Defense Evolution

M

MichiganDad3

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Is it just my memory or has the Pelini defense slowly changed from an attacking defense to a bend but don't break defense. When Bo came in under Solich I recall a huge increase in interceptions. When Pelini replaced Callahan, I remember a huge increase in sacks. In 2010 sacks were down, rushing yardage surrendered was up. In 2011, the defense lined up a yeard off the ball, defensive linemen refused to enter the offensive backfield, and there were few sacks, fumbles or interceptions.

I read that his is to control gaps, but it isn't working. Scrambling quarterbacks killed the defense, and yards allowed rushing bad poor.

Is Bo doing this to avoid the big play? There were a few costly ones in the past, but I hate a passive defense.

Is it just my poor memory, or do I have this correct?

 
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I believe it has always been a bend but don't break, read and react defense. It is one of the most successful schemes in all of college football and we're one of the few teams to run coverage like we do. (Maybe a team like Alabama when they had Saban).

In the end it is entirely about points. I think the reputation as an attacking defense is just incorrect. We need more dominant line play and without it, it doesn't *matter* what we run. Get beat up front, lose games.

 
it does seem like an attacking defense is what we had..........real or imagined, things seem less intimidating now.

 
In Bo's last year at LSU his Tigers accounted for

Interceptions - #4

Sacks - #27

Tackles for Loss - #71

I don't know that this screams "attacking defense" to me. Lord knows he had the athletes at all levels to do whatever he wanted.

 
Sort of. I think it was the scheme. I remember that one of his star safeties that year went and ran a 4.72 40 or something of that nature. The match read or whatever it's called that we run as a coverage scheme...I don't know if Bo is a huge blitzer.

 
honestly guys, the scheme hasn't changed at all... I think ppl sometimes forget just how big of an impact having a player like suh in pelinis first few years.... without a single destructive force on the D line that can pull a double/triple team and still get to the QB, then the team wont put as much pressure to cause those sacks/ints/fmbls

 
that being said, with a player like we had in lavonte last year, im surprised they didn't send a LB or corner on a blitz more regularly knowing david can make up for the lost defender

 
For Pelini's defense to be effective we have to get pressure from our defensive line, and have the secondary keep up with receivers. If you aren't going to blitz anyone the pressure has to come from your front four.

That being said the talent wasn't there last year like it has been previous years.

 
IMO, it doesn't take just an impact player. It takes 11-13 guys who can get plugged into their spots on defense and do a good job. Dominant line play is definitely the most important thing IMO, but Bo's defense stresses all 11 guys out on the field doing their job and focusing on the little things like Bo always talks about. The times when the D gets beat is when 1 or more guy isn't doing their job to the best of their ability. Last year, the D Line was as bad as I have seen in a while, and the back 7 wasn't much better. Lots of inexperience everywhere in the back 7.

This year, I expect a boost on the D-Line in intensity, resulting in more sacks and TFL. I also expect a lot more athleticism and consistency from the DB's like we have been hearing about all spring. The LB's are my make-or-break group, to be honest. I am optimistic about what Will Compton showed later in the year in 2011, and I expect him to be the leader of the defense in a big way, especially since he is a vocal guy. Just what you want out of your middle LB. From there, I have question marks. I think Whaley looked as good late in the year as he ever has, so he will be a solid contributor, but that 3rd LB spot is going to need someone to step up. I don't care who it is, but I would anticipate that to be Santos once he can get his head right. They talked a lot about Fisher, but the guy has just looked awful his entire career and I have zero expectations from him. It would be nice if Zaire Anderson or Michael Rose stepped up also, but we will see as time goes by.

 
HuskerShark said:
IMO, it doesn't take just an impact player. It takes 11-13 guys who can get plugged into their spots on defense and do a good job. Dominant line play is definitely the most important thing IMO, but Bo's defense stresses all 11 guys out on the field doing their job and focusing on the little things like Bo always talks about. The times when the D gets beat is when 1 or more guy isn't doing their job to the best of their ability. Last year, the D Line was as bad as I have seen in a while, and the back 7 wasn't much better. Lots of inexperience everywhere in the back 7.

This year, I expect a boost on the D-Line in intensity, resulting in more sacks and TFL. I also expect a lot more athleticism and consistency from the DB's like we have been hearing about all spring. The LB's are my make-or-break group, to be honest. I am optimistic about what Will Compton showed later in the year in 2011, and I expect him to be the leader of the defense in a big way, especially since he is a vocal guy. Just what you want out of your middle LB. From there, I have question marks. I think Whaley looked as good late in the year as he ever has, so he will be a solid contributor, but that 3rd LB spot is going to need someone to step up. I don't care who it is, but I would anticipate that to be Santos once he can get his head right. They talked a lot about Fisher, but the guy has just looked awful his entire career and I have zero expectations from him. It would be nice if Zaire Anderson or Michael Rose stepped up also, but we will see as time goes by.
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Well, if we could legally get 12 or 13 players on the field I HOPE we hold the other team.

I know what you are seeing

 
I also don't think we've changed schemes so much as don't have the same caliber personnel we had a couple years ago. We had about 8 NFL defenders on the field three years ago and that will pretty much make any scheme look good.

Bo's scheme definitely works better when you can get pressure from the front four. Of course, that's also true of a lot of schemes.

I think the downturn last year was mainly due to lack of experience trying to replace guys who'd started for 2-3 years and we couldn't afford to take any of those guys off the field because if we gave up a FG it might have cost us the game. If we can get our DTs healthy, I think we'll be on the way back up this year.

 
I hear what you're saying MichiganDad3 and it does seem that way.

In 2003 we saw an attacking defense that converted those into turnovers, but we had NFL caliber players in the defense. We saw great coverage skills plus Suh in 2009 and an experienced secondary in 2010 with a healthy Crick and newcomer David, again with NFL caliber defenders. In 2011, I think it was mostly in-experience in the secondary, injuries up-front, and just not a lot of cohesiveness within the unit. I don't mind that we aren't as attacking as we were in 2003, but I just want to be effective.

If we have to bring 7 and drop 4, then so be it. If we have to bring 2 and drop 9, then so be it too. I'm all for whatever works.

The defense can't get any worse than last year. 2011 to me seemed like 2008 defense. Bo first seeing new offenses [big XII compared to B1G Ten], so hopefully 2012 will be more like 2009 or 2010, without Suh of course.

 
The D-Line was the weak link last year. The more I think about it the lack of pressure from the D-Line was one of the reasons we saw guys like Cassidy play so much...we couldn't afford to have more athletic DB's out of position knowing we could not bring pressure. When Suh was wreaking havoc all those athletic DB's were excelling because they were benefiting from QB's making poor off-balance throws while Suh and others were bearing down. If we continue to play the defense like we did last year we will never win. My hope is that this was a personnel issue and not our defensive philosophy. I also have hope coach Kaz was brought in to re-invigorate the D-line and not teach contain, no pressure pattty cake defense.

 
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