Defensive changes

[BIGREDIOWAN]

And I know we don't know all the things going on behind the scenes, we are just assuming things here, but it makes no sense to most of us here.

Doesn't make sense to me either. I don't get it-(why he doesn't play younger players) I guess he does-right?

Well I certainly hope so or we're in trouble!

[The King]

There are a couple of glaring problems I see with our defense this year.

 

1) Compton and Whaley are too slow to play in a nickle/dime defense package. We miss a guy like Lavonte (SPEED!).

 

They look like they have 4.7 lateral speed. When an opposing team lines up with 3 wide outs and a tight end we have mis matches. 2 receivers get covered well by the Corners. One receiver is picked up by a Nickel, and the TE is picked up by a dime. What ends up happening is that leaves the defensive linemen and one LB to tackle the RB and QB. So you end up with a 4.4 guy running the ball against guys who are 4.7 and 4.8. By the time one of the Backfield guys comes up to make the tackle, the RB already has 6-8 yds if not more... AND if one guy mistackles then the RB has open field, leaving other safeties and corners to come around to make tackles.

 

 

2) Our DT's can not contain their Gaps. They do not have the upper body strength, technique, timing to get off their blocks and into the run gap... causing the DE's to have to stay on the line to help cover, rather than get in the QB pocket. We have had the problem of containing the Run gap since Suh left.

 

If you look at our DT recruiting you can see why we have issues... we haven't been able to bring in highly regarded DT's.. our DT's are slow and fat and average from the get go!

- Thad Randle was a 5.7 :star from TX who weighed 255. (looks about 325 and slow now... a lot of fat)

- Baker Steinkulher (would have been an all american OL, but is an average DT)

- Jay Guy was a 5.6 :star from TX who weighed 300 (has struggled keeping weight off)

- Chase Rome was a 5.8 :star :star from MO who weighed 290 with 4.7 speed (should have been quick and strong for us, but looks fat now)

- Todd Peat Jr. was a 5.8 :star :star from AZ who weighed 300 (has put on weight, is slow and fat).

- Kevin Williams was a 5.7 :star from OH who weighed 275 (was supposed to be "special" according to Bo Fresh yr, but kid got injured and now doesn't see field much)

- Aaron Curry was a 5.6 :star from TX who weighed 300 (is playing but is slow with a 4.9/5.0 speed on reserve duty)

- Vincent Valentine was a 5.7 :star from IL who is 320 (supposedly very strong but wont see field this year)

 

We don't have any guys who have stepped up at the DT position. That's why Bo is playing Randle, Rome, Steinkuhler, Curry, Williams, etc... they're all about the same in their performance.

 

 

3) And another problem... How many times did we see a D-End get to the QB, reach his arm out, touch the QB and yet run right past him and fall on the ground with a mistackle. Joe Carter got one sack... and had 2 missed sacks cause he only got one hand on the QB at an arms length away. Meredith did it several times. Ankrah did it several times. Martin did it a few times. Then the QB would escape past the LOS and our LB's/ DB's would come up and 2-3 would get a hand on the guy and mistackle!!!!! We had so many opportunities to get guys down but we were always an arms length away and a few feet away from smacking the guy down.

 

Suh was a 4* who was big and slow.

 

Greg McMullen is a 4*

Avery Moss is a 3* (but is drawing rave reviews)

You pretty much bashed everyone else - aside for Okuyemi, Vestal, and maybe a couple others who don't really play - but you're bashing other players who don't play either. Maybe we should hold off on calling people fat and slow until we see them play, yeah? For all you know they could be strong and athletic, but slow ALA Ndamukong Suh.

 

Guy ran a 5 second 40...

[Stickney]

I for one am amazed this message board of which I'm a member has so many genius coaches! I'm so lucky!

 

 

You know what, there are a lot of Husker fans who do know a great deal about football.

 

Certainly enough to know that 600+ allowed, the most since 1956, is a BIG deal.

[Enhance]

I don't know what the BMI's are for our defensive tackles, but Rome is listed at 285 and many would consider that undersized for a DT, especially in a two gap system.

 

With how often Dobson and our S&C staff are lauded for being great, I have a tough time believing our players are "slow and weak." Of course, this line of thinking completely contradicts that our guys do in fact look slow and weak.

[NebraskaHarry]

I for one am amazed this message board of which I'm a member has so many genius coaches! I'm so lucky!

 

 

You know what, there are a lot of Husker fans who do know a great deal about football.

 

Certainly enough to know that 600+ allowed, the most since 1956, is a BIG deal.

And heck who knows maybe we'll see defensive changes that many have mentioned on here they'd like to see. It's fun to talk about and it kind of makes a guy feel better.

[NebraskaHarry]

I don't know what the BMI's are for our defensive tackles, but Rome is listed at 285 and many would consider that undersized for a DT, especially in a two gap system.

 

With how often Dobson and our S&C staff are lauded for being great, I have a tough time believing our players are "slow and weak." Of course, this line of thinking completely contradicts that our guys do in fact look slow and weak.

I'm not sure that we don't have strong players, but one thing I've noticed is when it comes to agility we are lacking. Suh was 300lbs but played soccer growing up. Had great foot work to go with his strength. So I just wonder how much agility training we do? Cause I have no idea. Maybe we do a lot for all I know.

[Hooked on Huskers]

HC Bielema was not afraid to make a quick change (offensive line coach fired today). Fire Pap?

[Jaybird]

Bo did say in the Presser that there could be personnel changes. I wonder what type of changes he has in mind? I am no coach nor do I claim to be an expert in football scheme or any part of the game for that matter but I wonder what the biggest issue is, personnel or scheme? Obviously a combination of both. I feel that if you are going to have seniors making freshman type mistakes then put a talented freshman out there as at least he will be around for a few more years to learn from those mistakes. Secondly think most of us would be fine if we were playing with our hair on fire out there, attacking, forcing the issue and we just happened to get burned from time to time. Instead it seems like at the first hint of adversity we turn into deer in the headlights and are paralyzed cuz we are thinking too much.

 

I am not trying to fee into the sky is falling mentality as I have put the game behind me I am looking to the future to see what the team can do to turn it around. I hate the statement that "our goals are still in tact" as your goal as a team should be to win all of the games otherwise why are you playing but in reality this team could get things turned around and compete for the B1G title. Saturday was a tough week for the conf and it seems like it may be wide open for the taking if a team steps up!

[EZ-E]

I don't know what the BMI's are for our defensive tackles, but Rome is listed at 285 and many would consider that undersized for a DT, especially in a two gap system.

 

With how often Dobson and our S&C staff are lauded for being great, I have a tough time believing our players are "slow and weak." Of course, this line of thinking completely contradicts that our guys do in fact look slow and weak.

 

100% agree with this. I really think it just comes down to them looking really confused and trying to think instead of just shedding a block and making a play. You can't tell me that we cant shed one block on one play a game and make a tackle.

[jimmiet99]

I do not claim to be a coach nor would I want to be. I loved the 3-4 UCLA ran.

weak side DT Ankrah or meredith

Nose tackle Rome or Randle

Strong side DT Steinkuhler

 

Weak side OLB Martin

MLBS Compton

Whaley

Strongside OLB Carter

send the outside linebackers all the time would help with contain and speed

 

Leave the DBS how they have been but it we are getting beat because of a size mismatch put SJB on them

[gratefullred]

I like the creativity of looking at a 3-4, but we all know Bo won't switch the D that drastically mid-season.

 

It drives me nuts watching our D-line lining up a yard from scrimage. I never see anyone else doing that. How does that give you any advantage?

 

Good News: we play in the Big10.

[sd'sker]

 

@joshharveyscout

change coming at LB? Zaire anderson and david santos worked with the 1s today. #huskers #nebraska

[sd'sker]

@joshharveyscout

Anderson said learning the defense is harder than homework. #huskers

 

 

should it be this way? has he not been learning it during the off season and fall camp?

[The Dude]

It drives me nuts watching our D-line lining up a yard from scrimage. I never see anyone else doing that. How does that give you any advantage?

I noticed the Broncos doing that last night. Not sure of the reasoning behind it.

[sd'sker]

It drives me nuts watching our D-line lining up a yard from scrimage. I never see anyone else doing that. How does that give you any advantage?

I noticed the Broncos doing that last night. Not sure of the reasoning behind it.

i think it is to give them more time to react, but i am not sure why they do it either. i do not think it bodes well, though.