ACU @ UND 10/29/22

[AJS]

5 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Say whatever else you will, this need be brought out (as 360 did):

The pass rush wasn’t really there at all, ...

Lack of pressure from four exposes so many more issues.

I believe this is the biggest issue facing the defense.

[UND-FB-FAN]

33 minutes ago, AJS said:

I believe this is the biggest issue facing the defense.

I agree, primarily because the philosophy of this Bubba defense is pressure.

[geaux_sioux]

33 minutes ago, AJS said:

I believe this is the biggest issue facing the defense.

I really thought Navratil was set to have a huge year off the edge and pick up where Turner left off. Other than him I don’t see any dudes in green terrorizing off the edge. Still haven’t had better LBs than 2015. 

[Dustin]

38 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Lack of pressure from four exposes so many more issues.

Like Kelly Howe says, he got beat downfield many-a-time, but the D-line got home those plays, so it didn't matter.  A QB sack can cover up a multitude of other defensive sins.

[shep]

19 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

I really thought Navratil was set to have a huge year off the edge and pick up where Turner left off. Other than him I don’t see any dudes in green terrorizing off the edge. Still haven’t had better LBs than 2015. 

I had high hopes for MVJ and J Johnson

[SWSiouxMN]

At this point, what can really be done with the defense this year, other than seeing a few more light bulbs suddenly turn on?

 

[HoopsFan03]

1 hour ago, SWSiouxMN said:

At this point, what can really be done with the defense this year, other than seeing a few more light bulbs suddenly turn on?

 

I think it starts with the CB's not sagging off of the WR's 6-7 yards every single play. It hasn't worked all season and gives the opponents a free 5+ yards every single time. Why don't we try something different and maybe play some man and press up at the line some more?? It can't get much worse so may as well try something else. 

[forksandspoons]

I watched the highlights again and noticed on a lot of big plays ACU had, our DB simply fell on his own. Anyone else notice that? Was the turf an issue? haha 

[Nodak78]

7 minutes ago, forksandspoons said:

I watched the highlights again and noticed on a lot of big plays ACU had, our DB simply fell on his own. Anyone else notice that? Was the turf an issue? haha 

I noticed two or three times.  Not sure what the issue was but was surprised that many times.

[Siouxperfan7]

12 minutes ago, forksandspoons said:

I watched the highlights again and noticed on a lot of big plays ACU had, our DB simply fell on his own. Anyone else notice that? Was the turf an issue? haha 

II noticed it for sure twicw.  Both in the endzone.  Both resulting in ACU Touchdowns.

[The Sicatoka]

Even the guy beside Brian Shawn (Andre who?), with the plaid shirt and striped tie, commented that our guys needed to change shoes because they were slipping. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

1 hour ago, HoopsFan03 said:

I think it starts with the CB's not sagging off of the WR's 6-7 yards every single play. It hasn't worked all season and gives the opponents a free 5+ yards every single time. Why don't we try something different and maybe play some man and press up at the line some more?? It can't get much worse so may as well try something else. 

Oh it can always get worse. Not sure something as simple as alignment is going to fix the issues 8 games into the season. 

[SIOUXFAN97]

2 hours ago, shep said:

I had high hopes for MVJ and J Johnson

when mvj is out there i watch and see what he does...agreed not much there.

not sure if it's bc they have 3 names but i thought he could be a little like ZBJ from a few years ago...end rusher that made some noise in the qb's head!!!!

[UND-FB-FAN]

48 minutes ago, forksandspoons said:

I watched the highlights again and noticed on a lot of big plays ACU had, our DB simply fell on his own. Anyone else notice that? Was the turf an issue? haha 

Bubba referenced that in his weekly press conference. Said that was hopefully just a random issue that won’t reoccur. 

[HoopsFan03]

31 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Oh it can always get worse. Not sure something as simple as alignment is going to fix the issues 8 games into the season. 

So if you were the coach what would you do? Your only go-to is to fire the coaches and recruit a completely new roster.... but you never actually say what would work or make the team better besides that. So please enlighten me on what you would do to help our defense...

[streetsahead]

On 10/30/2022 at 9:19 PM, Sioux94 said:

Normally my favorite uniform is the traditional green jersey with white pants. But I forgot how much I don't like those new green tops with the dumb white on the shoulders.  I think our black jerseys are our best ones now at this point. 

Game was far from perfect, but a win is a win.  

This flavor of green jerseys with the white shoulders is hideous. Keep wearing the black ones until they get better green ones.

[UND08]

2 hours ago, HoopsFan03 said:

So if you were the coach what would you do? Your only go-to is to fire the coaches and recruit a completely new roster.... but you never actually say what would work or make the team better besides that. So please enlighten me on what you would do to help our defense...

We need to put our defenders in a position to make plays.  If we're going to run an aggressive 3-4 scheme where we will be disguising blitzes and bringing pressure on most down/distances, then we need to make sure we have the guys in place to get home, otherwise you're putting a ton of pressure on your back 4 to hold up.  This year we don't seem to have the ability to get home on the pass rush like we have in the past, and I'm sure it's contributing to our issues in pass defense (disclaimer:  I am not an esteemed football mind).  Is that Xs and Os or Jimmy's and Joe's?  I'm not sure.

This is just an opinion, so take it for what it's worth.  In my view, to run a 3-4 scheme effectively, you need a stud NG to command a double team and very good linebackers to step into the hole and make plays.  I tend to believe that really good NGs are very hard to find/develop, and our linebacking play has taken a step back in some regards (sacks).  I'd prefer to be a 4-3 defense at this point, because I believe it's easier to recruit players to...but again that's just my opinion.  If we can't find the personnel to run this defense effectively, then I think we need to change it up.

[GoHawks]

17 minutes ago, UND08 said:

We need to put our defenders in a position to make plays.  If we're going to run an aggressive 3-4 scheme where we will be disguising blitzes and bringing pressure on most down/distances, then we need to make sure we have the guys in place to get home, otherwise you're putting a ton of pressure on your back 4 to hold up.  This year we don't seem to have the ability to get home on the pass rush like we have in the past, and I'm sure it's contributing to our issues in pass defense (disclaimer:  I am not an esteemed football mind).  Is that Xs and Os or Jimmy's and Joe's?  I'm not sure.

This is just an opinion, so take it for what it's worth.  In my view, to run a 3-4 scheme effectively, you need a stud NG to command a double team and very good linebackers to step into the hole and make plays.  I tend to believe that really good NGs are very hard to find/develop, and our linebacking play has taken a step back in some regards (sacks).  I'd prefer to be a 4-3 defense at this point, because I believe it's easier to recruit players to...but again that's just my opinion.  If we can't find the personnel to run this defense effectively, then I think we need to change it up.

Been saying they need to switch to this for years. The 3-4 has hurt us more than it's helped us IMO. If the 3-4 defense was so good every team would be using it. To be honest I can't even name another team the uses the scheme??

[geaux_sioux]

19 minutes ago, GoHawks said:

Been saying they need to switch to this for years. The 3-4 has hurt us more than it's helped us IMO. If the 3-4 defense was so good every team would be using it. To be honest I can't even name another team the uses the scheme??

Alabama

[Nodak78]

1 hour ago, GoHawks said:

Been saying they need to switch to this for years. The 3-4 has hurt us more than it's helped us IMO. If the 3-4 defense was so good every team would be using it. To be honest I can't even name another team the uses the scheme??

Vikings

[UND Football Fan]

With spread teams, many 3-4 teams run lots nickel defense to deal with spread offenses. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

5 hours ago, HoopsFan03 said:

So if you were the coach what would you do? Your only go-to is to fire the coaches and recruit a completely new roster.... but you never actually say what would work or make the team better besides that. So please enlighten me on what you would do to help our defense...

Wrong. My only “go to“ is not to fire all the coaches or recruit a whole new roster.  Could different coaches with better players do better? Sure, definitely possible, but that costs money. UND is too tight for that at this juncture.

UND needs to look at their rotation. They need to see if there are any players that should be playing more or less. That’s a starting point. They need to take away the opposing teams best player- focus the game plan on that. They need to play more base defense, even if that’s against Bubba’s MO, and focus on a competent shell. That means running more cover 4 and two man under. Give the corners help and make opposing teams earn it. Don’t give up big plays on blown assignments, especially against ISU and USD; if you make those teams try and earn it, they’ll likely falter and turn it over or make a mistake. That’s why their record is 1-7 and 2-6, respectively. Don’t gift their offenses with cover zero blitzes that put our undersized, inexperienced DBs on an island. UND has one player in their secondary that can’t cover to save his life but yet he’s out there snap in and snap out. Senior leadership, I’m told, is why he’s playing even though can’t cover worth a damn. 
 

But just my 2 cents. You also could go completely opposite and blitz the hell out of ISU and USD and it could work, but I wouldn’t do that. 

 

[UND-FB-FAN]

3 hours ago, streetsahead said:

This flavor of green jerseys with the white shoulders is hideous. Keep wearing the black ones until they get better green ones.

respectfully disagree on them being that bad, But they definitely could be way better. Adidas needs to send them new ones next season as far as I’m concerned.

[UND-FB-FAN]

3 hours ago, UND08 said:

We need to put our defenders in a position to make plays.  If we're going to run an aggressive 3-4 scheme where we will be disguising blitzes and bringing pressure on most down/distances, then we need to make sure we have the guys in place to get home, otherwise you're putting a ton of pressure on your back 4 to hold up.  This year we don't seem to have the ability to get home on the pass rush like we have in the past, and I'm sure it's contributing to our issues in pass defense (disclaimer:  I am not an esteemed football mind).  Is that Xs and Os or Jimmy's and Joe's?  I'm not sure.

This is just an opinion, so take it for what it's worth.  In my view, to run a 3-4 scheme effectively, you need a stud NG to command a double team and very good linebackers to step into the hole and make plays.  I tend to believe that really good NGs are very hard to find/develop, and our linebacking play has taken a step back in some regards (sacks).  I'd prefer to be a 4-3 defense at this point, because I believe it's easier to recruit players to...but again that's just my opinion.  If we can't find the personnel to run this defense effectively, then I think we need to change it up.

Although I understand where you’re coming from, noseguards (NG) are going the way of the fullback … extinct. Majority of defense ran is nickel - there’s no NG even on the field. With the 3-4, you need a couple 5-technique defensive ends that can squeeze down in nickel, which eliminates the NG for the majority of the snaps. 
 

BUT, as @geaux_sioux has mentioned previously, UND had failed to recruit effectively at the 5 technique defensive end spot. They have some players that fit that body type, but not enough. Several are too small and more fit the mold of a 4-3 defensive end. This hurts UND in short yardage and also hurts them in nickel as they lose the ability to still play interior run defense.

With that said, I’m fine with the 3-4, just need better players. UND is not generating a good enough pass rush with their outside backers. It’s been a disappointment with two of the most important positions in any defense: pass rushers and defensive backs.

[UND-FB-FAN]

54 minutes ago, UND Football Fan said:

With spread teams, many 3-4 teams run lots nickel defense to deal with spread offenses. 

That’s all defense. Regardless of the front, nickel is the package on the field the majority of the time.