I’ve heard it from the coaches, John Walters, Williams and Blum, and other places.
It’s kind of all over, if you watch the videos and listen to podcasts.
Which Position Group needs to "prove it" this season?
- Thread starter OscarBerkshire
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It’s kind of all over, if you watch the videos and listen to podcasts.
The lack of sacks has a lot to do with our LB play too. We weren't nearly aggressive blitzing as we have been in previous years.
Linebacker injuries affected every other unit.
The safeties had to play up to help cover.
The corners were left on an island.
The DL had to stay home more, couldn’t take risks, because they couldn’t always count on the linebackers filling the gaps and being where they were supposed to be.
Cascade effect.
Corners on an island and yet there were only a couple games where I felt they were truly burned... Porter, Purchase, and Williams were an elite unit. Hopefully Bell can step up!
Healthy linebackers are a huge deal in this defense. Orange playing to his full potential changes a lot too. That said, I do think OCs have found some counters to our run defense scheme. I trust Heacock to continue innovating and finding new wrinkles to confuse OCs and young QBs. I have very little worries about our front 7 (or 6).
Bacon was much better than a cute walk-on story. That was Barnes last year. He played well at WVU, but got lost in the mix way too often otherwise. Ebel was trying to cover 2 gaps on a lot of plays.
Bacon made plays in the same manner as an AJ Klein. Shooting gaps, cutting corners on OL, and flashing speed and physicality. Ebel and Brezina have shown some of that as well. McLaughlin is steady and covers well. I like our linebackers. Much more concerned about our safeties covering the deep ball.
I'm trying to embrace the James Neal good vibes, but then you see a clip of him getting burned by Ezeogu in a one on one. I'll believe it when I see it.
I'm not an OL coach, but I always get a little worried when we're rotating 3 guys at center and playing the "finding our best 5 guys as a unit" game every fall camp.
Well, Clanton said pretty plainly the other day that it’s no longer about playing the five best guys, but the five who play the best together.
I think he made a comment too about how, when one guy stands out above the rest right away, that’s great—but then as a coach you have nightmares about what happens when something goes wrong.
He was very clearly trying not to say the i word. You know, the one that ends with “jury”?
Seems very pleased to have actual depth.
Stop. Bacon had 60 tackles in his 'breakout' year. Freyler had 107 that same year. Klein had 117 while sharing with Knott and George. I hope Bacon has a great year, but let's stop comparing him to AJ Klein.
I think it's always the OL every year... at least until they can dominate inferior teams in the run game.
Then probably DL. I'm a HUGE "trenches" guy. That's still where games are won and lost. Our DL is never able to pressure the QB... but most of that is our scheme. I still have nightmares now and then of opposing QB's just standing back there for hours with absolutely no pressure.
And finally... the WR group is probably by definition with the most to "prove". I feel like a lot of our guys last year wished they would get the ball thrown their way more.... so now is the time for them to prove it.
Then probably DL. I'm a HUGE "trenches" guy. That's still where games are won and lost. Our DL is never able to pressure the QB... but most of that is our scheme. I still have nightmares now and then of opposing QB's just standing back there for hours with absolutely no pressure.
And finally... the WR group is probably by definition with the most to "prove". I feel like a lot of our guys last year wished they would get the ball thrown their way more.... so now is the time for them to prove it.
When I look at season stats nowadays, and conference tackle leaders, I’m always amused when other teams get excited about their players being at the top.
Because defenses that don’t get offenses off the field have so very many more opportunities to make tackles.
That’s further magnified when a team has no depth.
Both of those would be the Knott/Klein defenses, and not Jon Heacock's.
Competent Cyclone offenses factor into that as well.
Defensive line.
I'm saying this because we struggled mightily against the run last year.
In the Big 12 last year we were LAST in sacks. We had 16 the whole year, the 2nd worst had 20 which is like a big spread. Deeply concerning.
To me - if the defense sucks early in the year Heacock has to examine scheme. At a certain point the 3 man front is just not catching teams by surprise anymore. And it's a brutal pass rush scheme.
Also, if you are going to have hurt linebackers (which we did last year) why the hell would you not help them out with a 4th down lineman?
You're not wrong, that's certainly one factor, but when your safety has twice as many tackles as your 'star' linebacker, your linebackers are not doing their job.
