Correctable Errors

[MichiganDad3]

Below are a couple quotes from articles I read today.

"they say the errors made last Saturday are capable of being corrected"

"Better footwork, better hand placement, better head positioning — slight tweaks like that might have changed the final outcome"

It seems that in every game the huskers play there are "correctable errors". If this happens once or twice it is OK, but when it happens over and over, then the system is the problem. By system I mean, they way they practice, the scheme or the coaching. The other option is that this is just coach speak, but the above quotes were from the players ... of course the players could be coached on how to deal with the press.

 

[TonyStalloni]

I don't think many of the problems I saw saturday were correctible by the players. Even Saban couldn't coach our players to speed up their play. UCLA did a great job of spreading the field and taking advantage of our lack of speed. The players weren't out of position because of coaching, they were just to stinking slow to get to where the tackle needed to be made. Thats what causes arm tackles in this instance.

 

[lo country]

I don't think many of the problems I saw saturday were correctible by the players. Even Saban couldn't coach our players to speed up their play. UCLA did a great job of spreading the field and taking advantage of our lack of speed. The players weren't out of position because of coaching, they were just to stinking slow to get to where the tackle needed to be made. Thats what causes arm tackles in this instance.

An article talked about UCLA have the RB run a screen route (going in motion) and saw Compton go with him. At this instant, UCLA knew they had the matchup they wanted. That play went for approx 30 yrds. We were in dime and Compton again went with the RB in motion. You guessed it, another big gain. Goes to scheme again with not having the guys to physically do what is demanded with Bo's system. Year 5 makes me believe, not yet (regarding proper players) to not ever. In other words, find a new system to run.

I also agree with the correctable part. Odd that this is a recurring theme and yet no one on the staff has tried to address it before? Did the guys never miss tackles and blow assignments in practice? Do we even go 1's vs1's live at all? Might be fixed by adjusting how we actually practice. Looking at our stable of RB's and receivers it would seem that if we practiced correctly, our deficiencies on D as it relates to speed and fundamentals would have shown itself before now.

 

[bdubb75]

I'd love to see a tally on the number of missed tackles. We missed a ton of 'stops in the backfield' that turned into 10+ yard gains solely because the tackles were missed. We don't gang tackle at all and we don't force a lot of turnovers. The defense seems to be bend but don't break by design and we often seem 'thin' when we're on the field. I still think the missed tackles ultimately cost us the game, though. We need a lot of improvement elsewhere as well but there were a few runs where we missed 5 or more tackles and the plays resulted in big gains. Also, all offenses create matchup issues, that's not ever going to stop.

 

[ladyhawke]

When Bo coached at LSU, did he have the 'bend don't break' philosophy? If not, where did that come from because it's not working.

 

[MichiganDad3]

When McBride decided to get fast on defense what was his approach? Did he decide to recruit smaller and faster players? Did he recruit RBs and move them to defense? What exactly did he do?

 

[kchusker_chris]

I'd love to see a tally on the number of missed tackles. We missed a ton of 'stops in the backfield' that turned into 10+ yard gains solely because the tackles were missed. We don't gang tackle at all and we don't force a lot of turnovers. The defense seems to be bend but don't break by design and we often seem 'thin' when we're on the field. I still think the missed tackles ultimately cost us the game, though. We need a lot of improvement elsewhere as well but there were a few runs where we missed 5 or more tackles and the plays resulted in big gains. Also, all offenses create matchup issues, that's not ever going to stop.

dirk put it together. 19 missed tackles for a total of 172 yards after the missed tackle.

 

[Comish]

Seems as if we're caught between excuses/and or leagues/ and or lack of speed.

Last year we used the excuse/league/speed to explain how we needed bigger LB's to stop the power game of the BIG

Now our slower BIG bodies can't cover the "speed" of our non-conference foes.

Obviously the solution is to schedule non-conference games with slower teams that will prepare us for the B!G as well as eliminate those embarrassing outings vs directional schools.

 

[kchusker_chris]

When Bo coached at LSU, did he have the 'bend don't break' philosophy? If not, where did that come from because it's not working.

He had Glenn Dorsey, no bending there. I think people forget the type of players Bo's "signature" years have been based on. Look what he had in the secondary in 2003. Look what he had in 2009. From the outside looking in, it just doesn't seem like Bo adjusts his system/scheme to the personnel He's calling the D his way, players be damned. And in years (which are more than not) that he doesn't have those players...well then we'll just give up 600+ yards and call it "failing to execute". Which is the truth, because he doesn't have the personnel to execute his system. Two ways to fix it, get the players - which you can't mid-season in CFB and it's a multi-year project to recruit them....or you adjust the system to fit the personel. Bo doesn't seem to be doing either...he's just trying to plug in more players, all inexperienced - all of which will likely lead to more failed executions.

 

[kchusker_chris]

Seems as if we're caught between excuses/and or leagues/ and or lack of speed.

Last year we used the excuse/league/speed to explain how we needed bigger LB's to stop the power game of the BIG

Now our slower BIG bodies can't cover the "speed" of our non-conference foes.

Obviously the solution is to schedule non-conference games with slower teams that will prepare us for the B!G as well as eliminate those embarrassing outings vs directional schools.

...and pray the B1G doesn't go speed (michigan/ohio state/northwestern). oops.

 

[VectorVictor]

I'd love to see a tally on the number of missed tackles.

dirk put it together. 19 missed tackles for a total of 172 yards after the missed tackle.

So, UCLA still would have gained 400+ yards on us...

...that suggests a superior scheme, coupled with the element of surprise (due to a lack of film), talent, and team speed.

It's a good thing that, for our next opponent, we aren't facing a new coach with good team speed, talent, and a dual threat quarterback...all of which we have zilch for meaningful film on.

Otherwise, we could very well see a similar outcome to the UCLA game.

 

[kchusker_chris]

I'd love to see a tally on the number of missed tackles.

dirk put it together. 19 missed tackles for a total of 172 yards after the missed tackle.

So, UCLA still would have gained 400+ yards on us...

...that suggests a superior scheme, coupled with the element of surprise (due to a lack of film), talent, and team speed.

It's a good thing that, for our next opponent, we aren't facing a new coach with good team speed, talent, and a dual threat quarterback...all of which we have zilch for meaningful film on.

Otherwise, we could very well see a similar outcome to the UCLA game.

maybe - some of those were 3rd downs which would have resulted in punts...but instead ended up being another 30 yards with a score. in any other game 172 would have been significant. That's about what Alabama allows for an entire game...and that's just what we gave up on missed tackles.

 

[klemander]

Could we be looking at a failure of recruiting? Are most of the guys that have done so well on previous defenses recruited by Pelini's staff, or were they left overs from previous coaches?

Just asking.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Below are a couple quotes from articles I read today.

"they say the errors made last Saturday are capable of being corrected"

"Better footwork, better hand placement, better head positioning — slight tweaks like that might have changed the final outcome"

It seems that in every game the huskers play there are "correctable errors". If this happens once or twice it is OK, but when it happens over and over, then the system is the problem. By system I mean, they way they practice, the scheme or the coaching. The other option is that this is just coach speak, but the above quotes were from the players ... of course the players could be coached on how to deal with the press.

Are you talking about 2010? 2011? Be more specific please!

 

[SnowBigRed]

Could we be looking at a failure of recruiting? Are most of the guys that have done so well on previous defenses recruited by Pelini's staff, or were they left overs from previous coaches?

Just asking.

I don't think recruiting is really the issue. There's talent on that D. Osborne and McBride weren't always pulling in 4 and 5 star guys. Watch this video to prove that.



Of the guys shown in that vid, were any of them elite recruits (Wistrom?, Peters?, Alberts?)? Now granted, I was 5 years old in 1990 so I don't remember all of the 90s vividly, but who the hell was Carmer, Legette, Mike Anderson, Jason Pesterfied to anyone but die hard Husker fans that remember those years well? McBride attacked, attacked, attacked. The players wanted it more, and if they got their hands on the ball carrier, he was done. They gave up some big plays, but they made you pay for it. Even when blocking, these guys were tenacious (refer to about 5:35 in the vid to watch #20 curbstomp the biggest guy on the field on an int return).

These guys were developed into mean guys that liked to hit. The defense that Pelini runs is a soft defense built around schemes and knowledge of said schemes. This doesn't work in college. This isn't the pros. These guys don't work 50-60 hours a week on football. Take the heavy "thinking" out of the equation and see what they can do. Let the coaches think, let the players play.

Disclaimer: I realize that this isn't the 90s anymore and that things have changed since that time. I think we can all agree that the 2012 defense is extremely soft, but not necessarily bad football players.