Which was better, our D-line or our DBs?

[NUance]

Oh sure the D-lineman got all the ink this past season. (That hardly ever happens.) And Suh is all world, all everything. But look at the all-star defensive backfield we had:

 

CB: Prince is a NFL caliber lockdown corner. Heck, Gomes would start in nearly any other B12 backfield.

 

CB: Dennard was a rock solid performer. Rock solid. And only a soph. And playing opposite Prince!

 

FS: O'Hanlon. This is why we have a walk-on program in the first place. So we can find guys like Matty once in a blue moon.

 

SS: Asante. Can you remember a strong safety who can lay the wood better than Asante? Sure, maybe a couple of hits were borderline. Well, that’s because ball carriers start sliding about 2 yds earlier when Asante closes in.

 

 

A great defensive backfield helps out the D-line tremendously. And vice versa. Make no mistake, our D-line was GREAT. But our DBs may have been just as good in their own right. Maybe even better. And next year our defensive backfield will be better yet. 10X better.

[ESPY]

I'm of the opinion we will be able to successfully replace the losses at the safety positions with guys like PJ Smith & Hagg. BUT, I think we will struggle at least a little bit at first to make that transition. In spite of that, the Prince/Dennard/Gomes combo will prove to be quite the 3-headed monster on opposing offenses.

 

As far as the '09 crew is concerned, I'd say we would be hard-pressed to find a much better secondary in the nation. IMO those guys were among the best we've ever seen at Nebraska.

[EZ-E]

Our secondary WILL be the best in the nation next year no question. They should help out our young DL a ton.

[GSG]

Best part about this is the way these two areas work together. If the DBs have awesome coverage, then the D-line has more time to get to the QB. If the D-line gets to the QB quickly and/or destroys blockers, then the DBs have easier coverage and better chances to make tackles, picks, and deflections.

 

Thinking about next year keeps getting me amped up. Is it September yet?!

[junior4949]

You're DB's can only be as good as your DL will allow them to be. With a great DL, the DB's don't even have to be all that good to look great. On the flip side, you can have all World DB's and they'll look average if the DL can't get pressure.

[jnkyrdoff6]

Our secondary WILL be the best in the nation next year no question. They should help out our young DL a ton.

I think we've got some questions at safety.

 

I agree though with the OP. Our DBs did such a good job of coming up and sticking the receiver before they could get any YAC, which is huge against the BIG12 spread.

[NUance]

Plus we got three guys coming out of their RS year——Dijon Washington, Lazarri Middleton and Andrew Green. Thenarse and Blue back from injury. We gonna be loaded with DBs. Might see more of those one-LB and no-LB sets we saw in the Holiday Bowl.

[akhskrfan]

Best part about this is the way these two areas work together. If the DBs have awesome coverage, then the D-line has more time to get to the QB. If the D-line gets to the QB quickly and/or destroys blockers, then the DBs have easier coverage and better chances to make tackles, picks, and deflections.

 

Thinking about next year keeps getting me amped up. Is it September yet?!

 

 

Agreed, they do go hand in hand, even the best DB's can only cover a WR for so long. As amazing as Suh (and the rest of the d-line) was against Texas it was impressive to watch the secondary. On many of the plays there was nowhere for McCoy to throw the ball.

[chamrocck]

I almost have to consider that perhaps the most impressive job done was with the secondary. Do you remember how badly we would get torched consistently under the old coaching staff? O'Hanlon is night and day with the Pelini's vs. those other guys. Prince and Dennard doing a great job. We got a good final year out of Asante. And I really liked Gomes on the field. I think Hagg still needs to get better and can do so. Looking forward to return of Blue and Thenarse. And of course the emergence of P.J. Smith!

[ESPY]

Watch these awesome Blackshirt highlights & you can appreciate both. :bonez

[sd'sker]

Best part about this is the way these two areas work together. If the DBs have awesome coverage, then the D-line has more time to get to the QB. If the D-line gets to the QB quickly and/or destroys blockers, then the DBs have easier coverage and better chances to make tackles, picks, and deflections.

 

Thinking about next year keeps getting me amped up. Is it September yet?!

that is exactly right, and what i planned on posting when i read the op. we would always get pressure on the qb from either blitzing or our great coverage. i think we had a lot of coverage sacks. if the blitzed, they were getting there too quick for the qb to do anything, if only the front four pressured, the qb would take too long finding an open receiver. either way there is constant pressure, must be hard for a qb (and oc) to figure out.

[Enhance]

Great offenses and defenses start on the lines, without exception. So, the line gets my vote.

[NoKoolAidForME]

Normally I would agree that both help each other. But when I the game no quarterback was able to stand comfortably in the pocket and look the field. I think the OU game is a perfect example of that. All season long QB's were running for the life. Spread offenses are timing offenses and that timing was utterly disrupted by the line as a whole.

[EZ-E]

Our secondary WILL be the best in the nation next year no question. They should help out our young DL a ton.

I think we've got some questions at safety.

 

I agree though with the OP. Our DBs did such a good job of coming up and sticking the receiver before they could get any YAC, which is huge against the BIG12 spread.

 

Sure we lost our two starters. But we dont have questions about being able to replace the ones we lost, just who will do it.

 

Bo Pelini's forte is safties and corners. I am not at all worried about finding two servicable safties to play next year.

[ESPY]

Our secondary WILL be the best in the nation next year no question. They should help out our young DL a ton.

I think we've got some questions at safety.

 

I agree though with the OP. Our DBs did such a good job of coming up and sticking the receiver before they could get any YAC, which is huge against the BIG12 spread.

 

Sure we lost our two starters. But we dont have questions about being able to replace the ones we lost, just who will do it.

 

Bo Pelini's forte is safties and corners. I am not at all worried about finding two servicable safties to play next year.

So who do you think will lead the way at the safety positions when spring ball starts up? I'm thinking PJ Smith & Thenarse. And I think Haag would also do quite well in that role.