D-line is where everything starts. In response to an earlier post, the players were coached to consentrate on the player and not the ball by Elmo. Earlier in the spring there was an article that had an interview with Marvin Sanders. He said that having the players consentrate on the player and not the ball isn't neccesarily wrong but, it does limit the defender as to making adjustments while the ball is in the air. This is obvious. Sanders said that he likes to coach his players to look for the ball and have the mindset that the ball is meant for them, go get it. He also said that he wants his players to have the mentality that a ball being thrown to the receiver they are covering to be an insult. That the QB doesn't respect them. He said he understands that you can't knock down or intercept every pass, and there will be catches. But, the more the players get comfortable with the system, the more aggressive they will become.
Husker Secondary
- Thread starter bhunt7
- Start date
admo
Heisman Trophy Winner
That's up to the Pelini's now, isnt it?.
Look back at the 95 defense. It started with speed & conditioning and the mindset during the offseason. You have to be accountable with the opportunity you get. Your schemes need to change up to make the other team feel lost. And you need an offense that can keep the d-unit fresh & on the sidelines.
jayhawk
Starter
They did not play well enough...
I kid, things can change quickly in college ball at least...
hack
All-Conference
for the sake of your jayhawks, you'd better hope not.They did not play well enough...
I kid, things can change quickly in college ball at least...
huskered17
All-Conference
Being able to make adjustments in your defense as the game go's along, is some thing Coz wouldn't do or couldn't do. Bo knows how to do that during a game, that alone should help considerable this year.
GBR!!!
GBR!!!
Cy the Cyclone
Starter
It was pretty obvious when we played that, aside from the DL not getting pressure on the QB (which, arguably, they didn't do too bad a job with against the Cyclones) the big problems were the LB's, who couldn't cover worth a crap...and Bowman, who basically got beat like a drum on four or five plays.
Myer spent the whole game dumping short passes over the middle (until the very end during desperation time)...getting 5 or 6 yards every time. Octavian was adequate but Rudd and McKeon had receivers beating them left and right. They got 19 passes of 15 yards or less dumped on them. Barksma (our TE) had a field day...Murillo had his troubles too along with Bowman. NU did win the game but most of that was on a couple of fumbles and an interception. ISU...ISU for god's sake...still outgained NU in this game...mostly on short passes dumped over the middle.
Getting a whole new LB corp could be the best thing to happen to this secondary...and the defense as a whole.
Myer spent the whole game dumping short passes over the middle (until the very end during desperation time)...getting 5 or 6 yards every time. Octavian was adequate but Rudd and McKeon had receivers beating them left and right. They got 19 passes of 15 yards or less dumped on them. Barksma (our TE) had a field day...Murillo had his troubles too along with Bowman. NU did win the game but most of that was on a couple of fumbles and an interception. ISU...ISU for god's sake...still outgained NU in this game...mostly on short passes dumped over the middle.
Getting a whole new LB corp could be the best thing to happen to this secondary...and the defense as a whole.
Husker_x
All-American
We play in the Big XII. The Big XII has massive receivers, plenty of Texas speed, and guys that can catch. If you don't have a pass rush, you're dead. Suh was double-teamed, using poor technique, and it seems everyone was overweight and slow. Our LBs were a joke most of the time, except for Octo, and when you're playing with no help against a quarterback that has time to file his tax returns before going through his progression, it spells disaster for undersized or hurt corners.
strigori
All-American
The secondary was probably the best part of the defense last year. But no one can cover longer than about 3-5 sec. Hell you can count on one hand the corners who can 'lock down' a good receiver for more than a 5 step drop.
The issues with the defense over all started up front with the complete lack of a pass rush. Even a below average QB can pick a defense apart given enough time. And even off the blitz we rarely got pressure. I feel that the reason for this was two part. 1 conditioning. All the players got bigger between 2006 and 2007, and it clearly wasnt a good bigger. Slow and fat might have worked 10-15 years ago in the Big 10, but it doesnt cut it anywhere now. And 2, bad schemes and lack of teaching. Even in the spring and fall camps last year, the players talked about Cos being a 'mad scientist' and 'always tinkering' with the schemes. Too much change week to week, and the players had no idea what was going on, you could see during games how the players were looking around at each other before the play, instead of watching what the offense was doing.
Add in linebackers that couldnt cover, and had issues getting off blocks and you have built a very bad foundation for a good defense.
The issues with the defense over all started up front with the complete lack of a pass rush. Even a below average QB can pick a defense apart given enough time. And even off the blitz we rarely got pressure. I feel that the reason for this was two part. 1 conditioning. All the players got bigger between 2006 and 2007, and it clearly wasnt a good bigger. Slow and fat might have worked 10-15 years ago in the Big 10, but it doesnt cut it anywhere now. And 2, bad schemes and lack of teaching. Even in the spring and fall camps last year, the players talked about Cos being a 'mad scientist' and 'always tinkering' with the schemes. Too much change week to week, and the players had no idea what was going on, you could see during games how the players were looking around at each other before the play, instead of watching what the offense was doing.
Add in linebackers that couldnt cover, and had issues getting off blocks and you have built a very bad foundation for a good defense.
shyndy
All-Conference
there were major, major problems in the secondary technique and whatnot as far as I'm concerned. I don't care that it was the first "transition" year but when you look back, we had Bullocks twins and Fabian Washington in that secondary, those guys are all in pros now, and not just scrubs either right?
I never felt like our secondary looked like any other defenses' secondary I've ever seen in my life. It was like it was prevent defense 24-7, and yet we still got burned quite often. We didn't know how to contest out routes or curls or anything. Man, Murillo made a play on a sideline route in the spring game and I remember thinking I haven't seen that since 03!
I never felt like our secondary looked like any other defenses' secondary I've ever seen in my life. It was like it was prevent defense 24-7, and yet we still got burned quite often. We didn't know how to contest out routes or curls or anything. Man, Murillo made a play on a sideline route in the spring game and I remember thinking I haven't seen that since 03!
junior4949
All-American
Look back at the 94' defense. #2 CU came a knocking and just got manhandled by our D. The biggest difference between those defenses and last years were the Dline and LB's. In the NC run, for the most part, our LB's were undersized but extremely fast. In 2003, we had LB's like that. Somewhere along the line we switched mentality to bigger slower LB's.
The biggest thing I noticed was how much "fatter" or softer if you will our lineman looked when compared to seasons past. I think the conditioning was suspect at best for quite a while.
Igetbored216
All-Conference
From what I have been reading, it appears Mr. Dobson has been working some miracles in increasing the strength, agility, and speed of each NU player. Each player has a different workout routine based on their needs. Many players have dropped weight and gained speed. I feel our ends definitely needed this speed last season as they looked rather sluggish getting off the line.
Hunter:
you are one of the few realistic posters out there. I agree --- if NU pulls a 7-5 record this season, makes a bowl game and is not a laughingstock then we should be pleased --- it is the first step out of the pit.
To the dline issue that people point out (and correctly so), why will it be substantially better this year? What gives anyone the confidence that the DL will improve?
Great points. Both our OL and DL seemed slow, soft and weak compared to those they lined up against. Physically manhandled for the most part. Hopefully this will change.