How would YOU fix this Defense?

[Danny Bateman]

LONG POST ALERT! If you don't want to read everything I have to say, feel free to skip to the end for my best guess at a depth chart and our to-do list for next year.

 

In an effort to kill the offseason boredom (or at least stave it off), this is just a hypothetical that I thought we could have some fun with while we wait for some real news to come out.

 

If you were head coach, how would you go about improving/preparing our defense for next season. Despite the way our defense let us down time and time again this season... we had some good games. Now, a couple of the ones I had in mind (OSU or MSU) were arguably the result of one of our playmakers putting the team on their back, doing there job (Fonzie shutting down Cunningham), and going above and beyond (David stripping Braxton Miller).

 

But we did finish pretty well (Top 40) statistically and have some decent pieces returning. By average, I mean we finished 37th in Total Defense and 42nd in Scoring defense.

 

The (fairly) good points: We wound up tied for 18th in passing defense and 34th in pass effeciency defense. Despite the ripping on Raymond, once the secondary started picking up the scheme better, we finished fairly well defending the pass.

 

The bad: Tied fo 72nd in interceptions (with 10), Tied for 84th in sacks (21), 64th in rushing defense. We also finished with a -1 in turnover margin, as we forced 18 takeaways and had 19 giveaways. This tells me we need to get far more pressure on opposing teams QB's to force mistakes that lead to turnovers, and to increase sack numbers. This would increase takeaways. We also need to find a way to better shut down the running game. We just could NOT do that this season when we needed to. There were good games (Iowa, MSU comes to mind), but by and large most teams could run on us. For whatever reason, MSU decided not to try and try to carve us up with Cousins arm... mistake.

 

Here's the link to the website I used if you want to look up stats for yourself: http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current

/team/1042/p1

 

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Anyway, I think most of those negative statistics came from a mediocre effort from our D-line and in the early part of the season, the linebackers. Lavonte was obviously a stud all year, and Compton really improved late in the season. However, for the most part, our D-line got smacked around this year in the Big 10 by the good teams... Wisconsin, Michigan feasted on us. Wisconsin ran all over us, and failing to get any pressure on Robinson without blitzing was our death knell in Ann Arbor.

 

Defensive Line: This was probably due to a combination of the collective talent level on the line and the scheme. I'm of the belief Bo and Kaz should take a long hard look and changing around the 2 gap scheme this offseason in order to more effectively combat the power running styles of Wisconsin and Iowa (even though we did well against them) and to get more pressure on Spread teams like OSU or Michigan. I think we likely have 3 set starters on the line for next year in Cam, Baker, and Rome (although I also agree that Cam looks to have lost speed off the edge, likely from being too bulky, and has lost some of his effectiveness). I'd hope the influx of talent from the RS's and True Frosh could help here. We'll likely rotate a lot, so we could be seeing some of Peat and Williams fresh off the scout team, as well as Vestal and maybe even McMullen helping out at End if he's as good as he's billed. I hope a combination of new (more agressive, technical) coach, new talent, an offseason to work, and possibly a new scheme would rectify a lot of our woes here.

 

Linebacker :I also feel will be ok. We clearly lost the best player we've had at the positiion in nearly the last decade (since Barrett or Demorrio were tearing it up), but there's some hope. Compton improved visibly near the end and looked to assume a leadership role. Whaley started filling in when the coaches finally realized Fisher wasn't effective this year, and hopefully he turned a light on. Beyond that, we've got Trevor Roach, Derek Slaughter, and David Santos on the team that could fill in next year. I've heard rumors Corey Cooper could move to OLB this offseason, which would be awesome for our LB corps. Of the incoming guys, I think Anderson and Rose have the best chance of playing next season. Rose is gonna be a real good one. I could even see Afalava playing next year if he works his tail off. The only one I think that really must have a redshirt next year would be Brown. I expect a much improved overall unit next year, even with the loss of David. Not a ton of experienc here, but potential is through the roof. Will that potential transfer to production next year? Remains to be seen.

 

Secondary: Well, again, we lose our best player. Fonzie Island is no longer with us next year. However, we also lose some of the single most frustrating players for the fans on the team: Cassidy and Thorrell are gone. Now, this isn't really a bomb on these guys. Since they're in the secondary, EVERYONE is going to know when they screw up. But they've long been perceived as guys who were less athletic than those that should be starting for Nebraska, and now we're forced to adapt. Bo is going to HAVE to put someone else back there deep, regardless of whether the grasp the scheme as fully as Cassidy or not. Depth wise in the secondary we're not too bad. Stafford is back for his senior campaign and should have a spot locked down. The other safety spot is up for grab. I see that competition playing out between Osborne, Smith, Harvey Jackson, and Cooper depending on whether he makes that switch to OLB. I see Smith or Osborne winning. At CB we have a vastly improved Andrew Green, Ciante Evans, Antonio Bell, and SJB back. I personally wouldn't mind an SJB switch to safety since he's such a HUGE defensive back and could probably REALLY lay the wood, but with a full offseason even if he sticks at CB he'll be fine. Dijon Washington looks to be a non-contributer at this point, and Bell hasn't done much either. Seisay steps in, as well as hopefully another corner commit (Leggett, Ford?). Hopefully Charles Jackson gets to campus eventually.

Anyway, in the end I think our Depth Chart for next season looks something like this:

DE: Cam, McMullen, Carter

DT: Baker, Williams

DT: Rome, Peat

DE: Martin, Ankrah, Carter

 

OLB: Santos, Whaley, Slaughter

MLB: Compton, Roach

OLB: Anderson, Rose, Fisher

 

CB: Andrew Green, Antonio Bell

CB: Seisay, ??? (Frosh CB commit)

Nickel: SJB, Blatchford

Dime: Ciante, Blatchford

FS: Osborne, Smith, Cooper

SS: Stafford, Jackson, Cooper

 

*I left Cooper at Safety for now until the move is official, and don't really know if I like Osborn at FS. I could see them flip flopping him and Stafford, if Osborne indeed wins the battle, as I think of him as more of a run enforcing SS.

 

Anyway, Cliff Notes version for those who don't want to read the whole thread: I think in order to more effectively fix the D for next season, we should take a real hard look at changing schemes. We should rethink the 2 gap scheme for our D-line in favor of a more penetration-happy scheme, and consider changing from bend-don't-break to Super D. I think the blitz heavy Super D would be more entertaining for the fanbase to watch defensively. Now, I think we should LOOK at a change, not necessarily make one. They need to do whatever the deem gives us the best chance to win. Also, I'd get a ton of reps everywhere on the D, especially linebackers and secondary, to gain cohesiveness, find your starters and backups, and get them experience running whatever the heck scheme we're gonna use. GBR!!

[The Dude]

tl;dr

[Excel]

To quote someone in a similar thread on another team's board.

 

"Hire me as DC, the .308 defense, no one scores...bring body bags."

[TonyStalloni]

I have heard that Bo's scheme is very difficult to learn. Even harder than some pro teams defensive system. I wonder if he would pare it down enough so some of this fast young talent could get on the field sooner? With so many good young linebackers available might he go with a 3-4 sometimes to confuse the defense and get more speed on the field?

[HuskerFowler]

I would hire BO Pelini to run my defense

[Danny Bateman]

I have heard that Bo's scheme is very difficult to learn. Even harder than some pro teams defensive system. I wonder if he would pare it down enough so some of this fast young talent could get on the field sooner? With so many good young linebackers available might he go with a 3-4 sometimes to confuse the defense and get more speed on the field?

We seem to have the linebackers to run a 3-4. You'd have to have the speediest guys outside, obviously, as they'd rush the passer a lot. I'd think a 3-4 with Santos, Anderson, Compton, and Cooper/Rose would be alright. I just don't want to run a 3-4 that basically negates our outside linebackers ability to perform as linebackers and turns them into pure pass rushers. That would be a waste of Cooper, Rose, or Santos' abilities. However, situationally, if he wanted to... I'm sure he could make it work.

 

That said, I don't know if we have the D-line to run 3-4, and I really wouldn't tinker with it myself. We don't have a nose tackle for the middle, and I wouldn't want the chore of teaching our ends how to be 3-4 ends...

 

I guess if Bo considers changing the scheme, he has to ask if the benefits (namely, getting more athletic playmakers on the field because they understand a simplified scheme) outweighs the negatives (scrapping his proven scheme and implementing a whole new system).

[Danny Bateman]

Double

[HuskerShark]

How would I fix this defense? Keep doing the things that we are doing because Bo's teams have proved that it works.

[MLB 51]

Bo will not simplify his D. 09 and 10 D is proof that it does work. No need to fix anything. Think we prove that again this coming year.

[Comish]

I have heard that Bo's scheme is very difficult to learn. Even harder than some pro teams defensive system. I wonder if he would pare it down enough so some of this fast young talent could get on the field sooner? With so many good young linebackers available might he go with a 3-4 sometimes to confuse the defense and get more speed on the field?

We seem to have the linebackers to run a 3-4. You'd have to have the speediest guys outside, obviously, as they'd rush the passer a lot. I'd think a 3-4 with Santos, Anderson, Compton, and Cooper/Rose would be alright. I just don't want to run a 3-4 that basically negates our outside linebackers ability to perform as linebackers and turns them into pure pass rushers. That would be a waste of Cooper, Rose, or Santos' abilities. However, situationally, if he wanted to... I'm sure he could make it work.

 

That said, I don't know if we have the D-line to run 3-4, and I really wouldn't tinker with it myself. We don't have a nose tackle for the middle, and I wouldn't want the chore of teaching our ends how to be 3-4 ends...

 

I guess if Bo considers changing the scheme, he has to ask if the benefits (namely, getting more athletic playmakers on the field because they understand a simplified scheme) outweighs the negatives (scrapping his proven scheme and implementing a whole new system).

 

I've been reminded OFTEN the hardest position to fill is D-line..........especially the nose tackle............thus, you don't see more teams implementing it............

[MLB 51]

Think we use Peat there. I think he is gonna be force on the D-Line. Can't wait to see him on the field.

[TonyStalloni]

Think we use Peat there. I think he is gonna be force on the D-Line. Can't wait to see him on the field.

 

My thoughts too. If Peat is the player we hope he is maybe he could anchor the middle. I hope he has replaced his high school fat with Husker weight room muscle and is ready to be a force inside.

[MLB 51]

Someone made mention of him bench pressing like 500 lbs. now. If true, don't think we have to worry about the high school fat.

[HuskerShark]

Someone made mention of him bench pressing like 500 lbs. now. If true, don't think we have to worry about the high school fat.

If true, I envy him. He and Trent Richardson should have a lifting competition.

[NUance]

I'm not sure we need to completely abandon Pelini's two-gap containment scheme. The problem is, it's too predictable in how much time the QB has back there to get a play off. I'd like to see us mix in more stunting and blitz packages. So the OC wouldn't know what pass routes he could run against us. Keep him guessing as to how many seconds would tick off before his QB got creamed.