Vanilla Spring Game Defense

[Elf]

Nebraska – That new 3-4 defense

If you watched Nebraska’s spring game hoping to get a peek at new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco’s 3-4 scheme, well, you went to the wrong place. The Cornhuskers were as vanilla as possible defensively, showing mostly four-linemen fronts along with some work in the nickel and dime packages.

Diaco’s system is supposed to be fast and blitz heavy, but for now secrecy and paranoia reigns in Lincoln.

“This game now, being on TV like it is, just becomes another evaluation scouting tool for all of our opponents next year,” said Nebraska head coach Mike Riley. “So there was no way we wanted to do anything out-of-the-box at all. … I don’t want that on tape for somebody. So this was a pre-planned deal. I’m kind of sorry to have to say that, but that’s the way it is. And that’s a really smart thing to do.”

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Nothing wrong with this at all. I suspect we'll see a gradual unveiling of this defense. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see a pretty vanilla defense against Ar-Kansas St as well. If it was up to me, (and I understand its not) I wouldn't give Oregon any tape on my defense.

 

[Cdog923]

Perhaps the first mistake people are making is assuming Disco Bob is mentally stable.

I kinda got the same impression listening to Damon Benning talk about him this morning.

 

[BIG ERN]

I don't mind it, but I also don't think it is vital we didn't show it. Diaco has been at least a DC since 2009. It isn't like he is going to run anything crazy different than he has for the past 8 years

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

A bit unfair to run a blitz-heavy defense while telling your gunners they can't touch the quarterback.

Forget it, Jake. It's Spring Ball.

 

[knapplc]

I was afraid people wouldn't overreact enough to the giant dog-and-pony show that the Spring Game has become.

Luckily that fear was unfounded.

 

[dvdcrr]

Vanilla? Heck that just looked like Coz'and Banker's best stuff!

 

[Hayseed]

Speaking of paranoid football coaches, be glad Riley and Co didn't go Petrino on the game and not allow any video or we would be dissecting the game like this:

That looks a lot like the 70's Ali-Frazier match.

 

[admo]

We'll without reading through it all (and I will by weekend) I am glad it was vanilla. It was just a practice with fans around that crave to see the football team play 24x7.

But if I had to guess, the vanilla was to help the QBs, the OL, the health of the team, the confidence overall, and the possibility of a flying around defense that can cause chaos without knowing what they're doing a portion of the plays 😊

 

[Redux]

Hotel room guys....get one, and get this tension outta your system. You know who I mean.

 

[Mavric]

Kind of sounds like Diaco has always been pretty secretive. Sounds like he doesn't like his assistants giving interviews because they might say to much. Shut off assistant interviews at Notre Dame in 2010 because of that.