This year's defense

[admo]

Through 4 games I don't know if we will do well against a good running team that has a solid offensive line. The philosophy looks the same because we still allow chunk yards or chain moving plays to happen until teams make it to the red zone. That's where they hope to take most of their chances. It's a philosophy of less room for offenses to operate.

[knapplc]

After four games I must say that I am very impressed with the intensity and emerging talent on the defensive side of the ball. With that being said, I have been and continue to be completely unimpressed with the Defensive play calling of John Papuchis. I find myself often wondering if he is fit to coach a high school team and if he could get any job on his own merit instead of because he is friends with Bo.

 

 

Papuchis changed the coverage immediately before the snap on Kalu's interception.

 

 

Papuchis said Nebraska changed coverages right before the snap on Kalu’s interception. The true freshman dropped into zone coverage, and was waiting for the Brad Kaaya pass on fourth-and-4.

 

 

LINK

 

Another article I read gave Papuchis direct credit for moving Kalu on that play.

 

 

 

Also remember that Papuchis is calling a defense without Aaron Curry Avery Moss, Charles Jackson, LeRoy Alexander and Michael Rose-Ivey. One third of his projected starting lineup for this year's defense is either hurt, suspended or transferring.

 

So maybe you could cut him a little slack on this, huh?

Edited September 25, 2014 by knapplc
I'm an idiot

[HeyBurke]

 

After four games I must say that I am very impressed with the intensity and emerging talent on the defensive side of the ball. With that being said, I have been and continue to be completely unimpressed with the Defensive play calling of John Papuchis. I find myself often wondering if he is fit to coach a high school team and if he could get any job on his own merit instead of because he is friends with Bo.

 

 

Papuchis changed the coverage immediately before the snap on Kalu's interception.

 

Papuchis said Nebraska changed coverages right before the snap on Kalu’s interception. The true freshman dropped into zone coverage, and was waiting for the Brad Kaaya pass on fourth-and-4.

 

 

LINK

 

Another article I read gave Papuchis direct credit for moving Kalu on that play.

 

 

 

Also remember that Papuchis is calling a defense without Aaron Curry, Charles Jackson, LeRoy Alexander and Michael Rose-Ivey. One third of his projected starting lineup for this year's defense is either hurt, suspended or transferring.

 

So maybe you could cut him a little slack on this, huh?

 

 

Why would you include Aaron Curry on that list? He supposedly transferred because he fell to number five on the DT rotation.

[NUpolo8]

 

After four games I must say that I am very impressed with the intensity and emerging talent on the defensive side of the ball. With that being said, I have been and continue to be completely unimpressed with the Defensive play calling of John Papuchis. I find myself often wondering if he is fit to coach a high school team and if he could get any job on his own merit instead of because he is friends with Bo.

 

 

Papuchis changed the coverage immediately before the snap on Kalu's interception.

 

 

Papuchis said Nebraska changed coverages right before the snap on Kalu’s interception. The true freshman dropped into zone coverage, and was waiting for the Brad Kaaya pass on fourth-and-4.

 

 

LINK

 

Another article I read gave Papuchis direct credit for moving Kalu on that play.

 

 

 

Also remember that Papuchis is calling a defense without Aaron Curry, Charles Jackson, LeRoy Alexander and Michael Rose-Ivey. One third of his projected starting lineup for this year's defense is either hurt, suspended or transferring.

 

So maybe you could cut him a little slack on this, huh?

He can have slack, cuz he ain't calling the defense.

[Thanks_Tom RR]

The fumble was not pure luck. Roach specifically reached in and ripped that ball out. There's no way you can call that turnover "luck."

 

INTs are a product of either a poor throw by the QB or a great read by the defender. Kalu's pick was proper placement by the defensive staff (Papuchis ordered Kalu back there before the snap) and Kalu made a good play. You can say that pick was a poor throw by the QB, but if Kalu isn't there to make that read, that ball is on the money to the WR, and it becomes a matter of the DB breaking up the catch.

 

Santos' INT was a poorly-thrown ball and an athletic play by the LB.

 

There's a picture in the OWH photo set that shows the instant after Roach ripped the ball loose here:

 

http://odc.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=5002&p=5489

 

Hail Varsity has a pretty good shot of Santos efforting to make his INT. He had position on the TE and maybe Kaaya shouldn't have thrown this pass. But calling this "luck" doesn't do Santos justice.

 

http://hailvarsity.com/photos/football-game-photos/nggallery/galleries/fbg-nebraska-41-miami-31

 

I swear I saw a photo of Roach ripping that ball out. Maybe it was on someone's video?

And on the Kalu pick, you can see him goating Kaaya into throwing that ball. He started to move under th WR until he saw Kaaya starting down his guy, so Kalu sat on his spot and waiting for the throw then broke on the ball for the INT. That requires a good play call by JP and Kalu playing disciplined in the moment. No luck needed.

[lo country]

That interception of Kaya by Santos was one of those where the Cane QB was taking a shot and counting on his man to make a play. As a quarterback, you have to do that from time to time. The match up seemed favorable to Miami. Santos does an excellent job with position in playing both ball and man. If he didn't turn his head, they might have hit him for PI. Had he focused on just the ball and not the man, he might have been beaten. Great job by Santos. The luck factor is that Miami took that shot. They had been moving it on that drive, and, given other play calls or without a great catch by Santos, they might come away with points, at least a FG.

 

On the fumble play, it great instincts by Roach to get the ball out. The luck factor would be that Duke's body position exposed the ball. How many times did Duke fumble in the game? So, he didn't expose the ball to be ripped out much. You can't count on him to do that. They were moving the ball at the time.

 

I understand the concept of bend, but don't break vs. giving up the big play. And our guys deserve a lot of credit for not folding as Miami marched. We made key plays.

 

I would just like to see a few more punts by the opposition. We don't need a 3-and-out. A first down or two and then punt would be perfectly fine. Lengthy drives, however, should not be dismissed because we are making them drive the field. Point is that teams are doing that and scoring. McNeese did it twice in the second half.

 

That can't happen. Stand tall. Force a negative yardage play now and then, either by penalty or TFL. And make them kick it back to us.

In an interview ater the game, Roach said that the staff had worked on that during the spring and fall. If a guy gets wrapped up, go for the ball. Roach said he made the read, and filled the gap "he thought the RB would go" (IIRC) Duke was stood up and he went for the ball.

 

It shows that Roach was doing as instructed and made the correct read based upon what was happening.

[jsneb83]

 

 

 

 

After four games I must say that I am very impressed with the intensity and emerging talent on the defensive side of the ball. With that being said, I have been and continue to be completely unimpressed with the Defensive play calling of John Papuchis. I find myself often wondering if he is fit to coach a high school team and if he could get any job on his own merit instead of because he is friends with Bo.

 

Papuchis changed the coverage immediately before the snap on Kalu's interception.

 

Papuchis said Nebraska changed coverages right before the snap on Kalus interception. The true freshman dropped into zone coverage, and was waiting for the Brad Kaaya pass on fourth-and-4.

 

LINK

 

Another article I read gave Papuchis direct credit for moving Kalu on that play.

 

 

 

Also remember that Papuchis is calling a defense without Aaron Curry, Charles Jackson, LeRoy Alexander and Michael Rose-Ivey. One third of his projected starting lineup for this year's defense is either hurt, suspended or transferring.

 

So maybe you could cut him a little slack on this, huh?

Why would you include Aaron Curry on that list? He supposedly transferred because he fell to number five on the DT rotation.

I would switch Aaron Curry with Avery Moss.

[knapplc]

 

 

 

After four games I must say that I am very impressed with the intensity and emerging talent on the defensive side of the ball. With that being said, I have been and continue to be completely unimpressed with the Defensive play calling of John Papuchis. I find myself often wondering if he is fit to coach a high school team and if he could get any job on his own merit instead of because he is friends with Bo.

 

Papuchis changed the coverage immediately before the snap on Kalu's interception.

 

Papuchis said Nebraska changed coverages right before the snap on Kalus interception. The true freshman dropped into zone coverage, and was waiting for the Brad Kaaya pass on fourth-and-4.

LINK

 

Another article I read gave Papuchis direct credit for moving Kalu on that play.

 

 

 

Also remember that Papuchis is calling a defense without Aaron Curry, Charles Jackson, LeRoy Alexander and Michael Rose-Ivey. One third of his projected starting lineup for this year's defense is either hurt, suspended or transferring.

 

So maybe you could cut him a little slack on this, huh?

 

Why would you include Aaron Curry on that list? He supposedly transferred because he fell to number five on the DT rotation.

 

I would switch Aaron Curry with Avery Moss.

 

@HeyBurke - I put Curry on that list because I'm an idiot.

@jsneb83 - Thank you, that's who I meant to say. Nominal brain dysfunction.

[MichiganDad3]

 

I am not very impressed with the D so far. Miami is the only decent team we have played, and they only scored 13 on Louisville. I wonder how much better the D would be if there had been no injuries. Hopefully the D improves as the season goes on. I fear another couple injuries will devastate them.

 

No team we have left on our schedule has better skill players than Miami. No one has that kind of overall speed. Miami's QB was starting his first game ever against Louisville he improved exponentially in the 2 games he played between that one and the Nebraska game.

 

It would not surprise me if Miami only lost 1 more game this year to FSU. We will see how good they are this weekend. They play a good Duke team.

 

The defense will only get better as the season rolls on. They always do. The thing I am really happy about is the run defense. Stopping the run is the key to winning games.

 

I hope the defense improves over the season, but we have so many injuries that the D could get much worse if there are additional injuries.