What Did We Learn - Illinois

[BIG ERN]

Our top 2 tacklers both play safety. That is not a good sign of our LB's getting it done.

 

I noticed many times that Young is a very bad on blitzes (has 0 career sacks). Bando has been out of position and lots of arm tackles. MRI plays well when we go against power run teams, but not the best in space.

 

I think Weber should get more PT to show what he can do.

[Count 'Bility]

Our top 2 tacklers both play safety. That is not a good sign of our LB's getting it done.

 

I noticed many times that Young is a very bad on blitzes (has 0 career sacks). Bando has been out of position and lots of arm tackles. MRI plays well when we go against power run teams, but not the best in space.

 

I think Weber should get more PT to show what he can do.

In this defensive system, it's very possible and not necessarily a sign of problems. Now, that's not saying we dont have some issues at LB, cuz for whatever reason, lots of missed tackles and lots of missed fits. Which very well could be the fault of the DLineman that we guys dont see. If a DL takes a wrong slant, or plays the wrong leverage, the LB's fit is wrong and it winds up looking bad for the linebacker. So there's a lot more to it than what we may see. Esp since our LB's had such a great year last year in transition, and our DL is so young and inexperienced this year.

 

S-Mike Brown led the team in tackles in 1999, utilizing a very similar system, on one the finest defenses ever. So man free safetie (which is how Gerry appears to play, cuz he is literally everywhere) can really get involved in the run game. Also, the development of Jones and Kalu as ballers are allowing for this. Them guys are gaining a lot of trust right now.

[BIG ERN]

 

Our top 2 tacklers both play safety. That is not a good sign of our LB's getting it done.

 

I noticed many times that Young is a very bad on blitzes (has 0 career sacks). Bando has been out of position and lots of arm tackles. MRI plays well when we go against power run teams, but not the best in space.

 

I think Weber should get more PT to show what he can do.

In this defensive system, it's very possible and not necessarily a sign of problems. Now, that's not saying we dont have some issues at LB, cuz for whatever reason, lots of missed tackles and lots of missed fits. Which very well could be the fault of the DLineman that we guys dont see. If a DL takes a wrong slant, or plays the wrong leverage, the LB's fit is wrong and it winds up looking bad for the linebacker. So there's a lot more to it than what we may see. Esp since our LB's had such a great year last year in transition, and our DL is so young and inexperienced this year.

 

S-Mike Brown led the team in tackles in 1999, utilizing a very similar system, on one the finest defenses ever. So man free safetie (which is how Gerry appears to play, cuz he is literally everywhere) can really get involved in the run game. Also, the development of Jones and Kalu as ballers are allowing for this. Them guys are gaining a lot of trust right now.

 

Mike Brown is also one of the best Safeties in program history, and that is one, not both safeties. Carlos Polk was a beast that season and was 2nd in tackles. I agree the system we run is a little different than a traditional 4-3, but I haven't been all that impressed by the LB's this far like others have noted.

 

Weber had 17 tackles last year against Illinois - the most by a Husker since 2013.

[Mavric]

4.83: Yards per carry by opponents. That’s leaky — tied for 98th-in-the-nation leaky — and something the Huskers absolutely must shore up for the game at Indiana. The Hoosiers’ Devine Redding will be one of the better backs the Huskers face in 2016. He’s a rumbler. NU’s defense is giving up 5.49 yards per play — that’s run and pass combined — which ranks 66th nationally.

 

OWH

[Count 'Bility]

It is a disturbing trend. Something that does need to be improved. But I'm a sunshine guy, so....

10

17

32

13

16

[Mavric]

[Guy Chamberlin]

I'm surprised and forced to be impressed when I realize our defense is keeping the opponents points in the teens.

 

But I can't help thinking about the better quarterbacks and offenses being much more exploitive of our weaknesses.

 

The TV cameras rarely let you watch the secondary at work, so I'm left watching opposing quarterbacks drop back, plant their feet and give the entire field a good twice over before choosing their receiver.

 

Our d-line can tackle and box out well against the run, but absent a blitz Nebraska gives QBs far too much time. It's not all on the secondary.

[Mavric]

[Mavric]

[BigRedBuster]

I'm guessing this is a shocker to many Husker fans.

[Undone]

 

This is not a huge revelation, but I'd bet that the third down conversion percentage increase is due to a better philosophy of using the running game in conjunction with high-percentage passes to gain more yards on average between 1st & 2nd downs combined.

 

Third downs seem to be shorter this season. It's great.

[marko polo]

Weber is a smart player and Quite possibly our best overall lb

[Red Dead Redemption]

I learned that when the ref forgets to turn off his mic before he blows his whistle, my ears will bleed by the third time this happens.

[Nebfanatic]

I learned that when the ref forgets to turn off his mic before he blows his whistle, my ears will bleed by the third time this happens.

I learned this as well

 

I also learned, for some reason the numbers show we are strong in some areas alot of members on the board think we are weak in

[The Dude]

 

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/783360792435580929

 

I'm guessing this is a shocker to many Husker fans.

Yeah I think our defensive line has played pretty well overall. Not phenomenally, but better than I expected them to.

 

It seems the weakest link in our defense has ironically been the linebackers. Really frustrating. I was expecting big things out of our linebackers.