Defense.... of BO

[tmfr15]

Going into game week, I really had my reservations about this one for obvious reasons. My thought was that UCLA was going to beat us 49-21. I figured the Bruins would come out of the gate fast, run and pass and score at will and lead something on the order of 35-7at half. I thought maybe we would score a couple times in the second half, but so would they.

 

I was wrong. That kicking took place in the second half. And the final score was very similar to the one that I had feared.

 

So, you might ask, where is the defense of Bo?

 

Let me dive right into that by saying that I think Bo is a good DC. I still think his system works.

 

And I am not all against Beck either. I think he has a creative mind and puts us in some good plays.

 

When the offense slid in the second half, I was caught off guard. It was alarming. I give credit to UCLA for some of that. And I would say it was a bit of out of character on our side. We are capable of more and will do better in games down the road. Not too concerned.

 

But in the end, that didn't matter because the defense couldn't do anything right. That's because the Husker defenders are flat not good enough to play at this level. The ones that have capabilities are playing too early in their careers.

 

So Bo's good defensive schemes are wasted when we can't hold up physically at the point of attack.

 

The long and short of it is that we need to get some excellent recruiters here and fast. Talent is the only think that will fix Big Red. We all drank the Kool Aid on the... "Hey we are picking up some high three stars." and the "We get the people that fit our system."

 

Fine if it works. But it's not working,

 

Bo can't close the four and five star guys. We need to put together some double digit four-star classes and pull in difference makers. Three star guy who will be good down the road at some point are not going to fix us. We need talent. We need it now.

 

Keep the coaches. Find someone who can stock the team with talent.

 

P.S. Score for next week's game... just so I have it on the record this time... 28-17 Nebraska with the Huskers scoring a middle-of-the-fourth-quarter touchdown to put the game out of reach.

[URSS]

Bo did improve- from 602 yards against Wyoming to only 504 yards against UCLA. He did do better against Southern Mississippi. Unfortunately, the Big 10 only has a few teams as bad as Souther Mississippi. I cannot believe the defensive players are as bad as the results have been in the games against good teams. The DC needs to be replaced before Bo has to go too.

[Morrison]

You know, I used to think this way too, back before the 2012 UCLA game. I still felt that things would get better after Ohio St., too. After the CCG against Wisconsin I began to have my doubts and after the bowl game against Georgia I was on the fence. After Wyoming this year I began to get really concerned, but after today it's become clear to me that its not a recruiting problem, it's a coaching problem.

 

I mean, you can say we need to bring in better athletes, but we already have better talent than Wyoming, and at least equal to if not better athletes (per the last four years of recruiting rankings) to Wisconsin and UCLA. But we still managed to find a way to give up 500-600 yards of offense and 40+ points to each of these teams. We've upgraded players this year, but the product today looks remarkably similar to last year and 2011.

 

For a myriad of reasons (location, weather, ethics, relevance over the last five years, etc.) we will never have a coaching staff that is able to consistently bring in top 5 recruiting classes and simply "out-athlete" the opposing teams to the point where we can afford to be out-coached on a consistent basis. Hell, it's even debatable if that can even be done anywhere (see Texas).

 

The bottom line is that our problems are systemic within Bo's (and Beck's) schemes, preparation, and ability motivate. It doesn't matter who you plug in there at this point, experienced vets like last year or young studs like this year, the results are still the same. Blown assignments, missed tackles, lack of aggression, and stupid penalties have nothing to do with our recruiting (or lack thereof) - they are simply an extension of our coaching staff's shortcomings.

 

Which really hurts to say because I have been an ardent Pelini supporter. Unfortunately, you can only say "this will get better when..." for so long and, for me at least, that point was reached today.

[HUSKER 37]

nice avitars Morisson and tmfr

[lo country]

You dance with the girl that brought you.

 

Year 6. His staff, his system, his recruits, his failures.

 

In year 6, Bo should be able to get a system that fits the talent and abilities of the kids he recruits.

 

What high profile recruit wants to come to a bottom of the top 25 team and gets blown out on national tv.

 

No thanks. Top level coaching and winning brings the kids.

[motorboatjonesNU]

Giving up an 18-pt lead, 38 unanswered and losing by 20 at home in the 6th year of a coach's tenure is not the sign of a coach that has it together.

 

I was happy when Bo was hired in 08, but I'm hoping Eichorst is looking around for Bo's replacement.

[HuskerThor]

Topic name?

 

Defense....of Bo.

 

There is no defense of Bo.

 

No, really, there is NO defense.

[Goal-line]

Defensive Guru? Who is kidding anyone? Things can be fixed? Execution? Show me!

 

NU Opponent, Yards

 

2012

 

UCLA, Sept. 8, 2012 (94 att.) 653

Wisconsin, Dec. 1, 2012 (60 att.) 640

Georgia, Jan. 1, 2013 (71 att.) 589

 

2013

 

Wyoming, Aug 31, 2013 603

UCLA, Sept 14, 2013 504

[Blackshirtsguru]

Bo doesn't know diddley?

 

See what I did there

[Dawg to the Bone]

Sadly, I tend to agree with you. I really thought Nebraska might take this one. UCLA is only in the second year of Mora coaching right? And I would think that Nebraska has recruited better than UCLA in the past with the exception of maybe last year. Pellini is supposed to be a defensive coach, but there was no push at all from the defensive line and the defensive woes continue. Nebraska has not played really good defensive ball for awhile now (Suh excluded).

 

The offense had no response when the pressure came and the defense couldn't perform because the D-line had no separation from the blockers and couldn't get off the blocks to pass rush or to stuff the run. I was pulling for the Big Red yesterday like I had money on them, so I was very disappointed that the big lead was blown and there was no real response when UCLA started making a comeback. We have all seen big leads disappear, but usually both teams respond like the A&M/Bama game. Nebraska is too good of a program to put up with that level of performance. I guess we'll see how the rest of the year goes, but if it doesn't improve tremendously, Nebraska is going to have to decide if they just want to be good or if they really want to make a run at the national title by getting in a big name coach capable of getting top shelf talent and using the talent they have effectively.

 

I say this not to rub salt in the would, but because I follow Nebraska and for some reason would like to see them return to prominance. I want to see someone other than Ohio State and Michigan rule the BIG Ten. I get tired of hearing about those two programs and Nebraska has just as proud a history. There is still a lot of football to be played, Hopefully The Big Red can turn it around.

 

 

You dance with the girl that brought you.

 

Year 6. His staff, his system, his recruits, his failures.

 

In year 6, Bo should be able to get a system that fits the talent and abilities of the kids he recruits.

 

What high profile recruit wants to come to a bottom of the top 25 team and gets blown out on national tv.

 

No thanks. Top level coaching and winning brings the kids.

[Husker-Joe]

I found it really telling when the announcers said Saturday (my paraphrase)... "Bo is looking for answers... Well, I am gonna give him one, blitz."

 

I was glad not to be the only one thinking that on 3rd and 15...

 

 

[The Dude]

I found it really telling when the announcers said Saturday (my paraphrase)... "Bo is looking for answers... Well, I am gonna give him one, blitz."

 

I was glad not to be the only one thinking that on 3rd and 15...

At one point he also made the comment "if you live by man coverage, you die by man coverage".

 

Similar to what Damon Benning was saying during the Wyoming game.

[Blackshirtsguru]

I found it really telling when the announcers said Saturday (my paraphrase)... "Bo is looking for answers... Well, I am gonna give him one, blitz."

 

I was glad not to be the only one thinking that on 3rd and 15...

At one point he also made the comment "if you live by man coverage, you die by man coverage".

 

Similar to what Damon Benning was saying during the Wyoming game.

I wish we would "live by the blitz, die by the blitz" instead

[husker_99]

I watched Bo's presser and it was all bullsh#t. Never once did he say I or me and the staff need to teach these kids better instead he just blamed the players. The players can only play what the coaches teach them. Sorry Bo but it's year 6 it's on you not the players.

[Redmusky]

I watched Bo's presser and it was all bullsh#t. Never once did he say I or me and the staff need to teach these kids better instead he just blamed the players. The players can only play what the coaches teach them. Sorry Bo but it's year 6 it's on you not the players.

During the presser he stated I think 5 or 6 times I don't know so if he doesn't know he should get somebody that does.