Looking at the Defense

[ktuck911]

Is Levenberry coming back? For some reason I thought he was out for the year. That will certainly help if he does return. As far as the DBs go I can't tell which ones might be the best 5. Summers had a bunch of picks a couple of years ago and has experience so I presume he is one our 5 best but beyond that I don't know.

He should stay out for the rest of the year and then come back on a medical hardship... I'd like to see him go out on a high note then this mess...

 

[kris1]

The people that are focusing more on the box and less on theDBs have got it. QBs have way too much time to find an open receiver and just as importantly, usually have wide open throwing lanes to deliver the ball. Crocker has to find ways to fill gaps against the run so we don't get savaged. Then he has find ways to fill those gaps with pressure and hands when the QB has to pass. If you don't have gap integrity you don't have a defense and we dont have gap integrity. Ever.

You bring up a good point and we discussed it in our tailgate group. We’re clearly not getting pressure with the front three. Essentially in this defense those guys are not pass rushers anyway. They’re gap players who need to keep the LBs clean to make plays. But, I think one of the issues is our DL not getting hands in the passing lanes. If you can’t get to the QB at least get your hands up.

I’d also like to see us be more physical with WRs at the LOS to throw off the timing of the offense, especially in short yardage situations. Maybe the staff doesn’t feel the secondary is physically strong enough to do that and/or doesn’t trust them in man coverage.

 

[mac66]

Crocker and Edsall who is involved with defense more than offense need to coach better period. A top coach coaches with what you got and what would work now, not your ideal future state. Our linebacker unit is much better than our DB unit so if we want to stop being embarrassed need to go 3-4 rest of season with at least one of them blitzing on pass downs as former DC Brown says you play defense on your toes, not your heels as we are with this scheme with inexperienced secondary. Combination of Joseph, Diggs, Britton, Stapleton, Santana and Beavers are strongest overall position unit on defense. Noticed Stapleton playing time is down and he has always seems to be a disruptive force when on field and playing with pressure, so they need to get him on field in 3-4 and let him attack. If going to play Summers 8 yards of ball at corner might as we move him to safety as did OK there last year and has better instincts than the guys out there.

 

[huskyrob1]

I agree with you on Coyle vs. Terry. Coyle didn't look all that bad this year until he took out Tre Bell instead of the East Carolina receiver on the 75 yard touchdown pass on the first play in the second half of that game. I haven't seen Coyle on the field since that play other than on special teams. Considering how badly our defense has played since than maybe this was an over reaction by Edsall. Terry looks completely lost out there and has struggled with both tackling and pass coverage.
Bell vs Herring-Wilson I'm not sure about. Bell has been the most disappointing player on the team this year in my mind. He has struggled with both pass coverage and tackling. Herring-Wilson appears to be a better tackler than Bell although like Bell has trouble covering anybody out there.
Omar Fortt has been our most consistent DB this year. Watkins and McAllister are both hard nose tacklers but neither excel in pass coverage.
Hard to really know who to play but since Coyle is supposed to be our best athlete and is only a red shirt freshman I would like see him on the field this week instead of Terry.
Lets see what the depth chart shows this week.

Bell has his weaknesses, but he is still head and shoulders above Herring-Wilson, who moves like in slow motion, and I've yet to see him bat a ball down. He tackles ok but only after the receiver has already caught the ball right in front of him. Herring-Wilson plays like a ballerina and Terry plays like turtle.

 

[huskymedic]

Terry plays like turtle.

Tough turtle. Terry is the second leading DB in tackles (#4 overall after Joseph, Summers and Diggs)

 

[huskyrob1]

Tough turtle. Terry is the second leading DB in tackles (#4 overall after Joseph, Summers and Diggs)

Doesn't mean squat if the receiver he's supposed to cover already caught the ball 12 yards or more up the field. I've yet to see him or Herring-Wilson bat away a pass. Terry and Herring-Wilson play much to passively IMO, I'd rather have Coyle and Bell in there on pass plays, they both hit harder and are willing to take chances pick 6 wise. Terry and Herring-Wilson might work on running plays, both are good tacklers, but in pass coverage both suck.

 

[HuskyHawk]

how is the fact that our defense is now last, directly correlated to the boost we're seeing from Lashlee's offense?

Hurry up offense provides the other team with more possessions. Diaco did the opposite. Playing as slowly as possible to shorten the game.

 

[Dogged]

If only Jesus were in the huddle. Oh wait, even Jesus couldn't fix this.

 

[UConnDan97]

Hurry up offense provides the other team with more possessions. Diaco did the opposite. Playing as slowly as possible to shorten the game.

I mentioned this in another thread, but the difference in time of possession is pretty small (29 min/game vs. 25min/game this year). That explains very little of what is going on here. Our offense runs much faster, but they now get first downs and long sustained drives, so the time of possession stays close.

The biggest thing for this defense is getting off the field on third down. We're horrible at it. Memphis was 13 for 20 on third down, and they picked up 2 additional conversions from those stops on fourth down anyway. You can't have your opponents be successfully bailed out on 75% of the times you were actually doing well... (since I'm not counting when they convert on first or second down)

 

[huskymedic]

The biggest thing for this defense is getting off the field on third down. We're horrible at it.

Only 5 game sample but the worst in almost a decade (not close).

2017 Connecticut Huskies Third Down Conversion Defense Split Stats

 

[UConnDan97]

Only 5 game sample but the worst in almost a decade (not close).

2017 Connecticut Huskies Third Down Conversion Defense Split Stats

And it's oddly the thing that gives me hope for future games. Get off the field on a 3rd and 5 or longer, and we're in business again. Small adjustments could have a big impact here...

 

[Exit 4]

And it's oddly the thing that gives me hope for future games. Get off the field on a 3rd and 5 or longer, and we're in business again. Small adjustments could have a big impact here...

Well, you got to find some sort of angle to justify fandom and hope. I'll go with this for watching the Temple game. Bonus, if we win, its nice (better than losing) for the local recruiting trail.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I mentioned this in another thread, but the difference in time of possession is pretty small (29 min/game vs. 25min/game this year). That explains very little of what is going on here. Our offense runs much faster, but they now get first downs and long sustained drives, so the time of possession stays close.

The biggest thing for this defense is getting off the field on third down. We're horrible at it. Memphis was 13 for 20 on third down, and they picked up 2 additional conversions from those stops on fourth down anyway. You can't have your opponents be successfully bailed out on 75% of the times you were actually doing well... (since I'm not counting when they convert on first or second down)

Good points. I hadn't seen the time of possession stats. I definitely noticed the failure on third down, and I've attributed some of that to terrible short yardage run defense. We don't seem to be able to put big bodies up on the line of scrimmage in that situation.

 

[UConnDan97]

Good points. I hadn't seen the time of possession stats. I definitely noticed the failure on third down, and I've attributed some of that to terrible short yardage run defense. We don't seem to be able to put big bodies up on the line of scrimmage in that situation.

You can live with the 3rd and 2s. But I pull out my last 7 hairs over the 3rd and 10s that get converted. Absolute back-breakers...

 

[Tdaley]

Bell has his weaknesses, but he is still head and shoulders above Herring-Wilson, who moves like in slow motion, and I've yet to see him bat a ball down. He tackles ok but only after the receiver has already caught the ball right in front of him. Herring-Wilson plays like a ballerina and Terry plays like turtle.

Herring-Wilson problem may be a lack of confidence or lack of an ability to make the right reads. He often hesitates before attempting to make a play. Bell doesn't lack confidence but he has played terribly so far. In the SMU game he allowed their running back to run untouched on his side of the field 15 yards for a touchdown where it appeared that he had a good angle to a least knock him out of bounds. Nevertheless, maybe this benching will light a fire under Bell's butt and we get better play from him going forward.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Tough turtle. Terry is the second leading DB in tackles (#4 overall after Joseph, Summers and Diggs)

Terry had a poor game, finishing with the last TD.

 

[huskyrob1]

Herring-Wilson problem may be a lack of confidence or lack of an ability to make the right reads. He often hesitates before attempting to make a play. Bell doesn't lack confidence but he has played terribly so far. In the SMU game he allowed their running back to run untouched on his side of the field 15 yards for a touchdown where it appeared that he had a good angle to a least knock him out of bounds. Nevertheless, maybe this benching will light a fire under Bell's butt and we get better play from him going forward.

I think HCRE was talking mostly about the DB's when he said after the Memphis game that they may have to sub more, platoon style. Went on to say that certain players react differently to similar situations, depending on what they have to defend against.

 

[jdb50]

Maybe just once when we are covering a receiver who is 5 yards from the back line in the end zone we will turn and look for the ball. Right now we are just running along as an spectator for the catch. Even Summers in year 4 is doing this.

 

[firstnline]

Well,well, Recruiting, Recruiting, Recruiting according to Edsall. Headlines in the Courant this morning says answer to falling into the black hole is recruiting. Now do what it takes to get those 4 star players.

 

[Irishfan]

He should stay out for the rest of the year and then come back on a medical hardship... I'd like to see him go out on a high note then this mess...

Getting a sixth year is pretty rare. I wouldn't count on him getting one.

 

[RSTuthill]

Maybe just once when we are covering a receiver who is 5 yards from the back line in the end zone we will turn and look for the ball. Right now we are just running along as an spectator for the catch. Even Summers in year 4 is doing this.

I said this during the game in the game thread and pointed out that one clue the ball is on its way is when they are 2.5 steps from the endzone sideline. Our DBs were all over the guy and all they needed to do is jump a little and stick out the arm as they were turning. Twice in a row they got burned on this, the exact same play.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Fatukasi, Carrezola, Joseph and Summers were good players in a great defense two years ago. Now...

 

[The Funster]

I said this during the game in the game thread and pointed out that one clue the ball is on its way is when they are 2.5 steps from the endzone sideline. Our DBs were all over the guy and all they needed to do is jump a little and stick out the arm as they were turning. Twice in a row they got burned on this, the exact same play.

Some players just cant do that. One scout said that he never would never havve drafted Eli Apple in the first 3 rounds because of his poor recognitoion that the ball was coming.