DE/LB

[BigRedBuster]

Defending mobile QBs has been a problem for a number of years at Nebraska. Once again, on Saturday, we saw Alford run quite a bit against us.

 

Now, only giving up 13 points and something like 260 total yards is pretty decent. Like Bo, I think this defense could still be very good.

 

But, my questions are about the two positions listed in the title.

 

After rewatching the game twice, some things stood out.

 

LB = When we play a Spread offense and are in the nickle or dime package, we basically only have one LB playing that position. Now, there might be another one like Whaley but he is split out fairly wide with no way of helping in the middle. What this did many times on Saturday it caused Compton to try to plug a hole. If one Lineman comes free, all the RB/QB has to do is read which side of that lineman Compton goes and going the other way easily sets up the block. Once that happens, it is 10-15 yards before anyone can catch him.

 

DE = I always thought the first move a DE should make is up field from the outside so that he contains and doesn't allow anything outside him. What I saw on Saturday was many times the first move the DE makes is to the inside almost to try to collapse OT or TE into the LOS. Many times what this allowed was the RB/QB to get outside and make a good play.

I have to admit, I don't understand these two concepts. It seems like we are setting ourselves up for big plays with was we are doing with these two positions.

 

With the DE doing what I saw, it makes him APPEAR to be slow because he doesn't get off the LOS until he reads what is going on. By that time, someone is there to block him.

 

Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

Now, this all very well may change when we get into conference play when we play more power run teams and have more LBs on the field. Hopefully so.

 

Maybe these spread teams force Bo into playing so few LBs that giving up a few yards to the QB run is simply the price you pay for shutting everything else down.

[HuskerThor]

I still don't see an issue with either at this point. It's only 1 game and they looked decent. We had 3 sacks and 11 TFL's, when all of last year we had 21 and 61 respectively. There is improvement, and I hope it continues.

 

It's the second week, and we have film to look at. It's good to be a Husker!

[BigRedBuster]

At this point, I don't see a big problem especially if our offense can score points. Just trying to figure out why our coaches have the players do what they do and trying to figure out why we can't stop a running QB.

[Blackshirt316]

Regarding the linebackers, we did play nickel a ton so only two linebackers were on the field most of the game. (Compton and Whaley with Fisher out in favor of Ciante Evans)

 

Considering how maligned the linebacker seemed to be this week by some, I find it interesting that Athalon ranks Compton as having the best individual defensive performance for the entire Big Ten for week 1.

 

They have Compton #1 (12 tackles, 1 TFL and 1 Sack), Ashante Williams of Illinois #2 (9 tackles and a 60 yard INT for a TD) and Larry Black of Indiana 3rd (4 tackles, 2 TFL's and 2 sacks)

[BigRedBuster]

I don't have a problem with Compton winning that. I just think that when we have one LB in the middle of the field, the smart thing for a team to do is run right at us. It's a match up problem more than it is a player problem.

[kchusker_chris]

Start of conference play - I say we blitz 5 out of 6 plays, and every play for the entire first quarter. get em rattled early, then our weak DL won't matter, they'll be 1/2 second slower the rest of the game. the D played solid when we were blitzing, played like sh!t when we contained.

[HuskerShark]

The only solution to stopping the QB run on a consistent basis is going to involve the safeties. We will have to abandon the 2-deep safeties that start plays 20 yards back from the line of scrimmage and bring at least one of them up in run support in some fashion. We did that at times on Saturday, and when we did, we stopped the run more effectively.

[onlyHskrfaninIL]

The only way a base nickel defense is going to be able to consistently stop a running attack is if the d linemen are making plays individually. I think we know we don't have that kind of a d line. I'm a little surprised the coaches didn't do more to adjust to Alford but maybe they felt like they didn't have to because it was a blowout. I expect the coaches to be more creative with trying to stop the UCLA run game now that they have reliable film to go off of.

[Count 'Bility]

Against a spread with a mobile quarterback, it's give and take. Youre going to give up something to stop another. Dont bring up '09. Suh was an exception. Everyone has a problem defending mobile quarterbacks in a spread, as I said in another thread on this issue. It's just not a "Nebraska" problem. T

[NUance]

 

Why was our D-line so far off the ball against South'n Miss? At times it looked like they were lining up a good 6 feet or so off the LOS. Pause the above vid at the 1:18 mark and you'll see what I mean.

[B.B. Hemingway]

Doesn't it seem like we have had a hard time putting together a good offense, and a good defense in the same year? Bo's 1st year we had a great offense, and mediocre defense. 2nd and 3rd years we had great defenses and were dreadful on offense. Last year we were mediocre on both. It would be nice if we could put two units (offense/defense) together that were both really good in the same year.

[BigRedBuster]

 

Why was our D-line so far off the ball against South'n Miss? At times it looked like they were lining up a good 6 feet or so off the LOS. Pause the above vid at the 1:18 mark and you'll see what I mean.

 

At most it looks like 3'. Look at the hash marks. The LOS is at the 24.5 yard mark and it looks like our guys have their hands on the ground at 23.5-24.

 

They could be closer. I think what you are seeing is that their tackles feet are a good 6' off the ball (2 yards) and playing an up position. That means that the DE and tackle at least 7-8' apart but not necessarily because of where our guy lined up.

[Jskers95]

Start of conference play - I say we blitz 5 out of 6 plays, and every play for the entire first quarter. get em rattled early, then our weak DL won't matter, they'll be 1/2 second slower the rest of the game. the D played solid when we were blitzing, played like sh!t when we contained.

This might be the worse idea ever

[kchusker_chris]

Start of conference play - I say we blitz 5 out of 6 plays, and every play for the entire first quarter. get em rattled early, then our weak DL won't matter, they'll be 1/2 second slower the rest of the game. the D played solid when we were blitzing, played like sh!t when we contained.

This might be the worse idea ever

haha - since our "contain" philosophy has proven so effected over the last 20ish games?

[Chaddyboxer]

It definitely looked like we blitzed more than usual this game and I don't think it's a bad thing. I saw a handful of times (at least) when the blitz effectively stopped a SMU run.