So that's another reason that I'm willing to give Chinander a chance to see what he can do with some better athletes.
Looking back at Nebraska defenses the better part of this century is why I'm willing to give Chinander a chance.
Regardless of form or nomenclature, two words I'd use to describe Nebraska defenses over this span is Rigid and Passive. Neither of those is how I'd describe a Chinander unit.
At the end of the day, once a play is identified; the RB breaks the line of scrimmage, the pass is thrown, it's about 11 guys chasing down and tackling one guy. It's really that simple. So much of the various past schemes have been about area control, that we've kinda forgot this part.
What Chinander and crew are doing is not eschewing control, but rather being more aggressive through the proper use of leverage. It's about attacking through the ball carrier/blocker with risk mitigation because you've taken the angle that reduces their threat. It's more fair to call it a philosophy than a scheme. He can and will use a lot of schemes, but they're all taught through this conceptual framework. What I love isn't so much where they put the players but that they explain the why to the players. That allows players to break the rules, ultimately allowing 11 to tackle 1.
I think we will have a pretty good defensive unit this year. Obviously thin in the secondary, and it may take some time to find the right mix at LB, but the defensive line should be solid out of the gate. At some point, this defense will understand the freedom they have and it'll click. Should be a lot of fun when that happens.
