I really like some of the young players that we'll see alot more of next year, but I have concerns that it may take them a season to gel together. Our defense this year often seemed confused, out-of-position, and slow, way too often for the first half of the season. Then mid-season they finally seemed to get it and started playing excellent black-shirt D. It turned out they didnt look near as slow when they started understanding their assignments and were getting to the right spot at the right time.
What concerns me is that this is a defense with 8 senior starters. Why did it take them half a season to start playing well together? If it's the complexity of Pelini's defense, it would be reasonable to assume that the young team that we'll have out there next year might take an entire season, or longer, to start getting it. Or did having Papachuis as a new D coordinator contribute to how long it took this years D to put things together?
Thoughts anyone?
What concerns me is that this is a defense with 8 senior starters. Why did it take them half a season to start playing well together? If it's the complexity of Pelini's defense, it would be reasonable to assume that the young team that we'll have out there next year might take an entire season, or longer, to start getting it. Or did having Papachuis as a new D coordinator contribute to how long it took this years D to put things together?
Thoughts anyone?