Huskers Looking to be a Top 3 in the B1G Defense

[Red Five]

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

Agree to a point. Our 2009 defense carried our fetal position offense.

Also essential to having a good defense is not allowing QBs like Joel Stave or Mitch Leidner to throw for 300+.

 

[Saunders]

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

Agree to a point. Our 2009 defense carried our fetal position offense.

Also essential to having a good defense is not allowing QBs like Joel Stave or Mitch Leidner to throw for 300+.

But he's a first rounder....

 

[trouble]

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.

Yeah, because the D gave it to the other team 4 times in our own territory.

Our offensive gameplan failed us in the Purdue game.

BYU game....Sure, but first game of the season in a brand new system, things were bound to break down.

Miami...Ok. Yeah. TA ultimately did throw the last YOLO pick though.

 

[84HuskerLaw]

The offense did some good things at times as did the defense. BOTH need to make marked improvements if we are to win 10 or more this fall. Offense has to cut the turnovers in half and the defense needs to double the takeaways. We need to reduce yards given up per game by 50 and increase offensive yards per game by 100 in rushing and 50 total. Those basic statistical improvements would translate into the kind of season we all want. IMO.

The numbers are attainable with discipline and top flight game plans and management and players who give their best effort EVERY play for four quarters. It will come down to whether or not this group of players unite and focus and the coaches give them the best chances to win in each game. We avoid a rash a critical injuries in the thin spots (off and def lines and QB in particular). Our kickers have to be ALL CONFERENCE and national finalists in awards. All of this is possible.

 

[JJkinz]

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.

You could say the same thing about MB's defenses at Oregon St though.

All I'm saying is it's not like Banker inherited the #1 defense in the B1G, he inherited the #9 defense in the B1G if you are looking at PPG. Last year, we only dropped one spot from #9 to #10 even though the players had to learn a completely different scheme. Many people here are acting like our defensive struggles started last year with Banker, but they started wayyy before then.

 

[Red Five]

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.

Yeah, because the D gave it to the other team 4 times in our own territory.

Our offensive gameplan failed us in the Purdue game.

BYU game....Sure, but first game of the season in a brand new system, things were bound to break down.

Miami...Ok. Yeah. TA ultimately did throw the last YOLO pick though.

Purdue had 100 more yards against us than their season average. We gave up 55 points to them. You can't say that the D did not fail against Purdue.

 

[Elf]

All I'm saying is it's not like Banker inherited the #1 defense in the B1G, he inherited the #9 defense in the B1G if you are looking at PPG. Last year, we only dropped one spot from #9 to #10 even though the players had to learn a completely different scheme. Many people here are acting like our defensive struggles started last year with Banker, but they started wayyy before then.

This isn't the only area where issues from the last staff are/were ignored.

 

[Hunter94]

its easy to say what or who we want to be..........moving on.

 

[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 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.

Yeah, because the D gave it to the other team 4 times in our own territory.

Our offensive gameplan failed us in the Purdue game.

BYU game....Sure, but first game of the season in a brand new system, things were bound to break down.

Miami...Ok. Yeah. TA ultimately did throw the last YOLO pick though.

Purdue had 100 more yards against us than their season average. We gave up 55 points to them. You can't say that the D did not fail against Purdue.

Yes...the magical Purdue game lives on!

 

[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.

You could say the same thing about MB's defenses at Oregon St though.

All I'm saying is it's not like Banker inherited the #1 defense in the B1G, he inherited the #9 defense in the B1G if you are looking at PPG. Last year, we only dropped one spot from #9 to #10 even though the players had to learn a completely different scheme. Many people here are acting like our defensive struggles started last year with Banker, but they started wayyy before then.

I'm not oblivious to the defensive issues we had with Papoopi. I was just saying that any defensive issues Banker has here shouldn't be automatically blamed on poor recruiting/depth. He may have had his work cut out for him with what he had before or with what he inherited here, but his capabilities were questionable before he even came here.

 

[Landlord]

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.

Yeah, because the D gave it to the other team 4 times in our own territory.

Our offensive gameplan failed us in the Purdue game.

BYU game....Sure, but first game of the season in a brand new system, things were bound to break down.

Miami...Ok. Yeah. TA ultimately did throw the last YOLO pick though.

Purdue had 100 more yards against us than their season average. We gave up 55 points to them. You can't say that the D did not fail against Purdue.

Our offense gave Purdue like 3-4 possessions with around 20 yards to go to score.

 

[Elf]

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.

Yeah, because the D gave it to the other team 4 times in our own territory.
Our offensive gameplan failed us in the Purdue game.

BYU game....Sure, but first game of the season in a brand new system, things were bound to break down.

Miami...Ok. Yeah. TA ultimately did throw the last YOLO pick though.

Purdue had 100 more yards against us than their season average. We gave up 55 points to them. You can't say that the D did not fail against Purdue.

Our offense gave Purdue like 3-4 possessions with around 20 yards to go to score.

And our defense should have been able to stop Purdue.

 

[Red Five]

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.

Yeah, because the D gave it to the other team 4 times in our own territory.

Our offensive gameplan failed us in the Purdue game.

BYU game....Sure, but first game of the season in a brand new system, things were bound to break down.

Miami...Ok. Yeah. TA ultimately did throw the last YOLO pick though.

Purdue had 100 more yards against us than their season average. We gave up 55 points to them. You can't say that the D did not fail against Purdue.

Our offense gave Purdue like 3-4 possessions with around 20 yards to go to score.

Yup, that is correct. But we also allowed 3 TD drives of 75+ yards. So it didn't matter if they had to drive 22 yards or 77 yards, they were going to score because our defense sucked that day.

 

[Bowfin]

We avoid a rash a critical injuries in the thin spots (off and def lines and QB in particular).

This is going to make or break us, I believe.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

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.

Didn't take long for MR to cut loose Hank Hughes.