This year's defense

[ColoradoHusk]

It seems like this year's defense will be a work in progress and have it's ups and downs this season. I really like the front 4, but there is a lack of depth. The same can be said for the secondary.

 

Benning and Sharp had some good comments on why the defense may struggle this season. There are 4 reasons: LeRoy Alexander, Michael Rose-Ivey, Charles Jackson, and Avery Moss. Those are 4 starters/key contributors who possess a lot of talent who are missing from this year's D.

 

Hopefully guys can step up and improve through the rest of the year.

[kchusker_chris]

They play with the passion shown Saturday and they'll be just fine.

[ColoradoHusk]

I am not a guy that is jumping off the ledge after Saturday's game. I think Miami will be the best offense that NU will face all season.

[BigRedBuster]

It seems like this year's defense will be a work in progress and have it's ups and downs this season. I really like the front 4, but there is a lack of depth. The same can be said for the secondary.

 

Benning and Sharp had some good comments on why the defense may struggle this season. There are 4 reasons: LeRoy Alexander, Michael Rose-Ivey, Charles Jackson, and Avery Moss. Those are 4 starters/key contributors who possess a lot of talent who are missing from this year's D.

 

Hopefully guys can step up and improve through the rest of the year.

I think this defense has potential to be just fine. They can play hard and the front 4 are very good. We need to find something that works in the LB group but I think they will.

 

I don't think we can stress enough what missing these 4 does though. It makes it that much harder to accomplish what they need to do.

[zoogs]

Miami will not have a better offense than Michigan State, Wisconsin, possibly Iowa, and almost certainly not whatever CCG or Bowl Game opponent we draw.

 

The positives are that we have a lot of players getting PT, including younger guys. They're flying to the ball and showing a lot of energy. There's a lot to like about their potential.

 

But McNeese ground out two big drives on them, a freshman QB in a hostile Memorial looked very dangerous, and we still can't be sure this defense can avoid getting carved up the same way it has been in the recent past. However, the energy is a start, and it's great to see!

[MichiganDad3]

I am not a guy that is jumping off the ledge after Saturday's game. I think Miami will be the best offense that NU will face all season.

I am not jumping off the ledge, but I am concerned. Miami's strength was their defense. That was supposed to be a low scoring game.

[gbr93]

 

 

I am not a guy that is jumping off the ledge after Saturday's game. I think Miami will be the best offense that NU will face all season.

I am not jumping off the ledge, but I am concerned. Miami's strength was their defense. That was supposed to be a low scoring game.

However, no team left on the schedule has that same speed. As a group their offense is average, but they have great individual play makers. Great players will make plays and they hit us with a few. We had trouble with their speed and we all knew we would, especially the lb'ers. With how young the defense is they are still learning, the finished product obviously isn't here yet. I like where we are headed though for sure.

[presidentjlh]

Defense is already far better now than they were at this point last year, and by the end of last year, they were scary good.

[Count 'Bility]

I thought we did a decent job. I knew we'd have issues with their speed, but like we normally do, the big plays were just not there for them. Their scoring drives, while not "grinders" by any means, had to be earned. They pick up chunks at times. But in this day and age the way offenses are managed, it's just hard to play defense. It just is. The days of allowing 15 points down and less than 300 yards week after week after week are just not here anymore. I thought we coulda performed a little better with our down 4 pass rush especially with Gregory back. But if we were holding back, I understand. We just didnt want to allow Duke Johnson gettin open seams on draw plays. And we played our safeties back, to protect that big play from the WR's. Yes, we let them have their 10-20 crossing routes here and there thus we relied on them having to have the patience to keep going after that well and that we'd stop here and there. And we did. Defense gave up 3 td drives and a field goal outside that last garbage time drive.

[shyndy]

Something worth mentioning that I think barret ruud said last year is that with bo's defense it often takes a few games to get going even when there are returning players

[ColoradoHusk]

My comment regarding Miami's offense being the best that NU will face is mainly based on their skill players.

 

That QB made some very good throws into tight windows, especially for a freshman. It was troubling that NU couldn't get the pressure on him to rattle him, but give credit to the guy.

Duke Johnson is a great RB, and I would put him among the top 10 in the country.

I skimmed through the first hal, but it sounds like the TE was a matchup nightmare.

Their WR's have a ton of speed.

 

Among Big 10 teams that NU will face:

 

Illinois -- may have a good offense when they are down by a ton of points early

Michigan State -- this is probably the most balanced offense NU will face in conference

Northwestern -- haven't caught any of their games this year, but results aren't impressive

Rutgers -- their stud RB is out for the season

Purdue -- they were a mess when I watched them against Notre Dame, and some say that was their best game played this year

Wisconsin -- with Gordon and their other backs, they have potential to be good/great, but their current QB is a glorified RB. He can't throw. Unless they bring back Stave, I don't see them having a great offense.

Minnesota -- they have a plodding offense that gave NU fits last year, but the current front 4 for NU is so much better than last year

Iowa -- they are somewhat of a wildcard, especially if they stay with the QB who played the 2nd half against Pitt. Other than that, it's Iowa and Greg Davis.

[LumberJackSker]

I think most of the problems have been because of the linebackers, but Santos had a good game his best of the season and if Roach gets more playing time ahead of bando the defense will be fine

[SouthLincoln Husker]

I think most of the problems have been because of the linebackers, but Santos had a good game his best of the season and if Roach gets more playing time ahead of bando the defense will be fine

I like the kid, but he is too slow. He may be ok on first down, but a liability on passing downs.

[ColoradoHusk]

I wonder when Bo/Paps are going to start playing more 5-6 DB's. I know that this is tough to do against power teams, but eventually they will have to put their 11 best defenders out there, regardless of position.

[Mavric]

I wonder when Bo/Paps are going to start playing more 5-6 DB's. I know that this is tough to do against power teams, but eventually they will have to put their 11 best defenders out there, regardless of position.

 

I was wondering about this as well. With Kalu really looking promising, I think we have the guys to do it.

 

Of course, after this week we're not going to see a lot of offenses that lend themselves to so many DBs on the field at once.