Why no depth at LB?

[Steve]

Gotta think there's a chance of Lattimer moving back to LB.

If he had a future at LB, he never would have been moved in the first place. Simply compare what he did last year at LB to what he has been able to contribute at DE. It's not going to happen. Hopefully since Rhoads has gone on record for keeping JL at DE, we won't have to hear more about what was not a good idea in the first place.

[tman24]

That's kind of what I'm starting to think - perhaps we should "artificially create" some LB depth by switching over to a nickel scheme.

because of the depth of corners and lacking quality linebackers that is what I did in NCAA 10 on xbox. Hey it won us a bowl game so it works.

[clonehome]

Let's face it, Hamlin, Washington, and Benton are all about the same size -- 6' 190-200. We have nickel personnel even w/ Hamlin in the game. Combine that with extremely undersized DEs, about 30 lbs per man, and we are going to struggle w/ pretty much everyone left on the schedule. I think it's time for Rhoads and Burnham to get creative. For instance, Cleyon Laing and Jake McDonough both started at DE but were moved inside because they're a little big and not mobile enough for DE. But since our small DEs get no pass rush why not play 4 sizable guys up front and at least stop the running game. The nickel back gives you speed to the edge to make up the difference. I think we could blitz more w/ this lineup as well.

I would look at starting Laing and/or McDonough at DE with Rump and Johnson inside. We'd go about 270, 280, 280, 285 in the front four. Especially against K-State because they want to pound you w/ their big back. Then bring in a smaller, quicker guy like Parker, O'Neil, Maggitt, or Lattimer on passing downs to provide a speed rusher.

The current lineup pretty much assures us that we are going to get physically dominated at 3 positions in the front 7.

[Tedcyclone]

We played nickel 90% of the time last year with no problems so I don't see why we can't do it again this year.

Maybe Chris Lyle, and the other tackle whos name is just escaping me at the moment, were better than we thought. I think Knott and Klien are good, but how awesome would it be if those guys were rotating in as backups this year.... we are young, thin, and now depleted.

We didnt blitz at all, and im guessing thats because we have no depth, and Benton was gone.

Also as you can tell the middle of our defense was just pis pounded by Iowa... so not only do we not have a rotation as LB, but we have no rotation at DT either.

Now take Jake and Hammer and use them as back ups to the guys we had last year and our team is deep and solid. Thats why we were better last year. As it stand our starters are sophmores, or juniors, and our backups are true freshman... not good.

Ps Iowa is also just a really freaking solid team all around. We will play better against K-State.

[pulse]

Yes Chris Lyle was good. Are you talking about Frere?

[Tre4ISU]

Let's face it, Hamlin, Washington, and Benton are all about the same size -- 6' 190-200. We have nickel personnel even w/ Hamlin in the game. Combine that with extremely undersized DEs, about 30 lbs per man, and we are going to struggle w/ pretty much everyone left on the schedule. I think it's time for Rhoads and Burnham to get creative. For instance, Cleyon Laing and Jake McDonough both started at DE but were moved inside because they're a little big and not mobile enough for DE. But since our small DEs get no pass rush why not play 4 sizable guys up front and at least stop the running game. The nickel back gives you speed to the edge to make up the difference. I think we could blitz more w/ this lineup as well.

I would look at starting Laing and/or McDonough at DE with Rump and Johnson inside. We'd go about 270, 280, 280, 285 in the front four. Especially against K-State because they want to pound you w/ their big back. Then bring in a smaller, quicker guy like Parker, O'Neil, Maggitt, or Lattimer on passing downs to provide a speed rusher.

The current lineup pretty much assures us that we are going to get physically dominated at 3 positions in the front 7.

That's great until they start running sweeps of things outside. The all of a sudden you never have containment and you are counting on your corners or safeties to mek open field tackles all too much. The theiry here isn't bad. "If we can't stop either, let's load up to stop one." I wouldn't mind seeing it but I just think mediocre running attacks would eat it up with a speed back.

[CloneIce]

Regardless of how the nickel works out, having two LBs total who the coaches trust to play is a terrible position to be in. Wow what happens if we lose one of them to injury? LB was clearly are biggest question mark coming into this season, even though alot of fans talked themselves into believing we were fine there even though we had zero total starts coming back and none of the backups had ever seen the field on defense.

[Omaha Cy]

how bout we just drop the 3rd LB and add in a 5th D-lineman for run stopping purposes.

[brett108]

Maybe Chris Lyle, and the other tackle whos name is just escaping me at the moment, were better than we thought. I think Knott and Klien are good, but how awesome would it be if those guys were rotating in as backups this year.... we are young, thin, and now depleted.

We didnt blitz at all, and im guessing thats because we have no depth, and Benton was gone.

Also as you can tell the middle of our defense was just pis pounded by Iowa... so not only do we not have a rotation as LB, but we have no rotation at DT either.

Now take Jake and Hammer and use them as back ups to the guys we had last year and our team is deep and solid. Thats why we were better last year. As it stand our starters are sophmores, or juniors, and our backups are true freshman... not good.

Ps Iowa is also just a really freaking solid team all around. We will play better against K-State.

No. Watch Chris Lyle on a running down if you can. He could not collapse his guy, or maintain edge control. He was such a nonfactor on running downs that I was glad to see him go. His man usually just let him go and headed to a LB.