The 2 Gap system

GBRrodney

GBRrodney

Three-Star Recruit
Here is my take on what I saw from the defense last night.

Bo didn’t recruit any defensive difference makers the first 2 years of his watch and it shows. Not sure why, but it obviously didn’t happen.

For example:

When Suh and Co was on the line. Ball was snapped, Suh would push both of his guys (double team) 3 yards back into the back field, Crick would push his one guy back 2 yards, ends held their ground.

If they tried to run the ball they got stopped at the line of scrimmage or tackled for loss. Normal worst case was a 3 yard gain. Of course there were some sizable gains mixed in, but for the most part they couldn’t run on us.

If they tried to pass, Suh and Co would push their guys back, keeping their 2 gaps covered so if they QB tried to run he would have to guy wide. The QB would look down field and no one was open because of the NFL talent in the back 7. So the pass would be incomplete, the QB would run, or he would dump it off and the receiver would be tackled immediately.

Without the NFL talent you get, well, you get what UCLA did to us, put more yards put on us than anyone since 1956.

So some of the issues you can say, It ain’t the Xs and Os but the Jimmys and Joes. But we either have to play more freshman/sophomores or change to a system that will allow the talent we have to make some plays.

 
Suh may be a once in a generation type player. Why would you want us to play younger guys if, as you say, they don't have any talent? Although I agree with playing the younger guys. We've seen four years of Meredith and Compton and I don't think they'll get any better.

 
The two gap system...is that what we've been running? So, it seems, the point of the two gap system is to give the opposing runners two distinctive, wide open gaps into which they run? I think I'm against that, doesn't seem a good idea.

:sarcasm

 
If Nebraska never plays the 2 gap system again, I will be happy. It makes no sense to me to have your D line dancing with the O line all day long. Ever since I have started watching football and playing it when I was young, the job is to GET OFF the block. It wasn't the D line's job to stay in contact with anyone. Get free and make a play!!!!!

 
When your defensive lineman are lined up 2 yards off the damn ball it doesnt matter what scheme you are running. Baker and Rome were lined up like that everytime and that might have been the most frustrating thing, besides the missed tackles.

 
Ok, I'll admit I am still learning the ins and outs of this game but it seemed like our D watches the other players instead of the ball. Aren't you suppose to keep your eye on the ball? Also, they wait for the players to run to them instead of running to the ball. Aren't you suppose to run to the ball or are they afraid that if they do that they will over run the runner? I'm so old school. I remember when you played the Huskers the runners never got through our defensive line. It was BAM and they were down for the count!

The other thing I noticed is how they defend. It's like they're playing patty cake with the opposing player. Can they push off better and get away? I know they can't if the other team is holding (which UCLA did a lot in the game on Sat.) How would you coach that?

I also can't believe how these boys tackle. Didn't they play tackle football in high school? Sheesh! I know some women who can tackle better then some of these boys can!

Thanks! I love this board. It's so diverse in its opinions and rich in discussion! AND! When all is said and said ;) and done we all love our Huskers! GO BIG RED!

 
GBRrodney said:
Here is my take on what I saw from the defense last night.

Bo didn’t recruit any defensive difference makers the first 2 years of his watch and it shows. Not sure why, but it obviously didn’t happen.

For example:

When Suh and Co was on the line. Ball was snapped, Suh would push both of his guys (double team) 3 yards back into the back field, Crick would push his one guy back 2 yards, ends held their ground.

If they tried to run the ball they got stopped at the line of scrimmage or tackled for loss. Normal worst case was a 3 yard gain. Of course there were some sizable gains mixed in, but for the most part they couldn’t run on us.

If they tried to pass, Suh and Co would push their guys back, keeping their 2 gaps covered so if they QB tried to run he would have to guy wide. The QB would look down field and no one was open because of the NFL talent in the back 7. So the pass would be incomplete, the QB would run, or he would dump it off and the receiver would be tackled immediately.

Without the NFL talent you get, well, you get what UCLA did to us, put more yards put on us than anyone since 1956.

So some of the issues you can say, It ain’t the Xs and Os but the Jimmys and Joes. But we either have to play more freshman/sophomores or change to a system that will allow the talent we have to make some plays.
Click to expand...
GBRrodney said:
Here is my take on what I saw from the defense last night.

Bo didn’t recruit any defensive difference makers the first 2 years of his watch and it shows. Not sure why, but it obviously didn’t happen.

For example:

When Suh and Co was on the line. Ball was snapped, Suh would push both of his guys (double team) 3 yards back into the back field, Crick would push his one guy back 2 yards, ends held their ground.

If they tried to run the ball they got stopped at the line of scrimmage or tackled for loss. Normal worst case was a 3 yard gain. Of course there were some sizable gains mixed in, but for the most part they couldn’t run on us.

If they tried to pass, Suh and Co would push their guys back, keeping their 2 gaps covered so if they QB tried to run he would have to guy wide. The QB would look down field and no one was open because of the NFL talent in the back 7. So the pass would be incomplete, the QB would run, or he would dump it off and the receiver would be tackled immediately.

Without the NFL talent you get, well, you get what UCLA did to us, put more yards put on us than anyone since 1956.

So some of the issues you can say, It ain’t the Xs and Os but the Jimmys and Joes. But we either have to play more freshman/sophomores or change to a system that will allow the talent we have to make some plays.
Click to expand...
When you say "Bo did not recruit any defense difference makers... I don't know why?" Well... seriously?!!!

Bo recruited dozens and dozens of defensive difference makers. But he competed against programs like USC, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, and other programs for those players. Those difference makers choose to go elsewhere.

NU has not won anything in the lifetimes of the kids they are recruiting. The players we are now recruiting were born in 1995. By the time these kids could remember anything re: college sports it would have been 2003 or later. For them, NU is no different than Iowa or Purdue --- or any other number of mid-level conference programs. So... when choosing between NU and these other programs... NU loses almost all the time.

Recruits go to winners. NU since 2003 (the furthest back these recruits will likely remember) has won nothing. You should not be at all surprised that Bo has recruited dozens of difference makers each year --- but received commitments from precious few. It is not for lack of trying... just lack of winning.

 
ladyhawke said:
Ok, I'll admit I am still learning the ins and outs of this game but it seemed like our D watches the other players instead of the ball. Aren't you suppose to keep your eye on the ball? Also, they wait for the players to run to them instead of running to the ball. Aren't you suppose to run to the ball or are they afraid that if they do that they will over run the runner? I'm so old school. I remember when you played the Huskers the runners never got through our defensive line. It was BAM and they were down for the count!

The other thing I noticed is how they defend. It's like they're playing patty cake with the opposing player. Can they push off better and get away? I know they can't if the other team is holding (which UCLA did a lot in the game on Sat.) How would you coach that?

I also can't believe how these boys tackle. Didn't they play tackle football in high school? Sheesh! I know some women who can tackle better then some of these boys can!

Thanks! I love this board. It's so diverse in its opinions and rich in discussion! AND! When all is said and said ;) and done we all love our Huskers! GO BIG RED!
Click to expand...
ladyhawke said:
Ok, I'll admit I am still learning the ins and outs of this game but it seemed like our D watches the other players instead of the ball. Aren't you suppose to keep your eye on the ball? Also, they wait for the players to run to them instead of running to the ball. Aren't you suppose to run to the ball or are they afraid that if they do that they will over run the runner? I'm so old school. I remember when you played the Huskers the runners never got through our defensive line. It was BAM and they were down for the count!

The other thing I noticed is how they defend. It's like they're playing patty cake with the opposing player. Can they push off better and get away? I know they can't if the other team is holding (which UCLA did a lot in the game on Sat.) How would you coach that?

I also can't believe how these boys tackle. Didn't they play tackle football in high school? Sheesh! I know some women who can tackle better then some of these boys can!

Thanks! I love this board. It's so diverse in its opinions and rich in discussion! AND! When all is said and said ;) and done we all love our Huskers! GO BIG RED!
Click to expand...
Thanks for this post --- it was an enjoyable read

 
I'm not a fan of the system only because it's clearly not working anymore. It shouldn't take a Herculean effort by one guy (Suh) to make your defense look good, and we have talent along the defensive line, so I'm at a loss for words as to why they can't do what they're supposed to do. Opposing teams had a 4.0 YPC average against us last year, USM had a 4.0 YPC average against us, and UCLA had a 6.1 YPC. Same guys from last year making the same bad mistakes over and over.

One of the few things that makes sense is these are Pelini's first and second year recruits. His first year recruiting class was thrown together as best as could be, but it was still thrown together. Perhaps we have guys waiting in the wings with tons of a talent and Pelini's first couple of classes were a little rougher than we thought. Outside of that reasoning, the players should know the scheme by now and they're experienced enough to run it effectively, but they're not.

 
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For all we know this thing could pan out in the next 18 months to two years and he'll be laughing at us for not trusting him. The problem is we live in a results now type of world and we expect good things to happen no matter what. We've been a fairly successful football team over the past 4 or 5 seasons with ups-and-downs. I have faith he'll get it right and things will work out for the best. I'm not a fan of the 2-gap right now as it isn't working and we're seeing that.

 
maybe so, but adjustments better be made pretty quickly here, because the defensive effort saturday night-regardless of who it was against-is going to be the scapegoat in a 6 to 7-wins-at-most season, and I truly believe Bo will not survive that. I have fear of what will happen with anything less than 9 wins. Too many folks with too much power ($) do not understand the patience idea. We'll see what happens come saturday. All offseason we talk about this team and new accountablity and such and how Bo has grown and so on, not it's time to see. Will he make the obvoius drastic changes that need to be made?

 
well, we have used 3 man fronts quite a bit with pelini so its not that crazy i guess, but im still surprised.

 
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