Our Linebackers

[Scoop123]

On paper, it feels like we have some quality talent. But watching the games, our linebackers were almost invisible at times. Honest discussion here, what is the biggest problem?

- Horrible DL and DC
- The best talent is still young (Dawson, Jones)
- Scheme (335 vs 425)
- Dvoracek

I don’t have a good read on this staff, who is in good graces and who isn’t. From an outsiders view, it feels like Dvoracek doesn’t take much heat. Is he a quality coach and just a bad situation? Or will these 4-stars fade in the LB room?

We saw flashes from McCullough and Wright, but overall I think it’s fair to say it was a pretty awful year for the linebackers, especially considering the talent we seem to have there. I am asking about linebackers because the D line seems obvious that it was all of the above and we had a huge talent and coaching gap. A guy like Dawson seems like he could be a star at any program.

Someone please tell me next year is going to be better because I see talent in this LB group with little in terms of results so far.

 

[cubsker15]

Very tough on LB when OL get to the second level as easily as they did vs our DL

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

On paper, it feels like we have some quality talent. But watching the games, our linebackers were almost invisible at times. Honest discussion here, what is the biggest problem?

- Horrible DL and DC
- The best talent is still young (Dawson, Jones)
- Scheme (335 vs 425)
- Dvoracek

I don’t have a good read on this staff, who is in good graces and who isn’t. From an outsiders view, it feels like Dvoracek doesn’t take much heat. Is he a quality coach and just a bad situation? Or will these 4-stars fade in the LB room?

We saw flashes from McCullough and Wright, but overall I think it’s fair to say it was a pretty awful year for the linebackers, especially considering the talent we seem to have there. I am asking about linebackers because the D line seems obvious that it was all of the above and we had a huge talent and coaching gap. A guy like Dawson seems like he could be a star at any program.

Someone please tell me next year is going to be better because I see talent in this LB group with little in terms of results so far.

Sorry for sounding repetitive about this subject because I have written this in other threads. But I believe the DLine was more at fault and not the LBs. DLine was shoved into gaps that affect the LB run fits. There were also stunts, twists. There were times where they had McCullough crash the B gap and have Keona Davis attempt to wrap around the OT. McCullough wasn't big enough to occupy the 2 OL, which caused Davis to get caught up in the muck inside the OT which left huge holes to the outside, and blocked Shavers from getting to the A gap for his run fit. Speaking of Shavers, he wasn't at full strength with the hand for a bit. Watson-Trent just wasn't good enough when Shavers wasn't able to go. I think Wright was OK, he played really well in a 4 game stretch from Michigan to Minnesota where he had half of his tackles for the year in those 4 games.

 

[inWV]

There are new LBs via the portal. Chambliss was all conference in the Mountain West. The Foster kid totaled 95 tackles in his first two years at Oregon State.

 

[Steely Dannebrog]

Very tough on LB when OL get to the second level as easily as they did vs our DL

It gets said alot but its true - all begins up front. If you struggle there, you will struggle everywhere. This is another case in point.

 

[Nuts McClanahan]

On paper, it feels like we have some quality talent. But watching the games, our linebackers were almost invisible at times. Honest discussion here, what is the biggest problem?

- Horrible DL and DC
- The best talent is still young (Dawson, Jones)
- Scheme (335 vs 425)
- Dvoracek

I don’t have a good read on this staff, who is in good graces and who isn’t. From an outsiders view, it feels like Dvoracek doesn’t take much heat. Is he a quality coach and just a bad situation? Or will these 4-stars fade in the LB room?

We saw flashes from McCullough and Wright, but overall I think it’s fair to say it was a pretty awful year for the linebackers, especially considering the talent we seem to have there. I am asking about linebackers because the D line seems obvious that it was all of the above and we had a huge talent and coaching gap. A guy like Dawson seems like he could be a star at any program.

Someone please tell me next year is going to be better because I see talent in this LB group with little in terms of results so far.

I heard one of our radio personalities mention an off the record comment by an anonymous coach or former coach. Essentially the LB play was subpar even after taking into account the D-line consistently getting pushed out of the hole. Said that nobody played close to John Bullock's level from the year before.

 

[beerdawg88]

Hopefully that Jones kid is ready to contribute

 

[orclover11]

On paper, it feels like we have some quality talent. But watching the games, our linebackers were almost invisible at times. Honest discussion here, what is the biggest problem?

- Horrible DL and DC
- The best talent is still young (Dawson, Jones)
- Scheme (335 vs 425)
- Dvoracek

I don’t have a good read on this staff, who is in good graces and who isn’t. From an outsiders view, it feels like Dvoracek doesn’t take much heat. Is he a quality coach and just a bad situation? Or will these 4-stars fade in the LB room?

We saw flashes from McCullough and Wright, but overall I think it’s fair to say it was a pretty awful year for the linebackers, especially considering the talent we seem to have there. I am asking about linebackers because the D line seems obvious that it was all of the above and we had a huge talent and coaching gap. A guy like Dawson seems like he could be a star at any program.

Someone please tell me next year is going to be better because I see talent in this LB group with little in terms of results so far.

Scheme was read and react with the dline being basically useless, linebackers had to read run and hit the gaps with extreme aggression to stop ball carriers because the dline didn't cause any change in direction of the running backs, backs hit the holes at full speed. The defense was back heavy and geared towards stopping the pass, the idea being that you can give up a 7 yard run on third down but force two incompletions and still get a punt. For 2/3rds of the season we were very good against the pass and the defense wasn't horrid, despite giving up astronomical yards per carry. The bluff was that teams would be too impatient to run 40+ times and would throw into our back 8, which lbs played an important part in coverage. This "worked" to some extent, as we were looking at a 7-3 record until Dylan got hurt. Penn State, Iowa, and Utah were built to destroy us because they had no interest in throwing the ball, or at least could run it down our throats at will. If you only play with three front lineman, and the one in the middle isn't massive you have to attack gaps with lbs, and have to give up the pass to effectively stop the run, or play the pass and give up 7 ypc.

 

[Mr. Dick Herbstreit]

On paper, it feels like we have some quality talent. But watching the games, our linebackers were almost invisible at times. Honest discussion here, what is the biggest problem?

- Horrible DL and DC
- The best talent is still young (Dawson, Jones)
- Scheme (335 vs 425)
- Dvoracek

I don’t have a good read on this staff, who is in good graces and who isn’t. From an outsiders view, it feels like Dvoracek doesn’t take much heat. Is he a quality coach and just a bad situation? Or will these 4-stars fade in the LB room?

We saw flashes from McCullough and Wright, but overall I think it’s fair to say it was a pretty awful year for the linebackers, especially considering the talent we seem to have there. I am asking about linebackers because the D line seems obvious that it was all of the above and we had a huge talent and coaching gap. A guy like Dawson seems like he could be a star at any program.

Someone please tell me next year is going to be better because I see talent in this LB group with little in terms of results so far.

Defensive line weakness couldn’t keep offensive lineman off the linebackers, thus it was tough for them to show out when trying to fight off blocks. Had our d-line contained some of those linemen, LB’s could attack the ball carrier.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

Also, LBs played slow because DL was unable to generate enough penetration. There were times when the LBs were slow to fit the run because they didn't know where the DL was going to be. Either by poor stunt design or using the wrong DL to stunt. I am interested to see how Aurich runs the defense.

 

[Jamsand88]

Our D-Line was like a.screen door on a submarine! We need to massive men in the middle and linebackers who can fill gaps! Linebackers last year had a problem running into the back of our d-linemen or over pursuing and leaving big open lanes!

 

[Scoop123]

Also, LBs played slow because DL was unable to generate enough penetration. There were times when the LBs were slow to fit the run because they didn't know where the DL was going to be. Either by poor stunt design or using the wrong DL to stunt. I am interested to see how Aurich runs the defense.

Thoughts on Dvoracek? Does he have a record of developing and producing? He’s a coach I don’t know a lot about and am neutral on. If Aurich is as good as I think and hope he is, I wonder if LB’s will rise under Dvoracek. I honestly don’t know and curious to thoughts.

 

[BadgerPete]

2026 Defense will be the best in the last 15 years.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

2026 Defense will be the best in the last 15 years.

It believe it will be better than last year for sure.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

Thoughts on Dvoracek? Does he have a record of developing and producing? He’s a coach I don’t know a lot about and am neutral on. If Aurich is as good as I think and hope he is, I wonder if LB’s will rise under Dvoracek. I honestly don’t know and curious to thoughts.

He is definitely a Rhule guy, so that is a strike against him by a lot of posters on this forum. The LBs played better in 2023 and 2024. Bullock, Reimer and Henrich were improved from 2022 under Frost to 2023 and Bullock further in 2024 I think it says something that Aurich is going to be coaching LBs with Dvoracek. With the hire of a safeties coach that worked with Aurich previously, that will ensure each level of the defense will have someone that previously worked with the defense and specifically the DC. That should allow for a quicker install of the D and a smoother transition. Also should help with communication from the top down,

 

[Scoop123]

He is definitely a Rhule guy, so that is a strike against him by a lot of posters on this forum. The LBs played better in 2023 and 2024. Bullock, Reimer and Henrich were improved from 2022 under Frost to 2023 and Bullock further in 2024 I think it says something that Aurich is going to be coaching LBs with Dvoracek. With the hire of a safeties coach that worked with Aurich previously, that will ensure each level of the defense will have someone that previously worked with the defense and specifically the DC. That should allow for a quicker install of the D and a smoother transition. Also should help with communication from the top down,

appreciate the reminders of those who improved under him. Let’s hope this group can make a big leap. I like the talent there

 

[oldjar07]

I'm not worried about that position at all. Under a 4-2-5, there will only be 2 of them. And we have 2 good ones in Shavers and Chambliss and highly regarded younger guys as well.

As for last season, Watson-Trent was a complete miss. Shavers had a cast on his arm for most of the year. McCullough was hurt for a portion of the season. It's hard to get a read when guys can't play at full strength.

Moving on to next season, Shavers should be back to full strength and Chambliss is supposedly a stud, this should be the best position group we have on the team.

 

[inWV]

Thoughts on Dvoracek? Does he have a record of developing and producing? He’s a coach I don’t know a lot about and am neutral on. If Aurich is as good as I think and hope he is, I wonder if LB’s will rise under Dvoracek. I honestly don’t know and curious to thoughts.

Bullock went from a safety that was probably going to play a lot of special teams to a LB who was one of the most valuable defenders on the team, and now an NFL player. Buddha Wright made the same move and may also end up on an NFL roster. I'd say Rob D is doing just fine.