NU Defense

[TheCheshireCat]

Most magazines talk about Kansas' offense vs. our defense, but is our D really expected to be that good? I always worry about the secondary, as I'm sure the line with Suh will be just fine. I always hold my breath in fear every time the opponent launches one deep and I realize that the only thing standing in the way of a 70 yard TD is Larry Asante.

 

Will our D be able to make up for a young and inexperienced offense?

[jonnyhuska]

Well pressure from the D-line obviously reduces the pressure on the secondary. Although we improved greatly on the defensive front last year, I still feel that we need create more pressure and control the running game before we are able to improve in our secondary. Even the best safety relies on the pressue on the quarterback to make consistant reads. Suh is obviously a threat, however he is one man who can only do so much.

[TheCheshireCat]

Very true. I'm interested to see how Steinkuhler will step up and how good he'll be. If we can have one other good D-Line player along with Suh, that should do wonders for us. I always hope for a stout defense above a high-powered offense. There's nothing like watching your opponent get stifled and run down.

[jonnyhuska]

Baker will be a huge addition to a young and developing defense, however I don't seem him playing a huge role this year. Hopefully someone other than our "touted" players will step up and make contributions this year. I hope players wont be relying on the skills of Suh, because at any moment he could go down and someone must step up. I do see our offense carrying this team for another year or so because we simply have more talent and experience there. Our defense is only one season under Pelini where our offense has been under Watson since Callahan.

[Scarlet Overkill]

I don't know the answer, but I thought I literally saw a whole bunch of lightbulbs going on simultaneously during the bowl game. It helps when the opposing QB is an immobile target, but overall I think they were really starting to get how to play REAL defense then. Now, when they start playing against spread offenses, that seems to be a whole new ball game.

 

One thing is for sure, it will be fun watching these young defensive players grow up in this system and being able to see progress is sure exciting.

[JTrain]

34th.

[SECHusker]

I think we have the potential to be real good. Our D-line should be solid to great with a lot of experience. The linebackers are physically more talented and should gain more experience as time progresses. If Hagg is back at safety there should be more flexibility at the DB position and Prince should be a solid to good corner. I would say top 30 D. with the potential to be the best in the conference.

[jayhawker]

I think we have the potential to be real good. Our D-line should be solid to great with a lot of experience. The linebackers are physically more talented and should gain more experience as time progresses. If Hagg is back at safety there should be more flexibility at the DB position and Prince should be a solid to good corner. I would say top 30 D. with the potential to be the best in the conference.

The top D in the B12 last year finished at 51. But in your defense (like what i did there) you finished 55 last year so you might be able to get down to the 30 - 40 area, maybe, but not likely in the B12

[caveman99]

I think we have the potential to be real good. Our D-line should be solid to great with a lot of experience. The linebackers are physically more talented and should gain more experience as time progresses. If Hagg is back at safety there should be more flexibility at the DB position and Prince should be a solid to good corner. I would say top 30 D. with the potential to be the best in the conference.

The top D in the B12 last year finished at 51. But in your defense (like what i did there) you finished 55 last year so you might be able to get down to the 30 - 40 area, maybe, but not likely in the B12

It will be interesting to see what Big XII defenses can do this year. I think last year was the result of several years of teams focusing recruiting on offense to keep up with the Jones if you will. Below is a list of the national rankings of the top 2 defenses in the conference for 2008 and the five previous years.

 

Year - 1st Conf. Total D/Nat. Rank - 2nd Conf. Total D/Nat. Rank

2008 - UT/51st - NU/55th

2007 - KU/12th - OU/26th

2006 - OU/16th - UT/22nd

2005 - UT/10th - KU/11th

2004 - OU/13th - MU/14th

2003 - OU/3rd - KSU/6th

 

2008 sticks out like a sore thumb. The first team falls mainly in the 10-20 range nationally, but the interesting part is that the second team fell off a bit more the last 3 years.

 

How will NU do? I think NU can get up into the top 30 range this year. Carl and Bo were operating a mismatched unit last year. This year there is quality talent in positions that they are best suited for. The D-Line will be tough. Last year NU's rushing D improved by about 115 yds/game and from 116th nationally to ranking 21st nationally. It wasn't just the improved TOP that helped that either. NU improved the average YPC against from 5.24 in 2007 to 3.62 in 2008. BIG difference. Sacks per game also went up drastically from 1.08 sacks/game in 2007 ranking 112th nationally to 2.69 sacks/game in 2008 ranking 14th nationally. Of the 35 total sacks in 2008, NU's D-line accounted for 27.5 of them. The D-Line will still be nasty this year, which sets the tone for the rest of the defense. Assuming NU replicates the D-Line output from last year, another year in the system will allow the back 7 to force more turnovers. This is the biggest area for improvement still on D. NU was not good at it last year. I think NU moves up to middle of the pack or even better this year and that will result in a much tougher D and frankly several more wins.

[caveman99]

Baker will be a huge addition to a young and developing defense, however I don't seem him playing a huge role this year. Hopefully someone other than our "touted" players will step up and make contributions this year. I hope players wont be relying on the skills of Suh, because at any moment he could go down and someone must step up. I do see our offense carrying this team for another year or so because we simply have more talent and experience there. Our defense is only one season under Pelini where our offense has been under Watson since Callahan.

I disagree, Baker will get a lot of minutes this fall. Crick and Suh will be the starters, but Baker is too talented not to get on the field. He is a beast in waiting from all of the reports I have heard and read. If it wasn't for Crick becoming a monster in his own right this offseason, Baker would be starting. NU has a great top 3 at the DT spot, issue is depth behind them. Moore is decent but not great and it falls off from there. I think Randle is a stud, but he needs to RS this year and add some weight.

[Landlord]

The last time that Bo Pelini took over a Nebraska defense that finished ranked in the 50's or 60's, the next year they were 11th.

 

 

 

Just saying.

[Spooky Tooth]

Most magazines talk about Kansas' offense vs. our defense, but is our D really expected to be that good? I always worry about the secondary, as I'm sure the line with Suh will be just fine. I always hold my breath in fear every time the opponent launches one deep and I realize that the only thing standing in the way of a 70 yard TD is Larry Asante.

 

Will our D be able to make up for a young and inexperienced offense?

 

 

This season we'll see very quickly how important and (sometimes) under-rated Ty Stein was as a D tackle. Reports from spring ball (always rosy, I know....) give me hope with Crick, Moore and Baker. But Ty was far more important to the D last year than many outside the program realized.

[Pedro Guerrero]

This defense will be helped out statistically by playing a bunch of crappy or green offensive teams. The schedule is definitely there to help out in that area. We won’t know how good they really are until the OU game.

 

If we are basing the “how good” they are by effort and mistake free football then I think they should be solid in those regards.

 

Unknowns

Barry Turner’s recovery

All of the Linebackers

The DB’s pass coverage

Replacing Ty Steinkuhler

[mebeinme]

I would say were like 28th at the end of the season cause the line is there. the line backer will be better than last year cause they will have a better understanding (being two years in instead of just the spring the last group had.) and also better prepared to cover (whaley's a athlete and fisher is a converted saftey) so that helps out the secondary and allows guy like asante and thenarse to be who they are (safties not 4th and 5th cb) also adding to that is the cb west will be just as good as murillo(and if he's not blue or dennard will) and prince will be better. mix in good defensive coaching and were at least 28th.

[HSKRNOKC]

I have put a 20 on being in the top two in conference. Maybe the best.