Freedom!

Mavric

Mavric

Yoda
Staff member
Just now noticed that Freedom was our second-leading tackler on Saturday with six including five solo stops. I knew he had our only sack.

Not saying one game means he's the answer but consider the following:

Six tackles per game would extrapolate out to 78 tackles over a 13 game season. 78 tackles last year would have been the third-most on the team. Two years ago, Randy Gregory had 66 tackles. 78 tackles would be the most by a Nebraska defensive lineman since Suh had 85 in 2009.

Now, I'm not by any stretch trying to compare Freedom to Gregory or Suh. And it's pretty unlikely he'll get that many tackles this year.

But it does show two things. Even getting a modicum of production from a defensive end is actually a pretty good contribution. And it's at least promising that we have a redshirt freshman that is getting out there and putting some production on the field.

Freedom has the frame and the talent to be a productive DE. He's pretty raw but that means there's room for improvement. And our defense could definitely use some more games like that.

 
Freedom is the only hope we have at DE right now. I expect him to continue to improve and really start to assert himself as a force by the middle/end of the year.

He holds the edge and still gets a little bit of a push up the field. Far more than anyone else is doing right now.

 
Seriously? Freedom plays DE at Nebraska? That's Dope! Dude can rhyme!

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When jack gangwish returns, does Freedom revert back to being a backup?

Somebody else needs to start getting to the quarterback because our secondary is being asked to cover guys for a boxer 10 count every snap.

 
husker_fan_from_sweden said:
When jack gangwish returns, does Freedom revert back to being a backup?

Somebody else needs to start getting to the quarterback because our secondary is being asked to cover guys for a boxer 10 count every snap.
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I think it will be hard to sit him as he is making an impact IMO. He is the fastest of the edge for sure. Hard to not keep speed and a motor on the field....

Agree with the coverage. I don't care how much talent or how effective the scheme, no one is covering guys for that long. I still do not know why in short yardage situations we do not play bump and run to disrupt the quick routes and give the DL an extra second or two.

 
husker_fan_from_sweden said:
When jack gangwish returns, does Freedom revert back to being a backup?

Somebody else needs to start getting to the quarterback because our secondary is being asked to cover guys for a boxer 10 count every snap.
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Isn't there a better between PowerT and another user over Jack once he gets cleared to play?

 
Freedom's name keeps popping up game-in game-out. Sometimes, it's easy for us fans to get caught up in the moment of a big play and proclaim a player needs to see more PT because of it. I myself am sometimes guilty of overlooking the overall performance for the sake of a brief explosive effort.

But, 9 tackles is a damn good number for someone his age. I don't remember his BYU involvement (trying to block it all out still), but he had a big TFL on 4th down against USA. It seems very reasonable right now to argue this kid should be considered for some serious PT, maybe even starting. I don't know what's up with G. McMullen but something definitely just seems off with him.

 
So, Freedom is a better pass rusher than Gangwish, and Gangwish is a better pass rusher than McMullen... so, when Gangwish is healthy, bench McMullen and play Gangwish opposite of Freedom.

One rough but promising DE on one side and one average DE with a lot of heart and a high motor on the other could help us get a little more pressure.

One thing we will have to worry about, though, are off tackle plays like Power O and outside zone runs. McMullen, despite his poor pass rushing abilities, was able to push back the OT and disrupt those off tackle plays that came his way. Gangwish is decent enough at run stuffing that it won't put Young (the OLB on that side) under too much pressure to stop the outside run, but he will have to step up if the play is coming his way.

Freedom apparently is good enough run stuffing on his side, and with MR-I as the OLB on that side, we shouldn't have as much to worry about. Still, those outside runs are might be a new weak spot if we make that change. But a better (no matter how slightly) pass rush would be worth it in my opinion.

 
Freedom has looked good for a freshman. I am inclined to agree with the notion to play Gangwish and Freedom together a bit more over McMullen. I was hoping for big things from GMc this year, but I think there is something wrong. I don't know if he has some hangover from the coaching change or there is some other personal reason we don't know about, but GMc is constantly the last one off the ball by a significant amount. I know he has gained a lot of weight during the offseason, but I am inclined to think his problem is more mental than physical because our DT, who weigh about the same as him, are getting a faster jump almost every play. As a result, he is getting so little pressure from his side and conceding the edge over and over.

If that is what we are to expect from him, I say, let Gangwish and Freedom play opposite of each other and see if GMc can get his head on right in the meantime.

 
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Thanks_Tom RR said:
Freedom has looked good for a freshman. I am inclined to agree with the notion to play Gangwish and Freedom together a bit more over McMullen. I was hoping for big things from GMc this year, but I think there is something wrong. I don't know if he has some hangover from the coaching change or there is some other personal reason we don't know about, but GMc is constantly the last one off the ball by a significant amount. I know he has gained a lot of weight during the offseason, but I am inclined to think his problem is more mental than physical because our DT, who weigh about the same as him, are getting a faster jump almost every play. As a result, he is getting so little pressure from his side and conceding the edge over and over.

If that is what we are to expect from him, I say, let Gangwish and Freedom play opposite of each other and see if GMc can get his head on right in the meantime.
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I have been "defending" Davie as more of a product or result of scheme than as a player. With that being said, this staff with that move, has proved they will bench a starter if it might improve the overall play of the team. That is something we haven't seen in 7 years. This speaks volumes of the desire to win as well as showing some leadership 3 games in with a new staff and a lot of kids still admiring Bo. I am anxious to see what they do with Gangs when he returns as well as GMc.... He (and the whole vaunted DL) have been underwhelming.....

With MRI being out 4 weeks (read that yesterday), Bando still not 100% (observations from Sat), VV nursing a high ankle sprain (see Martinez and the lingering issue) and we could be in for a lean stretch until they all get healthy. As someone pointed out, if MRI is out for 4 more weeks, it will not be until game 8 until we have all of our starting D on the field.... Bad injuries looking at our complete lack of depth.

 
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