Gregory #1 Overall Selection in 2015 Mock Draft

[Husker Dude 6]

Maybe a staff over correction when we moved to this conference. I think the staff should've trusted that their style of D would translate better than they thought. Or am I missing the mark here?

I think you're spot on with the over correction part. Too many people assumed that our players (specifically linemen) were the proper builds for any conference. Unfortunately, the program recruited a different type of athlete in the "track meets" of the Big 12. The B1G has a much more plodding style where the size of players are typically stockier and space is harder to gain. Our skill players in the transition were obviously our best assets and it was their play that separated us from most of the B1G teams. Therefore, the staff had to basically scramble to determine the new kind of player that could be effective in the Big Ten. It's part of the reason why our defensive line is still so young, it's the first class where the staff had some idea of what athletes to recruit and how the conference games are played (pace, style, refs, other quirks, etc.). I hope more fans can come to understand that transition's effect in the near future. Good call RedRed!

I guess I'm not sure the type of DLinemen we were after changed a lot. We just didn't get very many to pan out for a few years. The changes were much more deviant at LB where we basically played with one quick LB most of the time in the Big XII but need three more geared to stop the run for Wiscy, Mich St., Iowa, Penn St., etc. and to a lesser extent Michigan and Ohio State.

I would argue that the D-line model changed significantly from the Big 12. Though I agree with your thoughts on LB and the change, I do feel that our linemen concept changed. The past two seasons the staff has targeted bulkier players who would clog lanes better (thinking Collins, Curry, V.V. and Maurice)... In the B1G championship game against Wisconsin, it was very noticeable that Wisconsin linemen were able to effectively manhandle our linemen. Sure there were injury and depth issues but the current group appears to be more anchored and less pushable. They aren't quite as nimble and light on their feet as the Big 12 guys (thinking Steinkuhler, Meredith) but they are more solid against larger offensive lines. It's led me to believe that the conference switch was reason Joe Carter didn't pan out as expected.

In talks with my friend and former player, he described how the defensive scheme is intended to work. He said ideally you had hulking lineman who could clog lanes and essentially hold up the line, defensive ends who could cover the flats and contain, outside linebackers/nickels who could cover and support containing and basically allow the middle linebacker to star. He said to think of it as MIKE versus Quarterback, only the MIKE is almost always faster than the QB. He noted that Lavonte David was able to shine because his athleticism allowed him to make up for what he lacked in understanding the scheme early on but that is how the position was designed. Suggested thinking of the scheme more in terms of a Baltimore Ravens/Ray Lewis concept where the middle linebacker is quarterbacking the defense and is the main focal point.

 

[Mavric]

ESPN's Todd McShay with his own 2015 mock:

28. New England Patriots (10-6): Randy Gregory*, DE, Nebraska

Gregory recorded 10.5 sacks last season, best in the Big Ten, including a three-sack performance in the Huskers' 17-13 win over Michigan. He has good length at 6-6, 230.

 

[Mavric]

I would argue that the D-line model changed significantly from the Big 12. Though I agree with your thoughts on LB and the change, I do feel that our linemen concept changed. The past two seasons the staff has targeted bulkier players who would clog lanes better (thinking Collins, Curry, V.V. and Maurice)... In the B1G championship game against Wisconsin, it was very noticeable that Wisconsin linemen were able to effectively manhandle our linemen. Sure there were injury and depth issues but the current group appears to be more anchored and less pushable. They aren't quite as nimble and light on their feet as the Big 12 guys (thinking Steinkuhler, Meredith) but they are more solid against larger offensive lines. It's led me to believe that the conference switch was reason Joe Carter didn't pan out as expected.

I was talking more about the scheme than the players. But I don't think that's really changed all that much either. Unless you know what the coaches are talking about when they are choosing what guys to go after, that's very hard to know. We may have ended up with bigger guys now but that doesn't mean we haven't always been after them but didn't get many early on.

High School signees by year and position with weight (Rivals):

2009 - DE - Ankrah (248); DT - Pensick (260), Randle (255)

2010 - DE - J. Cotton (265), Okuyemi (250), Vestal (240); DT - Guy (300), Rome (290)

2011 - DE - None; DT - Peat (300), Williams (275)

2012 - DE - McMullen (255), Moss (245); DT - Curry (298), Valentine (320)

2013 - DE - Mixon (250), Natter (240), Suttles (240); DT - Collins (285), Maurice (270)

2014 - DE - King (230), Wills (250); DT - Newell (285)

2015 - DE - Neal (234); DT - C. Davis (260), K. Davis (255)

I don't see any large (no pun intended) change there. In fact, the two lightest DEs we've had are this year's class and next years. Valentine is really the only outlier at DT - the Davis twins aren't any bigger than Bo's first class. Guy and Rome in Bo's second class were some of the biggest DTs we've gotten, they just didn't work out.

 

[Husker Dude 6]

I would argue that the D-line model changed significantly from the Big 12. Though I agree with your thoughts on LB and the change, I do feel that our linemen concept changed. The past two seasons the staff has targeted bulkier players who would clog lanes better (thinking Collins, Curry, V.V. and Maurice)... In the B1G championship game against Wisconsin, it was very noticeable that Wisconsin linemen were able to effectively manhandle our linemen. Sure there were injury and depth issues but the current group appears to be more anchored and less pushable. They aren't quite as nimble and light on their feet as the Big 12 guys (thinking Steinkuhler, Meredith) but they are more solid against larger offensive lines. It's led me to believe that the conference switch was reason Joe Carter didn't pan out as expected.

I was talking more about the scheme than the players. But I don't think that's really changed all that much either. Unless you know what the coaches are talking about when they are choosing what guys to go after, that's very hard to know. We may have ended up with bigger guys now but that doesn't mean we haven't always been after them but didn't get many early on.

High School signees by year and position with weight (Rivals):

2009 - DE - Ankrah (248); DT - Pensick (260), Randle (255)

2010 - DE - J. Cotton (265), Okuyemi (250), Vestal (240); DT - Guy (300), Rome (290)

2011 - DE - None; DT - Peat (300), Williams (275)

2012 - DE - McMullen (255), Moss (245); DT - Curry (298), Valentine (320)

2013 - DE - Mixon (250), Natter (240), Suttles (240); DT - Collins (285), Maurice (270)

2014 - DE - King (230), Wills (250); DT - Newell (285)

2015 - DE - Neal (234); DT - C. Davis (260), K. Davis (255)

I don't see any large (no pun intended) change there. In fact, the two lightest DEs we've had are this year's class and next years. Valentine is really the only outlier at DT - the Davis twins aren't any bigger than Bo's first class. Guy and Rome in Bo's second class were some of the biggest DTs we've gotten, they just didn't work out.

Oh scheme-wise I think you're spot on, I agree that the philosophy didn't change much. By size I didn't mean the weight of the players, I meant the builds of the players. Many of the guys recruited when we were in the Big 12 were narrower (I notice those subtle differences for some reason) but were quicker than the current group. The current guys are more solid from the waist down, hence more anchored. True, we may have missed out on a number of guys who were bulkier but I think we've focused more on large bodied guys. Again, weight-wise many of the classes match up but there seems to be more of a focus on the width of the guys now as opposed to how much weight they carry. Clinkscales was very rectangular like Valentine and Maurice currently are. The Jay Guy, Todd Peat, and Thad Randles of those classes did not have the shoulder bulk so they had to work on that bulk coming into the program which could explain the frustration for each of those players (for reference, look at Thad from before his Husker career versus his last season). Suh did the bulk coming in but he also had quick feet which added to his dominance in the Big 12.

Call it crazy but I do think many people misunderstood how difficult the transition could be for the program. Maybe I'm just seeing things I want to see...

 

[Mavric]

Dan Hoppen ‏@danhoppen 1h
Randy Gregory is the No. 3 overall player on Mel Kiper’s Way-Too-Early Big Board for the 2015 draft.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

Dan Hoppen ‏@danhoppen 1h

Randy Gregory is the No. 3 overall player on Mel Kiper’s Way-Too-Early Big Board for the 2015 draft.

Niiiice. Getting some solid recognition.

 

[Mavric]

Gregory #1 underclassman DE according to Mel Kiper.

 

[skersfan]

We got the wrong guys, they were not ready to play Big football, because of the stature.

Yet every year programs recruit the top athletes, that do not fit a certain stature, based on the SEC. They get kids to line up and kick a$$. They recruit the best, that are rated the best, but Nebraska has to recruit a certain type to play in the Big 10. Seriously do you believe that. We did not measure up because our players were not as good. Nothing to do with size, width, weight. Heart and ability is what is needed.

Excuses for losing continue to grow.

On the positive side of this is the fact that Bo, does not spread the garbage out there. He says he failed at recruiting, should not have redshirted certain players. You recruit what you can get, the best you can get. WE are not that specialized of an offense or defense. Or do we have the luxury of being selective when we seldom draw a 5 star athlete in. Gregory is such an athlete. We see how he plays. The more of those, no matter their size is what is needed. I could care less if they ever play a down of pro football.