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Locked due to no posts in 60 days. Report 1st post if need unlocked Difference Maker

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Not sure if I missed something or if this is some kind of trick question, but Will Compton is the easy choice. He was clearly the best defensive player on the field this past Saturday - 12 tackles, including a TFL and a sack.

Compton is a solid LB, he is not a difference maker. Unless tackling 8yds downfield is considered a difference maker these days.
 
We have had a couple on defense the past couple of seasons. They are great to have but not the end-all on the defensive side of the ball. Nebraska on occasion has had those blue collar defenses that were more about team assignment football and did a job. Sure great players are always sot but I'm not so certain that this two gap football is about the big play more than containment.

If I were to wish a difference maker on defense maybe I'd look for that big presence in the middle as a run stopper. That legit two gap guy that you can't move out of the middle.

Maybe a shutdown cornerback that eliminates that go to receiver. The big middle linebacker that can shut down a running game. Compton seems to be that blue collar guy that can play the run and retreat deep in the middle on pass defense. Not exactly great at any one thing but very good at a lot of things. Thus the blue collar leader of a blue collar defense.

Another player that we seem to be missing is that weakside threat to KO the quarterback's blindside. Maybe that still happens sometime this season, but I haven't seem it yet. Maybe Moss, maybe Z Anderson from the will position.

So far this thing looks like a blue collar defense. With a dynamic offense you can accomplish great things. Championships...............only time will tell.
 
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Tough crowd. It was only one game. I think 12 tackles is a pretty good day at the office vs. an offense that really couldn't be scouted. I'm sticking with Compton as the guy with the best chance to be a difference maker (ie, the guy who can make the kind of play that changes the momentum of the game).
 
I haven't bought in to all the Compton hype. He was pretty average most of the year last year before arguably turning in some of the more solid defensive performances down the stretch. A lot was read into that and he's been moved up on the hype-meter by several commentators and people looking to fill the David void, IMO. I don't want to minimize his position as a leader on this defense...in fact, I think that's one reason I expect to see more before all the talk is justified. We need him to pick up his game, and he's not the only one.

Saturday's performance was pretty much what he's shown. Good, not great. Some good plays, some inexplicable breakdowns in technique and focus. As far as 12 tackles go, I'm not going to look at that number as something outstanding...somebody has to make tackles by default, and our D is predicated on LB's staying clean to get those tackles, so between the two LB's and 3 S's we played, most of them are going to end up in one of their buckets. How many tackles did he overrun? How many arm tackles did they break? How many times did he not get off a block? How many 3rd down conversions did they get that they shouldn't have?

As for 'tough crowd'...I'll point to Bo's critique of David's 16 tackle game last year. Numerically speaking it may have been a good day for Compton, but stats aren't everything. I want to see far more consistency.
 
I haven't bought in to all the Compton hype. He was pretty average most of the year last year before arguably turning in some of the more solid defensive performances down the stretch. A lot was read into that and he's been moved up on the hype-meter by several commentators and people looking to fill the David void, IMO. I don't want to minimize his position as a leader on this defense...in fact, I think that's one reason I expect to see more before all the talk is justified. We need him to pick up his game, and he's not the only one.

Saturday's performance was pretty much what he's shown. Good, not great. Some good plays, some inexplicable breakdowns in technique and focus. As far as 12 tackles go, I'm not going to look at that number as something outstanding...somebody has to make tackles by default, and our D is predicated on LB's staying clean to get those tackles, so between the two LB's and 3 S's we played, most of them are going to end up in one of their buckets. How many tackles did he overrun? How many arm tackles did they break? How many times did he not get off a block? How many 3rd down conversions did they get that they shouldn't have?

As for 'tough crowd'...I'll point to Bo's critique of David's 16 tackle game last year. Numerically speaking it may have been a good day for Compton, but stats aren't everything. I want to see far more consistency.

I agree, but comparing him to David isnt really fair. Why you ask? David was a flat out gifted player that regardless of how big he was (he could have been 5'8'' 190), he was always by the ball. He very very rarely got faked out my mis-direction, and if he did, he was fast enough to catch up to the ball carrier or to where he should be. Comptons not as athletically gifted. He doesnt have the knack for the ball that David had. And David ALWAYS broke down before tackling, and squared his hips up (the result of being an athletic specimen). Compton's hips seem to be a little behind him forcing him to lunge one way or the other for the tackle, making for alot more arm tackles, and higher probability the ball carrier breaks the tackle. Bottom line, Compton will probably have several double digit tackles games, probably ends up at or near the top in tackles this year but theres no way he replaces David, as Im sure thats not what your eluding too. But what we see in Compton, may be all hes got.
 
I agree, but comparing him to David isnt really fair. Why you ask? David was a flat out gifted player that regardless of how big he was (he could have been 5'8'' 190), he was always by the ball. He very very rarely got faked out my mis-direction, and if he did, he was fast enough to catch up to the ball carrier or to where he should be. Comptons not as athletically gifted. He doesnt have the knack for the ball that David had. And David ALWAYS broke down before tackling, and squared his hips up (the result of being an athletic specimen). Compton's hips seem to be a little behind him forcing him to lunge one way or the other for the tackle, making for alot more arm tackles, and higher probability the ball carrier breaks the tackle. Bottom line, Compton will probably have several double digit tackles games, probably ends up at or near the top in tackles this year but theres no way he replaces David, as Im sure thats not what your eluding too. But what we see in Compton, may be all hes got.

I'm not comparing him to David at all. Others are/were estimating him to fill that void left by David.

I think you are making a good case as to why David was a difference-maker and Compton isn't.
 
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Stafford seems to be the only one that really shows flashes of being a difference maker. I think it's hard for a linebacker to do anything when the dline is getting blown up.

Anybody else notice how far off the line the dline was playing before the snap? I have never seen our dline line up that far back.
 
I haven't bought in to all the Compton hype. He was pretty average most of the year last year before arguably turning in some of the more solid defensive performances down the stretch. A lot was read into that and he's been moved up on the hype-meter by several commentators and people looking to fill the David void, IMO. I don't want to minimize his position as a leader on this defense...in fact, I think that's one reason I expect to see more before all the talk is justified. We need him to pick up his game, and he's not the only one.

Saturday's performance was pretty much what he's shown. Good, not great. Some good plays, some inexplicable breakdowns in technique and focus. As far as 12 tackles go, I'm not going to look at that number as something outstanding...somebody has to make tackles by default, and our D is predicated on LB's staying clean to get those tackles, so between the two LB's and 3 S's we played, most of them are going to end up in one of their buckets. How many tackles did he overrun? How many arm tackles did they break? How many times did he not get off a block? How many 3rd down conversions did they get that they shouldn't have?

As for 'tough crowd'...I'll point to Bo's critique of David's 16 tackle game last year. Numerically speaking it may have been a good day for Compton, but stats aren't everything. I want to see far more consistency.

Compton's hype has probably exceeded his performance going all the way back to his recruitment. I still think he has the best shot at being the key cog in our defensive wheel. Maybe I misinterpreted the OP question. If it's meant to ask "who is replacing David?" then the answer is nobody. This defense is going to have to get by without an All-American. If we had an athlete of that caliber on the roster, he'd be playing.
 
Stafford seems to be the only one that really shows flashes of being a difference maker. I think it's hard for a linebacker to do anything when the dline is getting blown up.

Anybody else notice how far off the line the dline was playing before the snap? I have never seen our dline line up that far back.

I don't think this is because of our alignment, I think this is because of the flying V formations that they allow nowadays by the offensive linement because they are slow footed and need to start in the backfield to protect the ends.
 
Not sure if I missed something or if this is some kind of trick question, but Will Compton is the easy choice. He was clearly the best defensive player on the field this past Saturday - 12 tackles, including a TFL and a sack.

I'm glad to have Compton in the middle, but I see him making the plays he is supposed to and maybe somewhat more than he is supposed to. He, however, has played for three years and doesn't have a history of making the outstanding play. That was Lavonte David's role the past two years. I think the D needs someone to step up and make the plays no one thinks they can really make until it happens. Thats a difference maker.
 



I think the most improved player will be Ciante Evans!

He seems to have bulked up, and will be the guy making those (Haig, Gomes type) one on one plays against the backs, tight ends and slot WR.s He will also be the main blitzing DB. He is a big key in stopping the run game on the edge, due to our outside corners being locked down on the outside WR.

Stafford can hit, but overall not very skilled at ball hawking, int's etc.

Compton will be our rock!

The Dline will be a random player of the game. Bo is determined on keeping them fresh, so with 7 guys rotating, this will not be anyone person in my opinion.

Our corners will be good at covering, but I sure hope they will improve in run support!


I get tired of them running downfield 30 yards with a wideout, when it is a hand-off or zone read QB keeper.
 

Not sure if I missed something or if this is some kind of trick question, but Will Compton is the easy choice. He was clearly the best defensive player on the field this past Saturday - 12 tackles, including a TFL and a sack.

I wasn't impressed with Compton. He made some tackles sure, but that is what your middle linebacker is suppose to do. He didn't have very many "difference making" tackles. He didn't do anything spectacular. He did make some tackles (after we gave up rushing yards).
 
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