Pre-Season Pressers

floridacorn said:
I watched the Steelers opening game & interestingly found them playing Chinanders "TITE" formation the entire game as their base defense.  The key difference between these D's, the Georgia & Alabama's of the world & what I've seen of Chinanders D to date are sub-packages.  These teams all remove a 3-4 DE & spin their OLB's down to a 4-3 DE.  Where Chinander dating back to UCF has been married to his base D far more.  Prior to late last season, I've never noticed him switch, but that doesn't mean he didn't.  

I think NU's is on the right track with "OLB's" like Nelson, Cooper, & Payne, & I prefer their 3-4 scheme, but I think Chinander's sub-package D has to evolve for him to become a high level DC.
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Do you attribute this to inexperience or could it be personnel (talent/abilities)? I might be too optimistic but I think we'll see progress as they get more of the talent they wanted developing in the program.

 
I agree with a lot of the comments here.  What I have noticed is that our OLB's get stuck in no man's land a lot.  I think when you watch some of the better 3-4's you see a very active OLBs and probably a pretty good safety that blitzes a lot.  Ours seem to stand at the line of scrimmage and just engage linemen.  

 
Wistrom Disciple said:
Do you attribute this to inexperience or could it be personnel (talent/abilities)? I might be too optimistic but I think we'll see progress as they get more of the talent they wanted developing in the program.
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I think what pretty much everybody would agree on is that the talent has to be quite a bit better than a guy like Alex Davis playing the position last year.

After the 2018 season I thought Chinander's philosophy was sub-par, but I've changed my mind on that. His scheme & fits are probably just fine - but he needs more athleticism at linebacker than what he's had the past two seasons for sure.

That said...Jovan Dewitt got fired - probably more for the special teams play that he was in charge of (which I realize is pure speculation on my part). But...he was also coaching OLBs as well. That position needs all the help it can get and better coaching is surely a part of the equation also.

*Edit: But like I said a few posts up, what I remember from the Minnesota game was four starting linebackers that looked like they didn't know where to be and where each other were on the field. It was bad.

 
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Undone said:
*Edit: But like a said a few posts up, what I remember from the Minnesota game was four starting linebackers that looked like they didn't know where to be and where each other were on the field. It was bad.
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We see eye-to-eye. Linebackers have been probably the most disappointing position on the defensive side since Bo left. I was really hoping Ruud would be a savant out there and be able to coach the guys up but there's been a learning curve. It will help once some of these young guys get on the field but until then we're stuck with who we have. 

 
Wistrom Disciple said:
We see eye-to-eye. Linebackers have been probably the most disappointing position on the defensive side since Bo left. I was really hoping Ruud would be a savant out there and be able to coach the guys up but there's been a learning curve. It will help once some of these young guys get on the field but until then we're stuck with who we have. 
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I've felt like LB is our biggest deficiency on D for years now. We haven't had a linebacker of note since Lavonte David left in 2011! Dewitt got the axe, and it wouldn't surprise me if Ruud is on the hotseat in the next year or two...

 
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Toe said:
I've felt like LB is our biggest deficiency on D for years now. We haven't had a linebacker of note since Lavonte David left in 2011! Dewitt got the axe, and it wouldn't surprise me if Ruud is on the hotseat in the next year or two...
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I thought Luke Gifford was very good, unfortunately coaching changed and injuries hampered his NU career.  He does play for the cowboys, so there's that.

But to your point, yes the linebackers have been week.  You could add a rush end to the list of "not haves" for the last so many years.

 
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Undone said:
Totally different train of thought: The fall camp practice video that would make me happiest right now would be Chase Contreraz kicking off and sending it deep into the end zone.

That's all I'm really asking for against Ohio State.    :lol:
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That's awesome I forgot about our new kicker.  Can I add some low set bar objectives for the Ohio State game, because it sounds fun?

1.  No unblocked running back coming out of the back field for a wide open catch, and running for 20 yards, before being touched by a defender.

2.  Limit the broken play wide open 40+ td pass to 2

3.  Make them punt at lest 4 times

4.  Keep them under 50, score at least 20

 
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MyBloodIsRed16 said:
I agree with a lot of the comments here.  What I have noticed is that our OLB's get stuck in no man's land a lot.  I think when you watch some of the better 3-4's you see a very active OLBs and probably a pretty good safety that blitzes a lot.  Ours seem to stand at the line of scrimmage and just engage linemen.  
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This annoys the hell out of me when we do this. We have Tannor basically be a stand up DE taking on the OT. We need to move him around and blitz from multiple gaps and even the outside. Otherwise why not just play a 4th DL who can take on those blocks better?

 
Wistrom Disciple said:
Do you attribute this to inexperience or could it be personnel (talent/abilities)? I might be too optimistic but I think we'll see progress as they get more of the talent they wanted developing in the program.
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My educated guess would be simplicity/uniformity.  Alabama for example can transition from a 3-4 OVER front to a 4-3 OVER front by simply removing the strong side DE or 5th man on the LOS when opponent removes TE.  They can spin a DB down to OLB to play nickle or dime, they can spin an OLB down to DE, but every positions techniques and assignment remain the same in their quarters coverage scheme.     

For Chinander to do that from the TITE formation, all the interior techniques and assignments would change from their base D.

 
lo country said:
Any word on Held's mysterious cryptic tweet?  Might have missed it.
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Rumor I heard was he was referring to Manning but I have nothing to back it up.  The source is typically credible but he wasn't 100%.  Slightly more than pure speculation so take it for what it is.  

 
Hilltop said:
Rumor I heard was he was referring to Manning but I have nothing to back it up.  The source is typically credible but he wasn't 100%.  Slightly more than pure speculation so take it for what it is.  
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Saw another board mentioning him that didn't sound too great.......Hoping that this isn't it.  Unsure if the tweet was related to Manning....Appreciate it.

Why can't we have nice things?

 
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