If Nebraska makes staff changes on D and ST, will you feel better about 2016?

[VectorVictor]

I'd be down with giving Riley another year to get stuff straight if he jettisoned his DC and secondary coach, and possibly his OC as well.

But I'd like to see quality hires, and not just Riley buddy hires. Still would like to see us go after Randy Edsall or Kevin Steele as DC, for example.

 

[beorach]

I seriously don't understand the love affair for Scott Frost. If he wasn't from Nebraska would anyone even know who is he??

It always works out to go with someone who has former ties, though, didn't you know? We probably could have hired Charlie Strong, the best SEC DC looking to be an HC, but Bo had been here before. The bloom may be off that particular rose now, of course.

 

[Mavric]

Bo Pelini got his @ss kicked pretty good on defense in his first year in 2008. He ran his system. He finished 83rd in the nation in scoring defense, giving up 29.2 points per game.

Mark Banker has caught tons of flak for his garbage pass defense so far. He's running his system. He's currently 53rd in the nation, giving up 24.8 PPG.

And there's no differences in the how bad the defenses were the year before or the quality of offenses they were facing, right?

 

[Saunders]

Yes. Banker's D is an achilles heel to this team, and we won't win a Big Ten title with it.

On the latest Pick 6 podcast, Sam McKewon compared it to the 2007 D in a YPP aspect (2007: 6.08 - 2015: 5.96). Except instead of a bunch of top 20 offenses with amazing QB's and offenses (USC-JDB, Texas-McCoy, Mizzou-Daniel, Okie State-Robinson, KU-Reesing, etc.. ) all rated in the top 20-25, we've been playing teams ranking at the bottom of the country, and still giving up career numbers.

Sam basically said that fans have a legitimate reason to be concerned with the way the D is structured. Yes the rush D is "good" but it's also entirely focused on stopping the run, to the detriment of the pass D. We're giving up huge chunks of explosive plays (10+ yards, 112th) and are ranked 124th in 30+ yard plays (26 total), ahead of only New Mexico State, UTEP, and SMU.

 

[STL Husker]

I don't want to see any changes after year 1. You really have to give them a shot to implement their system with experienced players or you will always run into the excuse that they are learning a new system. This is the defense Riley wants to run so let's see if it works. If we force him to make changes then it just buys him more time. I say let's see what this defense can do once we can fill the depth chart at d-line and linebacker. We have to at least give the guy a fair shot.

 

[Danny Bateman]

Bo Pelini got his @ss kicked pretty good on defense in his first year in 2008. He ran his system. He finished 83rd in the nation in scoring defense, giving up 29.2 points per game.Mark Banker has caught tons of flak for his garbage pass defense so far. He's running his system. He's currently 53rd in the nation, giving up 24.8 PPG.

And there's no differences in the how bad the defenses were the year before or the quality of offenses they were facing, right?

Inheriting a defense that struggles with TACKLING should be a pretty good indicator of where they're at. That's a fact, regardless of how bad the D Bo inherited was.
Personal opinion, but I don't think the 2008 schedule was all that much harder than what we've got this year. And Banker's D is getting destroyed quite like Bo's did in big ones. We'll have to wait for the top 10 matchup for a clearer picture.

Danimal, you can only play the schedule you're given.

 

[Saunders]

Personal opinion, but I don't think the 2008 schedule was all that much harder than what we've got this year. And Banker's D is getting destroyed quite like Bo's did in big ones. We'll have to wait for the top 10 matchup for a clearer picture.

Other than facing 4 teams that finished in the top 15, and a bunch of really good (like set the scoring record good) offenses vs maybe 2 teams finishing in the top 15 and a bunch of average/bad offenses... sure.

 

[Blackshirt96]

They should get one more year, but they should be on a tight leash. Lots of injuries & a change in scheme is tough on a defense, even tougher when you look at the lack of depth they had to start with.

 

[GBRedneck]

We've seen how Riley performs within a comfort zone with his old compadres. Now you want to see how he performs breaking in some new staff? No thanks.

 

[Danny Bateman]

Personal opinion, but I don't think the 2008 schedule was all that much harder than what we've got this year. And Banker's D is getting destroyed quite like Bo's did in big ones. We'll have to wait for the top 10 matchup for a clearer picture.

Other than facing 4 teams that finished in the top 15, and a bunch of really good (like set the scoring record good) offenses vs maybe 2 teams finishing in the top 15 and a bunch of average/bad offenses... sure.

Nice try.
I'll give you that Mizzou, Oklahoma, and Tezas Tech were better than any offense we've faced. But it was them and Kansas and everyone else. Va Tech was no great shakes offensively. It was a weak non-con outside of them. Then Baylor, ISU, KSU, Colorado.

I'm shaking.

 

[Mavric]

Personal opinion, but I don't think the 2008 schedule was all that much harder than what we've got this year. And Banker's D is getting destroyed quite like Bo's did in big ones. We'll have to wait for the top 10 matchup for a clearer picture.

Other than facing 4 teams that finished in the top 15, and a bunch of really good (like set the scoring record good) offenses vs maybe 2 teams finishing in the top 15 and a bunch of average/bad offenses... sure.

... and we haven't played the two Top 15 teams yet this year so they're not in the stats yet.

 

[Danny Bateman]

Personal opinion, but I don't think the 2008 schedule was all that much harder than what we've got this year. And Banker's D is getting destroyed quite like Bo's did in big ones. We'll have to wait for the top 10 matchup for a clearer picture.

Other than facing 4 teams that finished in the top 15, and a bunch of really good (like set the scoring record good) offenses vs maybe 2 teams finishing in the top 15 and a bunch of average/bad offenses... sure.

... and we haven't played the two Top 15 teams yet this year so they're not in the stats yet.

Like I said, this needs to be revisited at the end of the year.

 

[Saunders]

Personal opinion, but I don't think the 2008 schedule was all that much harder than what we've got this year. And Banker's D is getting destroyed quite like Bo's did in big ones. We'll have to wait for the top 10 matchup for a clearer picture.

Other than facing 4 teams that finished in the top 15, and a bunch of really good (like set the scoring record good) offenses vs maybe 2 teams finishing in the top 15 and a bunch of average/bad offenses... sure.

Nice try.
I'll give you that Mizzou, Oklahoma, and Tezas Tech were better than any offense we've faced. But it was them and Kansas and everyone else. Va Tech was no great shakes offensively. It was a weak non-con outside of them. Then Baylor, ISU, KSU, Colorado.

I'm shaking.

In 2008 we faced:

Western Michigan - #26

San Jose State - #112

New Mexico State - #78

Virginia Tech - #79

Missouri - #5

Texas Tech - #4

Iowa State - #56

Baylor - #63

Oklahoma - #2

Kansas - #19

Kansas State - #47

Colorado - #99

Average: 49

In 2015 we have:

BYU - #17

S. Alabama - #91

Miami - #73

S. Miss - #8

Illinois - #88

Wisconsin - #41

Minnesota - #107

Northwestern - #89

Purdue - #108

MSU - #35

Rutgers - #58

Iowa - #61

Average: #65

in 2008, we faced 5 top 30 offense 3 of which were top 5. This year, we're looking at 2 (although Sparty may climb after they play us).

Plus, 2015 numbers will continue to go down as conference play goes on.

 

[Danny Bateman]

So, we're talking about a difference of 16 spots in offenses they've faced, versus 30 spots in the scoring they've allowed? Hmmm.

It's really a moot argument anyway until we see how we play these last four games. I am hopeful though.

 

[khaake]

I'm not convinced the D will be a problem going forward. The defense has not been good, but it was new and seems to be improving. I'm willing to give it another year. If we struggle next season anywhere close to how we did in the first half of this season, then I would be 100% behind going a different route.