Huskers Looking to be a Top 3 in the B1G Defense

[Saunders]

Focus, guys. This thread is about the defense. Take the "run the ball" crap to the countless other threads about it.

This. Any derailments will get nuked from orbit.

 

[teachercd]

IMO, the biggest thing holding us back is the defense. Our offense was fine last year, we averaged 33 points/game (roughly the same as the last 5 or so years). Run the ball, pass the ball, whatever.

But the defense needs to drastically improve before we can even start thinking about winning a B1G title.

Against BYU, Illinois, and Wisconsin the D had chances to put the game away in the final minute, but couldn't get a stop. Against NW, we needed a stop in the final 4 minutes to get the ball back down 2, but couldn't get it.

Looking at last year, we need to be much better against the pass, both in coverage and finding a pass rush.

I worry that losing two NFL DT's will hurt the defense a lot more than many of us would like to admit.

If teams can start running the ball on Nebraska it could be really ugly.

 

[Saunders]

IMO, the biggest thing holding us back is the defense. Our offense was fine last year, we averaged 33 points/game (roughly the same as the last 5 or so years). Run the ball, pass the ball, whatever.

But the defense needs to drastically improve before we can even start thinking about winning a B1G title.

Against BYU, Illinois, and Wisconsin the D had chances to put the game away in the final minute, but couldn't get a stop. Against NW, we needed a stop in the final 4 minutes to get the ball back down 2, but couldn't get it.

Looking at last year, we need to be much better against the pass, both in coverage and finding a pass rush.

Exactly. Sam's been harping on this in the Pick Six podcast. Until we stop teams and start forcing turnovers (and giving them away), we'll struggle to compete for the conference.

 

[Red Dead Redemption]

Riley also wants more from the defense, coordinated by close friend and longtime confidant Mark Banker.

I think this is the problem

 

[Saunders]

Riley also wants more from the defense, coordinated by close friend and longtime confidant Mark Banker.

I think this is the problem

I would definitely say it's troubling. The numbers are there to show the mediocrity of Banker's D. His only saving grace is that he was obviously playing with much lower talent levels. IMO, if we aren't dramatically improved by year 3, even if the rest of the team is, he has to go.

 

[Red Dead Redemption]

Riley also wants more from the defense, coordinated by close friend and longtime confidant Mark Banker.

I think this is the problem

I would definitely say it's troubling. The numbers are there to show the mediocrity of Banker's D. His only saving grace is that he was obviously playing with much lower talent levels. IMO, if we aren't dramatically improved by year 3, even if the rest of the team is, he has to go.

Of all the new coaching staff, from the beginning I always saw MB as the weakest link. And with MR's "nice guy" persona, I don't see him correcting or cutting MB loose anytime soon.

 

[cm husker]

IMO, the biggest thing holding us back is the defense. Our offense was fine last year, we averaged 33 points/game (roughly the same as the last 5 or so years). Run the ball, pass the ball, whatever.

But the defense needs to drastically improve before we can even start thinking about winning a B1G title.

Against BYU, Illinois, and Wisconsin the D had chances to put the game away in the final minute, but couldn't get a stop. Against NW, we needed a stop in the final 4 minutes to get the ball back down 2, but couldn't get it.

Looking at last year, we need to be much better against the pass, both in coverage and finding a pass rush.

I don't see how one could argue that the D failed against Illinois or even Wisconsin.

You hold a team to 2 or 3 scores, and you should win.

However, I do have concerns about the D overall.

 

[Redux]

IMO, the biggest thing holding us back is the defense. Our offense was fine last year, we averaged 33 points/game (roughly the same as the last 5 or so years). Run the ball, pass the ball, whatever.

But the defense needs to drastically improve before we can even start thinking about winning a B1G title.

Against BYU, Illinois, and Wisconsin the D had chances to put the game away in the final minute, but couldn't get a stop. Against NW, we needed a stop in the final 4 minutes to get the ball back down 2, but couldn't get it.

Looking at last year, we need to be much better against the pass, both in coverage and finding a pass rush.

I don't see how one could argue that the D failed against Illinois or even Wisconsin.

You hold a team to 2 or 3 scores, and you should win.

However, I do have concerns about the D overall.

Well, they failed to hold the lead in the trailing minutes of the game thus handing us losses. Try to keep up.

 

[Red Five]

I worry that losing two NFL DT's will hurt the defense a lot more than many of us would like to admit.


If teams can start running the ball on Nebraska it could be really ugly.

Agree on both points.

I do think that Maurice played really well when he was healthy last year. He had a great game against (I think) Illinois and then broke his foot. If we can get him to hold down one of the DTs, it takes a lot of pressure off the kids.

 

[teachercd]

Riley also wants more from the defense, coordinated by close friend and longtime confidant Mark Banker.

I think this is the problem

I would definitely say it's troubling. The numbers are there to show the mediocrity of Banker's D. His only saving grace is that he was obviously playing with much lower talent levels. IMO, if we aren't dramatically improved by year 3, even if the rest of the team is, he has to go.

I could see Banker putting in 3 more years...he will have made over 1.5 million he will be set for life and I could see Riley moving him into another new (Errrr made up) role in the football offices. One of those jobs with a title like Director of Directors that Riley has hired...and of course he won't really be able to say what his role is because it will not be defined...until Riley hires another old friend to be the Director of Defining

 

[Red Dead Redemption]

Whoa. Thread merge.

Getting the bends...

 

[Saunders]

Thanks for the merge. Missed the existing thread because the of the title.

 

[Red Dead Redemption]

As much flack as Banker gets (and probably deserves) for our defensive struggles his first year, you can definitely see the decline in performance that happened during Bo's tenure. We had some good starters, but Banker was left with pretty minimal depth at most positions.

PPG

2009 - 1st

2010 - 2nd

2011 - 7th

2012 - 9th

2013 - 6th

2014 - 9th

I know the popular narrative is to blame last years lackluster results on the quality of the players, but MB's defenses weren't that great even before last year.

 

[Saunders]

IMO, the biggest thing holding us back is the defense. Our offense was fine last year, we averaged 33 points/game (roughly the same as the last 5 or so years). Run the ball, pass the ball, whatever.

But the defense needs to drastically improve before we can even start thinking about winning a B1G title.

Against BYU, Illinois, and Wisconsin the D had chances to put the game away in the final minute, but couldn't get a stop. Against NW, we needed a stop in the final 4 minutes to get the ball back down 2, but couldn't get it.

Looking at last year, we need to be much better against the pass, both in coverage and finding a pass rush.

I don't see how one could argue that the D failed against Illinois or even Wisconsin.

You hold a team to 2 or 3 scores, and you should win.

However, I do have concerns about the D overall.

I'd argue the D failed against BYU, Miami, Northwestern, and Purdue though.

 

[StPaulHusker]

Effectively running the ball is essential in having a good defense.