The real reason why people are upset, including me.

[HuskerShark]

The reason why I am so upset about this team right now is simple:

 

After the 2010 season, we lost Gomes, Amukamara, and Hagg to the NFL, leaving an obviously massive void in the secondary, which was apparent all of last season with horrible coverage most of the year. I can understand that even great teams with amazing recruiting ties that roll in 4 and 5 star recruits will have a down year here and there which people refer to as a "rebuilding year."

 

Then in fall camp, we hear all of these glowing reviews of every level of the defense, so naturally, I expected to have an improved defense this season. I will give credit where credit is due. I have seen 2 players on the defense that have visibly improved big-time since last year:

Ciante Evans and Jason Ankrah have played very well so far.

 

The problem IMO lies in the front 7. I like Compton, but when I saw him chasing the UCLA RB on a crossing route and let him get away for a big gain, I almost started whimpering because I realized how much we are missing Lavonte this year. Baker Steinkuhler has played horribly so far. I feel like we have had decent production out of all 4 of our top DEs, especially against UCLA.

 

Anyhow, not that I am claiming to know anything, but here is what I would do to fix the defense:

 

1. Most importantly - TURN THE DL LOOSE! The object should be to shed the blocks and get upfield toward the QB or RB, not wait for them to get to the line and then try to shed the blocks. THE BEST WAY TO STOP THE RUN IS GET TO IT BEFORE IT GETS STARTED!!!!

 

2. Abandon the cover 2. We don't have the athleticism up front to have 2 of our defenders lining up 20 yards downfield. Either bring both of them forward 5-7 yards or leave one and bring the other up in run support in a LB position and play cover 1.

 

3. Play the young talent. We have yet to see Charles Jackson, David Santos, Michael Rose, etc. Let's see them. I also hope that Alonzo Moore ends up on defense now. We are super deep at WR, and his athleticism is needed at CB.

 

4. Go back to press man coverage. I noticed that we have been lining up 7-10 yards back from the receivers this year and playing a match-up zone, and these guys just aren't on the same page at all. So many missed assignments and busted coverages, and it's embarrassing to watch.

 

5. May be most important of all: LEARN HOW TO FREAKIN' TACKLE!!! For the love of God, learn how to tackle.

 

end rant.

[sd'sker]

i am mostly upset because we got outplayed. the defense was atrocious, but our offense still had plenty of chance to win this one. our offense only converted one third down. the safety was terrible as was the 3rd and 1 when we ran it up the gut. we should have won this one, but ucla seemed to have wanted it more. i believe ucla is a good team, but we need to play with more intensity and reckless abandon on 'd' and just smarter on 'o'. i am still excited for the B1G.

we need to be patient with bo and beck.

also, why are we so bad at playing from behind. we just lack confidence and the attitude that we refuse to fail. the 'd' did make some very crucial stops, but without the 'o' picking up their slack we were not going to win that one.

[HuskerShark]

They just seemed scared to lose to me, which doesn't work out most of the time.

 

And I agree with you about the O. I was screaming for the fullback to trot out onto the field the entire game. It's funny how we almost always get 3 yards a pop when we have Marrow in there paving the way.

 

I also wish they had played Heard a little bit more. He ran well for the few plays he was in.

[nebraskaman]

This is my first post here at huskerboards, but I am a lifetime NU fan and have been following these discussions for a few years. I too was disappointed with the loss to UCLA. My biggest concerns are poor tackling by the D. I watched this game and really thought that NU got outplayed on the field, especially in the second half. Not the coaching or whatever, but on the field. Missed tackles do not win games. Also, the offense needs more confidence, this has been a problem for a while with the Huskers of late, they don't seem to have' it' in the crucial moments in big games. 2 interceptions are 2 to many. Martinez is an OK passer but will never be great, but he could have led the Huskers to a win if the D had come thru.

[huskerfan333157]

I think its the fact that we lose games that we should win EVERY year. I used to think Bo was a great coach but now im starting to wonder if hes just a mediocre one. If youre an defensive mastermind then you will know who to recruit and you wont get blown up like Nebraska's D did yesterday. Our team still has huge mental lapses and we are not mentally tough. Tell me one year, since bo's been here, that our offense AND defense have both been mentally tough the same year?

[308_Husker]

Turning the DL loose wouldn't have helped. They are just too slow. We couldn't bull rush them because we aren't stronger than them and we sure as hell weren't going to go around the outside for a speed rush. Eric Martin was the most impressive to me last night. At least he was making moves at the line with swimming, spins, etc. It's terrible when we blitz six and one of our guys goes unblocked, but Hundley still had five seconds to throw the ball because we couldn't get to him on time. We have no speed to exploit in our front seven.

[MichiganDad3]

The reason why I am so upset about this team right now is simple:

 

After the 2010 season, we lost Gomes, Amukamara, and Hagg to the NFL, leaving an obviously massive void in the secondary, which was apparent all of last season with horrible coverage most of the year. I can understand that even great teams with amazing recruiting ties that roll in 4 and 5 star recruits will have a down year here and there which people refer to as a "rebuilding year."

 

Then in fall camp, we hear all of these glowing reviews of every level of the defense, so naturally, I expected to have an improved defense this season. I will give credit where credit is due. I have seen 2 players on the defense that have visibly improved big-time since last year:

Ciante Evans and Jason Ankrah have played very well so far.

 

The problem IMO lies in the front 7. I like Compton, but when I saw him chasing the UCLA RB on a crossing route and let him get away for a big gain, I almost started whimpering because I realized how much we are missing Lavonte this year. Baker Steinkuhler has played horribly so far. I feel like we have had decent production out of all 4 of our top DEs, especially against UCLA.

 

Anyhow, not that I am claiming to know anything, but here is what I would do to fix the defense:

 

1. Most importantly - TURN THE DL LOOSE! The object should be to shed the blocks and get upfield toward the QB or RB, not wait for them to get to the line and then try to shed the blocks. THE BEST WAY TO STOP THE RUN IS GET TO IT BEFORE IT GETS STARTED!!!!

 

2. Abandon the cover 2. We don't have the athleticism up front to have 2 of our defenders lining up 20 yards downfield. Either bring both of them forward 5-7 yards or leave one and bring the other up in run support in a LB position and play cover 1.

 

3. Play the young talent. We have yet to see Charles Jackson, David Santos, Michael Rose, etc. Let's see them. I also hope that Alonzo Moore ends up on defense now. We are super deep at WR, and his athleticism is needed at CB.

 

4. Go back to press man coverage. I noticed that we have been lining up 7-10 yards back from the receivers this year and playing a match-up zone, and these guys just aren't on the same page at all. So many missed assignments and busted coverages, and it's embarrassing to watch.

 

5. May be most important of all: LEARN HOW TO FREAKIN' TACKLE!!! For the love of God, learn how to tackle.

 

end rant.

 

It has always been my opinion that the coaches know way more than message board advisers, but the advise above wins the game against UCLA.

[JoeHuskers!]

The reason why I am so upset about this team right now is simple:

 

After the 2010 season, we lost Gomes, Amukamara, and Hagg to the NFL, leaving an obviously massive void in the secondary, which was apparent all of last season with horrible coverage most of the year. I can understand that even great teams with amazing recruiting ties that roll in 4 and 5 star recruits will have a down year here and there which people refer to as a "rebuilding year."

 

Then in fall camp, we hear all of these glowing reviews of every level of the defense, so naturally, I expected to have an improved defense this season. I will give credit where credit is due. I have seen 2 players on the defense that have visibly improved big-time since last year:

Ciante Evans and Jason Ankrah have played very well so far.

 

The problem IMO lies in the front 7. I like Compton, but when I saw him chasing the UCLA RB on a crossing route and let him get away for a big gain, I almost started whimpering because I realized how much we are missing Lavonte this year. Baker Steinkuhler has played horribly so far. I feel like we have had decent production out of all 4 of our top DEs, especially against UCLA.

 

Anyhow, not that I am claiming to know anything, but here is what I would do to fix the defense:

 

1. Most importantly - TURN THE DL LOOSE! The object should be to shed the blocks and get upfield toward the QB or RB, not wait for them to get to the line and then try to shed the blocks. THE BEST WAY TO STOP THE RUN IS GET TO IT BEFORE IT GETS STARTED!!!!

 

2. Abandon the cover 2. We don't have the athleticism up front to have 2 of our defenders lining up 20 yards downfield. Either bring both of them forward 5-7 yards or leave one and bring the other up in run support in a LB position and play cover 1.

 

3. Play the young talent. We have yet to see Charles Jackson, David Santos, Michael Rose, etc. Let's see them. I also hope that Alonzo Moore ends up on defense now. We are super deep at WR, and his athleticism is needed at CB.

 

4. Go back to press man coverage. I noticed that we have been lining up 7-10 yards back from the receivers this year and playing a match-up zone, and these guys just aren't on the same page at all. So many missed assignments and busted coverages, and it's embarrassing to watch.

 

5. May be most important of all: LEARN HOW TO FREAKIN' TACKLE!!! For the love of God, learn how to tackle.

 

end rant.

 

It has always been my opinion that the coaches know way more than message board advisers, but the advise above wins the game against UCLA.

 

 

 

 

If we could do #5 only, we would have won that game

[FLU]

The real reason I am mad is because I see the same sh#t year after year with no sign of improvement or progress. This was once a proud and dominant program and now the majority of the fanbase is willing to accept less than that. It's just sad.

[MichiganDad3]

The real reason I am mad is because I see the same sh#t year after year with no sign of improvement or progress. This was once a proud and dominant program and now the majority of the fanbase is willing to accept less than that. It's just sad.

 

This is true. NU is playing the same defense that failed last year, there have been no changes on kick coverage, and the backups still get no reps or very limited reps.

[dutch91701]

I'm upset because I have as much confidence in this defense as I had in 2007's.

[holvy83]

The reason why I am so upset about this team right now is simple:

 

After the 2010 season, we lost Gomes, Amukamara, and Hagg to the NFL, leaving an obviously massive void in the secondary, which was apparent all of last season with horrible coverage most of the year. I can understand that even great teams with amazing recruiting ties that roll in 4 and 5 star recruits will have a down year here and there which people refer to as a "rebuilding year."

 

Then in fall camp, we hear all of these glowing reviews of every level of the defense, so naturally, I expected to have an improved defense this season. I will give credit where credit is due. I have seen 2 players on the defense that have visibly improved big-time since last year:

Ciante Evans and Jason Ankrah have played very well so far.

 

The problem IMO lies in the front 7. I like Compton, but when I saw him chasing the UCLA RB on a crossing route and let him get away for a big gain, I almost started whimpering because I realized how much we are missing Lavonte this year. Baker Steinkuhler has played horribly so far. I feel like we have had decent production out of all 4 of our top DEs, especially against UCLA.

 

Anyhow, not that I am claiming to know anything, but here is what I would do to fix the defense:

 

1. Most importantly - TURN THE DL LOOSE! The object should be to shed the blocks and get upfield toward the QB or RB, not wait for them to get to the line and then try to shed the blocks. THE BEST WAY TO STOP THE RUN IS GET TO IT BEFORE IT GETS STARTED!!!!

 

2. Abandon the cover 2. We don't have the athleticism up front to have 2 of our defenders lining up 20 yards downfield. Either bring both of them forward 5-7 yards or leave one and bring the other up in run support in a LB position and play cover 1.

 

3. Play the young talent. We have yet to see Charles Jackson, David Santos, Michael Rose, etc. Let's see them. I also hope that Alonzo Moore ends up on defense now. We are super deep at WR, and his athleticism is needed at CB.

 

4. Go back to press man coverage. I noticed that we have been lining up 7-10 yards back from the receivers this year and playing a match-up zone, and these guys just aren't on the same page at all. So many missed assignments and busted coverages, and it's embarrassing to watch.

 

5. May be most important of all: LEARN HOW TO FREAKIN' TACKLE!!! For the love of God, learn how to tackle.

 

end rant.

 

It has always been my opinion that the coaches know way more than message board advisers, but the advise above wins the game against UCLA.

 

 

 

 

If we could do #5 only, we would have won that game

 

It looked like a bunch of guys who wanted nothing to do with HITTING ANYONE!!!!

[Goal-line]

The reason why I am so upset about this team right now is simple:

 

After the 2010 season, we lost Gomes, Amukamara, and Hagg to the NFL, leaving an obviously massive void in the secondary, which was apparent all of last season with horrible coverage most of the year. I can understand that even great teams with amazing recruiting ties that roll in 4 and 5 star recruits will have a down year here and there which people refer to as a "rebuilding year."

 

Then in fall camp, we hear all of these glowing reviews of every level of the defense, so naturally, I expected to have an improved defense this season. I will give credit where credit is due. I have seen 2 players on the defense that have visibly improved big-time since last year:

Ciante Evans and Jason Ankrah have played very well so far.

 

The problem IMO lies in the front 7. I like Compton, but when I saw him chasing the UCLA RB on a crossing route and let him get away for a big gain, I almost started whimpering because I realized how much we are missing Lavonte this year. Baker Steinkuhler has played horribly so far. I feel like we have had decent production out of all 4 of our top DEs, especially against UCLA.

 

Anyhow, not that I am claiming to know anything, but here is what I would do to fix the defense:

 

1. Most importantly - TURN THE DL LOOSE! The object should be to shed the blocks and get upfield toward the QB or RB, not wait for them to get to the line and then try to shed the blocks. THE BEST WAY TO STOP THE RUN IS GET TO IT BEFORE IT GETS STARTED!!!!

 

2. Abandon the cover 2. We don't have the athleticism up front to have 2 of our defenders lining up 20 yards downfield. Either bring both of them forward 5-7 yards or leave one and bring the other up in run support in a LB position and play cover 1.

 

3. Play the young talent. We have yet to see Charles Jackson, David Santos, Michael Rose, etc. Let's see them. I also hope that Alonzo Moore ends up on defense now. We are super deep at WR, and his athleticism is needed at CB.

 

4. Go back to press man coverage. I noticed that we have been lining up 7-10 yards back from the receivers this year and playing a match-up zone, and these guys just aren't on the same page at all. So many missed assignments and busted coverages, and it's embarrassing to watch.

 

5. May be most important of all: LEARN HOW TO FREAKIN' TACKLE!!! For the love of God, learn how to tackle.

 

end rant.

Roger that!

[raw1]

The O-Line couldn't control the line of scrimmage. They got pushed around all game. The play calling kind of sucked too. Calling the fullback on that third and one was a dismissable offense. Martinez was actually conducting a decent drive, Adbullah and Heard were doing very well running the ball and so they had the threat of TM running, TM passing, or the tailback on any number of plays. Instead they give it to the least qualified guy who goes into the hole their defense would have been looking for Abdullah or Heard to go. Didn't make any sense to me. 1-11 on third downs....you ain't going to win very many games doing that.