DB's not finding the ball in the air

Z

zero_blitz

New member
Title says it all. For the most part last night we were in position to make some plays in Cook's passes, however none of our DB's are turning to find the ball, especially with receivers running along the boundary. The same technique is employed time and time again, force the receiver into the boundary by all means, but never turn and find the ball, and it cost us. Cook was able to complete some throws he had no business making, It's not like he was throwing to the back shoulder where we couldn't make plays, he just threw it up and their ball skills trumped ours. Good thing is this is coachable, bad thing is if we don't correct it OC's will be licking their chops the rest of the season.

 
I seem to remember us having this problem to various degrees since Pelini's been here. For as good as Hagg was in Pelini's defense, he did not turn around during the 8 turnover game leading to ISU's only TD.

 
That's what Cook does. He and his receivers have enough chemistry to take advantage of most DBs not being taught to look for the ball, Until its too late.

 
Our DBs aren't coached to turn and look for the ball. They're coached to play the receiver and have proper hand placement to knock it loose.

 
Cook is just money. All there is to it.

Nebraska is a highly rated pass defense year after year. I agree, its hard not to scream at the TV " turn around damnit" but at the same time, we are a pretty efficient at what we do. The results are there. We bend but don't break. It's hard to argue with results.

Personally I'm not a fan of bend don't break kind of defense but the defense didn't cost us this game. Matter of fact, the defense played lights out for the most part. The offense put them in tough spots and we still nearly won that game. Even when one of our starting DB's, Daniel Davie, went down a few minutes into the game. Hard to be having any conversations about what we think our defense doesn't do well when our offensive line looked disgusting.

 
How do you teach a defensive back to "look for the ball"? He can't have any idea when the ball is thrown. They have to stick with their man first and foremost. A good, well-coached receiver will wait until the last second to put his hands up so as not to clue the DB in that the ball is about to come.

I'm not a coach, but what do you do?

 
zoogies said:
How do you teach a defensive back to "look for the ball"? He can't have any idea when the ball is thrown. They have to stick with their man first and foremost. A good, well-coached receiver will wait until the last second to put his hands up so as not to clue the DB in that the ball is about to come.

I'm not a coach, but what do you do?
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You teach him to watch the receiver, if the receiver turns his head to look for the ball, so should you.

This topic is pretty stupid, mostly because you are talking about a young secondary with few veterans, and even then, some of those vets aren't perfect.

Some of you have blinders on, where you only see and point out the negatives and completely disregard the positives. It's incorrect to say that Pelini's secondary has never been taught to turn around and look for the ball. I guess all those corners and safeties, NFL or not were never taught to look for the ball by either Marvin Sanders, Terry Joseph, that one guy who came before Joseph. Nah, they were all scrub coaches that didn't teach that our secondary.
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I've seen our guys this year turn their heads and look for the ball. Are they consistent? no, far from it. But you know what, I bet half the secondaries in the NFL have their moments where they don't turn their heads and look for the ball. And you know what, those guys get called for pass interference.

 
I heard one the commentators say that you read the recievers eyes. That you can tell when the receiver is looking back watching the ball come towards him. I don't know how accurate that is.

 
I was wondering if Bo's system even teaches the DB's to look back or just read eyes/hands of the receiver.

If the latter, that's odd. That's the easiest red flag to give away NFL PI calls in the book.

 
hskerholic said:
I heard one the commentators say that you read the recievers eyes. That you can tell when the receiver is looking back watching the ball come towards him. I don't know how accurate that is.
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I've heard the same thing. Supposedly it helps the DB stick with the receiver. When the receiver's eyes look up, the DB is supposed to recognize it and turn around.

 
The question wasn't meant to be a criticism of the defense, just an observation. For a guy like Kalu to come in and consistently be in position all night was nothing short of amazing. Especially considering an upper classes in J. Rose coming in initially and getting pulled immediately after giving up the deep pass. A few pass breakups in key situations and Sparty's point total may have been significantly reduced.

 
HuskerCarter said:
zoogies said:
How do you teach a defensive back to "look for the ball"? He can't have any idea when the ball is thrown. They have to stick with their man first and foremost. A good, well-coached receiver will wait until the last second to put his hands up so as not to clue the DB in that the ball is about to come.

I'm not a coach, but what do you do?
Click to expand...
You teach him to watch the receiver, if the receiver turns his head to look for the ball, so should you.

This topic is pretty stupid, mostly because you are talking about a young secondary with few veterans, and even then, some of those vets aren't perfect.

Some of you have blinders on, where you only see and point out the negatives and completely disregard the positives. It's incorrect to say that Pelini's secondary has never been taught to turn around and look for the ball. I guess all those corners and safeties, NFL or not were never taught to look for the ball by either Marvin Sanders, Terry Joseph, that one guy who came before Joseph. Nah, they were all scrub coaches that didn't teach that our secondary.
default_insertsarcasm.gif


I've seen our guys this year turn their heads and look for the ball. Are they consistent? no, far from it. But you know what, I bet half the secondaries in the NFL have their moments where they don't turn their heads and look for the ball. And you know what, those guys get called for pass interference.
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That's nice and all except Terry Joseph specifically said at a coaches clinic they don't teach them to look back.
 
zero_blitz said:
The question wasn't meant to be a criticism of the defense, just an observation. For a guy like Kalu to come in and consistently be in position all night was nothing short of amazing. Especially considering an upper classes in J. Rose coming in initially and getting pulled immediately after giving up the deep pass. A few pass breakups in key situations and Sparty's point total may have been significantly reduced.
Click to expand...
Kalu has not been playing corner. He has been playing in the nickle & dime, which is a speed LB on spread offenses. He was doing a better job than Rose, who is the backup corner.

 
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