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http://www.omaha.com/article/20100911/BIGRED/709119699
Chatelain: NU displays defensive evolution
By Dirk Chatelain
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER « Big Red TodayRSS SHARE
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LINCOLN — Let Idaho serve as a warning to every opponent on Nebraska’s schedule.
Don’t be foolish. Don’t be bold.
Forget spreading the field with four wide receivers. Forget picking apart these Huskers.
Ain’t happening.
Too much speed and athleticism in the defensive backfield. Too many ballhawks scheming their next pick-six.
No wonder the Brothers Pelini stated multiple times during the offseason that their 2010 defense could be better than in 2009 — when Nebraska had the best defense in the country.
On Saturday, the Blackshirts ruined Nathan Enderle’s homecoming in the rudest possible fashion. Each time Enderle let it fly, Nebraska had a 50-50 chance of catching it. At least it seemed that way.
“Shoot, I don’t know what the heck it was,” defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. “Seven sacks, six turnovers, scoring 14 defensive points, that’s a heck of a performance.”
Unfortunately, there is a potential red flag on this defense. We’ll get to that in a moment, but first a refresher course:
Bo and Carl came to Lincoln during an offensive renaissance in the Big 12. Spread offenses were putting speed in open space, executing short passes and lighting up scoreboards. As a result, defensive coordinators were losing their jobs.
The Pelinis constructed their defense with an emphasis on pass defense. The key was hybrid athletes — half linebacker, half defensive back — who could run sideline to sideline.
In short, they had to provide the Pelinis the best of both worlds: sure-handed tackling and competent cover skills.
A tall task.
But Bo and Carl found and developed those rare players, namely Eric Hagg and DeJon Gomes. The Pelinis turned the tables on spread offenses with a lineup full of dynamic 210-pound playmakers.
Nebraska went to Dallas in December and confused the best quarterback in the country, essentially exposing spread offenses nationwide.
Nine months later, the Blackshirts look better than ever. Saturday they were as intimidating as they were dominant.
“Their secondary, they play man for a reason,” said Idaho running back Deonte Jackson. “They have a bunch of great athletes.”
Said offensive coordinator Steve Axman: “Even times when we got some man separation, they caught up very quickly.”
On the Nebraska sideline, Carl Pelini was thrilled. He wanted his guys to let it loose, trust their instincts, be aggressive.
“Like I told our guys (Friday) night,” Carl Pelini said, “if you graded each guy last week, they all graded well. But you didn’t have that wow, that physicality factor.
“What I wanted to see this week was not just doing your job, but doing your job with a (ticked-off) attitude. ...
“That was something that was important to me. Put it together early in the season. Not wait until the fifth or sixth game like the last two years.”
But amid all the success, a question emerges:
Has Nebraska evolved too much? Is a defense that performs best with six defensive backs vulnerable to offenses that pound the rock?
Will someone in the near future expose the Huskers as soft against power?
“It’s a good question,” said Robb Akey, Idaho’s head coach. “Somebody’s going to try it.”
Maybe not Washington. But certainly Kansas State, with thumper Daniel Thomas. And maybe Oklahoma State, with Kendall Hunter.
Last week, Western Kentucky got 155 yards from Bobby Rainey. Idaho handed the ball to its running backs 11 times in the second quarter for 71 yards, then mostly abandoned the run because of a large deficit.
That’s the kiss of death against Nebraska.
If there’s a blueprint, it centers on running the ball and milking clock. Keeping the game close and the ball away from Taylor Martinez.
Maybe NU will wear down. Maybe an opponent can marginalize those playmaking hybrids and force the Pelinis to insert a couple of bigger, less experienced linebackers.
When it comes to beating the Blackshirts, there are no certainties.
Only maybes.
Chatelain: NU displays defensive evolution
By Dirk Chatelain
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER « Big Red TodayRSS SHARE
DiggNewsvinedel.icio.usRedditFacebookTwitterPRINT EMAIL Related News
» Ex-Husker Slauson excited, ready...
» NU focuses is on strategy, not...
» Race for top open, for NU and...
» Notes: Martinez says contact no...
» New assistant, complex help land...
LINCOLN — Let Idaho serve as a warning to every opponent on Nebraska’s schedule.
Don’t be foolish. Don’t be bold.
Forget spreading the field with four wide receivers. Forget picking apart these Huskers.
Ain’t happening.
Too much speed and athleticism in the defensive backfield. Too many ballhawks scheming their next pick-six.
No wonder the Brothers Pelini stated multiple times during the offseason that their 2010 defense could be better than in 2009 — when Nebraska had the best defense in the country.
On Saturday, the Blackshirts ruined Nathan Enderle’s homecoming in the rudest possible fashion. Each time Enderle let it fly, Nebraska had a 50-50 chance of catching it. At least it seemed that way.
“Shoot, I don’t know what the heck it was,” defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. “Seven sacks, six turnovers, scoring 14 defensive points, that’s a heck of a performance.”
Unfortunately, there is a potential red flag on this defense. We’ll get to that in a moment, but first a refresher course:
Bo and Carl came to Lincoln during an offensive renaissance in the Big 12. Spread offenses were putting speed in open space, executing short passes and lighting up scoreboards. As a result, defensive coordinators were losing their jobs.
The Pelinis constructed their defense with an emphasis on pass defense. The key was hybrid athletes — half linebacker, half defensive back — who could run sideline to sideline.
In short, they had to provide the Pelinis the best of both worlds: sure-handed tackling and competent cover skills.
A tall task.
But Bo and Carl found and developed those rare players, namely Eric Hagg and DeJon Gomes. The Pelinis turned the tables on spread offenses with a lineup full of dynamic 210-pound playmakers.
Nebraska went to Dallas in December and confused the best quarterback in the country, essentially exposing spread offenses nationwide.
Nine months later, the Blackshirts look better than ever. Saturday they were as intimidating as they were dominant.
“Their secondary, they play man for a reason,” said Idaho running back Deonte Jackson. “They have a bunch of great athletes.”
Said offensive coordinator Steve Axman: “Even times when we got some man separation, they caught up very quickly.”
On the Nebraska sideline, Carl Pelini was thrilled. He wanted his guys to let it loose, trust their instincts, be aggressive.
“Like I told our guys (Friday) night,” Carl Pelini said, “if you graded each guy last week, they all graded well. But you didn’t have that wow, that physicality factor.
“What I wanted to see this week was not just doing your job, but doing your job with a (ticked-off) attitude. ...
“That was something that was important to me. Put it together early in the season. Not wait until the fifth or sixth game like the last two years.”
But amid all the success, a question emerges:
Has Nebraska evolved too much? Is a defense that performs best with six defensive backs vulnerable to offenses that pound the rock?
Will someone in the near future expose the Huskers as soft against power?
“It’s a good question,” said Robb Akey, Idaho’s head coach. “Somebody’s going to try it.”
Maybe not Washington. But certainly Kansas State, with thumper Daniel Thomas. And maybe Oklahoma State, with Kendall Hunter.
Last week, Western Kentucky got 155 yards from Bobby Rainey. Idaho handed the ball to its running backs 11 times in the second quarter for 71 yards, then mostly abandoned the run because of a large deficit.
That’s the kiss of death against Nebraska.
If there’s a blueprint, it centers on running the ball and milking clock. Keeping the game close and the ball away from Taylor Martinez.
Maybe NU will wear down. Maybe an opponent can marginalize those playmaking hybrids and force the Pelinis to insert a couple of bigger, less experienced linebackers.
When it comes to beating the Blackshirts, there are no certainties.
Only maybes.
I'm not worried about being undersized as a team on defense because I'm pretty confident that the Pelini Bros can gameplan our defense to utilize our speed and playmaking ability to come up with some stops.
