Stopping running QBs...why all the difficulty?

[Nexus]

The thing is, T-Mart isn't the same type of runner like Miller or Robinson. What makes Miller and Robinson so tough to defend is their ability to cut east & west as well as north & south. They're what I like to call "slippery" runners due to their ability to shift any direction at the drop of a dime. In basketball lingo, they break a lot of opposing defenses ankles.

 

T-Mart isn't slippery. He's straight line fast, but not east & west shifty.

 

IMO, Jamal Turner would be perfect as a scout team QB when prepping for dual-threat QBs. He fits the mold of a "slippery" runner a la Miller, Robinson, etc.

[Maxconvert]

IMO, Jamal Turner would be perfect as a scout team QB when prepping for dual-threat QBs. He fits the mold of a "slippery" runner a la Miller, Robinson, etc.

 

Very true. But our D has had trouble against "running" qbs much less slippery than Braxton Miller--like Jake Locker.

[Maxconvert]

At a certain point it will beg the question about what our defense can be without that rare blend of 6-DB talent we had with two safeties on top of Dennard, Prince, Hagg, and Gomes.

 

 

Sorry, I have to disagree that DB talent is the problem. Evans, Jean-Baptiste, Josh Mitchell, and Green aren't as good as Dennard and Amukamara in their prime, but they're not that far off. IMO these guys, especially Josh Mitchell, have been one of the few that have played well for the D this season. Add to that Mohammad Seisay, who was ranked as the best JUCO CB in the nation when we signed him.

 

On the other other hand, our safety play has been downright putrid. Poor safety play, D-line play, and OLB play has been the downfall of this year's D.

[T_O_Bull]

My first post...first of all, just wanna say I'm glad to see a large free site like this one. Huskermax with its paid registration system, u just end up with the same 15 guys talking about the same stuff over and over.

 

Anyway, it's been known for a long time that Bo has had trouble covering for running qbs. Why is this the case? We all saw how he was able to create a defense that was able to stifle the spread, fun-n-gun attacks in the Big 12. Why all the difficulty in scheming to take away a running qb? My own theory--and I'm far from an ex-coach or anyone with any inside knowledge--is that Bo is too obsessed with man coverage or the matchup-zone system that he uses, which from my understanding is really a man-system disguised as a zone on the pre-snap read. This is why we keep seeing slow-footed LBs like Compton and Whaley trying to spring downfield and cover a speedy slot WR in the UCLA and OSU games. The advantage to using conventional zone coverages is that if the qb takes off to scramble (or in a design QB run like we've seen a lot this year), the entire defensive back 7 sees it. In man, nobody sees it except for maybe one LB and a safety. And the way our safeties are playing this year, seeing it doesn't mean they're gonna even come close to stopping it!

 

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on this, especially people with more X and O knowledge than me. Of course if you're gonna use zone pass coverages, u also have to have the ability to get to the QB otherwise the WRs will find gaps in the zone and exploit them. But to me, it makes a lot more sense to use a mixture of standard zone, matchup zone, man coverage with blitzes, zone blitzes, and a QB spy at times that varies between LBs or safeties so that the QB can't figure it out. I think someone with Bo's defensive expertise shouldn't be struggling with running qbs as much as we have.

Not just Bo having trouble stopping mobile QB'S. TO had his troubles too as does every coach in the country.

T_O_B

[Nexus]

IMO, Jamal Turner would be perfect as a scout team QB when prepping for dual-threat QBs. He fits the mold of a "slippery" runner a la Miller, Robinson, etc.

 

Very true. But our D has had trouble against "running" qbs much less slippery than Braxton Miller--like Jake Locker.

 

Locker is yet another example of a different type of runner because of his size. Cam Newton too. Those are big bodied QBs that weren't afraid of contact, so being shifty wasn't needed. They were fast, but could also put a shoulder down and knock you backwards for extra yards.

[Maxconvert]

IMO, Jamal Turner would be perfect as a scout team QB when prepping for dual-threat QBs. He fits the mold of a "slippery" runner a la Miller, Robinson, etc.

 

Very true. But our D has had trouble against "running" qbs much less slippery than Braxton Miller--like Jake Locker.

 

Locker is yet another example of a different type of runner because of his size. Cam Newton too. Those are big bodied QBs that weren't afraid of contact, so being shifty wasn't needed. They were fast, but could also put a shoulder down and knock you backwards for extra yards.

 

Okay, but if we're only gonna be good at stopping straight-line runners like T-Mart, it's not gonna amount to a hill of beans. There are almost no other "running" qbs that are fast but also small and not shifty

[NUance]

IMO, Jamal Turner would be perfect as a scout team QB when prepping for dual-threat QBs. He fits the mold of a "slippery" runner a la Miller, Robinson, etc.

 

Very true. But our D has had trouble against "running" qbs much less slippery than Braxton Miller--like Jake Locker.

 

Locker is yet another example of a different type of runner because of his size. Cam Newton too. Those are big bodied QBs that weren't afraid of contact, so being shifty wasn't needed. They were fast, but could also put a shoulder down and knock you backwards for extra yards.

Yeah, and even Locker only batted .500 in his two games against us. And even though U-dub won, Locker didn't exactly light it up in their Holiday Bowl win.

[gobiggergoredder]

[Nexus]

IMO, Jamal Turner would be perfect as a scout team QB when prepping for dual-threat QBs. He fits the mold of a "slippery" runner a la Miller, Robinson, etc.

 

Very true. But our D has had trouble against "running" qbs much less slippery than Braxton Miller--like Jake Locker.

 

Locker is yet another example of a different type of runner because of his size. Cam Newton too. Those are big bodied QBs that weren't afraid of contact, so being shifty wasn't needed. They were fast, but could also put a shoulder down and knock you backwards for extra yards.

 

Okay, but if we're only gonna be good at stopping straight-line runners like T-Mart, it's not gonna amount to a hill of beans. There are almost no other "running" qbs that are fast but also small and not shifty

 

I understand the point you're making in this thread and I don't have the answers you seek. I'm merely giving my opinion on the different types of dual-threat QBs. If I knew how to defend these guys, I wouldn't be posting on a message board right now.

[BIG ERN]

Having our D line control gaps against a mobile QB is useless IMO. And if we are going to have a spy, make sure it isn't Sean Fisher.

[Maxconvert]

And if we are going to have a spy, make sure it isn't Sean Fisher.

 

Have we truly been using a LB or safety to spy on mobile Qbs this year? I don't think so, but I haven't reviewed enough game tape to know for sure.

[4skers89]

The thing is, T-Mart isn't the same type of runner like Miller or Robinson. What makes Miller and Robinson so tough to defend is their ability to cut east & west as well as north & south. They're what I like to call "slippery" runners due to their ability to shift any direction at the drop of a dime. In basketball lingo, they break a lot of opposing defenses ankles.

 

T-Mart isn't slippery. He's straight line fast, but not east & west shifty.

 

IMO, Jamal Turner would be perfect as a scout team QB when prepping for dual-threat QBs. He fits the mold of a "slippery" runner a la Miller, Robinson, etc.

 

I was going to point this out and speculate if it dictates a different type of defense to stop them compared to Martinez. Martinez breaks long runs when he executes the option well and runs through large holes as does Miller. On designed runs from the shotgun Miller and Martinez present different problems. Against MSU it seemed like they ran a lot of Miller left, Miller right where he was just reading the DE and either running inside or out. I'm not sure you would need to defend Martinez the same way. MSU wasn't that effective stopping it but I don't recall Miller breaking more than 1 or 2 runs longer than 20 yards.

[hu5kers]

The thing is, every college team has problems with running QBs. Not just Nebraska. That's why Shoelace has 800 yds on a hundred carries at the halfway point of the season.

"Not so fast, my friend!", Bama seems to stop everything including the kitchen sink. Shoelace's must have been tied together for the Alabama game. (27 yards rushing)

[zoogs]

^

But really, the only team that has completely shut Robinson down is Alabamy. Then again, Bama shuts everybody down.

[junior4949]

There's quite a bit of difference between a mobile QB and a QB that can run and pass. Brad Smith and RG3 were mobile QB's that could pass well. They're almost in a class all by themselves. A mobile QB who can run but not pass well can be stopped a lot easier than one that can pass as well as run. Darian Hagan made our D look foolish three years in a row as he could run and pass and had a stud RB behind him. Some people want to put Blaine Gabbert into the duel threat category, but he looked akward and slow in the run. A runner and a passer hurts nearly everyone because when one breaks down they simply do the other. They keep most defenses on their toes. One who can run but not really pass is easier to stop by loading the box.