McBride vs Pelini

[hskerprid]

I was watching a few of the classic Husker matchups in the 90's from my collection. I've always wondered why McBride would crowd the line with linebackers like Farley and Williams. I know that it creates confusion for the line and QB but why don't we see Pelini doing it more? Does he really need to do it with his scheme?

 

It seems that as a defensive coordinator that you would want to create as much confusion as possible. Now, I don't propose to know anywhere near what Bo does when it comes to defense. It seems that at times we let the Offense come to us instead of attacking as much as our great defenses of the past. We profess to be an attacking defense but after comparing the McBride vs Pelini defenses I would say that McBride's style was much more agressive.

 

I realize that in order to pull off what we did in the 90's that you have to have lock down corners and strong safeties. Which is what we had with Prince and Dennard not to mention a couple of other good safeties.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love what Pelini puts on the field. I wanted to start a discussion on the nuances of both defenses and why the McBride model isn't implemented more.

[zoogs]

I've often seen our D referred to as a read-and-react system. I guess it's kinda like how it is with the offense. Our D is Bo's system. While it may be different from the one we had success with in the 90s, that was then, and this is now. At least that's how I look at it.

 

You do bring up a good point though. We have this rep as an attacking D and I'm not so sure that isn't a misconception.

[Hercules]

McBride would crowd the line with linebackers because he loved to blitz all the time. So we would show blitz basically every play, and the QB never knew who was coming or not. I'm not sure why we don't do that more now, it may just be that we want our linebackers reading the offense more, or it may just not be worth doing because we don't blitz as much. It may be that crowding the line was getting in the way of our fundamentals to some extent, and Bo didn't like that (I think McBride's defenses generally made more big plays than Bo's have, but they also had way more busts than Bo's defenses had, and Pelini has stressed that his defenses are built to stop the big play).

 

I also remember that when we hired Pelini at first, part of our defensive problems under Bohl had to do with always having our linebackers up around the line of scrimmage - teams started using that against us, and our linebackers would overrun their gap or just get caught up in traffic (2001 Colorado anyone? Shawn Watson's finest hour...).

 

I think McBride's defense was much more of an attacking D than Bo's has been the last few years, but I think that has more to do with the schemes they face than anything else. The old Big 8 conference of the 1980's and 1990's had nothing like the spread attacks that exist in the Big 12 today.

 

Bo still runs an attacking defense in that his secondary players are constantly up challenging wide receivers and looking to make plays on the ball, rather than sitting back in a comfortable zone. The difference is that where as McBride put 4 defensive backs on the field to do that, and then blitzed linebackers and rushed his front 4, Bo generally has had 5 or 6 defensive backs on the field all the time, and only rushes 4 lineman in order to keep enough guys in coverage that we don't let any of the offense's 5 receivers wide open.

 

Anyways, that's my amateur analysis. I'm sure there's way more to the x's and o's of it all that I wouldn't be able to explain, but if someone could I'd like to read it.

[Hercules]

One interesting game to look at would be that 1995 Nebraska Florida game, since Spurrier was spreading the field at that time with 5 receivers. But if I remember correctly, McBride generally blitzed them in those no-back sets, and we'd get to the QB before he could ever get a pass off. That was a much different offense that constantly looked for big plays, so it was probably easier to defend in that sense than Mike Leach's spread would have been, where it's designed so the QB can get the pass off to a short route before the blitz gets to him.

[Hunter94]

Charlie played for the sack a lot, Bo has that new age bend don't break style...sometimes OK, sometimes it sucks and we look helpless.

[hskerprid]

McBride would crowd the line with linebackers because he loved to blitz all the time. So we would show blitz basically every play, and the QB never knew who was coming or not. I'm not sure why we don't do that more now, it may just be that we want our linebackers reading the offense more, or it may just not be worth doing because we don't blitz as much. It may be that crowding the line was getting in the way of our fundamentals to some extent, and Bo didn't like that (I think McBride's defenses generally made more big plays than Bo's have, but they also had way more busts than Bo's defenses had, and Pelini has stressed that his defenses are built to stop the big play).

 

I also remember that when we hired Pelini at first, part of our defensive problems under Bohl had to do with always having our linebackers up around the line of scrimmage - teams started using that against us, and our linebackers would overrun their gap or just get caught up in traffic (2001 Colorado anyone? Shawn Watson's finest hour...).

 

I think McBride's defense was much more of an attacking D than Bo's has been the last few years, but I think that has more to do with the schemes they face than anything else. The old Big 8 conference of the 1980's and 1990's had nothing like the spread attacks that exist in the Big 12 today.

 

Bo still runs an attacking defense in that his secondary players are constantly up challenging wide receivers and looking to make plays on the ball, rather than sitting back in a comfortable zone. The difference is that where as McBride put 4 defensive backs on the field to do that, and then blitzed linebackers and rushed his front 4, Bo generally has had 5 or 6 defensive backs on the field all the time, and only rushes 4 lineman in order to keep enough guys in coverage that we don't let any of the offense's 5 receivers wide open.

 

Anyways, that's my amateur analysis. I'm sure there's way more to the x's and o's of it all that I wouldn't be able to explain, but if someone could I'd like to read it.

You're right about McBrides defenses having more busts than Pelini's. I think alot of times McBride would back out of the blitz though. It may have something to do with the blazing speed that alot of McBrides LB's had as well. Besides David, I don't think our current crop of LB's have the kind of speed that McBride was fortunate enough to have.

 

On the other hand, Bohl was trying to mimick what Charlie was doing w/o the personnel to do it with. I think that the McBride style would serve us better in the run heavy BIG.

[druski_2k5]

I agree that McBride's system was more "aggressive and blitzing", but it's hard to compare it with different era's and schemes.

 

When Bo blitzes, he blitzes from multiple areas, like McBride, but I don't think Pelini shows blitz as much as McBride does.

 

When Pelini blitzes, especially corner blitzes, the corners are timing the snap and creep near the line and once it's snapped they go. Much like with linebackers. Sometimes Pelini will show blitz heavy, on 3rd and long situations and you have a good idea of who is coming, and other times they blitz from where they are lined up at the snap of the ball, or sometimes they are timed blitzes.

 

Also, depending on the offense you are facing, it can take away with what do to a point. With spread offenses, the defense also spreads out, obviously but you still have to be sound and confident in what you are doing as a defensive coach, and when playing a balanced or run based team, they crash the line more at pre-snap.

 

Here's how I would round it up:

 

McBride's defense played aggresive, almost out of control at times, running their motors at 110%.

Pelini's defense plays fundamentally sound with creative schemes and a shut down secondary.

 

I'm not saying McBride's defense wasn't "fundamentally sound", because they were at being aggressive, but in terms of "lock down corners and ball-hawking safeties" and studying so much tape to a point you know what play is coming from tenancies and formations....that is what I mean by "fundamentally sound".

[zoogs]

I think this can all be summed up by saying:

 

McBride had to dial up his blitzes. Pelini goes wifi.

 

[suh_fan93]

I'll just say that I think our defense does a pretty good job of creating confusion even without constant blitzing. The Pelini brothers get high marks for that.

[druski_2k5]

I think this can all be summed up by saying:

 

McBride had to dial up his blitzes. Pelini goes wifi.

 

 

Loved that quote. 2009 Gator Bowl.

 

The short version:

 

The long version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-FoT8FRgzM

[carlfense]

I was watching a few of the classic Husker matchups in the 90's from my collection. I've always wondered why McBride would crowd the line with linebackers like Farley and Williams. I know that it creates confusion for the line and QB but why don't we see Pelini doing it more? Does he really need to do it with his scheme?

 

It seems that as a defensive coordinator that you would want to create as much confusion as possible. Now, I don't propose to know anywhere near what Bo does when it comes to defense. It seems that at times we let the Offense come to us instead of attacking as much as our great defenses of the past. We profess to be an attacking defense but after comparing the McBride vs Pelini defenses I would say that McBride's style was much more agressive.

 

I realize that in order to pull off what we did in the 90's that you have to have lock down corners and strong safeties. Which is what we had with Prince and Dennard not to mention a couple of other good safeties.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love what Pelini puts on the field. I wanted to start a discussion on the nuances of both defenses and why the McBride model isn't implemented more.

I think a lot of the reason for the different philosophy is the type of offenses that are run in the Big 12 now. You can't afford to have linebackers crowding the line when there are 4-5wrs spreading the field.

 

It seems like Pelini's philosophy is to have the 4 down linemen collapse the pocket and contain the QB which should allow the LB/CB/S to tee off on the skill position players.

[bshirt]

Great points everybody.

 

Maybe something to keep in mind was Bo's 2003 NU defense blitzing a lot led by Super D. Totally different now...can't argue with results though.

 

Our DE's really don't attack anymore either. Wistron, Alberts, Tomich, etc.....hmmmm.

 

Maybe we just need to get another J. Willaims, T. Farley, Super D before he lets loose? Again, he's done a fantastic job on that side of the ball but I really miss our attacking defense.

[druski_2k5]

Great points everybody.

 

Maybe something to keep in mind was Bo's 2003 NU defense blitzing a lot led by Super D. Totally different now...can't argue with results though.

 

Our DE's really don't attack anymore either. Wistron, Alberts, Tomich, etc.....hmmmm.

 

Maybe we just need to get another J. Willaims, T. Farley, Super D before he lets loose? Again, he's done a fantastic job on that side of the ball but I really miss our attacking defense.

 

Another good point I forgot to mention, the 2003 defense was more of an aggressive blitzing defense, but had a fairly good secondary, Bullocks brothers covering 2 deep and setting turnover school turnover records I believe.

 

And yes, we had more blitzing linebackers on those defenses too as opposed to today, but again, that is given the offense we take on as a whole instead of just a straight "philosophy".

[Hercules]

Great points everybody.

 

Maybe something to keep in mind was Bo's 2003 NU defense blitzing a lot led by Super D. Totally different now...can't argue with results though.

 

Our DE's really don't attack anymore either. Wistron, Alberts, Tomich, etc.....hmmmm.

 

Maybe we just need to get another J. Willaims, T. Farley, Super D before he lets loose? Again, he's done a fantastic job on that side of the ball but I really miss our attacking defense.

 

So many of the offenses we have played over the past two years were spread offenses with reasonably capable running QB's. We had to hold the pocket to prevent the QB scramble, and we had to dedicate 6-7 guys to defending the pass. It's not like it was in 1994 - Frank Costa wasn't going to run on our defensive ends, and even teams like Miami weren't coming out in 4/5-receiver sets every down.

 

However, in the Big 10, we're going to see more pro-style football like we saw in the old Big 8, so maybe we'll see some different things happening on Pelini's defense as a result. I don't even remember the last time we played against a pro-style offense... Kansas State sort of but not really...?

[druski_2k5]

I think the last time we faced a "true" pro style offense.

 

2005 Michigan [Alamo Bowl]

2006 USC

2006 Auburn [Cotton Bowl]

2007 USC

2008/2009 Virginia Tech I don't think was a true "pro" style, but they were balanced, but they weren't a true spread either.

 

The last time we faced a pro style offense in our conference was probably Kansas State with Ron Prince, and maybe a few Colorado teams, and Iowa State, but those were probably before 2005....maybe? These are just guesses, but I think Hercules is correct about Kansas State at the very least.