I'm Surprised No Talk of The Defense

MeanGreenHoops · October 15, 2014

I know it's easy to sit around and talk about the QB stuff all day since that's the main thing most people watch all the time. I'm not really surprised that DW has struggled. He's getting his first playing time as a RS freshman. Nearly every Freshman starting in college football does terribly. We really benefited from that fact just last year as our defense ate up a bunch of freshman QB's. Dajon has still shown a ton of potential, and I'm not going to worry about him unless he's still making this many big mistakes half way through next year.

But why no talk about the defense? I mean they are getting run right over and beaten deep every game now. The defensive line is getting no pressure almost at all. There are plays where our entire defense is covered up by blockers. That used to happen to us before Mac got here, but it was usually against Alabama not freakin' UAB.

So what is going on? I actually thought after the Texas ad SMU game the defense was flying around pretty good and i was optimistic. But they aren't getting better. Is it guys trying to make too many gambles and getting out of position? Is it the big holes the offense has put them in so they just give up enough to get run over?

This has me very concerned and I'm surprised no discussion really about it has been done on here. I hope they come out flying this Saturday.

Harry · October 15, 2014

You are absolutely right. I think the defense and the offensive line issue need to be discussed more. They are as big a part of our troubles as QB.

emmitt01 · October 15, 2014

I know it's easy to sit around and talk about the QB stuff all day since that's the main thing most people watch all the time. I'm not really surprised that DW has struggled. He's getting his first playing time as a RS freshman. Nearly every Freshman starting in college football does terribly. We really benefited from that fact just last year as our defense ate up a bunch of freshman QB's. Dajon has still shown a ton of potential, and I'm not going to worry about him unless he's still making this many big mistakes half way through next year.

But why no talk about the defense? I mean they are getting run right over and beaten deep every game now. The defensive line is getting no pressure almost at all. There are plays where our entire defense is covered up by blockers. That used to happen to us before Mac got here, but it was usually against Alabama not freakin' UAB.

So what is going on? I actually thought after the Texas ad SMU game the defense was flying around pretty good and i was optimistic. But they aren't getting better. Is it guys trying to make too many gambles and getting out of position? Is it the big holes the offense has put them in so they just give up enough to get run over?

This has me very concerned and I'm surprised no discussion really about it has been done on here. I hope they come out flying this Saturday.

Maybe because "Do you miss ZO now?" doesn't have the same ring to it?

gradumacated · October 15, 2014

What's there to say about the defense? They're just bad this year and have really fell off the pace. While there are a dearth of playmakers on offense, at least there are one or two who are capable of pulling off big plays - Dajon, Harris, Jimmy off the top of my head - but on defense, who is there? We had Orr, Trice, Bellazin, Abbe last year - and this year? Maybe Laramie Lee. Akunne perhaps? He certainly fills up the stat sheet.

You also have to wonder if we have the type of players who fit Skaldeny's scheme. But there are a few on the DL who could come good as they age, fill out, and gain experience.

It's certainly a worry. While the defense is able to hold the opposition down on a couple of drives, it seems like if the opposition want to score, they will no matter what UNT does.

oldguystudent · October 15, 2014

Way to get defensive OP.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 15, 2014

The reason you haven't heard about the defense is that, unlike with Dajon, poster didn't get on here to three weeks in a row saying the defense was going to be our Jesus Christ, okay? But, we already knew the defense was poor and we were stuck with whatever bodies the coaches could stick in there.

But, many of you got such hard-ons for Dajon that everything else was an afterthought. As if it was Greer's fault that the defense was playing like sh*t, and it would all go away if Dan and Mike would just stick Dajon in as the starter at QB.

It's team game. Just like Derek Thompson, Dajon can't play offense and defense, too.

Travis · October 15, 2014

The reason you haven't heard about the defense is that, unlike with Dajon, poster didn't get on here to three weeks in a row saying the defense was going to be our Jesus Christ, okay? But, we already knew the defense was poor and we were stuck with whatever bodies the coaches could stick in there.

But, many of you got such hard-ons for Dajon that everything else was an afterthought. As if it was Greer's fault that the defense was playing like sh*t, and it would all go away if Dan and Mike would just stick Dajon in as the starter at QB.

It's team game. Just like Derek Thompson, Dajon can't play offense and defense, too.

If only we had a team full of Dajons.

unstoppable.

emmitt01 · October 15, 2014

The reason you haven't heard about the defense is that, unlike with Dajon, poster didn't get on here to three weeks in a row saying the defense was going to be our Jesus Christ, okay?.

And they said we couldn't come up with a nickname for Dajon...

LongJim · October 15, 2014

Yeah, I have to agree with the Finch. Many mentioned defense as an issue. Vito in particular pounded on it, and several did here, as well. But there was a lot of "whew, now that DT is gone, we'll really be good" nonsense. I will say this--I haven't had a big problem with the OL play up to this point. I think a lot of the issue is that WR's are not getting open, and QB's are holding the ball too long in a lot of cases. DL is shaky right now for sure.

Army of Dad · October 15, 2014

I will say this--I haven't had a big problem with the OL play up to this point.

You aren't alone! Texas, La Tech, Indiana, and UAB players and fans agree.

MeanGreenHoops · October 15, 2014

Yeah, I have to agree with the Finch. Many mentioned defense as an issue. Vito in particular pounded on it, and several did here, as well. But there was a lot of "whew, now that DT is gone, we'll really be good" nonsense. I will say this--I haven't had a big problem with the OL play up to this point. I think a lot of the issue is that WR's are not getting open, and QB's are holding the ball too long in a lot of cases. DL is shaky right now for sure.

So you didn't think the defense looked better in the first few games than it has recently? More so against Texas, it looked like they might be pretty good. Maybe that wasn't enough of a sample.

I agree on your OL point.

Caw Caw · October 15, 2014

So you didn't think the defense looked better in the first few games than it has recently? More so against Texas, it looked like they might be pretty good. Maybe that wasn't enough of a sample.

I agree on your OL point.

I agree with this. I worried very little about our defense after Texas. My assumption is that after working really hard, mostly in vain, they got a bit apathetic. It's hard to grind it out and want to play hard when your offense tosses touchdowns to the other team. Or if it can't complete a pass. On the corner situation, we all loved Kenny B's play last year, but his coverage has been terrible this year. I don't have as many problems with it on the opposite side of the field.

D-Line is just sporadic, with as many bodies as they role through, i don't feel like the players get a good idea of how to paly and feed of each other there. Akkunne is a beast, he picks up what the other guys are missing, but his back is getting pretty heavy from carrying the D. He needs help both in front and behind him. But even if Akkune was this years Orr, There is no Akkune to fill his role last year.

Once you're pretty beat up mentally, and you lack a big time play maker: Lee hasn't been murdering ball carriers this year, No trice forcing fumbles, and no Zac Orr Scoop-N-Score, it's really tough to stay tough. It seems like everyone on the defense is just trying to do the minimum and no one wants to be THE guy. We need one of those. We need intensity. We need attitude. We need headhunters. We need ball-hawks. Someone has to step up or we'll be hoping we recruited one for the next season real soon.

DT 90 · October 15, 2014

My source says tha the D-line plays a different technique this year, more gap penetration oriented. If they don't do that, it hangs the LB out and exposes them to the o-line blocking schemes.

Last year, the D-line primary role was to keep the o-line off the LB's, hence Orr Akune and Wright were free to run and make plays. That is why you never saw any D-lineman with huge tackle totals. My source jokingly described himself as Zac Orr's on field baby sitter. NOT to take anything away from Zac by the way. He needed no assistance being a stud.

LongJim · October 15, 2014

My source says tha the D-line plays a different technique this year, more gap penetration oriented. If they don't do that, it hangs the LB out and exposes them to the o-line blocking schemes.

Because the DL is undersized and cannot afford to man up on the larger OL's they are facing, I'm guessing? Makes sense then.

Dr. Seuss · October 15, 2014

Why are our CB giving the receivers 15 yards on every play, I have yet to see them on the line?? Schilleci shouldn't be on the field, every single receiver went right by him.

Green P1 · October 15, 2014

Why are our CB giving the receivers 15 yards on every play, I have yet to see them on the line?? Schilleci shouldn't be on the field, every single receiver went right by him.

We are slow at the positions that need speed. We are small at the positions that need size. You can cover for either of the two sins by compensating with the opposite of the other. Mac told us over and over when he arrived that he was dealing with both sins in an abundance....then he went on to field a team as bad or worse in both aspects. That's what all of our struggles boil down to.

UNT90 · October 15, 2014

Yeah, I have to agree with the Finch. Many mentioned defense as an issue. Vito in particular pounded on it, and several did here, as well. But there was a lot of "whew, now that DT is gone, we'll really be good" nonsense. I will say this--I haven't had a big problem with the OL play up to this point. I think a lot of the issue is that WR's are not getting open, and QB's are holding the ball too long in a lot of cases. DL is shaky right now for sure.

Someone pointed out after Nichols, when we had the faux stat of leading the nation in sacks thanks to playing that high school team, that he was concerned about the consistent lack of pressure that the Dline was getting and was concerned because the only good QB we faced torched the defense.

Who was that guy again?...

MeanGreenWithEnvy · October 15, 2014

The best thing we can do for our defense is to chew clock on offense. The defensive tackles aren't plugging the middle, so OL are consistently getting into our LBs on run blocking. The defensive ends aren't getting consistent pressure on the QB, so they have time for WRs to run free. CBs aren't fast enough to keep up with good receivers for longer than three seconds and they routinely play off their men by 10 yards, opening up lots of underneath and screen opportunities.

It's whack-a-mole. If we blitz to bring pressure, we leave our CBs on islands where they're getting torched two to three times a game. If we drop our LBs back into coverage, the tackle-to-tackle running game eats us up.

There are no good answers right now. We're not establishing the run when the game is still competitive. Without an established running game, we're having too many three-and-outs or turnovers that are putting the defense out on the field before they're rested.

At this point in the season, there are no DTs or DEs or CBs that are going to emerge and save us. To channel the spirit of Donald Rumsfeld, we're going to be playing football with the defense we've got, not the defense we wish we had. The defense we've got needs our offense to keep them off the field as much as possible.

Edited October 15, 2014 by MeanGreenWithEnvy

emmitt01 · October 16, 2014

Someone pointed out after Nichols, when we had the faux stat of leading the nation in sacks thanks to playing that high school team, that he was concerned about the consistent lack of pressure that the Dline was getting and was concerned because the only good QB we faced torched the defense.
Who was that guy again?...

It's true. Andrew really called that one. Good job Andrew, you deserve all the credit. You and NOBODY else.

I'm impressed UNT90, that you were so insistant that someone else get credit for their amazing foresight.

UNT90 · October 16, 2014

It's true. Andrew really called that one. Good job Andrew, you deserve all the credit. You and NOBODY else.
I'm impressed UNT90, that you were so insistant that someone else get credit for their amazing foresight.

Yep, I am taking credit, considering I was skewered, dismissed, called negative, all for pointing out what I thought was a weakness in this football team.

Much like in the preseason when I pointed out we would miss DT this year.

I guess I could break out my Pom Poms and play cheerleader, but instead I'll just continue to post football observations.

Really wish I had been wrong, by the way.

Edited October 16, 2014 by UNT90

greenminer · October 16, 2014

Yep, I am taking credit, considering I was skewered, dismissed, called negative, all for pointing out what I thought was a weakness in this football team.
Much like in the preseason when I pointed out we would miss DT this year.
I guess I could break out my Pom Poms and play cheerleader, but instead I'll just continue to post football observations.
Really wish I had been wrong, by the way.

You're taking credit for stating the Nicholls State game padded our stats?

Keep beating your chest, genius.

UNT90 · October 16, 2014

You're taking credit for stating the Nicholls State game padded our stats?
Keep beating your chest, genius.

I suggest you go back and read the posts after that game, genius.

MeanGreenHoops · October 16, 2014

My source says tha the D-line plays a different technique this year, more gap penetration oriented. If they don't do that, it hangs the LB out and exposes them to the o-line blocking schemes.

Last year, the D-line primary role was to keep the o-line off the LB's, hence Orr Akune and Wright were free to run and make plays. That is why you never saw any D-lineman with huge tackle totals. My source jokingly described himself as Zac Orr's on field baby sitter. NOT to take anything away from Zac by the way. He needed no assistance being a stud.

Thanks for the insight. My little pea brain had thought I had seen a little difference. A guy like Sid Moore seemed to shoot the gap and was making some plays or close. But haven't seen that in a while. Maybe he got injured? I guess that's why early in the season it was working, and now that teams can prepare for it, it isn't.

SSP · October 16, 2014

Why are our CB giving the receivers 15 yards on every play, I have yet to see them on the line?? Schilleci shouldn't be on the field, every single receiver went right by him.

He definitely didn't look like it at UAB. He started doing that diving crap again. And got beat on the one-on-one coverage after he misread that 70 something yard run... Every one of the DB's played pretty crappy. That's easy to do when you're on the field for three quarters of the game. Most of those guys play special teams too.

Our defense is going to continue to be exposed as tired and that was a good play call. These teams know that we do not have any depth right now.