Your 2020 Nebraska Cornhuskers

[Husker in WI]

My opinion is that we probably don't have that guy yet this season and that Chinander should probably swallow his pride a bit and try more creative stunts & blitzes to get to the passer.

Iirc, he pulled out some real cool DB blitzes last year against South Alabama and then again against Colorado for the first half but teams adjust quickly to that if that’s all the pressure you can get. Definitely a little concerned about OLB at the moment. We also got a decent amount of QB pressure from Khalil last year that we need to replace.

He seems to be more confident bringing pressure with extra time to prepare - I think the season openers the past 2 years have seen the most blitzes  although that is mostly measured by the sacks I remember. So could be we've just been ineffective in other games. I tend to think he stopped because of our injuries and depth, not teams adjusting. We had one injured safety he could play, a couple corners trying to play the other spot, and no real dynamic athletes at LB outside of Domann. So I could see the argument that he had to play it safer - I really think philosophically he wants to blitz creatively and often.  He has the personnel this year where they can't be an excuse anymore IMO. They're inexperienced, but fit what he wants to do. 

I doubt anyone on the DL gets 8 sacks, but I think they'll be more consistent pushing the pocket. You can't teach length, and the guys we had didn't have it. Have to resort to speed then, and there was no change up - those dudes were strong, but if the OL has 4-5 inches of reach on you it doesn't matter how strong you are. Also cautiously optimistic about OLB pass rush. Tannor has the talent, Domann has a nose for the big play, Nelson has the motor, and they keep mentioning pass rush with Henrich. I'm getting the sense his natural pass rush ability made them want to move him outside, not sure why else it would happen. And then Payne and Cooper both have good pass rush skill sets. 0 proven production from anyone other than Domann, but things that make you think it could happen. If you drink enough.

 

[Undone]

If you drink enough.

Yeah, I hear you.

This is of course a bit of an exaggeration, but in the same way that I'd get reaaaal nervous when it was 3rd & long during the Tommy Armstrong days, I get almost that same level of nerves when we're on 3rd & long on defense. In 2018 we were terrible giving up third & longs. 

Then last year Purdue had a true freshman QB that we should have annihilated but instead had all day to toss the ball around the yard.

It's the kind of football that's hard to watch. But I maintain that anything happening on defense wasn't even in our Top 3 biggest problems last season so I personally think we have way bigger fish to fry than pass rushing heading into this year.

 

[MyBloodIsRed16]

Yeah, I hear you.

This is of course a bit of an exaggeration, but in the same way that I'd get reaaaal nervous when it was 3rd & long during the Tommy Armstrong days, I get almost that same level of nerves when we're on 3rd & long on defense. In 2018 we were terrible giving up third & longs. 

Then last year Purdue had a true freshman QB that we should have annihilated but instead had all day to toss the ball around the yard.

It's the kind of football that's hard to watch. But I maintain that anything happening on defense wasn't even in our Top 3 biggest problems last season so I personally think we have way bigger fish to fry than pass rushing heading into this year.

yeah anything 3rd and 15 + was almost an automatic 1st down last year.  So frustrating.  I would much rather see them get beat blitzing and trying to get after the qb instead of having everyone in coverage and still getting beat.

 

[Undone]

yeah anything 3rd and 15 + was almost an automatic 1st down last year.  So frustrating.  I would much rather see them get beat blitzing and trying to get after the qb instead of having everyone in coverage and still getting beat.

Yeah and the problem is that when you choose to have this big 'tweener OLBs that are between the size of a regular OLB and a regular defensive end, the only kind of guy that can actually man up to a slot receiver or whatever is a freak athlete like Randy Gregory.

Teams recognized Chinander's scheme in how he does this and really burned us. Like you say, if something isn't working, stop doing it - just blitz and see if that works.

 

[Caliborn72]

Yeah and the problem is that when you choose to have this big 'tweener OLBs that are between the size of a regular OLB and a regular defensive end, the only kind of guy that can actually man up to a slot receiver or whatever is a freak athlete like Randy Gregory.

Teams recognized Chinander's scheme in how he does this and really burned us. Like you say, if something isn't working, stop doing it - just blitz and see if that works.

I also think this is where Reimer can help. Need those ILBs to be able to cover and Barry was caught so much in coverage busts last year. Teams also targeted Honas a bunch, I read Colorado’s board and Purdue’s boards after our games and they were all noticing how much their team picked on Honas. He took some bad angles trying to make the big play. I think he will be better there this year.

 

[Undone]

I also think this is where Reimer can help. Need those ILBs to be able to cover and Barry was caught so much in coverage busts last year. Teams also targeted Honas a bunch, I read Colorado’s board and Purdue’s boards after our games and they were all noticing how much their team picked on Honas. He took some bad angles trying to make the big play. I think he will be better there this year.

Hoping you're right on Reimer. I don't have any real line on how quick he is though, so it's kind of all hopes & dreams right now.

Unless you play a nickel or dime scheme, you're always going to be asking at least one linebacker to drop into coverage sometimes. If both of your OLBs are big lumbering slow guys, teams will scheme to beat you on this.

What Minnesota did last year to us was line up with five guys wide - which you'd think is a surefire pass play, right? Well they'd then run a stretch running play out of it and just destroyed us. 

Kind of as you mention, we need more speed at linebacker.

 

[Mavric]

[No message]

 

[GBRFAN]

I'm not worried about whether we have DL talent. DL development on the other hand...

It serms that a combination of DL Talent and DL Development got 3 guys to the league last year.  Unless you want to give ice cream man all the credit for developing them.

 

[Undone]

It serms that a combination of DL Talent and DL Development got 3 guys to the league last year.  Unless you want to give ice cream man all the credit for developing them.

Darrion was a grad transfer, but I hear you.

 

[Toe]

It serms that a combination of DL Talent and DL Development got 3 guys to the league last year.

Sermtainly. Problem is, those three guys aren't on the team anymore, and we'll be starting three new guys in their place who haven't had as much time to develop as their predecessors.

 

[Mavric]

[No message]

 

[GBRFAN]

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[suh_fan93]

[No message]

 

[Toe]

Fact check please

Fact number one: we will be starting defensive linemen who have less starting experience and fewer years of development than last year's 5th-year seniors.

End fact check.

 

[GBRFAN]

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