Assistant coach Terry Joseph was asked about the Blackshirts and forcing turnovers. Once again, this staff has said something I absolutely disagree with. Not only do I not agree with what is said, but I don't like how this staff has really gone heavy on blaming this team and the players for all the troubles lately.
The article is here....
http://sports.omaha....more-turnovers/
but the part that particularly stood out to me is this comment about forcing turnovers.
“We still need to get more takeaways,” Joseph said at the Big Red Breakfast. “And takeaways come down to two key components – effort and toughness. Because not only do you have to get to the ball, but you got to have a bad attitude when you get there, because that’s going to get the ball out.”
Takeaways come down to effort and toughness? Really? I mean, I thought effort and toughness were a requirement to be playing football at this level? If I was to say what creates more takeaways, I would say "creating pressure" and being in the "right place at the right time". You can give all the effort you want, or be the toughest mother fu&*#r on the block, but if your not where the ball is, you aren't gonna get that f'ing ball. We don't even coach our DB's to look for the ball. And when's the last time you saw a Nebraska player attempt to rip a ball out. How often are we trailing behind opposing players as the run by us? To force fumbles, you've got to be in the gap, and meet the player there with force. To force mistakes by a QB, you have to apply pressure, force bad decisions, and look for the ball when it's in the air. The safeties have to play aggressively, instead of playing in a "scared" two WAYYYYY deep coverage. It just doesn't seem like the type of defense we are playing is aggressive enough to be creating turnovers. I think we have plenty of tough players, giving lot's of effort. They are not being put in a position to be playmakers.