Linebacker Play

[Mavric]

I've seen quite a bit of grumbling - both here and from media guys - about our linebacker play this year. I thought it was interesting because I haven't really gotten the sense that they were playing badly - missing tackles, etc. - but they haven't really made a lot of plays either.

 

I was wondering how much of that could be related to the scheme. So I tried to check on the LBs as I rewatched the game tonight.

 

As it turns out, I think a lot - if not most - of their "struggles" is how our defense is set up. Almost every time they read run, they are filling their gap hard. The problem with that is if the run isn't into that gap, they've run themselves up into the line and have no lane to scrape to the play. This seems to be how they are taught to run this defense as they all do it and even Gerry and Aaron Williams are often seen filling a gap hard when they read run as opposed to waiting to see where the play develops. I really only watched that in this one game so I won't really make a blanket statement yet but since we are giving up over 6.6 yards per carry over the last three games, I think it's pretty likely that our linebackers often running themselves out of the play has a lot to do with our poor run defense. We are currently #98 in the country in yards per attempt allowed and that 6.6 ypa over the last three games would be dead last in the country for the season by quite a ways.

 

I think the same scheme issue contributes to the LBs not really making many plays in the passing game either. If there is any play-action look the LBs charge ahead then have to turn and try to get back into the passing lanes. However, by that time the receivers are well into their routes and the LBs have little hope of making up enough ground to be a factor.

 

I've grabbed a couple screen shots to illustrate this.

 

This is Illinois' first play of the game. At the snap, we're in our base defense with MRI splitting the gap out to the slot.

 

 

The play is a straight ahead run. All three LBs plus Gerry are keying the RB and before the RB even gets to the line Young has filled his gap hard, Bando has come across the formation and filled behind him, Gerry has come from 11 yards off the ball to 4 and into a blocker and MRI has come from a wide left position all the way to over the center. That is all a nice piece of aggressive defense. However the problem is no one is home for the cutback. Three guys (Young, Bando and Gerry) have filled so hard that they are now caught up in traffic and can't scrape back and MRI is unblocked but runs by the RB and can't get back in position to make the tackle. Illinois ends up getting 7 yards on the play.

 

 

 

Here's another example. At the snap, we're in our base personnel and base alignment. The play is an inside zone run, straight handoff.

 

 

Neither MRI nor Young are even blocked on the play. They simply run themselves up into the line - presumably filling their gap - but since the play doesn't come through their gap, they've totally run themselves out of the play. Only a saving tackle by Gerry keeps this from being a touchdown.

 

 

 

When you don't even have to block two linebackers and they are non-factors on a straight ahead run, that's an issue. Now, you can say our LBs should be playing it differently and I agree. However, when they are all doing the same thing on most running (and play-action) plays, that has to be how they are being coached to do it. Why we're doing it that way I have no idea but I think it is costing us.

[Moiraine]

*plugs ears* We're undefeated! No need to worry about OSU or Wisconsin *unplugs ears*

[AFhusker]

They are not being taught to fill the gaps that hard, they are not good at reading their keys, playing disciplined and they are prone to over pursuing the play.

[Kiyoat Husker]

Our defense this season seems to be the "bizarro-world" version of last years defense. How is that possible? Is Stewart now our best assistant and Is Bray bad? My head hurts.

[TonyStalloni]

It's all a ruse to convince Wisc and OSU that we play that way. They won't know what hit them. We also have clones of Suh, Wistrom and Carriker ready to go at a moments notice. Our genetics labs have been busy.

[Mavric]

They are not being taught to fill the gaps that hard, they are not good at reading their keys, playing disciplined and they are prone to over pursuing the play.

 

They they all do it all game but you're going to claim they don't get taught to do that based on .... what?

[Hayseed]

I've been grumbling because I rarely see a LB make a big play. I've asked questions like "Do we have linebackers?" and "Where are the linebackers?"

​I'm pretty much in agreement with TonyStalloni that we're luring the big teams into our incompetence trap. We'll lure their runners 6.6 yards up field and then slam the door.

[Nebfanatic]

I agree with Maveric 100% on this. One of those big runs early in the game was made possible only because of MRIs alignment and assignment on the play. Looked like he was doing his job but because of that the tight end easily j blocked him out of the play and opened up a huge hole. Just one instance I remember where something like this happened

[Bowfin]

They are not being taught to fill the gaps that hard, they are not good at reading their keys, playing disciplined and they are prone to over pursuing the play

 

So...don't you think these linebacker problems should be fixed by someone?

[LumberJackSker]

if Banderas could stop missing tackles that would be great too, in his 4 years i dont think i've ever seen him drive a ball carrier backwards either

[AFhusker]

 

They are not being taught to fill the gaps that hard, they are not good at reading their keys, playing disciplined and they are prone to over pursuing the play.

 

They they all do it all game but you're going to claim they don't get taught to do that based on .... what?

 

Based on what they are taught in practice. Even when they are told to blitz MRI for example is a terrible tackler and usually throws an arm out as he runs by the play.

[AFhusker]

 

They are not being taught to fill the gaps that hard, they are not good at reading their keys, playing disciplined and they are prone to over pursuing the play

 

So...don't you think these linebacker problems should be fixed by someone?

 

 

What can you do if that is the best you have right now? They are mental mistakes, all you can do is teach them what they should be doing and hope for the best. They can't go out there and make the tackles for them.

[Bowfin]

What can you do if that is the best you have right now?

Make them better. That is what coaches are paid to do.

 

If these guys are this bad in the mental aspect and the coaches see it, then why isn't Chris Weber on the field the entire time? Heck, let's even leave off the first part and just ask, "Why isn't Chris Weber on the field all of the time?"

[ScottyIce]

So Bray sucks? Ok, got it

[Bowfin]

I'm not real up on the insider talk.

 

Who or what is a "bray"? Is that Banderas?

 

As for "sucks" or not, Nebraska currently sits at #102 at allowing rushing yards per attempt. Please keep in mind that Wisconsin sits at #19. The disparity is even more telling when one factors what teams both have played so far. Where you draw the "suck" line is an opinion. I usually pick the bottom third of all FBS statistics as being in the "sucks" range, so #102 (down four spots from #98 from when thread was started) is definitely there in "sucks" land.