It's clear that the defense is getting killed on the field and on the scoreboard, but taking a closer look, there is individual talent there. Longa, Gause, Turay, JPO, etc. are all players, yet the results are what they are. Other similar "second tier" P5 schools with similar or lesser talent find a way to hang in games with the big dogs. Effective coaching, including advanced scouting, weekly game plans and in-game adjustments all help make good players great and level the playing field to the degree that an underdog has a fighter's chance in any game. This to me is the biggest issue we face - we're sending these kids to a gun fight with a butter knife.
Issues on Defense: talent or schemes?
- Thread starter Boogs
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We have an ex player on this site who's astonished and dumbfounded by the technique and positioning of our defensive backs.
He even verified it with some of his ex coaches who actually thought we were funny.
Being a joke really hurts
He even verified it with some of his ex coaches who actually thought we were funny.
Being a joke really hurts
Ray Lucas was pretty vocal about one of our "better" DBs yesterday being completely lost yesterday. I don't know if that is talent or coaching. He may have been coached to do something, and did it wrong. Or he may have been coached to do the wrong thing.
Watching the game with my dad yesterday I pointed out to him how far back the safeties were playing. It was to my estimate , nearly 25 -30 yards. It would be nice to see our d-backs play man coverage far more often and press at the line of scrimmage. They give way too much space to opposing receivers. Also our linebackers just don't defend the pass very well , especially bubble screens .....
Scheme. We don't have top talent, but they are way better than they look. Amateur coaches.
Scheme and coaching. This is Flood's 4th year here and they haven't defended a bubble screen since Robb Smith left. Also, they haven't effectively defended any offense that features more than 3 WRs or the zone read. These players aren't THAT bad. There is talent on the defensive side of the ball.
Our coaches do a terrible job in player development. A booster who knows the games needs to explain this to Julie. This is the biggest reason why Flood and his staff needs to go. It's not just play calling and our game plan. It's the fact that these coaches don't do a good job teaching game.
Our scheme is below average and out coaching of it was way way below average
The parts are much better than the whole and that's coaching
The parts are much better than the whole and that's coaching
We have pretty decent team speed out there on defense but they are always behind the play because their diagnosis time on the play is always slow
That is coaching
That is coaching
You DO realize that if the safeties didn't play that far back we'd get blown out of games , don't you ?
Not buying it. Go back and look at one of the TDs from yesterday where 31 was 5-7 yards deep in the endzone when the receiver caught the ball on the goal line. That's just one example. How many times do the other teams receivers catch the ball without one of our DBs within 5 yards?
..I agree... most receptions by other team seem to be within 10yards off line of scrimmage and they are making plays off that. Need tighter coverage. This defense stinks because of the Schemes.... period !!! The players are talented, but have crap to work with as far as plays, and coach positions them on the field.
You have to play the game correctly Kbee, I've heard this about our deep safety play for four years.
And we're already getting blown out of games, we can't defend a screen pass.
49-7, 48-10 and 49-16 already qualify as blowouts. No doubt about that.
You can disguise your deep third coverage better when you play off coverage (V-Tech actually beat OSU last year by dropping their corners to deep halves and having their safeties play "Robber" coverage). Other than that, cushions are usually a sign you are at a significant speed/talent disadvantage.
Our pass coverage scheme consistently leaves the middle of the field wide open . This is caused by Lewis' inability to drop back in coverage and our safeties leaving enormous holes in the middle. Rutgers may not be giving up 75 yard TDs but opposing teams are just marching down the field in 6-7 plays. Bad scheme.........
I figured as much, but actually had to type the scores because I had trouble believing that would be possible again in three straight games.
I think there is both a lack of talent issue and a scheme/coaching issue which is causing the terrible defense they are playing. Overall team speed on defense (I don't think it's the dreaded "size" issue) is not great, it's ok. RU lacks true playmakers on defense. The LBs are pretty good verse the run, not so good in coverage. The secondary is a big problem from both a coverage and tackling standpoint. Does the coaching staff know how to defend a screen pass? Do they understand that opponents have noted the tendency to blitz on 3rd and long and sometimes on 2nd and long.? The defense hasn't successfully stopped a screen pass in weeks. Also, as noted above, the safeties are way, way off the ball. On one TD Saturday, Cioffi was playing 7 yards deep in the endzone and they ran a slant in front and hit the WR at the goal line. Very easy TD. Do the coaches realize that when a team is inside the 15 yd line, the defense has a lot less room to cover and the offense has less room to operate? Apparently not.
It's both. But you can overcome a lack of talent with the proper schemes. There is no disruption upfront which falls to the next level not allowing the LB's to operate in space. Which then falls to the next level making the inexperienced db's cover for longer periods on passing downs or calls upon them to make open field tackles on running plays.
It all starts up front with bad technique and schemes and filters down.
It all starts up front with bad technique and schemes and filters down.
Our secondary plays Prevent the entire game. The fact that almost stationary receivers are wide open tells you that. What is the average yards after reception stat for us?
If Army can actually throw a forward pass, we will be in trouble with them.
If Army can actually throw a forward pass, we will be in trouble with them.
There was a point in the game where one of the idiot commentators was talking about how Peppers was used as a decoy, which is why the middle of the field was open for a TD pass. In reality, the middle of the field is nearly always open, and using Peppers as a diversion probably didn't impact the play that much.
Rossi has been taken to the woodshed for four straight weeks. Indiana, OSU, Wisconsin, Michigan... all rang up at least 48 on us, and the last three of those had even called off the dogs at some point during the game. It's like the players are wholly unprepared for what they're going to see on game day. There hasn't been any observable improvement in our defensive play throughout the season - if anything our secondary looks more lost now than they did earlier in the year.
Yes, we're a little short on experienced talent in the secondary - but the remaining players are just as handicapped by Rossi and Co. as they are by the lack of Barnwell, Boggs, Stephenson, and Hamilton.
Rossi has been taken to the woodshed for four straight weeks. Indiana, OSU, Wisconsin, Michigan... all rang up at least 48 on us, and the last three of those had even called off the dogs at some point during the game. It's like the players are wholly unprepared for what they're going to see on game day. There hasn't been any observable improvement in our defensive play throughout the season - if anything our secondary looks more lost now than they did earlier in the year.
Yes, we're a little short on experienced talent in the secondary - but the remaining players are just as handicapped by Rossi and Co. as they are by the lack of Barnwell, Boggs, Stephenson, and Hamilton.
I know we are young and inexperienced and that has contributed to our defensive futility, but there NO FRACKING WAY IN HELL that we should leave guys open 10 yards from the nearest defender. Something is very wrong.
If the DB is within 2 yards of the open receiver on a completed pass it's talent. If the DB is no where near the open receiver it's the scheme and coaching. Against MSU our DBs seemed to be in place and were out talented. These past three weeks guys were mostly running free.