Monday with Mike: Defensive Issues

[Saunders]

Compton and Fisher's experience don't count for much at this point. They were unknowns to begin with. Fisher was promising last year, but so were guys like Sirles, who ended up just being average. Our defense has been great the past two years playing mostly 5/6 DB, because they were the best players we could put on the field.

 

Once Fisher went down we essentially replaced him with a DB because that gave us our best 11 (even with the shoddy safety play at the start of the year).

 

I think it's hard to say we don't have a lot to replace on defense. But improving safety play would be huge for us. If safeties and DL have a resurgence, it's gonna be a show.

Fisher was already the odd man out from '09 though. When we went 5 DB's, Hagg took his spot. Same with Compton-Gomes. We NEED beef. 195lb DB's aren't gonna stop Wisconsin's downhill run game. It's different when you're covering scatbacks and 4 WR sets all game long. Less than half of the B10 runs a spread.

[zoogs]

I think we do need beef, saunders. Our D might look a lot different next year than it did the past two.

 

knapp - very different situations. A limited and raw QB who dazzled with his feet, but struggled with inconsistency and other things, vs a guy who is just a year below and has a lot of the athleticism and a lot more of the passing skills. I'm definitely excited about Brion.

 

I'm excited about Fisher too (if he comes back well from his injury) but the spot he is taking belonged to the former, just graduated centerpiece of the defense.

[PaulCrewe]

Less than half of the B10 runs a spread.

Penn State, Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana, Minnesota, all spread based. To go further, Ohio St, Iowa and Michigan all run a lot of spread formations and at times are most productive when they did so.

Wisconsin and MSU were pretty much the two teams that didn't run a version of the spread as their primary offense. That is why I do not buy the peso is dead arguement. Yes the passing atttacks are going to be lesser, but these teams all will show a lot of spread formations next year.

[iowahusker09]

although these teams run a version of a spread they are still not the small quick spreads we are used to seeing. As an iowa student with season tickets, i have seen every big ten team play and seen true spread teams like arizona come in. The spread is a merely a playbook. They dont play as fast but they definitely play bigger.

 

Another common trend i notice in the big ten is that every playcall is strategic. With the exception of ohio st, teams just dont bring in the talent that is in the big 12. Nobody just throws the ball down field the whole game like say a ttech or okst did. The 50-49 games are over. expect teams to come out, play field position, and try to wear you down and beat you in the fourth quarter. The offenses arent as prolific but that doesnt mean the games will be less exciting. Expect to have 6 conference games decided by 1 possession regardless of whether we are 11-0 or 0-11

[Saunders]

Less than half of the B10 runs a spread.

Penn State, Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana, Minnesota, all spread based. To go further, Ohio St, Iowa and Michigan all run a lot of spread formations and at times are most productive when they did so.

Wisconsin and MSU were pretty much the two teams that didn't run a version of the spread as their primary offense. That is why I do not buy the peso is dead arguement. Yes the passing atttacks are going to be lesser, but these teams all will show a lot of spread formations next year.

Indiana, Minny, and UM all have new coaches. I know Michigan is going with a pro style. Iowa is a pro style. The only true "spread" teams like what we are used to seeing are Northwestern, Purdue, and Illinois (although Indiana with Keven Wilson may go that way). Also, none of these teams run the breakneck no huddle like Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Missouri, Kansas, and Baylor did.