Getting a good read on the defense

[tmfr15]

Just a thought about the defense and the way it performed on Saturday. I know a lot of people felt that Husker fans were being fed "hype" about the defense during the preseason as far as it being really athletic and all of that. Those fans shook their head at certain points of the game in the feeling that they had been lied to by coaches, etc.

 

The thing that struck me about the game was how slow things were happening on the offensive side. There was little to no rhythm and I felt the unit played flat.

 

Is it possible, given all the good things that were said about the offense from the close of last year through the preseason that the Husker O practices in an uninspired way and never really clicked fully in the preseason, thus the defense may not have been as tested as the coaches thought it was and may have looked better than their actual ability level?

 

I was interested in the way that Pelini said he wasn't going to press the "panic" button. I think that means he was a bit shocked himself that the defense did not perform the way the NU coaches thought it would given its preseason performance against the offense.

[MichiganDad3]

Pelini will adjust on Offense, but not defense. After the multiple turnover loss to Iowa State, Pelini forced SW to run a basic offense. Then he forced SW to go to the zone read, and then Pelini replaced SW. The defense has been going downhill for 3 years, and there have been no changes.

[TheSker]

The defense has been going downhill for 3 years, and there have been no changes.

The defense has been going downhill for 3 years. To say there have been no changes is not correct. Emphasis has been put on recruiting.....examples we will be pleased with include Randy Gregory and Nathan Gerry. They are difference makers.

[The King]

Pelini will adjust on Offense, but not defense. After the multiple turnover loss to Iowa State, Pelini forced SW to run a basic offense. Then he forced SW to go to the zone read, and then Pelini replaced SW. The defense has been going downhill for 3 years, and there have been no changes.

 

There have been no changes?

 

Carl Pelini? Corey Raymond? Good lord.

[EZ-E]

Pelini will adjust on Offense, but not defense. After the multiple turnover loss to Iowa State, Pelini forced SW to run a basic offense. Then he forced SW to go to the zone read, and then Pelini replaced SW. The defense has been going downhill for 3 years, and there have been no changes.

 

There have been no changes?

 

Carl Pelini? Corey Raymond? Good lord.

 

There have been scheme changes since the tOSU game last year. Bo would have hardly ever brought that safety into the box and played one high like he did Saturday pre-tOSU.

[knapplc]

It is not the offense's fault that the defense can't get off the field. In fact, Nebraska led in Time of Possession, 36 min to 24 min.

 

Wrapped into that was the fact that Wyoming got 35 first downs, but six of them (SIX!) came via penalty, including the absurd "Roughing the Passer" call against Gregory.

 

The following statement is not meant IN ANY WAY TO allege that the refs nearly cost us this game, but the reality is, most other crews don't call that penalty on Gregory. Most other crews call several more holding calls on Wyoming than this crew (there are tons, as I'm rewatching the game looking for them). The reffing was terrible, but that's not why Wyoming gained 600 yards on offense. That's entirely on us. The reffing just didn't help much.

[bournehusker]

Coaches are confused or searching for answers on the sidelines. Jp looks confused. Three teams in a row have now gained 600 yards and players and coaches say its fixable. I think a solid d coordinator would have fixed it by now. Should go look for a bigtime proven coordinator. I think final judgment will come when ucla puts up 700 yards. Three teams have exposed the same weaknesses in our scheme. Its not rocket science. They have exploited how we react to motion on the line and how we close or try to shift our gap hold assignments and it puts us out of position on the line with no linebacker to make the tackle. Southern miss will try to do the same thing. If southern miss can gash us just wait for ucla. I hope we actually make some adjustments and quit trying to plug a round hole with square pegs. We can't afford another complete coaching overhaul and how much it would set the program back. Hiring a proven d coordinator would be a start.

[TheSker]

They have exploited how we react to motion on the line and how we close or try to shift our gap hold assignments and it puts us out of position on the line with no linebacker to make the tackle

This is correct.....and no coincidence that Pelini has said the gap between Santos and Bando is not wide. It's also why Gerry will be on the field a lot.

[tmfr15]

Coaches are confused or searching for answers on the sidelines. Jp looks confused. Three teams in a row have now gained 600 yards and players and coaches say its fixable. I think a solid d coordinator would have fixed it by now. Should go look for a bigtime proven coordinator. I think final judgment will come when ucla puts up 700 yards. Three teams have exposed the same weaknesses in our scheme. Its not rocket science. They have exploited how we react to motion on the line and how we close or try to shift our gap hold assignments and it puts us out of position on the line with no linebacker to make the tackle. Southern miss will try to do the same thing. If southern miss can gash us just wait for ucla. I hope we actually make some adjustments and quit trying to plug a round hole with square pegs. We can't afford another complete coaching overhaul and how much it would set the program back. Hiring a proven d coordinator would be a start.

 

I guess I don't get the notion of going out and finding a good DC. We hired a good DC. Pelini. That's why he is here. JP better not have final say on defensive matters like Beck would have on offensive matters. If that's the case, Pelini needs to start leading the defense again. If you bring in a guy that going to be the final answer at DC, what does Pelini do at that point? He's not a whiz bang recruiter guy, as evidenced by our inability to crack the top 10 classes. He's not an administrator guy either, as evidenced by Barney's convoluted coaching responsibilities. Really, if we decide Pelini has been running the defense and he's doing such a poor job that we don't want him doing it anymore, we would just need to part ways with Pelini and hire a new coach, one that is either a recruiter primarily or an administrator primarily (or a great mix of both), then allow that guy to go and seek out the best available coach talent to lead the offensive and defensive units.

[tmfr15]

Back on point though, did coaches get a good read on this defense during the preseason? Is it possible that the practices were misleading as to what the defensive prospects were?

[clyde40]

I don't get the whole "coaches looking confused". Considering there were plenty of shots of Bo and JP coaching up the guys on the sidelines and drawing stuff up on the boards to adjust to what Wyoming was doing.

[TheSker]

Back on point though, did coaches get a good read on this defense during the preseason? Is it possible that the practices were misleading as to what the defensive prospects were?

 

Read what Pap said about the defense having trouble with adjustments during the game. Wyoming did a good job of creating confusion. Christiansen is an excellent offensive mind......he made Chase Daniel look like an NFL prospect.

[tmfr15]

That Chase Daniel bit is funny stuff. He may not be the best QB, and Christiansen wasn't able to change that, but Daniel didn't need any help to "pick a winner."

[huskers9495]

they are confused, nothing changed from the first half to the second half. We play an umbrella defense, trying to keep everything under 20 yards. Nothing more than a prevent. Thats why WYO can have 35 first downs. 35, unbelievable.

600 yards of offense from the WYO Cowboys. Imagine what UCLA, Mich, NW will do. Defense is no better. Go BIg Red.

[lo country]

Coaches are confused or searching for answers on the sidelines. Jp looks confused. Three teams in a row have now gained 600 yards and players and coaches say its fixable. I think a solid d coordinator would have fixed it by now. Should go look for a bigtime proven coordinator. I think final judgment will come when ucla puts up 700 yards. Three teams have exposed the same weaknesses in our scheme. Its not rocket science. They have exploited how we react to motion on the line and how we close or try to shift our gap hold assignments and it puts us out of position on the line with no linebacker to make the tackle. Southern miss will try to do the same thing. If southern miss can gash us just wait for ucla. I hope we actually make some adjustments and quit trying to plug a round hole with square pegs. We can't afford another complete coaching overhaul and how much it would set the program back. Hiring a proven d coordinator would be a start.

 

This^. Since UCLA, any team with skill set has game planned our inability to cover the middle when a guy goes in motion or drags across on a delay. Agree, it's not players. No one in the middle is a faulty scheme OR players who in game after game continually play wrong. The scheme is flawed and tems are feasting on this. No matter how ound or thletic our guys are, you can't stop a play without a body there.

 

Crouch said in an earlier interview that the offensives of today, scheme to go where the defense is not. We are not covering the run as we patty cake 4 on 6 and the LB get run off on the motion.. They all attack wherer we are not. The middle. Again and again and again.