Rewatched Game- Defensive Thoughts

[admo]

We had 2 safeties and 3 corners out there. In addition to that, one safety was filling in at outside linebacker. Math tells me that is 6 defensive backs. Which leaves a 4 man DLine with a MLB to support against the run with safety help. I do not understand that strategy. With that much coverage, WYO still threw for nearly 400 yards and picking apart for 200 rushing yards in addition. Mo Seisay played a lot next to Santos. He is a 200lb DB playing outside LB for pass coverage and speed. Gerry came in as a 210lb safety and recently moved from safety to LB role because of his coverage ability and tackling. Call them hybrids. I call them safeties. Coach's emphasis is a lot on pass coverage as we all know. Maybe because his roots go back to him playing safety in the secondary. Or his success against the pass happy Big 12 with few mobile QBs and weaker run game priorities. I will be honest. I don't know the answer. At least use 2 real linebackers out there with adequate coverage ability but physically better run stoppers to go help the D-Line. That way you have some bigger guys to form a wall that's hard to run against, including a scrambling QB, and be still capable to cover well enough with 5 DBs. I'm opposed to the one MLB and one hybrid theory. It's basically three safeties out there and six DBs to slow the run, keep receivers in front, and contain long enough that hopefully the QB won't find a running lane. Kind of been that way for awhile. Although I prefer a solid 4-3-4, I'm not coach. I just can only chime in and hope everything works out.

When we are going against 4 and 5 wide, I am fine with 6 DBs. But, I'm surprised we don't (most of the time) keep one of them up for run coverage or pass rushing. You can disguise which one is staying up.

Me, not so much, but that's okay, no worries. I completely agree with you moving one up. If that's what it's going to take. We did that in the second half. The QB will determine what to do based off of that - run/throw. With more in the box or near it, I'm a bit more at ease with that process. Not all warm fuzzies, but better. Why did it take a halftime to finally adjust? Got to be quicker to do so against other teams.

 

[BigRedBuster]

We had 2 safeties and 3 corners out there. In addition to that, one safety was filling in at outside linebacker. Math tells me that is 6 defensive backs. Which leaves a 4 man DLine with a MLB to support against the run with safety help. I do not understand that strategy. With that much coverage, WYO still threw for nearly 400 yards and picking apart for 200 rushing yards in addition. Mo Seisay played a lot next to Santos. He is a 200lb DB playing outside LB for pass coverage and speed. Gerry came in as a 210lb safety and recently moved from safety to LB role because of his coverage ability and tackling. Call them hybrids. I call them safeties. Coach's emphasis is a lot on pass coverage as we all know. Maybe because his roots go back to him playing safety in the secondary. Or his success against the pass happy Big 12 with few mobile QBs and weaker run game priorities. I will be honest. I don't know the answer. At least use 2 real linebackers out there with adequate coverage ability but physically better run stoppers to go help the D-Line. That way you have some bigger guys to form a wall that's hard to run against, including a scrambling QB, and be still capable to cover well enough with 5 DBs. I'm opposed to the one MLB and one hybrid theory. It's basically three safeties out there and six DBs to slow the run, keep receivers in front, and contain long enough that hopefully the QB won't find a running lane. Kind of been that way for awhile. Although I prefer a solid 4-3-4, I'm not coach. I just can only chime in and hope everything works out.

When we are going against 4 and 5 wide, I am fine with 6 DBs. But, I'm surprised we don't (most of the time) keep one of them up for run coverage or pass rushing. You can disguise which one is staying up.

Me, not so much, but that's okay, no worries. I completely agree with you moving one up. If that's what it's going to take. We did that in the second half. The QB will determine what to do based off of that - run/throw. With more in the box or near it, I'm a bit more at ease with that process. Not all warm fuzzies, but better. Why did it take a halftime to finally adjust? Got to be quicker to do so against other teams.

Well, with man to man coverage, the key is that you have to get to the QB fast. You can't allow him to sit back there and pick the man coverage apart.

 

[knapplc]

The biggest difference between the 90's and now it the style of offense that everyone runs. The spread type offense is designed to slow down the attacking style of the 90's type defense. In the 90's most teams ran a lot of Miami formations or Pro formation. Hardly any were sitting at 4 wide as their basic set formation. Even Spurriors fun and gun had a very conventional look to it most of the time.

The spread principles is all about making space for runners and receivers to run. They want one on one match ups. That is why you see lots of short passing, lots of zone read. A spread team loves to play an attacking defense, it creates more space to run.

BP big problem, and IMO is a philosophical one is that he doesn't want to give up the big pass play. He loves bracket coverage. That creates gaps in the run defense. He needs to make a choice to bring more bodies into the box against a true spread team and give up a little of his pass coverage.

The Spread Offense isn't new - it's been used for decades. Spurrier used in at Florida - his "Fun 'N Gun" offense was basically a version of the Spread with the QB under center instead of in the pistol or shotgun. Defenses have shut this offense down for decades, and specifically the attacking style of defense McBride ran in the 90s was able to shut them down as well.

The Spread is always going to get yards, and some points. But by attacking the QB and putting him on the ground multiple times, the bet is that he's not going to have the same ability in the fourth quarter as he did in the first quarter. That's a gamble I'm willing to take if I'm Bo, especially seeing how his current philosophy has been exploited by so many teams over the past several years, using vastly different combinations of Husker defenders.

 

[TheSker]

Obviously you have to have the talent to run any scheme.

Exactly my point. When a team has an outstanding defense, do you remember the scheme they ran, or do you remember the players who made it happen?

 

[admo]

We had 2 safeties and 3 corners out there. In addition to that, one safety was filling in at outside linebacker. Math tells me that is 6 defensive backs. Which leaves a 4 man DLine with a MLB to support against the run with safety help. I do not understand that strategy. With that much coverage, WYO still threw for nearly 400 yards and picking apart for 200 rushing yards in addition. Mo Seisay played a lot next to Santos. He is a 200lb DB playing outside LB for pass coverage and speed. Gerry came in as a 210lb safety and recently moved from safety to LB role because of his coverage ability and tackling. Call them hybrids. I call them safeties. Coach's emphasis is a lot on pass coverage as we all know. Maybe because his roots go back to him playing safety in the secondary. Or his success against the pass happy Big 12 with few mobile QBs and weaker run game priorities. I will be honest. I don't know the answer. At least use 2 real linebackers out there with adequate coverage ability but physically better run stoppers to go help the D-Line. That way you have some bigger guys to form a wall that's hard to run against, including a scrambling QB, and be still capable to cover well enough with 5 DBs. I'm opposed to the one MLB and one hybrid theory. It's basically three safeties out there and six DBs to slow the run, keep receivers in front, and contain long enough that hopefully the QB won't find a running lane. Kind of been that way for awhile. Although I prefer a solid 4-3-4, I'm not coach. I just can only chime in and hope everything works out.

When we are going against 4 and 5 wide, I am fine with 6 DBs. But, I'm surprised we don't (most of the time) keep one of them up for run coverage or pass rushing. You can disguise which one is staying up.

Me, not so much, but that's okay, no worries. I completely agree with you moving one up. If that's what it's going to take. We did that in the second half. The QB will determine what to do based off of that - run/throw. With more in the box or near it, I'm a bit more at ease with that process. Not all warm fuzzies, but better. Why did it take a halftime to finally adjust? Got to be quicker to do so against other teams.

Well, with man to man coverage, the key is that you have to get to the QB fast. You can't allow him to sit back there and pick the man coverage apart.

Agreed.

 

[knapplc]

Well, with man to man coverage, the key is that you have to get to the QB fast. You can't allow him to sit back there and pick the man coverage apart.

And that's why this defense was so effective in 2009. You had a freak of nature in Suh who couldn't be blocked, or if you wanted to stop him you dedicated so many linemen to him that Crick, Camstache or Allen could get to the QB.

If you don't have that kind of pressure and the QB can sit around the pocket for eight to ten seconds, there's no way the secondary can cover that long. And that's why we have these big games against our defense.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Obviously you have to have the talent to run any scheme.

Exactly my point. When a team has an outstanding defense, do you remember the scheme they ran, or do you remember the players who made it happen?

Both.

 

[admo]

The biggest difference between the 90's and now it the style of offense that everyone runs. The spread type offense is designed to slow down the attacking style of the 90's type defense. In the 90's most teams ran a lot of Miami formations or Pro formation. Hardly any were sitting at 4 wide as their basic set formation. Even Spurriors fun and gun had a very conventional look to it most of the time.

The spread principles is all about making space for runners and receivers to run. They want one on one match ups. That is why you see lots of short passing, lots of zone read. A spread team loves to play an attacking defense, it creates more space to run.

BP big problem, and IMO is a philosophical one is that he doesn't want to give up the big pass play. He loves bracket coverage. That creates gaps in the run defense. He needs to make a choice to bring more bodies into the box against a true spread team and give up a little of his pass coverage.

The Spread Offense isn't new - it's been used for decades. Spurrier used in at Florida - his "Fun 'N Gun" offense was basically a version of the Spread with the QB under center instead of in the pistol or shotgun. Defenses have shut this offense down for decades, and specifically the attacking style of defense McBride ran in the 90s was able to shut them down as well.

The Spread is always going to get yards, and some points. But by attacking the QB and putting him on the ground multiple times, the bet is that he's not going to have the same ability in the fourth quarter as he did in the first quarter. That's a gamble I'm willing to take if I'm Bo, especially seeing how his current philosophy has been exploited by so many teams over the past several years, using vastly different combinations of Husker defenders.

Same here. Count me in on that.

 

[BOurNe sUpremacy]

Dont have to spin anything, its blatantly obvious by your posting you have no idea whats going on, then you go on and admit it, yet spout off acting like you know something about football, when in reality, you looked at the score and the yards givin up and jumped to conclusions. Maybe before stating your opinion publicly you would, you know, actually watch how the game unfolded ONCE let alone two or three times, to see what really happened before you make stupid comments and make yourself look ignorant.

Yea, you remind me of that guy in red I sparred a few weeks back.

Cmon, you dont have to Einstein or even half awake watching that game to know the defense sucked. "Oh, we had 2 'good' qtrs of D' but then blew up again in the 4th. That's Pelini's M.O. But hey, you keep tellin' yourself, keep spinnin' it, keep rewatching the game and adjusting the stats you make yourself feel good about it. I hope UCLA goes easy on us and keeps it under 70--for your sake.

Your a little chinese guy? Well that makes sense, they typically have never watched much football.

Hey, check this out, highspeed:

Total Defense NCAA Week 1

113 Nebraska 114 Ohio 115 Oregon St. 116 Nevada 117 New Mexico St.

http://www.ncaa.com/...rent/team/22/p3

We are in some good company, oh yea! Helluva showing for the 1st game of the year, I can see why Bo feels 'relaxed'(deluded) after watching the game film.

I know, we're the only team that has young players on D, all the top teams are fully loaded. And it was Wyoming, you know, they're good!

 

[TheSker]

That's why I'm on about Zaire Anderson in other posts/threads. He looks like some of our old LBs, he has shown that kind of aggression, and he should have a chance to put that on display.

He will. Pap said Anderson didn't play because he struggles in the passing game.

 

[BOurNe sUpremacy]

Obviously you have to have the talent to run any scheme.

Exactly my point. When a team has an outstanding defense, do you remember the scheme they ran, or do you remember the players who made it happen?

Both.

Seriously, I'm having deja vu back to '07 and the "Coz Dialogues". "It's the scheme, no it's the players, it's the coaches, players, and scheme, it's the fans--they're outta position. No wait, we put them in the wrong position. Oh, the LBs, they take bad angles, oh, if they could only wrap up they had the guy, why can't they tackle...you dont know defense, I know defense and I say they gotta get outta the peso, no the dime, or was that a nickel--penny for your thoughts, we gotta put Gregory @ CB, did you see how he ran with those WRs?" Etc.

Same ol', same ol'. They're gonna get it fixed, honest they will, they keep sayin'...

 

[TheSker]

And that's why this defense was so effective in 2009. You had a freak of nature in Suh who couldn't be blocked, or if you wanted to stop him you dedicated so many linemen to him that Crick, Camstache or Allen could get to the QB..

I think our DL in 2009 was Turner, Suh, Crick and Allen. In my opinion, Meredith never put up the numbers you need from that DE spot once he started.

 

[TheSker]

Obviously you have to have the talent to run any scheme.

Exactly my point. When a team has an outstanding defense, do you remember the scheme they ran, or do you remember the players who made it happen?

Both.

Seriously, I'm having deja vu back to '07 and the "Coz Dialogues". Same ol', same ol'. They're gonna get it fixed, you know they are.

If they recruited the guys who can get it done, it will be fixed. If they didn't recruit the guys who can get it done, it won't be fixed.

 

[HuskerShark]

Obviously you have to have the talent to run any scheme.

Exactly my point. When a team has an outstanding defense, do you remember the scheme they ran, or do you remember the players who made it happen?

Both.

Seriously, I'm having deja vu back to '07 and the "Coz Dialogues". Same ol', same ol'. They're gonna get it fixed, you know they are.

I doubt many people said that about Cosgrove. That guy was pure idiot and had never fielded a competent defense in his life. Bo and Co. have.

 

[RedDenver]

The biggest difference between the 90's and now it the style of offense that everyone runs. The spread type offense is designed to slow down the attacking style of the 90's type defense. In the 90's most teams ran a lot of Miami formations or Pro formation. Hardly any were sitting at 4 wide as their basic set formation. Even Spurriors fun and gun had a very conventional look to it most of the time.

The spread principles is all about making space for runners and receivers to run. They want one on one match ups. That is why you see lots of short passing, lots of zone read. A spread team loves to play an attacking defense, it creates more space to run.

BP big problem, and IMO is a philosophical one is that he doesn't want to give up the big pass play. He loves bracket coverage. That creates gaps in the run defense. He needs to make a choice to bring more bodies into the box against a true spread team and give up a little of his pass coverage.

The Spread Offense isn't new - it's been used for decades. Spurrier used in at Florida - his "Fun 'N Gun" offense was basically a version of the Spread with the QB under center instead of in the pistol or shotgun. Defenses have shut this offense down for decades, and specifically the attacking style of defense McBride ran in the 90s was able to shut them down as well.

The Spread is always going to get yards, and some points. But by attacking the QB and putting him on the ground multiple times, the bet is that he's not going to have the same ability in the fourth quarter as he did in the first quarter. That's a gamble I'm willing to take if I'm Bo, especially seeing how his current philosophy has been exploited by so many teams over the past several years, using vastly different combinations of Husker defenders.

The bolded part is not quite true. McBride actually ran more zone with safety help against the Fun n Gun. (You'll see the safeties high over the WR's on the few plays where they show the deep secondary.) He just had such an awesome DL that they still got pressure. In fact the safety that Williams got was a blown coverage. If Weurfel had seen the open man, it'd likely have been a TD. But your point about knocking around QB's stands. McBride (to his credit) spent the month before the bowl adjusting the defense. And he didn't just sit in zone either, he took some chances and sent some well-timed blitzes.

Spread teams work especially well against a pure attacking defense. The Fun n Gun was an early form of the spread offense, which has evolved since then. Hitting short, quick passes across the horizontal width of the field has dramatically slowed down traditional blitzes against these teams. It's like running an option where the pitch man can be almost anywhere from sideline to sideline.