McKewon: Trying to bridge the gap on defense

[Saunders]

Sam proving why he's the best.

 

Got the Blackshirts on your mind? Bo Pelini does, too, and he plans to get his young defense up to speed. What does that mean, and how can fans fully understand his task? It’s not easy, but World-Herald writer Sam McKewon set out to explain so, good defense or bad, NU fans can at least begin to speak the same language as NU coaches.

 

 

http://dataomaha.com/documents/trying-to-bridge-the-gap#mckewon-trying-to-bridge-the-gap-on-defense

[TheSker]

Good read

[knapplc]

Nebraska practiced more tackling to the ground in the past week — 10 minutes of it, but it's more than nothing — in response to the poor angles the Huskers took against SDSU and UCLA. NU coaches do not teach players to tackle like they've become the arm of a flying sofa, so when you see that technique on the field, that's more a function of player panic than coaching.

 

This is a philosophy I disagree with. And this is a coaching decision, not only a player panic situation. The coaches determine how much contact the teams have in practice, and if we're not doing live tackling on a weekly basis tackling will suffer.

 

This is sounding more Cosgrovian by the minute. And I don't like it.

[Chaddyboxer]

Nebraska practiced more tackling to the ground in the past week — 10 minutes of it, but it's more than nothing — in response to the poor angles the Huskers took against SDSU and UCLA. NU coaches do not teach players to tackle like they've become the arm of a flying sofa, so when you see that technique on the field, that's more a function of player panic than coaching.

 

This is a philosophy I disagree with. And this is a coaching decision, not only a player panic situation. The coaches determine how much contact the teams have in practice, and if we're not doing live tackling on a weekly basis tackling will suffer.

 

This is sounding more Cosgrovian by the minute. And I don't like it.

I agree Knapp. What's it going to hurt if the team tackled for an hour or so of practice on Tues?! Give them plenty of time to heal before Saturday's game....you play how you practice. Neb doesn't have a ton of natural studd tacklers i.e. Lavonte, Hagg, etc. on the defense right now to NOT practice live tackling IMO. Hell, even half an hour would be something compared to 10 minutes....sheesh

[TheSker]

Before the Pelini bashing goes into full force on this topic, there are practice tackling restrictions the NCAA has in place. I do not know the details, but I think there are some on here who know them.

[Hoosker]

Great feature by Sam as usual.

 

 

Leagues

In 2009, no Big 12 team averaged more than 187.77 yards rushing. Teams committed less to the run — especially when it wasn't bearing much fruit — and turned to the pass. That played right into Nebraska's pass defense scheme. In 2011, when NU switched leagues, four Big Ten teams averaged 190 rushing yards or more per game. Nebraska was one of them. The Huskers played the other three — Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio State. In 2012, four Big Ten offenses averaged more than 225 rushing yards per game. Again, NU was one of them, and, again, the Huskers played the other three — Wisconsin, Ohio State and Northwestern. The 2012 Big Ten teams carried the ball 662 more times than the 2009 Big 12 teams. That may be only five or six extra carries per team per game, but it adds up on a defense.

 

 

Rise of zone read

Though the zone read took root more than a decade ago, the play has really hit its sweet spot in the past three years. College quarterbacks ran it for a full cycle of high school, and they have that sense memory necessary to execute better than defenses can stop it right now. Although Pelini and other defensive minds will eventually catch up, offenses like Oregon, Texas A&M and Ohio State have the upper hand. And their quarterbacks are running wild.

Time

 

As offenses have evolved, Pelini's scheme, revolutionary and tough in 2009, has been matched in innovation and game-planning by Nebraska's opponents. Teams have a solution to the problem. Now, Pelini has to show he has another idea — or a new way to recruit — that confronts these new challenges.

[Hayseed]

I don't have any idea what they're doing but I tend to think guarding the middle of the field and making the qb beat you with his arm by throwing over you or making the runners go further gives you better percentages than clearing out and guarding the edges. I don't ever remember being so soft in the middle and the good defenses appear to always have someone who will knock you senseless if you go there. Besides getting a decent pass rush and making the qb decide sooner than later, that's all I got.

[True2tRA]

I don't have any idea what their doing but I tend to think guarding the middle of the field and making the qb beat you with his arm by throwing over you or making the runners go further gives you better percentages than clearing out and guarding the edges. I don't ever remember being so soft in the middle and the good defenses appear to always have someone who will knock you senseless if you go there. Besides getting a decent pass rush and making the qb decide sooner than later, that's all I got.

 

It seems like the most basic thing doesn't it? Yet, we refuse to do it. Allowing the front four to get after the QB, even bringing a blitz more often, it would work miracles for this defense. The pressure is supposed to be on them, not vice versa. If you keep giving, they will keep taking. It seems to be what we do.

[Hunter94]

so, it sounds like they aren't going to change a damn thing...we will continue to get gashed up the middle...sh#t!

Bo-stubborn prevails.

[True2tRA]

so, it sounds like they aren't going to change a damn thing...we will continue to get gashed up the middle...sh#t!

Bo-stubborn prevails.

 

Hey, it's not the system that sucks. It's the players fault. This is straight from the horses mouth.

[husker_99]

so, it sounds like they aren't going to change a damn thing...we will continue to get gashed up the middle...sh#t!

Bo-stubborn prevails.

 

Hey, it's not the system that sucks. It's the players fault. This is straight from the horses mouth.

well it's wrong. the same sh#t has been happening for the past 2 years, that's on coaches.

[lo country]

so, it sounds like they aren't going to change a damn thing...we will continue to get gashed up the middle...sh#t!

Bo-stubborn prevails.

 

Hey, it's not the system that sucks. It's the players fault. This is straight from the horses mouth.

well it's wrong. the same sh#t has been happening for the past 2 years, that's on coaches.

It is like when Wats was here and Bo wanted to switch the direction of the O. Wats traveled around to "learn" the new system. What is Bo and Co learning to do in attempt to stop the bleeding? Does he even have a plan or idea to pursue? That is the worse part, he might not even know how. Our D has gotten progressively worse since 2009. Now even our pass D is getting gashed.

 

I look at the NDSU vs SDSU game and am shocked at the stats. NDSU looked like national champions. Now throw in the SDSU staff comments that the BIsons were more physical and it gets even uglier. We could easily be looking at 7-5 or 8-4 this season. Games I thought were gimmees are looking tougher.

 

I think if Bo even told the DL to forget gaps control, just bull rush and grab a guy with the ball, we would be doing better. Like MSU said, we try and send one more guy than they can block when asked about the Spartans success. We appear to send 2 less guys than they have to block.........

[True2tRA]

so, it sounds like they aren't going to change a damn thing...we will continue to get gashed up the middle...sh#t!

Bo-stubborn prevails.

 

Hey, it's not the system that sucks. It's the players fault. This is straight from the horses mouth.

well it's wrong. the same sh#t has been happening for the past 2 years, that's on coaches.

You mean to tell me you know better than Bo? If the HC says that his system is impeccable its just that the players keep f'ing it up, you mean to tell me you know better? Bo is a guru! If he says the players are the ones that are failures and he is an absolute God king amongst defensive coaches, well then I believe him! Now he has repeatedly said the scheme works, it's that the players are not executing, they are swimming in it, they are lost out there, and they are lacking in fundamentals! So clearly it's all on the players at this point. If those kids would just drop their bad attitude and play with some passion we wouldn't have any problems right now! Dang these players, why won't they just figure it out? Bo has been working so hard but these darn players, they just don't care.

 

And if you believe any of the sh#t I said above. Your an ass.

[husker_99]

so, it sounds like they aren't going to change a damn thing...we will continue to get gashed up the middle...sh#t!

Bo-stubborn prevails.

 

Hey, it's not the system that sucks. It's the players fault. This is straight from the horses mouth.

well it's wrong. the same sh#t has been happening for the past 2 years, that's on coaches.

It is like when Wats was here and Bo wanted to switch the direction of the O. Wats traveled around to "learn" the new system. What is Bo and Co learning to do in attempt to stop the bleeding? Does he even have a plan or idea to pursue? That is the worse part, he might not even know how. Our D has gotten progressively worse since 2009. Now even our pass D is getting gashed.

 

I look at the NDSU vs SDSU game and am shocked at the stats. NDSU looked like national champions. Now throw in the SDSU staff comments that the BIsons were more physical and it gets even uglier. We could easily be looking at 7-5 or 8-4 this season. Games I thought were gimmees are looking tougher.

 

I think if Bo even told the DL to forget gaps control, just bull rush and grab a guy with the ball, we would be doing better. Like MSU said, we try and send one more guy than they can block when asked about the Spartans success. We appear to send 2 less guys than they have to block.........

I think Beck was happy last week that Martinez wasn't in the game and that at some level he's mad that he has to put up with a qb that can't run his system very well while a more capable qb is sitting on the bench.

[HuskerShark]

so, it sounds like they aren't going to change a damn thing...we will continue to get gashed up the middle...sh#t!

Bo-stubborn prevails.

 

Hey, it's not the system that sucks. It's the players fault. This is straight from the horses mouth.

well it's wrong. the same sh#t has been happening for the past 2 years, that's on coaches.

It is like when Wats was here and Bo wanted to switch the direction of the O. Wats traveled around to "learn" the new system. What is Bo and Co learning to do in attempt to stop the bleeding? Does he even have a plan or idea to pursue? That is the worse part, he might not even know how. Our D has gotten progressively worse since 2009. Now even our pass D is getting gashed.

 

I look at the NDSU vs SDSU game and am shocked at the stats. NDSU looked like national champions. Now throw in the SDSU staff comments that the BIsons were more physical and it gets even uglier. We could easily be looking at 7-5 or 8-4 this season. Games I thought were gimmees are looking tougher.

 

I think if Bo even told the DL to forget gaps control, just bull rush and grab a guy with the ball, we would be doing better. Like MSU said, we try and send one more guy than they can block when asked about the Spartans success. We appear to send 2 less guys than they have to block.........

I think Beck was happy last week that Martinez wasn't in the game and that at some level he's mad that he has to put up with a qb that can't run his system very well while a more capable qb is sitting on the bench.

I don't think you have any friggin' idea what you're talking about.... Like usual...