Northwestern: What did we learn?

Staff ever think about putting Gifford at safety? Also give Sanford a shot at Safety? Play Kolaravic/Wright at Nickel...Looked like Feist and Robinson got pushed around a lot on the D line. 

 
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BIG ERN said:
Staff ever think about putting Gifford at safety? Also give Sanford a shot at Safety? Play Kolaravic/Wright at Nickel...Looked like Feist and Robinson got pushed around a lot on the D line. 
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I'm not sure what this fixes, the safeties were not our problem. I'd like to see Wright at Nickel because they definitely exposed Kolarevic (and to some degree Gifford) in space, but if he's the worse run defender I imagine they would have attacked that instead. Jojo made it a lot easier on the entire defense because he could do it all. 

 
Yeah I think the bigger issue was the fit when running plays got past the line. Our backers looked flat-footed, slow, and just out of position.

A lot like '18/'19.

 
Husker in WI said:
I'm not sure what this fixes, the safeties were not our problem. I'd like to see Wright at Nickel because they definitely exposed Kolarevic (and to some degree Gifford) in space, but if he's the worse run defender I imagine they would have attacked that instead. Jojo made it a lot easier on the entire defense because he could do it all. 
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I never felt comfortable when NW passed the ball. Some of that was no pressure but our safeties were all over the place and blew a few easy coverages. Buford looks like he's 5'6 170 lbs and he did make a big play but also feet in the mud when RBs came downhill. 

Undone said:
Yeah I think the bigger issue was the fit when running plays got past the line. Our backers looked flat-footed, slow, and just out of position.

A lot like '18/'19.
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Ddin't hear many complaining about the same LBs last year....I think this points more to the DL. Feist got pushed around easy and T Rob didn't look much better. 

 
BIG ERN said:
Ddin't hear many complaining about the same LBs last year....I think this points more to the DL. Feist got pushed around easy and T Rob didn't look much better. 
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I hear that.

When it's an outside run or a delayed pass to the flat in a 3-4 scheme though and those plays are eating you alive, probably not much the DL can really even do there.

As has been stated in another thread, some of our defensive lineman are just so big at this point that there's not a whole lot of athleticism happening out there. Not a lot of a DL catching someone from behind.

Northwestern probably deserves a lot of credit also for out-scheming us. I'm not surprised. We'll probably have to boat race teams in just about any game we win this year.

 
Undone said:
I hear that.

When it's an outside run or a delayed pass to the flat in a 3-4 scheme though and those plays are eating you alive, probably not much the DL can really even do there.

As has been stated in another thread, some of our defensive lineman are just so big at this point that there's not a whole lot of athleticism happening out there. Not a lot of a DL catching someone from behind.

Northwestern probably deserves a lot of credit also for out-scheming us. I'm not surprised. We'll probably have to boat race teams in just about any game we win this year.
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Drew is the only interior guy who could probably make a move and get the QB but last year Daniels made a big impact. Stille and Thomas were pretty solid as well. 

 
BIG ERN said:
Drew is the only interior guy who could probably make a move and get the QB but last year Daniels made a big impact. Stille and Thomas were pretty solid as well. 
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Totally agree on those three guys. And when it came to interior running, teams just had very little success on us last year - probably for exactly the contribution of those guys.

We need the one long & lanky end like Randy G that can hunt down the ball. I thought that was going to be Mathis, I thought that was a foregone conclusion.

 
Fwiw, Ty Robinson looked the exact same in the Illinois game last year imo. Bad pad level, unathletic, pushed around easily. I was extremely concerned given the circumstance and how we still had the whole season to go.

Then I think he naturally shedded some weight during the year as is common, and he got back into form by the middle of the season. Going to need that again from him as well as a few others quickly.

 
Kolarevic needs to be a bit more controlled in his 1V1 tackles. The backs in the flat were able to pause, then juke past him. If he was a bit more controlled he could of had a few tackles for loss on key plays. That would have slowed NW offense down some. Early on, when they had long 3rd downs, they didn't do so well. Making a few more plays would have really help the D.

another was one NWs first TD. The blown coverage. I hope it was just a simple communication error and not someone not knowing the scheme. a few tweaks and they MIGHT be able to perform better.

 
Mavric said:
Oh good.  Let's cherry-pick some stuff that fits what we want to say.  

First, at least get the guy's name's right if you want to have credibility.  You don't know who they are after they've been on the team for years?

Allen was in the game in the first quarter.  Why would he not be in the rotation in the fourth?

Belt averaged nearly 15 yards per catch when he did get the ball and was our highest-graded WR for the day.

And he tries to make it sound like we were counting on those guys to win the game.  The guy who actually got touches/targets were Palmer, Grant, Brown, Washington, Palmer and IGC. 

But it's way more fun to try to give a false impression of what's going on. 
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 It was an article.  That I didn't write.  That I happen to agree with.  It was odd to see guys who had limited reps in the game (if at all) prior to our last two drives.  Maybe that was the creativity Frost mentioned that was lacking (and then forgot he said it).  Or parts of the running game that need addressing.....Who on this board saw those guys in for those drives and honestly thought, here we go.  Comeback?  

I would like to assume that if those guys were in for the last 2 drives we were counting on them to win or we are in worse shape than I thought.  Not just getting guys some playing time.  IMHO, crunch time you play your best guys.  I do not think that they were our best option.  Smothers was our best running threat at 7 yards per carry....If I was cherry picking stats.....And yes.  If I was Whipple, he would have stayed in to add a spark.  At least a whole series.  

Johnson was talked about all fall.  The "wide back", not playing was a mystery. Not a false narrative.  Allen had 7 total yards rushing?  So not really a false narrative.  Early INT on Martin.

But it's way more fun to try to give a false impression of what's going on. 

 
Caliborn72 said:
Fwiw, Ty Robinson looked the exact same in the Illinois game last year imo. Bad pad level, unathletic, pushed around easily. I was extremely concerned given the circumstance and how we still had the whole season to go.

Then I think he naturally shedded some weight during the year as is common, and he got back into form by the middle of the season. Going to need that again from him as well as a few others quickly.
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I am just waiting for the day he learns how to shed blocks.  Oh what a glorious day that will be.

 
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