Evolution of the Defense

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Topics merged...........

[huskerhandy35]

Our D problems are caused by more than just one big issue! It's a bunch of things, which is even worse! The two biggest problems are scheme and player ability! First, our D schemes are the downfall of this team! When we bring heat and blitz, our D is successful, when we dont we get killed! So why don't we blitz more? Dont ask me? First quarter against OSU, we blitzed and were successful and we were winning, then we backed off and got killed! Second, ties into the first point. If we dont have the players to execute the D scheme because we lack linebacker speed for covering across the middle whether short or long, then to me that's even more reason to blitz! At least by blitzing you have a chance to cause an early throw that falls short, or inaccurate throw for a INT or something. But, to just sit back and play cover 2 and let our Backers look pathetically slow in coverage is inexcusable!

 

FFS! Cant you see this?

 

Another thought is Bo's scheme will have it's most success during the 1st or 2nd year. But like everything else... your scheme becomes better known and therefore other teams can better counter your scheme, which is the case right now! Bo acts like his scheme is full-proof somehow and can't be countered if executed properly!? BS!! It's obvious that any good teams have the coaches smart enough and familiar enough with his D scheme to counter it effectively and after a couple minor in game tweaks, they then start to take over! Any resemblence to Cosgrove? Who was/is famous for lack of in game adjustments to give us a chance to win? I dont think lack of adjustment is due to lack of knowledge in Bo's case, but rather due to lack of wanting to, which is probably worse in my opinion!

 

I guess no such thing as humble pie in our locker room?

[4skers89]

Bump. Seems more important to discuss then quarterback/offense play. It doesn't take a defensive genius to recognize that our defense has problems. What is good about this defense? What is lacking in this defense?

[Igetbored216]

There's really nothing left to talk about in regards to the D. It's well established that the Huskers don't have the players to be able to successfully execute Bo's current defensive scheme. If he is unwilling to change certain aspects of it to compliment the players - because it has "worked in the past" - the defense will continue to be bad.

[chamrocck]

Watching some games yesterday. Does anyone else in the country have a defense that looks to the sidelines in confusion, moves players around late before the snap, has players yelling at others where to go as much as we do? How is this effective? If we continue to see this it is a tell tale sign that our defense will continue to be bad. This is not the sign of a confident defense but one that is always back on their heels, ready to and getting gashed, and one that is wearing down in energy throughout the game with all the pre-snap hysterics. It seems other offenses use this against us with mis-direction and then gash us with a big run or throw an easy short route wide open that goes for big yards. We look ridiculous and lost...and I think we are.

[4skers89]

Watching some games yesterday. Does anyone else in the country have a defense that looks to the sidelines in confusion, moves players around late before the snap, has players yelling at others where to go as much as we do? How is this effective? If we continue to see this it is a tell tale sign that our defense will continue to be bad. This is not the sign of a confident defense but one that is always back on their heels, ready to and getting gashed, and one that is wearing down in energy throughout the game with all the pre-snap hysterics. It seems other offenses use this against us with mis-direction and then gash us with a big run or throw an easy short route wide open that goes for big yards. We look ridiculous and lost...and I think we are.

 

A columnist pointed out that football is probably not really creating leaders. The players are limited in decision making since the offense and defense are called from the sideline. Related to that, I wonder if we are creating dumb players by overcoaching them. If they are coached in detail what to do when they see the various formations and plays it could become a rather long list. Processing this list in real time and then executing it could be a problem. What if they run something that wasn't seen during film study? Are the players going through the list, matching it to the closest thing and end up doing the wrong thing? I think that might explain some plays where nobody seems to be within yards of the guy with the ball. Sometimes it looks like we forget that it's important to tackle the guy with the football. Using OSU as an example, it was obvious that they had to rely on Braxton for a lot of production but yet he seemed to be unaccounted for on some plays. Going into the game the players should have been coached that OSU might show a lot of different things but at the end of the day Braxton might have the ball and we should be in position to stop him. It's got to be something like this or we're getting blocked really well and don't know how shed blocks.

[mortes_caput]

"Five years of lazy recruiting has caught up to Pelini."

 

^^^^^^^^^^ THIS^^^^^^^

 

I know a big Miami fan who says Randy Shannon did the same things there that Bo is doing at Nebraska.Recruiting kids from alma maters,grabbing multiple teammates from the same school,etc...We are lacking depth on the d-line,linebacker and safety.

 

I am no expert but in the offseason,if the coaches want speed they need to make position switches and stay with them.I liked what Washington has done this year,young team holding their own on defense excpet for Oregon game(but who can stop them really) They moved a bunch of safeties to linebacker,created a rush position and basically run a really fast 3-4,not an oversized one like the steelers or bama.

 

proposed position changes:

 

Max Pirman OLB to RUSH

Greg McMullen DE to DT

Harvey Jackson S to OLB

LeRoy Alexander S to OLB

Mohammad Seisay CB to S

2013 Courtney Love OLB to RUSH

2013 Christian Lecourtore DT to DE in 3-4 running downs,dt in pass down

2013 Nathan Gerry S to OLB

[Comish]

Watching some games yesterday. Does anyone else in the country have a defense that looks to the sidelines in confusion, moves players around late before the snap, has players yelling at others where to go as much as we do? How is this effective? If we continue to see this it is a tell tale sign that our defense will continue to be bad. This is not the sign of a confident defense but one that is always back on their heels, ready to and getting gashed, and one that is wearing down in energy throughout the game with all the pre-snap hysterics. It seems other offenses use this against us with mis-direction and then gash us with a big run or throw an easy short route wide open that goes for big yards. We look ridiculous and lost...and I think we are.

 

A columnist pointed out that football is probably not really creating leaders. The players are limited in decision making since the offense and defense are called from the sideline. Related to that, I wonder if we are creating dumb players by overcoaching them. If they are coached in detail what to do when they see the various formations and plays it could become a rather long list. Processing this list in real time and then executing it could be a problem. What if they run something that wasn't seen during film study? Are the players going through the list, matching it to the closest thing and end up doing the wrong thing? I think that might explain some plays where nobody seems to be within yards of the guy with the ball. Sometimes it looks like we forget that it's important to tackle the guy with the football. Using OSU as an example, it was obvious that they had to rely on Braxton for a lot of production but yet he seemed to be unaccounted for on some plays. Going into the game the players should have been coached that OSU might show a lot of different things but at the end of the day Braxton might have the ball and we should be in position to stop him. It's got to be something like this or we're getting blocked really well and don't know how shed blocks.

Not too dissimilar to what we "settled" for with LaVonte. Supposedly had difficulty early mastering the "playbook", yet KEPT MAKING PLAYS! Put athletes on the field and let their athleticism carry them........

[zoogs]

If we had an instinctive, purely talented athlete like Lavonte, no question we would have him out on the field. Guy was a 2nd round NFL pick. Those dudes don't fall out of trees.

[B.B. Hemingway]

In 2009 NU had the number 1 defense in college football. In 2010, NU had a top 10 defense. In 2011 the defense was mediocre, and now it is terrible. What is the cause? I don't believe the problem is exclusively the players. Suh was great, and NU had some other NFL caliber players, but the drop off should not be that great. How much of the problem is due to scheme, getting out coached, and putting the wrong players on the field. Eight seniors started on defense against Ohio State. Were those seniors really the best athletes at their position, or is Bo rewarding seniors? Giving up 63 points to Ohio State, that was held to 29 by UAB and 17 by Michigan State is unacceptable. Giving up over 600 yards to a bad UCLA team in unacceptable. I just don't know what the cause is.

In 2009 NU had the number 1 defense in college football. In 2010, NU had a top 10 defense. In 2011 the defense was mediocre, and now it is terrible. What is the cause? I don't believe the problem is exclusively the players. Suh was great, and NU had some other NFL caliber players, but the drop off should not be that great. How much of the problem is due to scheme, getting out coached, and putting the wrong players on the field. Eight seniors started on defense against Ohio State. Were those seniors really the best athletes at their position, or is Bo rewarding seniors? Giving up 63 points to Ohio State, that was held to 29 by UAB and 17 by Michigan State is unacceptable. Giving up over 600 yards to a bad UCLA team in unacceptable. I just don't know what the cause is.

 

It is the players. Every good coach has to have talent in order to execute their schemes, and right now we don't have the players. Ask yourself this; How many guys on our current defense would have started in 2009? Answer: Nobody....

[B.B. Hemingway]

Five years of lazy recruiting has caught up to Pelini.

 

Last year's class was pretty good on paper..... Armstrong, Cross, Valentine, Curry, Moss, Rose, Westerkamp, etc.

[HuskerMac]

This Patty-cake peek-a-boo thing the DLine does just doesn't cut it. Attack & blitz...worked vs OSU, worked for Mich st vs mich last year. Yes, you'll get burned for a big play once in awhile, but you'll force some mistakes, bad throws, turnovers 3&outs, etc. what is better...3&out, 3&out, fG, 3&out, TD, 3&out or TD, TD, TD, TD, TD, TD?

 

I for one hope to see some changes in place for NW & Mich...

[Maxconvert]

In 2009 NU had the number 1 defense in college football. In 2010, NU had a top 10 defense. In 2011 the defense was mediocre, and now it is terrible. What is the cause? I don't believe the problem is exclusively the players. Suh was great, and NU had some other NFL caliber players, but the drop off should not be that great. How much of the problem is due to scheme, getting out coached, and putting the wrong players on the field. Eight seniors started on defense against Ohio State. Were those seniors really the best athletes at their position, or is Bo rewarding seniors? Giving up 63 points to Ohio State, that was held to 29 by UAB and 17 by Michigan State is unacceptable. Giving up over 600 yards to a bad UCLA team in unacceptable. I just don't know what the cause is.

 

Great question. I know it's popular to say things like "Callahan's recruited talent" and "Suh was a once in a lifetime player", but these are just excuses. Suh was a special player, but there's players close to his caliber on top defenses EVERY YEAR. The best players in the 09 defense were Amukamara, Dennard, Hagg, Gomes, and Suh--over those, only Amukamara and Suh are consistent NFL starters now. Last year we had one of the best LBs in memory in Lavonte David (who is already starting for the Bucs) and yet we still had a crap defense much of the year.

 

My guess is that it's a mix of constant shuffling among defensive coaches (Carl Pelini, yearly turnover at secondary coach, etc). I think having to learn Bo's complicated "system", plus mixing in a constant shuffle of new subsystems every year, has really got players confused. As a result, Bo leans heavily on the most senior players who have been in the various "systems" the longest, rather than using guys who have the best physical talent. In short, our development of players on defense the last few years has been a complete disaster.

[NUance]

In 2009 NU had the number 1 defense in college football. In 2010, NU had a top 10 defense. In 2011 the defense was mediocre, and now it is terrible. What is the cause? I don't believe the problem is exclusively the players. Suh was great, and NU had some other NFL caliber players, but the drop off should not be that great. How much of the problem is due to scheme, getting out coached, and putting the wrong players on the field. Eight seniors started on defense against Ohio State. Were those seniors really the best athletes at their position, or is Bo rewarding seniors? Giving up 63 points to Ohio State, that was held to 29 by UAB and 17 by Michigan State is unacceptable. Giving up over 600 yards to a bad UCLA team in unacceptable. I just don't know what the cause is.

 

Great question. I know it's popular to say things like "Callahan's recruited talent" and "Suh was a once in a lifetime player", but these are just excuses. Suh was a special player, but there's players close to his caliber on top defenses EVERY YEAR. The best players in the 09 defense were Amukamara, Dennard, Hagg, Gomes, and Suh--over those, only Amukamara and Suh are consistent NFL starters now. Last year we had one of the best LBs in memory in Lavonte David (who is already starting for the Bucs) and yet we still had a crap defense much of the year.

 

My guess is that it's a mix of constant shuffling among defensive coaches (Carl Pelini, yearly turnover at secondary coach, etc). I think having to learn Bo's complicated "system", plus mixing in a constant shuffle of new subsystems every year, has really got players confused. As a result, Bo leans heavily on the most senior players who have been in the various "systems" the longest, rather than using guys who have the best physical talent. In short, our development of players on defense the last few years has been a complete disaster.

I think it ALL boils down to Carl. Here's a recap of his tenure at UNL: 2009: Carl in charge, livin’ large and gettin’ laid. (#1 defense in the nation). 2010: Off-field distractions; Carl caught with pants down. (D falls off a bit, still top 10) 2011: Athletic dept installs new firewalls. Can’t a guy even get some damn porn?? (Blackshirts in disarray. Can't focus.) 2012: Carl is outa here. (Don't even know what down it is. We boned.)

[Maxconvert]

I think it ALL boils down to Carl. Here's a recap of his tenure at UNL: 2009: Carl in charge, livin’ large and gettin’ laid. (#1 defense in the nation). 2010: Off-field distractions; Carl caught with pants down. (D falls off a bit, still top 10) 2011: Athletic dept installs new firewalls. Can’t a guy even get some damn porn?? (Blackshirts in disarray. Can't focus.) 2012: Carl is outa here. (Don't even know what down it is. We boned.)

 

So you're saying the secret formula was getting Carl Pelini laid or able to watch porn? That's certainly an original theory