Jones and Murrillo??

[huskersals24]

I can't remember back to last year if Jones came at semester and participated in the spring drills and game, or if he came in the fall? Or Bowman the year before for that matter. I am wondering because it too both of them a little bit during the season to catch on, but since Murillo is there now for the spring, summer, and fall, does that help him, and allow that learning curve that Jones/Bowman did or didn't have? Thanks.

[foote_21]

If my memory serves me correct... both Jones and Bowman came in fall. So yes, hopefully this will give Murrillo a good head start.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

You memory is correct. Both Bowman and Jones didn't start until fall camp their respective years.

[Hawkeyehusker]

since Murillo is there now for the spring, summer, and fall, does that help him, and allow that learning curve that Jones/Bowman did or didn't have? Thanks.

 

 

Huge difference between this season and last one. Bowman blew his knee out just before the season started last year and it left Coz and Elmo scrambling. Losing Bowman was again a huge blow but we should be ok. I'm sure Murillo knows he has a huge opportunity here and he'll step up. Hopefully he will see a lot of action in our non-conference slate. Even though Bowman will be less than 100% for most of the season, I think our secondary will be a top notch unit by the time we're playing for the conference championship. Murillo is talented, Jones started to pick it up a bit as the season ended last year. Plus we actually have depth now.

 

Actually even with Bowman out for six months, I think the biggest question mark on our defense will be our defensive line. You don't lose the type of talent on the line that we did and not have it felt on the field.

[DJR313]

Murillo is still 3 years behind Grixby though, so I wouldn't hand him the starting spot. He is going to be more adapted than Bowman and Jones come time for the first game, though.

[CowboyBob]

I'm told that Spring Ball helps incredibly.

[huskers1]

I think we will be fine. The loss of Bowman makes me pretty mad but we still have three maybe four very able corners. Plus it is still april pretty much, which means there is a ton of time before the season starts. Best case is Bowman makes it back before the season opener, worst case he makes it back before the missou game. HE WILL BE BACK EITHER WAY. He might not be at full strength, however it still makes a big difference to have a 6'2 corner in there even at 80%. If nothing else it gives Thenarse some needed experience for next year. We are fine, but yes it sure does suck!!

[DJR313]

I'm told that Spring Ball helps incredibly.

 

15 practices < 3 full years

[Hunter94]

ok, at the risk of making people angry, the bottom line is most of these guys have little if any game experience from last year, except Grixby (cough) so the entire defense will need time to gel, practice is good, but game experience is where things are solidfied for all these guys. we can only specualte that we will be fine at this point in time, but i think our inexperience will show through the first 3-4 games at least. as Thenarse found out last year, he got his ass constantly beat, just in practice, this ain't gonna be pretty, at least in the beginning.

[strigori]

The problem is, we have only 1 game to really get experiance with before we really get pushed hard. Nevada wont just lay down for us either. Wake and USC we cant afford to have defensive issues if we want to win those. And unless grixby has had an Extreme Makeover: Football Edition, those games worry me alot more now than they did last week. We may again find ourselves in a place where we cant blitz becuase the corners are not reliable enough.

[chuckd]

The problem is, we have only 1 game to really get experiance with before we really get pushed hard. Nevada wont just lay down for us either. Wake and USC we cant afford to have defensive issues if we want to win those. And unless grixby has had an Extreme Makeover: Football Edition, those games worry me alot more now than they did last week. We may again find ourselves in a place where we cant blitz becuase the corners are not reliable enough.

 

I think our inability to blitz linebackers last year had more to do with our lack of safety help compunded with poor corner play. Regardless of Bowman's status (and barring injuries) there is no way corner play will be worse. Jones has experience and with experience comes confidence. Murillo seems to have the tools, he just needs experience and confidence, hopefully the confidence will come early for him. Grixby can't be any worse. He still may not be all-world, but he isn't going to be worse. And one thing I will guarentee you is that our safety play is going to be better. You can talk about being unproven, yadda, yadda, but if you don't think having either Asante or Thenarse is an improvement over last year, then you are only kidding yourself.

 

I'm not saying our secondary are going to be world beaters next year, but barring more injuries there is no reason to believe that it will be any worse.

[pigsonthewing]

man yall keep blaming grixby, which isnt entirely undeserved, but doesnt anybody realize how bad our safety play was last year? even the best DB's get smoked when they are on an island all alone, which is pretty much the status quo for our corners last year. good safety play makes mediocre corners look like all conference players.

 

just please take that into consideration before you crucify everyone's favorite scapegoat, Grixby, who has done nothing but play his @#$%ing ass off ever since he arrived on campus and showing nothing but class while everyone, including the safeties, left him for dead.

[huskers1]

Ya our safety play was a HUGE part of the problem last year. Just getting Shanle out of there alone will make our secondary that much better, and fill in Asante or Thenarse and that is five times better. Something I dont understand is why Thenarse got moved to safety this year. Last year we had a former 8 man high school all star playing and they keep him at corner. I realize they needed him there for depth issues, but wouldnt it now make sense to move him back to corner?

[pigsonthewing]

Ya our safety play was a HUGE part of the problem last year. Just getting Shanle out of there alone will make our secondary that much better, and fill in Asante or Thenarse and that is five times better. Something I dont understand is why Thenarse got moved to safety this year. Last year we had a former 8 man high school all star playing and they keep him at corner. I realize they needed him there for depth issues, but wouldnt it now make sense to move him back to corner?

Thenarse's killer instinct is needed at SS. As of right now we dont know a whole lot about Asante because he has yet to play a down of D-1 Football. Either way at least we have a little depth at SS. Brian Wilson, who knows.

 

Im curious to see where Corey Young and Anthony West end up.

[strigori]

Yeah, safety play has been awful last year and didnt help, but from Coz's own mouth he talked about to being able to blitz like they would have liked because of the DBs unable to play a solid man converage. It is too bad Wilson and Young are out for spring ball, we need those guys with all the reps they can get. Solid DB play could well determine how far we go this year. We do not want to get into shootouts every week. Many of our conference opponents return some damn good WRs. And right now, our CBs are still the achilies heel of this team.