NFL combine

[kchusker_chris]

Bingo. Remember how MSU shut down D-Rob? They blitzed him and had guys in his face the whole time.

 

As did Iowa, two years in a row.

 

And we just hired their D-Line coach.

 

Coincidence..... or more?

Unfortunately he won't be the one calling up the blitzes. I find it hard to believe he won't have a major impact though.

[Saunders]

Bingo. Remember how MSU shut down D-Rob? They blitzed him and had guys in his face the whole time.

Remember how every team shuts down Taylor? Load the box, blitz him the whole time. It's tough to get in a rhythm. It's ironic that we have, for 2 years now...watched defenses frequently shut down Taylor by loading the box yet, even though I can't remember the last time we neutralized a mobile QB, we refuse to do it. What's that definition of insanity again....?....

Ha. Bo used that exact line in his interview with Shatel a few weeks ago. But yeah, I agree. The last mobile QB that I can remember us shutting down with this scheme was Tyrod Taylor in 09.

['SkersRule]

Bingo. Remember how MSU shut down D-Rob? They blitzed him and had guys in his face the whole time.

Remember how every team shuts down Taylor? Load the box, blitz him the whole time. It's tough to get in a rhythm. It's ironic that we have, for 2 years now...watched defenses frequently shut down Taylor by loading the box yet, even though I can't remember the last time we neutralized a mobile QB, we refuse to do it. What's that definition of insanity again....?....

 

Which is why I think that Nebraska will lose to Ohio State, Northwestern, and Michigan this year. All three of those teams employ fast, mobile QBs and well, I think hell will freeze over before Bo blitzes or attacks on defense.

[kchusker_chris]

Ha. Bo used that exact line in his interview with Shatel a few weeks ago. But yeah, I agree. The last mobile QB that I can remember us shutting down with this scheme was Tyrod Taylor in 09.

nice catch, that's what I was referring to.

[zoogs]

 

I've been rewatching some 2011 games over the last couple of weeks, and frankly, our DL scheme sucks. We all know about the "contain" concept that Bo has in place, but from what I've seen this is a detriment, not a positive, to the overall effectiveness of the D. Without pressure on the QB, in passing downs the contain theory just creates time for the QB to find a receiver. Several times I've watched Ankrah beat his man, only to "stay home" in contain rather than push the advantage to the QB. Eric Martin was rarely set loose to wreak havoc - his forte.

 

I have some hopes that the point of bringing in Rick Kaczenski will change this philosophy. We'll see.

 

I think Bo knows best when it comes to scheme. Also the way our DL plays is what lets our coverage scheme be what it is, and Bo's coverage schemes are pretty much the best in the business. I think it is more of a matter of getting the right players in.

 

And maybe lacking the right players, you should scrap everything and do something totally different, but generally, I think when you have a sound system, you develop for that system and make adjustments, minor, only when you have to.

 

I agree that the DL had issues and that it all starts up front...although I also have to say, our secondary was really green last year, and they weren't very good. Big difference without guys like Haggs, Gomes.

[kchusker_chris]

Bingo. Remember how MSU shut down D-Rob? They blitzed him and had guys in his face the whole time.

Remember how every team shuts down Taylor? Load the box, blitz him the whole time. It's tough to get in a rhythm. It's ironic that we have, for 2 years now...watched defenses frequently shut down Taylor by loading the box yet, even though I can't remember the last time we neutralized a mobile QB, we refuse to do it. What's that definition of insanity again....?....

 

Which is why I think that Nebraska will lose to Ohio State, Northwestern, and Michigan this year. All three of those teams employ fast, mobile QBs and well, I think hell will freeze over before Bo blitzes or attacks a defense.

I can see us losing to Ohio State/Michigan - but it won't be just because of their QB. Ohio State returns almost their entire defense in addition to Braxton being back and it being an away game. There are a lot of reasons not to be optimistic about that game. Michigan I see having a version of our 09' defense in Mattison's second year. I think we could hold them to 17 and still lose that game.

 

Northwestern...they lose over half their starters, and while Colter is impressive he's much less lethal than either of the two above. He can't do it all.

[knapplc]

 

I've been rewatching some 2011 games over the last couple of weeks, and frankly, our DL scheme sucks. We all know about the "contain" concept that Bo has in place, but from what I've seen this is a detriment, not a positive, to the overall effectiveness of the D. Without pressure on the QB, in passing downs the contain theory just creates time for the QB to find a receiver. Several times I've watched Ankrah beat his man, only to "stay home" in contain rather than push the advantage to the QB. Eric Martin was rarely set loose to wreak havoc - his forte.

 

I have some hopes that the point of bringing in Rick Kaczenski will change this philosophy. We'll see.

 

I think Bo knows best when it comes to scheme. Also the way our DL plays is what lets our coverage scheme be what it is, and Bo's coverage schemes are pretty much the best in the business. I think it is more of a matter of getting the right players in.

 

And maybe lacking the right players, you should scrap everything and do something totally different, but generally, I think when you have a sound system, you develop for that system and make adjustments, minor, only when you have to.

 

I agree that the DL had issues and that it all starts up front...although I also have to say, our secondary was really green last year, and they weren't very good. Big difference without guys like Haggs, Gomes.

 

I would generally agree with you that Bo knows best, but the evidence over the last couple of years is all to the contrary. The myth of Bo's "Defensive Genius" status took a severe hit in my eyes over the last two years. Geniuses don't let their self-built defenses collapse like that.

['SkersRule]

Defensive genius only goes so far if the players can't execute. I think Bo should just simplify his approach and just let his players attack. Bo's match-up zone principles are now being used by almost every college football team. That speaks to the quality of what Bo is doing, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. It's kind of hard for a QB to get into any kind of rhythm when he spends every snap running for his life. To wit, Michigan State blitzed and harrassed Michigan's Dennard Robinson into a plethora of mistakes and the Spartans won. Conversely, Nebraska layed back in coverage, played soft, and was demolished.

[Saunders]

Defensive genius only goes so far if the players can't execute. I think Bo should just simplify his approach and just let his players attack. Bo's match-up zone principles are now being used by almost every college football team. That speaks to the quality of what Bo is doing, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. It's kind of hard for a QB to get into any kind of rhythm when he spends every snap running for his life. To wit, Michigan State blitzed and harrassed Michigan's Dennard Robinson into a plethora of mistakes and the Spartans won. Conversely, Nebraska layed back in coverage, played soft, and was demolished.

Uh, what? The only other team I've heard that uses it is Alabama.

[Treand3]

Defensive genius only goes so far if the players can't execute. I think Bo should just simplify his approach and just let his players attack. Bo's match-up zone principles are now being used by almost every college football team. That speaks to the quality of what Bo is doing, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. It's kind of hard for a QB to get into any kind of rhythm when he spends every snap running for his life. To wit, Michigan State blitzed and harrassed Michigan's Dennard Robinson into a plethora of mistakes and the Spartans won. Conversely, Nebraska layed back in coverage, played soft, and was demolished.

Uh, what? The only other team I've heard that uses it is Alabama.

 

I was under this impression as well. One of the reasons many don't is that it can be difficult to teach and grasp, of course having talented athletes like Bama doesn't hurt either. However, it is extremely effecive if executed, as well all know.

[zoogs]

knapp, you may be right on that and I certainly couldn't say. I feel like it is a series of recruiting misses, and the issues is talent. Bo's match zone or whatever it is, is stellar and one of a kind. The issue is the guys that need to be there to run it and what to do when you don't have those.

 

I don't think it's that they require some extraordinary, hard to get players, either, we've just had recruiting with misses, bad luck with CBs qualifying (I feel like we've lost a 4-star CB recruit every year for five or six years now), and low numbers, which don't help at all when a guy or two doesn't pan out.

 

So, I think that is somewhat of a defense of the defensive line gap scheme we run -- that it is intricately tied to what our coverage schemes are, and asking Bo to toss that completely out the window might be like asking Shawn Watson to run an option offense.

[NUance]

the N.F.L. is contemplating making several significant changes in the next few years to its annual job fair for college players, including having prospects race against one another in the 40-yard dash and compete side by side to bench-press 225 pounds the most often.

 

LINK

Putting a bit of competition into the Combine drills. Sounds pretty cool. :

[True2tRA]

Defensive genius only goes so far if the players can't execute. I think Bo should just simplify his approach and just let his players attack. Bo's match-up zone principles are now being used by almost every college football team. That speaks to the quality of what Bo is doing, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. It's kind of hard for a QB to get into any kind of rhythm when he spends every snap running for his life. To wit, Michigan State blitzed and harrassed Michigan's Dennard Robinson into a plethora of mistakes and the Spartans won. Conversely, Nebraska layed back in coverage, played soft, and was demolished.

+1 from me. I've stated similar things for quite some time as well. You can have all sorts of people here who will blame the defenses failures on the lack of talent we have on the team. I always say the best coaches design their scheme around the talent they have, not the talent they wish they had. It doesn't matter how great your scheme is. If you don't have the guys to do execute it, then maybe some changes need to be made. Those changes are on the coaching staff, nobody else.

[lo country]

Defensive genius only goes so far if the players can't execute. I think Bo should just simplify his approach and just let his players attack. Bo's match-up zone principles are now being used by almost every college football team. That speaks to the quality of what Bo is doing, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. It's kind of hard for a QB to get into any kind of rhythm when he spends every snap running for his life. To wit, Michigan State blitzed and harrassed Michigan's Dennard Robinson into a plethora of mistakes and the Spartans won. Conversely, Nebraska layed back in coverage, played soft, and was demolished.

+1 from me. I've stated similar things for quite some time as well. You can have all sorts of people here who will blame the defenses failures on the lack of talent we have on the team. I always say the best coaches design their scheme around the talent they have, not the talent they wish they had. It doesn't matter how great your scheme is. If you don't have the guys to do execute it, then maybe some changes need to be made. Those changes are on the coaching staff, nobody else.

Just like folks complained about Cally, Wats and the WCO as it related to talent issues or scheme issues, I can't understand why Bo gets a pass on this because he is a "defensive guru". You dance with the girl you brought. Take the kids we have and build your game plan around them not try and "fit" your kids into a scheme they are ill suited for. Quit trying to have Martinez be some game changing passer, trying to play a 2 gap with slow D line man. Playing contain with slow DE's etc.... Change the scheme.

 

2003 (although we got blown out on some losses) was a prime example of Bo coming in and creating a scheme that fir the players he had. Worked very well.

Bring back Super D 2003 ala SJB or Cooper.

[NUance]

Jones' lack of strength is a concern for Bunting, which wasn't helped by only 13 bench reps.

"He's a nice-sized guy," Bunting said of Jones, who measured 6-foot-7, 320 pounds, "but he can get upright and overpowered. He'll struggle in that area."

In comparison, both quarterbacks and the 27 running backs that participated in the bench press drill outperformed Jones.

Jones also didn't impress in the 40-yard dash on Saturday, running it in 5.67 seconds, tied for the second-slowest time among offensive linemen.

"He's solid in a lot of areas but he's not a great athlete," said ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay, adding he believes Jones will be a late-round pick.

Jones did not finish in the top 10 of any drill, including the vertical jump (27.5 inches), broad jump (95 inches), three-cone drill (8.03 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (5.12 seconds).LINK

13 reps?. 5.67 40? What, did Jones forget to work out the last four years at NU? This combine probably cost him a million or so over the next several years.