***The Nebraska Defense - Blackshirts 2021***

FTW said:
We’re one elite pass rusher away and run stopper away from becoming a dangerous defense otherwise we are beatable inside the tackles and underneath and throws to the outside. Maybe they’re coached not to give up the big play over the top.
 

Seems like most big plays we give up on defense are communication errors or fundamental issues (tackling, over pursuing.) A couple blitzes at Rattler were complete whiffs by the defense leaving a receiver open. Those blitzes gotta get there fast. However, I love their aggression and the way we fly to the football. I think that will continue to improve each week.
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Listening to the pod cast that Nick Bahe and Bo Ruud did on the game, it was explained that the defensive game plan for this game was to keep everything in front of them.  Do NOT give up the big play.  Make them march down the field and hopefully make a mistake.  This offense is one of the most explosive offenses in the country and they live off of big plays.  The defensive scheme for this game worked.

And....I'm not sure why you think we need a "run stopper".  Our defense has been pretty good against the run.

 
BigRedBuster said:
Listening to the pod cast that Nick Bahe and Bo Ruud did on the game, it was explained that the defensive game plan for this game was to keep everything in front of them.  Do NOT give up the big play.  Make them march down the field and hopefully make a mistake.  This offense is one of the most explosive offenses in the country and they live off of big plays.  The defensive scheme for this game worked.

And....I'm not sure why you think we need a "run stopper".  Our defense has been pretty good against the run.
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A few things stand out to me as to why:

1.) 81st against the run

2.) 65th in TFL’s

3.) 92nd 3rd down defense

4.) 106th in giving up first downs

5.) 87th red zone defense 

Oh, and we play in the B1G. That’s why we need a stout run stopper on the DL and somebody at LB. We don’t really have anybody that is a difference maker at those spots against the run.

 
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FTW said:
A few things stand out to me as to why:

1.) 81st against the run

2.) 65th in TFL’s

3.) 92nd 3rd down defense

4.) 106th in giving up first downs

5.) 87th red zone defense 

Oh, and we play in the B1G. That’s why we need a stout run stopper on the DL and somebody at LB. We don’t really have anybody that is a difference maker at those spots against the run.
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I'm not sure how #3 is fixed with a run stopper, but it does need to get better.  People can disagree with this if they want because I can't prove it, but it really seems like we sold out to stop Oklahoma's passing game and didn't really care if they ran it down the field. In the other games I thought the run defense was good, we just have a frustrating habit of giving up chunk plays which make the numbers worse.

I know those plays still count, but I'd much rather have that than a team that just bleeds yards all the way down the field. Pass rush getting home and stopping the chunk plays are the steps we need to take to go from a good defense to a great one, I don't think we need another DL to take the run stopping step. That's on the 2nd and 3rd level guys filling more consistently.

To illustrate my point:

Team           YPC       YPC minus longest 2 runs

Illinois          3.5          2.3

Fordham     4.6          3.0

Buffalo        4.1          2.8

Oklahoma   5.5         4.8

To me it's just a consistency thing. We still gave up the yards, and I'm not trying to claim we're a top end run defense. But I think we're solid, and we were last year as well. You can really look at it either way, if people want to say the run defense is mediocre the numbers don't disagree. But I do think looking a little deeper we're a mostly excellent run defense that will get gashed once or twice a game. 

 
Toe said:
Is he trying to polish a turd (fewest points scored since 2016), or was our defense really that good?
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Our defense executed their game plan to almost perfection. We stayed in 2 deep coverage to prevent the long ball. Their longest pass play came off of a trick play. The biggest defect of this defense is the lack of havoc plays in sacks or turnovers.

 
whateveritis1224 said:
Our defense executed their game plan to almost perfection. We stayed in 2 deep coverage to prevent the long ball. Their longest pass play came off of a trick play. The biggest defect of this defense is the lack of havoc plays in sacks or turnovers.
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The worst thing about the trick play is it really looks like we were ready for it. I think Farmer misjudged the receiver's speed waited a split second too long to turn with him, and then the downside of looking back for the ball is exactly what happened - feet get tangled up and he goes down. I think he was beat bad enough that it wouldn't have mattered, but if he kept his footing and had his eyes on the receiver, he might have been able to at least rake his hands and maybe get a lucky breakup.

DB is such a lose-lose situation though - you look for the ball and miss it or trip and people are mad you looked back. You don't look for the ball, the receiver adjusts around you, and people are mad you didn't look back. And I have no idea what his technique was supposed to be on this play, they are taught to play the ball or play the man in different scenarios. 

 
I think what sticks out is that Chinander is doing what some of the other good coaches in the B1G (Ferentz, Fitzgerald, etc.) are doing: He's doing more with less.

That's not a knock on the talent level of our guys at all. It's an indication that he has a clear vision of how to succeed, he knows how to get his position coaches on the same page to put it all together, and he's motivating his side of the ball to put in max effort.

Really impressive.

 
Undone said:
I think what sticks out is that Chinander is doing what some of the other good coaches in the B1G (Ferentz, Fitzgerald, etc.) are doing: He's doing more with less.

That's not a knock on the talent level of our guys at all. It's an indication that he has a clear vision of how to succeed, he knows how to get his position coaches on the same page to put it all together, and he's motivating his side of the ball to put in max effort.

Really impressive.
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True. Coaching is about philosophy,  strategy, scheme, management, communication, player evaluation, on field analysis/adjustments and teaching ability. Then Adapting your approach a bit based on the ingredients/players you have available in order to maximize your end equation.

Not everyone has the same ability to teach and that is broken down into what to teach, how to teach it and how to get the most out of your practice time- effectiveness and efficiency. If your group isn't effective over the long haul it's a you problem- not a circumstances issue. Interestingly enough we have seen steady progress every year with Chins group. 

 
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Undone said:
I think what sticks out is that Chinander is doing what some of the other good coaches in the B1G (Ferentz, Fitzgerald, etc.) are doing: He's doing more with less.

That's not a knock on the talent level of our guys at all. It's an indication that he has a clear vision of how to succeed, he knows how to get his position coaches on the same page to put it all together, and he's motivating his side of the ball to put in max effort.

Really impressive.
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And, 18 months ago, everybody wanted him gone.  Patience paid off there.

 
Undone said:
I think what sticks out is that Chinander is doing what some of the other good coaches in the B1G (Ferentz, Fitzgerald, etc.) are doing: He's doing more with less.

That's not a knock on the talent level of our guys at all. It's an indication that he has a clear vision of how to succeed, he knows how to get his position coaches on the same page to put it all together, and he's motivating his side of the ball to put in max effort.

Really impressive.
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I got to thinking about this the other day.  This staff has been together at Nebraska now for 4 years with just a few changes.  Prior to Frost being hired, didn't we go through a number of years where just the DB coach changed every year.  We had DBs here for 4 years with a different coach every year.  That has to be a part of what has caused the improvement on that side of the ball.

The sad/frustrating thing is that it's not showing those results on the other side of the ball.

 
BigRedBuster said:
The sad/frustrating thing is that it's not showing those results on the other side of the ball.
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Exactly. And we could take this this discussion over to one of the other threads about our offense, but I do think a ton of fans are asking if Greg Austin is a good offensive line coach or not.

It's not like the defense has greater proportional talent to work with than the offensive line, at least in my opinion. If anything it's "equal," but I think the talent level is actually higher on the offense.

 
Undone said:
Exactly. And we could take this this discussion over to one of the other threads about our offense, but I do think a ton of fans are asking if Greg Austin is a good offensive line coach or not.

It's not like the defense has greater proportional talent to work with than the offensive line, at least in my opinion. If anything it's "equal," but I think the talent level is actually higher on the offense.
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In terms of rankings it is actually pretty darn close star ranking wise. 

 
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