Strange Things Ive Noticed Lately

[Junior]

My reason for confidence?

 

Bo fixed the defense-twice('03). Then he fixed the offense. Pretty sure he can fix the defense again.

 

My questions are:

1. If he can, why hasn't he or why did it get this bad in the first place?

2. Why does it seem we can have either a competent offense or a competent defense, but not both?

[NUinID]

3) Our scheme on defense isn't one that will win games

 

Listen, Les Miles before he hired Bo said that he was one of the toughest DCs to gameplan for because his scheme changes with the way he wants to go at offenses. In my opinion, we did not have the horses to run what Bo wants. That stems back to the 08 and 09 class. Which ultimately you have to hold Bo accountable for and he has accepted the blame. Patience is what I will tell you.

 

Pelini hasn't shown he can run an effective defense that doesn't have top level NFL talent. LSU, Oklahoma, and here all his top defenses had multiple first round talent. Pelini so far has shown he's an average defensive coach, that only excels with top talent. This year will be a test as how good of a d-coach he is.

 

Though Bo's most recent unit wasn't dominant it still was 2nd nationally in pass defense. This is with a defensive unit that had only 1 player drafted and that was in the last round. The defense was still #55 overall out of 125 programs. That says that he is able to still get his defense to function and be effective. No coach in the nation is getting their defense to dominate week in and week out with out top level NFL talent. And before anyone suggest Bowling Green or Rutgers or any other non AQ conference team did it, look at the offenses and opponents they put the numbers up on. And even those programs have "all conference" players throughout their defenses which allows them to be at least a step ahead of their conference foes.

 

 

You are a complete optimist. I like that. Nebraska had 4 really bad defensive games which they lost. The other games the defense wasn't all that bad. But, the loses are all that anyone remembers. I don't expect a huge turn around in defense for next year. Nebraska is not going to have a top 10 defense next year. How bout a top 30 defense. If NU can knock 75 yards of rushing and a touchdown off the total defense for next year that will be a great improvement in my eyes.

[Count 'Bility]

My reason for confidence?

 

Bo fixed the defense-twice('03). Then he fixed the offense. Pretty sure he can fix the defense again.

 

My questions are:

1. If he can, why hasn't he or why did it get this bad in the first place? By focusing so much on the offense, probably knowing he can D fixed rather easily.

2. Why does it seem we can have either a competent offense or a competent defense, but not both? It's not like he's been coaching for 20 years and it's been this way all along. It's only been 5 years with the goods on off, def, def, off, off-respectively. I say give it time.

[Count 'Bility]

Hey guys how's everybody?

 

Couple things I've noticed are some just odd opinions and viewpoints that hopefully I can help put into perspective.

 

1) People claim we don't have NFL talent.

 

It was evident that we didn't have any seniors that were worthy of being drafted. In my opinion, that is correct. We didn't recruit very well in 08 and 09. Those would have been this years seniors. Don't make the mistake that we don't have NFL talent in the lower classes though. We have players that will be drafted. Just not in the 2013 draft.

 

2) We haven't developed the kids we have.

 

I don't believe you should use a draft class as proof of that. After Eric Martin's sophomore year I as on record saying he would never have a major impact on our team. He developed into a good college defensive end that I would take back for this year. Jake Cotton is a kid that will be drafted as is Spencer Long and they were both nowhere near as highly touted as Andrew Rodriguez. These are just very small examples, but my point stands that the 2013 draft class does not indicate how we are developing our young men.

 

3) Our scheme on defense isn't one that will win games

 

Listen, Les Miles before he hired Bo said that he was one of the toughest DCs to gameplan for because his scheme changes with the way he wants to go at offenses. In my opinion, we did not have the horses to run what Bo wants. That stems back to the 08 and 09 class. Which ultimately you have to hold Bo accountable for and he has accepted the blame. Patience is what I will tell you.

 

4) Our Coaching Staff isn't competent

 

Well, based on points one and two, shouldn't we credit the coaching staff's schemes week in and week out that allowed us to win games against teams with more experienced NFL draftees??? I don't think it's unfair to ask.

 

Cheers guys

 

Only one team in the Big 10 had more than 3 draft picks(Illinois). Don't act like the talent on the teams we beat is head and shoulders above ours. The only position you could make a case for is at defensive tackle.

 

This is an excellent point. The Big 10 is pitiful right now, and the premier competition we faced out of conference, UCLA and Georgia.... it didn't go very well.

Those two losses went a hell of a lot better than the 2 in-conference losses.

[AllNRed]

Pelini hasn't shown he can run an effective defense that doesn't have top level NFL talent. LSU, Oklahoma, and here all his top defenses had multiple first round talent. Pelini so far has shown he's an average defensive coach, that only excels with top talent. This year will be a test as how good of a d-coach he is.

 

 

Honest question - how many coaches excel with bad talent?

 

 

0

[AllNRed]

3) Our scheme on defense isn't one that will win games

 

Listen, Les Miles before he hired Bo said that he was one of the toughest DCs to gameplan for because his scheme changes with the way he wants to go at offenses. In my opinion, we did not have the horses to run what Bo wants. That stems back to the 08 and 09 class. Which ultimately you have to hold Bo accountable for and he has accepted the blame. Patience is what I will tell you.

 

Pelini hasn't shown he can run an effective defense that doesn't have top level NFL talent. LSU, Oklahoma, and here all his top defenses had multiple first round talent. Pelini so far has shown he's an average defensive coach, that only excels with top talent. This year will be a test as how good of a d-coach he is.

 

Though Bo's most recent unit wasn't dominant it still was 2nd nationally in pass defense. This is with a defensive unit that had only 1 player drafted and that was in the last round. The defense was still #55 overall out of 125 programs. That says that he is able to still get his defense to function and be effective. No coach in the nation is getting their defense to dominate week in and week out with out top level NFL talent. And before anyone suggest Bowling Green or Rutgers or any other non AQ conference team did it, look at the offenses and opponents they put the numbers up on. And even those programs have "all conference" players throughout their defenses which allows them to be at least a step ahead of their conference foes.

 

 

You are a complete optimist. I like that. Nebraska had 4 really bad defensive games which they lost. The other games the defense wasn't all that bad. But, the loses are all that anyone remembers. I don't expect a huge turn around in defense for next year. Nebraska is not going to have a top 10 defense next year. How bout a top 30 defense. If NU can knock 75 yards of rushing and a touchdown off the total defense for next year that will be a great improvement in my eyes.

 

That's a fair assessment and I agree for the most part. I wouldn't count the Georgia game as a bad defensive game simply because, IMO, they over acheived being that they weren't facing a offense much more talented than the over defense and was still able to keep it together and not have a repeat of the previous game.

 

and you are right, I don't expect a top 10 defense next year, though I think it is highly possible if the little things are corrected (tackling issues & bone head penalties). We don't exact have a schedule full of offensive juggernuats. I pointed out the accomplishments and rankings of the defense to point out that though we don't like the overall showing of the unit especially in at least 3-4 games, they still aren't as bad as some may think being that we are still #55 best out of 125 FBS programs. Plenty of room to get better, but can obviously be a lot worse..........I can never forget '07.

[MichiganDad3]

Some defensive stats

 

Solich (Including Bo as DC) 16.9 ppg over 6 years

Cosgrove over 4 years 22.9 ppg

Pelini for the last 5 years 21.5 ppg

 

NU has been no better than 63rd in rushing defense the past 3 years, including 90th last year. My opinion is that Pelini needs two dominate DTs for his scheme to work. In 2008 NU gave up 28.5 ppg with Suh. It wasn't until Suh and Crick were both in the middle that the defense shined. Bo's defensive performance while at NU has been way to close to Cosgrove's for me to feel optimistic in the off season, especially when I remember 70 points surrendered and over 650 yards against from last year.

[The Dude]

The point wasn't necessarily that we didn't give up yards or points, but that we got stops when we needed to to keep our team in the game.

The defense occasionally decided to do their job, sure, but I don't think there's any denying the offense carried the team the vast majority of the time last year.

[Junior]

This is an excellent point. The Big 10 is pitiful right now, and the premier competition we faced out of conference, UCLA and Georgia.... it didn't go very well.

Those two losses went a hell of a lot better than the 2 in-conference losses.

 

Yay we only gave up 45 points and 600 yards?? Hell of a standard Bo has set for himself.

[iowahuskers]

This is an excellent point. The Big 10 is pitiful right now, and the premier competition we faced out of conference, UCLA and Georgia.... it didn't go very well.

Those two losses went a hell of a lot better than the 2 in-conference losses.

 

Yay we only gave up 45 points and 600 yards?? Hell of a standard Bo has set for himself.

 

Both were very winnable games, as in we were close until the end unlike our in conference games.

[Junior]

This is an excellent point. The Big 10 is pitiful right now, and the premier competition we faced out of conference, UCLA and Georgia.... it didn't go very well.

Those two losses went a hell of a lot better than the 2 in-conference losses.

 

Yay we only gave up 45 points and 600 yards?? Hell of a standard Bo has set for himself.

 

Both were very winnable games, as in we were close until the end unlike our in conference games.

 

If you allow 35+ points and 600 yards of offense, I don't really consider them winnable games.

[AllNRed]

The point wasn't necessarily that we didn't give up yards or points, but that we got stops when we needed to to keep our team in the game.

The defense occasionally decided to do their job, sure, but I don't think there's any denying the offense carried the team the vast majority of the time last year.

 

This is a disrespect to the effort and a slap in the face to the kids who suit up ever Saturday and sweat blood for the scarlet and cream. How do you know when they "decide to do their job" and when they don't feel like doing it. Are you suggesting that if they really wanted to go undefeated, they would have and that losses this year are a result of them "not feeling like doing what is asked of them everyday in practice".

 

Everyone knows that weren't overwhelmed with athleticism on the defensive side of the ball, so I'm not sure why the high expectations were there for the unit, but those kids did all they could week in and week out in the action of entertaining hundreds of thousands of fans every Saturday. Every bad performance is not a lack of effort, as much as it is one player's ability vs another's. A 6 game win streak accompanied with a few 2nd half come from behind victories tell me effort was not the issue that held back the defense.

[The Dude]

The point wasn't necessarily that we didn't give up yards or points, but that we got stops when we needed to to keep our team in the game.

The defense occasionally decided to do their job, sure, but I don't think there's any denying the offense carried the team the vast majority of the time last year.

 

This is a disrespect to the effort and a slap in the face to the kids who suit up ever Saturday and sweat blood for the scarlet and cream.

[Count 'Bility]

This is an excellent point. The Big 10 is pitiful right now, and the premier competition we faced out of conference, UCLA and Georgia.... it didn't go very well.

Those two losses went a hell of a lot better than the 2 in-conference losses.

 

Yay we only gave up 45 points and 600 yards?? Hell of a standard Bo has set for himself.

So losing 36-30 and 45-31 (lead in the 3rd quarter) is NOT better than losing 70-31 and 63-38?

 

You obviously in the wrong hood.

 

Your statement had nothing to do with offense or defense. Whatevs.

[Junior]

Your statement had nothing to do with offense or defense. Whatevs.

 

 

Yea, nothing to do with defense or offense... other than the part where I talk about the yards and points allowed.