It's not a 3-4 defense issue

[ShortSideOption]

? to ***. I see three things that bother me on the D. 1- the tackles cannot defeat the double team, 2- the LBs are not reading the blocks and not stepping to fill the hole but catching them 3 yds deep and 3- we seem to be unable to set the edge regularly.
???

1 and 2 are frustrating, if our DL is taking on the double team our LBs should be free to make plays, they aren't. Or they are completely in the wrong spot.

I think we set the edge decently, it's just that's all we get accomplished. What I mean is last year Luke Gifford could set the edge AND make the tackle. We have no one like that this year except Domann and he isn't every down like Luke was.

 

[ShortSideOption]

Bad tv coverage by FSI where I watched, so maybe it was the television, but on many of M's running plays it looked like we had two or three or more guys on the ball carrier, but not bringing him down. Were they all trying to strip the ball? At the same time, on those plays it seemed like M linemen where not blocking but pushing the running back for two or three extra yards. Do the rules now allow a Walter Camp flying wedge? As I said maybe it was the tv or the drinks due to frustration.

I believe pushing the pile and the ball carrier is legal now.

 

[Phillysker]

I am not sure if anyone asked this question because I tend to stay away from the board after losses. But...if our guys are worn down and need a break (and I am sure that is SOME of it) we are one game away from the magic number of 4 for redshirting. I do not scan up and down the participation list. But, are there players who we can use to help us esp against Iowa and Wisco *** that are redshirting? In particular at LB and o line? And why not play Rahmir more? He will certainly be one who will not be able to redshirt, right?

 

[HuskerFed]

Turning into a rugby scrum. We may soon see a play with all the heavies getting behind a big back an pushing down the field. Don't like this rule.

 

[ShortSideOption]

I am not sure if anyone asked this question because I tend to stay away from the board after losses. But...if our guys are worn down and need a break (and I am sure that is SOME of it) we are one game away from the magic number of 4 for redshirting. I do not scan up and down the participation list. But, are there players who we can use to help us esp against Iowa and Wisco *** that are redshirting? In particular at LB and o line? And why not play Rahmir more? He will certainly be one who will not be able to redshirt, right?

Rahmir we are trying to redshirt, like Benhart and McCaffrey. Johnson has played in 2 games so far. But to your point, our focal point on offense last Saturday was a 5'7 true freshman that got carted off the field. Where's Jackson Hannah to help our LBs? Could we try Benhart for some series' at RT? That's something they'll evaluate during the bye i'm sure.

 

[Huskerwisdom]

Start with accountability and work from there, IMO. Someone doesn't make a tackle, in the wrong gap, yank them. It won't be worse. And i'm not saying that doesn't happen at all, it just seems like guys are making mistakes and then I see them still out there in some instances.

My issue is people start throwing out running a 4-3 when they say our DL with 3 guys out there is getting killed anyway. Alex Davis would be an awful 4-3 OLB. JoJo Domann would be relegated to nickel packages. 3-4 or 4-3, we still have the same guys out there not executing and not wanting it as bad as the other team.

Agree with this, but when things aren't working something needs to be done. We continue to:

1. Put Alex Davis on the field. I really don't care what the answer is there, so long as he doesn't play. 4-2-5? 3-3-5, whatever it takes get him off the field. Personally, I might try to stick Nelson there and let him grow through the learning pains

2. Our ILB's are really bad, IMO. Tough to dump on your captain, but I joked that Reimer looked so good to the coaches this fall because he wasn't any of the other ILBs. Probably not worth it to pull RS's, but this is a bigger issue than the DL

Overall, our D has a problem. Can Chin do what he needs to do when has the talent -- I think he has a lot of talent on the DL and in the defensive backfield. He really doesn't have a LB he can count on right now, but should we be that bad? Maybe it was just exhaustion and being beaten up and needing a bye week...

 

[Oracle of Lincoln]

It sounds a little like Frost isn't following through on his rules 100% of time and the inconsistency is hurting the team mentality.

If people should be pulled and aren't being pulled, everyone knows it.

Are we lacking consistency from the coaches on who plays and how much?

Sold their soul when they let a player with a felony complaint against them back on the field with only a 1/2 game suspension.

 

[Phillysker]

Rahmir we are trying to redshirt, like Benhart and McCaffrey. Johnson has played in 2 games so far. But to your point, our focal point on offense last Saturday was a 5'7 true freshman that got carted off the field. Where's Jackson Hannah to help our LBs? Could we try Benhart for some series' at RT? That's something they'll evaluate during the bye i'm sure.

Okay, that makes sense then. I mean I watch players like Belt and Mazour wait patiently for the play to develop. I am tired of seeing Washington tippy toe. Granted, a lot of that has to do with no holes. Is Heinrich shelved? I thought I read where Nelson will not redshirt. Why not let him see the field more? Also, where is Ferguson?

 

[HuskerSuperGenius]

***
I know that they want to redshirt a lot of guys that you mentioned but doesn't this conflict with the goal of getting six wins and the 15 extra practices as the season lays out now?

Davis is a mess and someone else has got to be given a chance to play. Even if they are in the wrong spot, at least if they are playing with speed and passion they may be effectively disruptive and make a play.

We are supposedly happy with our D-line play but in the last four games we have been gashed in the run game and not getting any consistent pass rush/sacks. Can we truly afford to RS Green and Robinson?

Who is going to give us chunk plays on offense if Wan'dale is out and they RS Rahmir? IS Rahmir's RS something that can be afforded?

Both Indiana and Purdue won this weekend and looked pretty good doing so. We really need those two wins badly as beating Wisconsin is not going to happen nor is an Iowa win a likely thing. Maryland at Maryland is a who know what team you are going to face with us being a poor road team this year.

What do you think, is it all hands on deck now, or high risk of have a losing season again for a better chance in 2020?

GBR

 

[ShortSideOption]

Okay, that makes sense then. I mean I watch players like Belt and Mazour wait patiently for the play to develop. I am tired of seeing Washington tippy toe. Granted, a lot of that has to do with no holes. Is Heinrich shelved? I thought I read where Nelson will not redshirt. Why not let him see the field more? Also, where is Ferguson?

Heinrich blew his shoulder out this spring so they are redshirting him. Nelson really really struggles in coverage but probably need to get him ready to go, he’s not redshirting and has played in more than 4 games. I was not aware of this but Ferguson has been checked out since summer, actually has an impressive gut on him now compared to last year. He’s working towards his own business stuff right now while finishing out football obligations.

 

[ramsker]

I'm sure there's a balancing game being played . . . you have guys you desperately want to RS, but we have gigantic sucking sounds at some key positions. You want to get bowl eligible, but it's looking like that might be a struggle. Probably hoping that the guys we have in now will struggle through it and get to 6 wins and (hopefully) get there before you get into playing the young guys in X more games this year but keep their RS?

Not sure how that will all play out, but the level of effort/skill we're seeing at some spots screams out for a change if we have a young dude who may struggle but will have at it and then be better for next year.

EDIT: At any rate . . . I'd throw everything but the kitchen sink at Indiana, Purdue and Maryland. Those are your last best shots at 2 wins from those 3 games barring a complete miracle.

 

[Huskerhunter]

The problem with benching guys who make mistakes is that it contradicts Scott’s positive psychology/no fear of failure/you don’t give negative reinforcement belief system that he has articulated. He’s clearly stated he doesn’t believe in yelling at players in a negative way.

So you may disagree and want a little more Bobby Knight/Woody Hayes/Bo Pelini but Scott doesn’t believe in it. He’s more Mike Tomlin, one of his mentors.

It was interesting to hear him talk about his halftime talk to the players. Sounds like he might have gotten a bit animated...

Turns out, according this research that coaches who get angry at halftime do get better results, within reason:

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/negative-halftime-speeches

 

[ShortSideOption]

The problem with benching guys who make mistakes is that it contradicts Scott’s positive psychology/no fear of failure/you don’t give negative reinforcement belief system that he has articulated. He’s clearly stated he doesn’t believe in yelling at players in a negative way.

So you may disagree and want a little more Bobby Knight/Woody Hayes/Bo Pelini but Scott doesn’t believe in it. He’s more Mike Tomlin, one of his mentors.

It was interesting to hear him talk about his halftime talk to the players. Sounds like he might have gotten a bit animated...

Turns out, according this research that coaches who get angry at halftime do get better results, within reason:

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/negative-halftime-speeches

That’s a good point about contradicting no fear of failure. There’s a happy medium somewhere tho.

 

[clove8828]

I think we are tired and beat up to start. Also looking at all the games linbackers need to play downhill and fill the gaps and someone please wrap up a ball carrier and drive them to the ground. Let the help so to speak try and get the strip

 

[ramsker]

I get the no fear of failure thing . . . and I think that's a good mantra and practice, up to a point. You want a kid to know that you'regoing to coach them up and try to let them work through things. At some stage, if the player has gotten a lot of time on the field and just can't/won't fix the issues . . . the coaches also need to have no fear of trying someone else. No fear of failure can't become no fear of losing my spot on the depth chart if I don't show some progress.