D-Line Scheme?

[Mosskid84]

Has Bo Pelini always ran the 2-gap? I guess I am curious if we ran a 1 gap if we would have better results with stoping the run and pass rush? Do you think this is a possible change that is made for next season?

[RockyMountainOySker]

Pelini has pretty much always ran a 2 gap. A couple practice reports yesterday mentioned some of the DEs are learning a little more of the 3-technique so they can move inside and help with depth.

[Husker Richard]

I'm not an expert when it comes to the 2-gap, but I'm not a fan of it. With the personnel we've had the last few years (first Suh, then Prince/Gomes/Hagg) you could've run any scheme you wanted and it would've worked.

 

Now that our talent and experience is depleted (injuries aren't helping either), I think we're seeing the deficiencies of the 2-gap system and it's frightening. Soft against the run, no pass rush and big gains through the air as a result.

[da skers]

Yes he's always run it and its a great system when you face pass heavy teams like those in the SEC and B12. It works very well against run in this years set up teams if you have 3 good LB and we don't. We have 1 and 1/2 good LBs.

[AustinHuskr]

I'm not an expert when it comes to the 2-gap, but I'm not a fan of it. With the personnel we've had the last few years (first Suh, then Prince/Gomes/Hagg) you could've run any scheme you wanted and it would've worked.

 

Now that our talent and experience is depleted (injuries aren't helping either), I think we're seeing the deficiencies of the 2-gap system and it's frightening. Soft against the run, no pass rush and big gains through the air as a result.

"deficiencies"?

 

You mean it sucks?

 

Who else at the college level runs the 2 gap? In the NFL I think just 2 teams run it.

 

Here's a better question: Why do we run the 2-gap with a nickel/dime? That to me that is suicide! And we saw the results last week. In a 2-gap you need a big DT at the very least. If a defensive player is in a one gap assignment, their role is to basically take out whatever is in that gap; be it a lineman, fullback, or running back. A two gap assignment is basically an option play on the part of the defender. He is expected to quickly evaluate the situation and pick the gap that will most easily be exploited. This is a common task for a nose tackle that is lined up directly over the center. If Bo doesn't fix this scheme and come up with something else - like a base 4-3 with 2 gap or something we're going to get taken out behind the woodshed by MI. Maybe not PSU but MI will definitely do what NW did to varying degrees.

 

Don't for a second think that we lost the NW game bec. we "didn't show up". Hog wash! That's a loser's excuse. We lost bec. we saw a team that had the brain power to take advantage of our weak schemes. We've seen enough of this defense getting shredded during the last 4 years (minus the 1-2 big games with Suh and gang in there). It's nothing new. We saw it with Suh against TTech in 09.

[Eagle1]

The actual 2 gap defense is very effective IF you have the stud D linemen to run it, which we don't. I love the concept of it and is effective in keeping linebackers more freed up to rome. However, based on the effectiveness I've seen from the D line a 1 gap may be what we need to try, I dunno. There are some variations that can be run with a combo of both based on strength calls etc. Unfortunately those can be very difficult to learn and remember which MAY also be a problem we're having. I know some of the linebackers are struggling to learn the defensive schemes and in particular that's why one of them has been moved several times between backer and D end. He's not the only one that's struggled with the schemes. Don't get me wrong, the schemes the Pelinis have put together are very good, I'm just not sure we have the players to run them mentally or physically. But, like I said, I don't know all their schemes so it's hard to point at just one thing or a player or two and decide the problem. The problem with a 4-3 1 gap defense is that the normal alignment we see nowadays with 1 TE presents 7 gaps. You have 7 players to fill those gaps and 1 missed assignment and the play is busted or if players aren't disciplined and try to cover someone elses gap. Good offensive coordinators will find the weak players and scheme to either attack them or overload them so other defenders will have to help them therefore evacuating their gap. It starts in the middle and we just simply lack stud D line right now and that makes the difference.

[Mosskid84]

I agree I am not a big fan of the 2-gap unless you have the people for it which I don't think we do. I want to see the D-Line dominate like in the 90's so what did they run?

[Husker Richard]

Another issue I see is that Pelini's defense is so complex that it takes years to master. That works great in the pros, but it won't cut it in college where guys only have 5 years tops and are also going to school at the same time.

 

The defensive scheme will 'click' for a guy and then he gets 1-2 years to play knowing the defense really well, and then he graduates leaving his spot to a guy who probably doesn't know the defense as well. The problem becomes such that every starter is on a different page when it comes to knowledge of the D. Thus, you get breakdowns and lapses in coverage because this guy thought X was supposed to happen and that guy thought Y was supposed to happen.

[iLoveLamp]

I'm not an expert when it comes to the 2-gap, but I'm not a fan of it. With the personnel we've had the last few years (first Suh, then Prince/Gomes/Hagg) you could've run any scheme you wanted and it would've worked.

 

Now that our talent and experience is depleted (injuries aren't helping either), I think we're seeing the deficiencies of the 2-gap system and it's frightening. Soft against the run, no pass rush and big gains through the air as a result.

 

So basically it's like having no defense at all?

[Treand3]

The actual 2 gap defense is very effective IF you have the stud D linemen to run it, which we don't. I love the concept of it and is effective in keeping linebackers more freed up to rome. However, based on the effectiveness I've seen from the D line a 1 gap may be what we need to try, I dunno. There are some variations that can be run with a combo of both based on strength calls etc. Unfortunately those can be very difficult to learn and remember which MAY also be a problem we're having. I know some of the linebackers are struggling to learn the defensive schemes and in particular that's why one of them has been moved several times between backer and D end. He's not the only one that's struggled with the schemes. Don't get me wrong, the schemes the Pelinis have put together are very good, I'm just not sure we have the players to run them mentally or physically. But, like I said, I don't know all their schemes so it's hard to point at just one thing or a player or two and decide the problem. The problem with a 4-3 1 gap defense is that the normal alignment we see nowadays with 1 TE presents 7 gaps. You have 7 players to fill those gaps and 1 missed assignment and the play is busted or if players aren't disciplined and try to cover someone elses gap. Good offensive coordinators will find the weak players and scheme to either attack them or overload them so other defenders will have to help them therefore evacuating their gap. It starts in the middle and we just simply lack stud D line right now and that makes the difference.

 

Excellent post! The D line accounts for so much of the entire D's responsibilities and can take away a ton of what an opposing O wants to do. The d line in a sense puts the entire unit "on its back" but does it in a more sophisticated way. Right now we just don't have the athletes to run it properly. It's a proven system given the athleticism being there.

[SnowBigRed]

Yes he's always run it and its a great system when you face pass heavy teams like those in the SEC and B12. It works very well against run in this years set up teams if you have 3 good LB and we don't. We have 1 and 1/2 good LBs.

 

The actual 2 gap defense is very effective IF you have the stud D linemen to run it, which we don't. I love the concept of it and is effective in keeping linebackers more freed up to rome. However, based on the effectiveness I've seen from the D line a 1 gap may be what we need to try, I dunno. There are some variations that can be run with a combo of both based on strength calls etc. Unfortunately those can be very difficult to learn and remember which MAY also be a problem we're having. I know some of the linebackers are struggling to learn the defensive schemes and in particular that's why one of them has been moved several times between backer and D end. He's not the only one that's struggled with the schemes. Don't get me wrong, the schemes the Pelinis have put together are very good, I'm just not sure we have the players to run them mentally or physically. But, like I said, I don't know all their schemes so it's hard to point at just one thing or a player or two and decide the problem. The problem with a 4-3 1 gap defense is that the normal alignment we see nowadays with 1 TE presents 7 gaps. You have 7 players to fill those gaps and 1 missed assignment and the play is busted or if players aren't disciplined and try to cover someone elses gap. Good offensive coordinators will find the weak players and scheme to either attack them or overload them so other defenders will have to help them therefore evacuating their gap. It starts in the middle and we just simply lack stud D line right now and that makes the difference.

 

Wouldn't most D's be pretty damn good if you had stud D-linemen or 3 good LB's? There's some pretty good defenses (and offenses for that matter) out there that don't have near the talent Nebraska does. Nebraska is young and the D is complex, so it will take time. But on the other hand, maybe the coaches need to simplify it a little and just let the guys play.

[Stickney]

For all the pre-season calls for Barney Cotton's head regarding the o-line, in comparison I am a bit surprised the D-Line hasn't gotten more criticism because they have performed far more poorly.

 

 

But, I must say, Baker Steinkuhler played his best game, possibly ever, on Saturday.

[Eagle1]

I agree I am not a big fan of the 2-gap unless you have the people for it which I don't think we do. I want to see the D-Line dominate like in the 90's so what did they run?

Early 90's we ran a 50 defense and sometime around 92-93 we made the switch to a 4-3 type defense I believe, can't remember the exact year. Sometimes they played a 1 gap and sometimes a 2 gap depending on the situation. We just don't have the players we had in the 90's! To answer someone elses question, yes, most defenses work if you have stud d line and lb's. That's what I'm getting at. We just don't have the talent everyone thinks we do. Stars beside a name don't equate to talent. And like it or not, even if they have the physical talent, they don't have the mentality. Times have changed.

[AustinHuskr]

For all the pre-season calls for Barney Cotton's head regarding the o-line, in comparison I am a bit surprised the D-Line hasn't gotten more criticism because they have performed far more poorly.

 

 

But, I must say, Baker Steinkuhler played his best game, possibly ever, on Saturday.

I think bec. it's clear as crystal that we simply don't have talent on the DL. There's no doubt about it and that's across the board - DT to DE.... slow, can't shed blocks and don't have good instincts.

[Mosskid84]

So is their any indication that the talent will be improving with the addition of the DL recruits that are RS this year?