatever we had on the field Saturday is going to repeat what happened to us last year.

 

[Hunter94]

2 things, same as last season...crucial turnovers...still making them....huge holes in the defense, running yardage for opponents, gashing us freely up the middle.....

 

[Army_Allen]

The scheme has shown to be successful. Alabama runs a version of the two-gap, talent discrepancies aside. So is this a scheme problem or a coaching/play calling problem? I don't know. It's easy to blame the scheme, which I've been doing, only because whatever adjustments we're making inside the scheme appear to be ineffective.

UCLA is beatable with a decent defense. Whatever we had on the field Saturday is going to repeat what happened to us last year.

Agreed. I just don't see how the super sunshine guys (my prediction for the season was 1 loss btw) will never place ANY blame on the coaches six years in. No blame at all. It's always the players fault. When I think that blame has to fall somewhere in the middle.

 

[boach_clack]

Did ayone notice that the defensive line was sswitching between two gapping and one gapping?

 

[boach_clack]

The scheme has shown to be successful. Alabama runs a version of the two-gap, talent discrepancies aside. So is this a scheme problem or a coaching/play calling problem? I don't know. It's easy to blame the scheme, which I've been doing, only because whatever adjustments we're making inside the scheme appear to be ineffective.

UCLA is beatable with a decent defense. Whatever we had on the field Saturday is going to repeat what happened to us last year.

Alabama has been successful with this scheme but Pelini is not as seasoned as a head coach as Saban. We dont have to be "Alabama" good to win the Big Ten. Pelinin has a very unexperienced D coordinator and O coordinator. They make terrible mistakes at the most inopportune time. Both coordinators are what is holding him back. If he is not careful they are going to get him fired. ESPCECIALLY JP!!! Late getting in the calls that Pelini is giving him anyway. What purpose does he serve exactly? Beck is medicore. The offense puts up yards yes, but it seems like when they have a chance to really put teams away on offense.... Turnover. Cant turn it over this much when your defense can give up 40 yard plays at the drop of a hat.

The defense would be better off playing cover two man the entire game. going athlete for athlete against wyoming, we should win. Instead we try to play some elaborate cover match zone scheme that has gotten thrashed for the last 3 years. The kids arent picking up the scheme!! How many SRs do we have in the secondary again? Yeah... Simple defense is better if it allows your better athletes to PLAY FAST. With that said, I think Pelini is too stubborn to change.