Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
NU football's Moore adjusts to new task
Jay Moore was discussing his new position, of sorts, following Saturday's spring football practice.
The Nebraska junior defensive end was describing why he's a good fit for this newfangled open-side end spot. He said he's a wider guy with the necessary speed and athleticism to come off the edge.
Moore then wore a sheepish grin as he began describing his responsibilities.
"You have to keep the outside contained," he said, "which I failed to do a couple of times today and got in trouble for."
In other words, this isn't your snap-of-the-fingers type of adjustment.
What's different? Well, no longer do Moore and Adam Carriker line up strictly at left end and right end, respectively. Carriker, the base end, lines up to the tight end side of the formation. Moore is away from the tight end.
"Playing that right side at end is really foreign to me right now," Moore said. "I'm not used to getting in my stance and getting my reads like that. (But) I'm definitely starting to see how this is going to work."
The idea, of course, is to not only capitalize on players' strengths, but also to find ways to spark a defensive line that lacked overall pressure last season.
"We got, what ... one out of every 23 pass attempts was a sack last year?" Moore said. "Not good at all."
Actually, Nebraska recorded 25 sacks last season, or one roughly every 18 attempts. That's still not dazzling.
"I put emphasis on it all the time," Nebraska defensive line coach John Blake said of applying pressure.
"Coverage is only as good as pressure, and pressure is only as good as coverage. They both work hand-in-hand. What I've got to do is make sure our guys are capable of doing the job they're doing. I want these guys to maximize their abilities."
Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove echoed those comments, saying there's "no doubt" the Huskers need to improve their rush.
"A lot of it is, in passing situations, getting off the ball, being able to work moves, put different types of pressures on the quarterback," Cosgrove said. "Naturally, you have to have some changes.
"You can't put five-man pressure, six-man pressure every time. You've got to have four guys who can rush the passer."
Cosgrove said the 6-foot-6, 280-pound Carriker is the perfect anchor for the base end position because he can take on combo blocks.
Carriker, a junior, likes the change in philosophy because it plays to players' strengths.
As for the adjustment?
"It's not a huge deal," Carriker said. "Instead of always having one specific gap every play ... a lot of times, I'm a two-gap player, so it's a little bit harder for me, because I have to maintain one gap, and deny, close off the other gap. It's a little harder, but it's not huge.
"In pass rush, I feel completely fine. In run, it takes me a little bit longer to feel comfortable. I'm getting there."
Carriker, Moore and Wali Muhammad — Nebraska's three returning defensive ends — each had three sacks last season. The Huskers lose Benard Thomas, who led the team with four sacks.
Muhammad is listed No. 2 behind Carriker on the pre-spring depth chart, although he hasn't participated in any practices because he's focusing on studying.
In the meantime, redshirted freshman Ty Steinkuhler and sophomore Kevin Luhrs are working behind Carriker. Adam Blankenship, another redshirted freshman, is Moore's top backup.
Moore, of course, would like to keep him there, which means making fewer mistakes in today's fourth spring practice.
"I'm sure as spring ball goes on," Moore said, "I'll pick it up a little more."
Jay Moore was discussing his new position, of sorts, following Saturday's spring football practice.
The Nebraska junior defensive end was describing why he's a good fit for this newfangled open-side end spot. He said he's a wider guy with the necessary speed and athleticism to come off the edge.
Moore then wore a sheepish grin as he began describing his responsibilities.
"You have to keep the outside contained," he said, "which I failed to do a couple of times today and got in trouble for."
In other words, this isn't your snap-of-the-fingers type of adjustment.
What's different? Well, no longer do Moore and Adam Carriker line up strictly at left end and right end, respectively. Carriker, the base end, lines up to the tight end side of the formation. Moore is away from the tight end.
"Playing that right side at end is really foreign to me right now," Moore said. "I'm not used to getting in my stance and getting my reads like that. (But) I'm definitely starting to see how this is going to work."
The idea, of course, is to not only capitalize on players' strengths, but also to find ways to spark a defensive line that lacked overall pressure last season.
"We got, what ... one out of every 23 pass attempts was a sack last year?" Moore said. "Not good at all."
Actually, Nebraska recorded 25 sacks last season, or one roughly every 18 attempts. That's still not dazzling.
"I put emphasis on it all the time," Nebraska defensive line coach John Blake said of applying pressure.
"Coverage is only as good as pressure, and pressure is only as good as coverage. They both work hand-in-hand. What I've got to do is make sure our guys are capable of doing the job they're doing. I want these guys to maximize their abilities."
Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove echoed those comments, saying there's "no doubt" the Huskers need to improve their rush.
"A lot of it is, in passing situations, getting off the ball, being able to work moves, put different types of pressures on the quarterback," Cosgrove said. "Naturally, you have to have some changes.
"You can't put five-man pressure, six-man pressure every time. You've got to have four guys who can rush the passer."
Cosgrove said the 6-foot-6, 280-pound Carriker is the perfect anchor for the base end position because he can take on combo blocks.
Carriker, a junior, likes the change in philosophy because it plays to players' strengths.
As for the adjustment?
"It's not a huge deal," Carriker said. "Instead of always having one specific gap every play ... a lot of times, I'm a two-gap player, so it's a little bit harder for me, because I have to maintain one gap, and deny, close off the other gap. It's a little harder, but it's not huge.
"In pass rush, I feel completely fine. In run, it takes me a little bit longer to feel comfortable. I'm getting there."
Carriker, Moore and Wali Muhammad — Nebraska's three returning defensive ends — each had three sacks last season. The Huskers lose Benard Thomas, who led the team with four sacks.
Muhammad is listed No. 2 behind Carriker on the pre-spring depth chart, although he hasn't participated in any practices because he's focusing on studying.
In the meantime, redshirted freshman Ty Steinkuhler and sophomore Kevin Luhrs are working behind Carriker. Adam Blankenship, another redshirted freshman, is Moore's top backup.
Moore, of course, would like to keep him there, which means making fewer mistakes in today's fourth spring practice.
"I'm sure as spring ball goes on," Moore said, "I'll pick it up a little more."
