NU DL vs. SC DL

[Husker 93]

If anyone wants to see some issues with our team's performance compare those two units...If not for David's ability to knife thru and make plays.....I would take every Big 10 DL over ours, every single one we played, with the exception of Minnesota's...pathetic.

 

I have to say that I am so looking forward to our safety play next year since the only options appear to be good athletes. I also won't miss a certain senior WR who dropped more passes than he caught...Bell, Turner, and hopefully Westercamp could finally be a trio that would make defenses respect our passing game.

 

We were young at key positions, and our seniors with the exception of David and Dennard for four of five games, did little for this team....Next year's senior class needs to have a bigger impact for us to make a run at any championship, and I think we do have better class in 2012.

 

Our DL was a total joke this season...I hope to God that Kaz isn't just a whipping boy for Pelini to control....as we need someone to "teach" these guys how to get off blocks and get pressure on the QB. We might be one of the worst teams in the country at rushing the passer with our front 4.

 

Next year is going to be interesting...Martinez will have more weapons with experience, and we should have a decent OL as well. Recruiting is the key.....focus on that guys...the finish is pivotal and we sure didn't scare off recruits thinking they have no chance to play...

 

GO BIG RED!!!

[The Dude]

Let's not kid ourselves here, Cameron Meredith became a fan favorite exclusively because of his mustache. I'm not too worried about our inside guys, but hopefully McMullen can step in right away and give us a much needed boost at defensive end. I agree with you about the secondary. I think the addition by subtraction will be obvious. Kind of like when Fisher and Compton went down last year and it turned out we had a stud LB on the roster. Sure he didn't know the defense as well, but he was more of a difference maker. Something the defense needs in a bad way losing David and Dennard.

[Haspula]

JP didn't do that great of a job. I'd say our DL was average this season. We still have problems containing and putting pressure on the QBs.

[beanman]

Let's not kid ourselves here, Cameron Meredith became a fan favorite exclusively because of his mustache. I'm not too worried about our inside guys, but hopefully McMullen can step in right away and give us a much needed boost at defensive end. I agree with you about the secondary. I think the addition by subtraction will be obvious. Kind of like when Fisher and Compton went down last year and it turned out we had a stud LB on the roster. Sure he didn't know the defense as well, but he was more of a difference maker. Something the defense needs in a bad way losing David and Dennard.

 

I initially liked him because he showed a lot of promise early on. But I think he was better 2 years ago than he is now. He's so damn slow now.

[HANC]

Let's not kid ourselves here, Cameron Meredith became a fan favorite exclusively because of his mustache. I'm not too worried about our inside guys, but hopefully McMullen can step in right away and give us a much needed boost at defensive end. I agree with you about the secondary. I think the addition by subtraction will be obvious. Kind of like when Fisher and Compton went down last year and it turned out we had a stud LB on the roster. Sure he didn't know the defense as well, but he was more of a difference maker. Something the defense needs in a bad way losing David and Dennard.

 

I initially liked him because he showed a lot of promise early on. But I think he was better 2 years ago than he is now. He's so damn slow now.

 

 

I agree. I have been saying this all year. He has put on too much weight... He is pretty good at stuffing off tackle runs, but he hasn't shown the speed to contain very well... He either needs to beef up and play a small DT or drop about 25 lbs..

 

Ankrah should come on strong as a junior next year... Chase Rome got better this year and should mature into a player... But in comparison to the SC D-line, we don't have their "look".

[gobiggergoredder]

JP didn't do that great of a job. I'd say our DL was average this season. We still have problems containing and putting pressure on the QBs.

 

I'm not do going to step out on a limb and say that I am proficient in DL technique, but I think it is a difference of athletes and not coaching. They are flat out slow. I have only seen two guys all year that have been able to make individual plays and that's Eric Martin and Baker. That being said, their 'bigger' plays are few an far between.

 

The part that I think people lose of sight of is that this didn't just happen in 2011. Hagg-Gomes-David are not there to sweep the field once the first level has been cleared. There was no pressure last year either.

 

I would be surprised if Pelini attempts to run the same scheme that he has the past two years in 2012.

[The Dude]

Let's not kid ourselves here, Cameron Meredith became a fan favorite exclusively because of his mustache. I'm not too worried about our inside guys, but hopefully McMullen can step in right away and give us a much needed boost at defensive end. I agree with you about the secondary. I think the addition by subtraction will be obvious. Kind of like when Fisher and Compton went down last year and it turned out we had a stud LB on the roster. Sure he didn't know the defense as well, but he was more of a difference maker. Something the defense needs in a bad way losing David and Dennard.

 

I initially liked him because he showed a lot of promise early on. But I think he was better 2 years ago than he is now. He's so damn slow now.

Agree. I do remember thinking he was going to be a great player. Maybe playing next to Suh and Crick had something to do with it...

 

That and maybe he was just a better player with a mustache...

[HuskerShark]

We had the same problem last year. The D-Line never got pressure and couldn't stop the run. If the D-Line would have been good last year, our defense was by far the best in the country. This year, if our D-Line would have consistently played well and shed blocks, it would have solved a lot of problems, or at least covered them up.

 

Let's hope we find some answers and make a run in 2012. GBR!!!

[BLEED4BLACKSHIRTS]

The only thing you have to do is look at our last drive.........3 sacks in a row and nothing we could do about it

[melscott62]

bo seems to prefer bigger slower DE's..... im not a fan of it.

[Count 'Bility]

OP, that's basically the d-line's job in this scheme, 2 gap it and gobble up olineman so that guys like david and compton and even safeties from time to time to "knife" through and make tackles. We ran the same scheme in high school out of a 4-4 and each of our 4 linebackers had more tackles than the entire d-line combined. We were last in t.o.l.'s but 1st in total defense and scoring defense in our district. It's just Bo's philosophy. It worked great last year and the year before because 1 we had Suh that did more than gobble up blocks, he was able to disrupt and penetrate WHILE gobbling up two blockers and last year we had the solid secondary to back em up. As the years come and go, experienced and talented groups come and go and sometimes you just dont have the personell with the proper experience or talent to execute the kind of scheme you wanna use, but does that mean Bo should completely abandon his philosophy and do something totally different that definitlely does not fit our system. It'd be like switchin to a west coast offense cuz Taylor's not a strong enough runner.

[melscott62]

OP, that's basically the d-line's job in this scheme, 2 gap it and gobble up olineman so that guys like david and compton and even safeties from time to time to "knife" through and make tackles. We ran the same scheme in high school out of a 4-4 and each of our 4 linebackers had more tackles than the entire d-line combined. We were last in t.o.l.'s but 1st in total defense and scoring defense in our district. It's just Bo's philosophy. It worked great last year and the year before because 1 we had Suh that did more than gobble up blocks, he was able to disrupt and penetrate WHILE gobbling up two blockers and last year we had the solid secondary to back em up. As the years come and go, experienced and talented groups come and go and sometimes you just dont have the personell with the proper experience or talent to execute the kind of scheme you wanna use, but does that mean Bo should completely abandon his philosophy and do something totally different that definitlely does not fit our system. It'd be like switchin to a west coast offense cuz Taylor's not a strong enough runner.

 

 

you have to adjust to your players....

[C N Red]

Let's not kid ourselves here, Cameron Meredith became a fan favorite exclusively because of his mustache. I'm not too worried about our inside guys, but hopefully McMullen can step in right away and give us a much needed boost at defensive end. I agree with you about the secondary. I think the addition by subtraction will be obvious. Kind of like when Fisher and Compton went down last year and it turned out we had a stud LB on the roster. Sure he didn't know the defense as well, but he was more of a difference maker. Something the defense needs in a bad way losing David and Dennard.

 

I initially liked him because he showed a lot of promise early on. But I think he was better 2 years ago than he is now. He's so damn slow now.

 

 

I agree. I have been saying this all year. He has put on too much weight... He is pretty good at stuffing off tackle runs, but he hasn't shown the speed to contain very well... He either needs to beef up and play a small DT or drop about 25 lbs..

 

Ankrah should come on strong as a junior next year... Chase Rome got better this year and should mature into a player... But in comparison to the SC D-line, we don't have their "look".

I really think Ankrah could be special if they actually took the chain off him. Let him speed rush for crying out loud. I am so sick of seeing our DL go in and just run into the OL and try to read and play two gap. I would rather see the other team break off a few longer runs at times as long as we can get pressure on the QB.

 

The thing I see as the biggest problem is we play the 2 gap system ALL THE TIME!! Are you kidding me! The other team will notice this. It needs to be mixed up. Play more 2 gap on run downs and frickin unleash the dogs on passing downs and hell, mix it up once in awhile!!

[C N Red]

bo seems to prefer bigger slower DE's..... im not a fan of it.

 

Ditto!

[Enhance]

A common defense for our lack of front four pressure is the defensive scheme - the two gap system. While it has proven a good scheme in the past, this year was definitely underwhelming. I believe you should adjust the scheme to your players, and the players to your scheme. If we were lacking in one area, it was the coaches job to fix it.

 

The one thing that always sticks out in my mind is our pressure in pass rush situations. We were not very good at all this year rushing the passer with just four guys. I feel that almost every single one of our sacks this year came after the quarterback had the ball for three or more seconds. Our sacks against Shaw yesterday were pure coverage sacks. While it is within our scheme for the defensive line to hold up o-linemen so that backers can get tackles, it should not be within our scheme for our defensive line to hold up o-linemen in pass rush situations, when the line are the only players rushing. It was just downright sad this year watching our defensive line get pushed around for five seconds, only to see them get a sack once the quarterback had to leave the pocket. Props to our secondary for being like a blanket at times this year, but it was still frustrating to watch.

 

It either has to be a strength, technique or a combination of both issue. Pelini sticks to his system, but his system can't really mean coverage sacks only, can it?