The defensive scheme is garbage.

[Exit 4]

For the record after today:

#65 out of 130 for Rushing D
#130 out of 130 for Passing D
#127 out of 130 for Total D
#104 out of 130 for Scoring D

Ahh, so we could get worse....not at DFL yet for Total D.

 

[JMick]

The problem is the Secondary, obviously. Which was expected all year.

we figured we had two lock down corners in summers and bell. unfortunately that was not the case.

 

[huskymedic]

From the recent Fuller blog post in the Game Week Thread:

>>With redshirt freshman Tahj Herring-Wilson taking over for struggling senior Tre Bell, UConn was playing three freshmen (Herring-Wilson, Tyler Coyle and Ian Swenson) and a sophomore (Marshe Terry) who played sparingly on defense a season ago to finish the game so I guess it is understandable that the Huskies are struggling with their assignments in the secondary.

With safety Anthony Watkins out with a concussion, the first and second team secondary consisted of six freshmen, two sophomores and two seniors. <<

 

[Saab04]

we figured we had two lock down corners in summers and bell. unfortunately that was not the case.

Yeah, I didn’t think so. Summer was torched all last year and at times so far this year. He had only one great season and has been off ever since. Tre Bell I was excited about, but then again the kid lacks experience. Hopefully they str8ten things out. Especially Summers, He has no excuse as a vet.

 

[uconnfan68]

we figured we had two lock down corners in summers and bell. unfortunately that was not the case.

Really unfortunate. Was hoping their experience would be key to better thing, but it appears to be the opposite. I’d almost be willing to reshuffle the deck and put people there that can help, even if we have 2-way players.

 

[BlueDogs]

For the record after today:

#65 out of 130 for Rushing D
#130 out of 130 for Passing D
#127 out of 130 for Total D
#104 out of 130 for Scoring D

I apologize for hyperbole - we are only 127th worst out of 130, and the worst on pass D. But, I think the stats are fairly conclusive. I refuse to put 100% on the players. They are just not that bad, just like last year's O players were not that bad. Coaching matters. I'll let others carry the ball forward on this.

 

[Chin Diesel]

From the recent Fuller blog post in the Game Week Thread:

>>With redshirt freshman Tahj Herring-Wilson taking over for struggling senior Tre Bell, UConn was playing three freshmen (Herring-Wilson, Tyler Coyle and Ian Swenson) and a sophomore (Marshe Terry) who played sparingly on defense a season ago to finish the game so I guess it is understandable that the Huskies are struggling with their assignments in the secondary.

With safety Anthony Watkins out with a concussion, the first and second team secondary consisted of six freshmen, two sophomores and two seniors. <<

I'm fine with any player of any class and any level of experience playing over Bell. His play has been straight garbage. Hope he never sees the field again. Probably a nice kid and a good student. I don't wish him any harm or ill will.

 

[UConnNick]

What I'm having a tough time understanding is how our defense has gone from relatively somewhat competent under the Fiasco regime a year ago to the hot, flaming dumpster fire it is now. Those who argue it's the players and not the change to the 3-3-5 scheme seem to be forgetting that the players are largely the same ones. Yes, a few are gone and some are injured, but it's mostly the same guys. Either they all got collectively worse over the spring and summer, or maybe the new scheme has a tad bit to do with our precipitous fall off a cliff in defensive competency.

Exhibit "A" - last year's Navy game. We defended the triple option well enough to win the game. That is one of the hardest things for most teams to do since almost nobody runs it anymore. We likely win that game but for Diwhacko's sheer incomptence in clock and game management. Our defensive woes last season mostly occurred later in the year after the team had completely quit on the coaching staff. How we have gone from effectively beating Navy on the road to having close to the worst defense in the FBS is very puzzling. Is the variable our switch to a different defensive scheme? I'm not suggesting that's the only reason, but it's looking to me like it plays a part.

 

[Milo65]

What I'm having a tough time understanding is how our defense has gone from relatively somewhat competent under the Fiasco regime a year ago to the hot, flaming dumpster fire it is now. Those who argue it's the players and not the change to the 3-3-5 scheme seem to be forgetting that the players are largely the same ones. Yes, a few are gone and some are injured, but it's mostly the same guys. Either they all got collectively worse over the spring and summer, or maybe the new scheme has a tad bit to do with our precipitous fall off a cliff in defensive competency.

Exhibit "A" - last year's Navy game. We defended the triple option well enough to win the game. That is one of the hardest things for most teams to do since almost nobody runs it anymore. We likely win that game but for Diwhacko's sheer incomptence in clock and game management. Our defensive woes last season mostly occurred later in the year after the team had completely quit on the coaching staff. How we have gone from effectively beating Navy on the road to having close to the worst defense in the FBS is very puzzling. Is the variable our switch to a different defensive scheme? I'm not suggesting that's the only reason, but it's looking to me like it plays a part.

This team is unable to defend the pass. Last years team also had issues defending the pass and it had two players (Obi, Green) land on NFL teams and Williams who was serviceable. Navy doesn't throw the ball and even when Navy did they were successful (6-8, 16.5 yds/play). You remove 3 guys from the secondary, and Fiasco has nobody to replace them and you end up with what you have here, a lot of straight freshmen learning on the job.

Also, our front seven have little depth. The Dline depth is concerning to me.

 

[CTMike]

What I'm having a tough time understanding is how our defense has gone from relatively somewhat competent under the Fiasco regime a year ago to the hot, flaming dumpster fire it is now. Those who argue it's the players and not the change to the 3-3-5 scheme seem to be forgetting that the players are largely the same ones. Yes, a few are gone and some are injured, but it's mostly the same guys. Either they all got collectively worse over the spring and summer, or maybe the new scheme has a tad bit to do with our precipitous fall off a cliff in defensive competency.

Exhibit "A" - last year's Navy game. We defended the triple option well enough to win the game. That is one of the hardest things for most teams to do since almost nobody runs it anymore. We likely win that game but for Diwhacko's sheer incomptence in clock and game management. Our defensive woes last season mostly occurred later in the year after the team had completely quit on the coaching staff. How we have gone from effectively beating Navy on the road to having close to the worst defense in the FBS is very puzzling. Is the variable our switch to a different defensive scheme? I'm not suggesting that's the only reason, but it's looking to me like it plays a part.

From the recent Fuller blog post in the Game Week Thread:

>>With redshirt freshman Tahj Herring-Wilson taking over for struggling senior Tre Bell, UConn was playing three freshmen (Herring-Wilson, Tyler Coyle and Ian Swenson) and a sophomore (Marshe Terry) who played sparingly on defense a season ago to finish the game so I guess it is understandable that the Huskies are struggling with their assignments in the secondary.

With safety Anthony Watkins out with a concussion, the first and second team secondary consisted of six freshmen, two sophomores and two seniors. <<

It’s not mostly the same guys. We are extremely thin and extremely young and would have a hard time running most any scheme right now. The 3-3-5 isn’t the only variable here.

 

[FDNY99]

RichRod says hello. And that fourth down lineman will do nothing to change the lack of speed, awareness, or tackling ability.

You mean the guy who got fired at Michigan because his Defense stopped less than a screen door in a wind storm?

 

[Alum86]

Why you continue to call him a "crock" a "clown" and an "abortion" is beyond me. The scheme is the scheme. I don't blame them for not wanting to change the scheme in year one because we don't have the personnel yet. We're in a rebuild that will probably take half a decade. It's not my fault or theirs that you're impatient and feel entitled.

UCF turned it around in like 5 minutes. 5 years?

 

[Nostical]

Palatine is right about the scheme. The players may not be stellar either in pursuit or tackling but that does not fully account for the abysmal performance of the unit. We never use press man to man coverage. How much worse could that be? Our soft zone leaves big gaps in which QB's and receivers gleefully set record stats as they march unimpeded down the field. In the meantime, our front three can't penetrate the opponents O-line to pressure the QB so he's comfortable standing there patiently searching out the open man.
Since so many passes are being completed within the zone--even when our DB's are fully engaged and alert---why not use the safeties more in blitz packages to disrupt the QB. Pressure on the QB may be the only leverage we have. The LB's will still be in place to stop the run. We certainly couldn't do any worse.
My take is that barring restraint imposed by this charged political budget environment Crocker should be fired--and soon. As we improve on offense we can't continue with an unwise and unworkable defensive system.

 

[freescooter]

To be successful I think this scheme requires good athletes who know the system well. Bell couldn't cover a rock with a 5 gallon bucket of paint. And 27, not sure who he was, but he was completely out of position all day. He was forever chasing his man. Summers continues to disappoint playing scary soft coverage.

 

[Stinger92860]

I apologize for hyperbole - we are only 127th worst out of 130, and the worst on pass D. But, I think the stats are fairly conclusive. I refuse to put 100% on the players. They are just not that bad, just like last year's O players were not that bad. Coaching matters. I'll let others carry the ball forward on this.

Looks like ECU ran approximately 86 plays from scrimmage, not including punts. Anyone know the norm from last year?

 

[jdb50]

Our 3 seniors up front trying to get pressure against 5 blockers is not going to cut it. Our D ends are trying to fight through two blockers and start out without outside leverage. Add that to a number of times ECU got 5-7 yards on quick throws as our cushions were huge and it just snowballs. We are always racing to catch up at this point. You do have to give the team credit for getting some stops late. They kept playing hard. Hope they can regroup for a tough road game.

 

[Saab04]

I apologize for hyperbole - we are only 127th worst out of 130, and the worst on pass D. But, I think the stats are fairly conclusive. I refuse to put 100% on the players. They are just not that bad, just like last year's O players were not that bad. Coaching matters. I'll let others carry the ball forward on this.

Inexperience matters. A lot of these kids on D has never played a snap in college football. Four to six players on D yesterday were Freshman’s. What are you not getting about that? The vets, which is a few, are learning a new system as well. I think you need to be patient bro. Rome wasn’t built in a day. You sound ridiculous right now.

 

[Stainmaster]

You mean the guy who got fired at Michigan because his Defense stopped less than a screen door in a wind storm?

No, the guy who had our number his entire tenure at WVU.

 

[Excalibur]

Our 3 seniors up front trying to get pressure against 5 blockers is not going to cut it. Our D ends are trying to fight through two blockers and start out without outside leverage. Add that to a number of times ECU got 5-7 yards on quick throws as our cushions were huge and it just snowballs. We are always racing to catch up at this point. You do have to give the team credit for getting some stops late. They kept playing hard. Hope they can regroup for a tough road game.

We sent four or more people after the QB on more than 75% of their pass plays.

The biggest benefit to playing a 4th down lineman would be run stopping, which is far from the biggest problem with this defense. They still do an ok job containing the run.

 

[freescooter]

Run stopping isn't an issue. Would have been nice to have somebody step up on a few of those option plays but mostly the run stopping was not that bad. I have to say that I expected our defense to be much more aggressive than it has been. I thought we would see much more blitzing from less predictable places and using safeties and corners not just linebackers. And more aggressive pass coverage with pressing at the line rather than the soft stuff we've been seeing. Heck I wouldn't mind a few pass interference calls just to know we are getting on receivers.

 

[Palatine]

Exactly....
As others have said, we rushed four for a majority of the game. We still didn’t get pressure. So, based on personnel how can this team (which is already thin on the DL) go to a 4-man front? Because, I don’t see many 6’3-6’5, 300+ DTs on the roster. To run a 4-man front you have to have at least an 8-man rotation and at least 6 DTs that could rotate. Where are those DTs coming from? Because, only 7 guys played(*) and 3 would be considered “true” DTs (without Okounam). We don’t have the personnel or the depth at that position to run a 4-front.

Almost all teams who play a 3-3-5 rush 4 on most plays. 5 or 6 on many plays. In concept, it is a blitzing defense that hides where the blitzes are coming from. You can line up in a 6 or 8 man front in the 3-3-5 to create stress and confusion.

Does any of that sound like our 3-3-5. Our version looks very vanilla. It is very possible that the problem is the way we play the 3-3-5. We are very passive, bend but don't break, in our implementation of the defense.

Maybe the lights will come on. Pray they do.

 

[Excalibur]

I'll agree that we need to push up on receivers. Letting them run free underneath you can work if you can close and tackle. We clearly can't do either.

 

[Tdaley]

Our 3 seniors up front trying to get pressure against 5 blockers is not going to cut it. Our D ends are trying to fight through two blockers and start out without outside leverage. Add that to a number of times ECU got 5-7 yards on quick throws as our cushions were huge and it just snowballs. We are always racing to catch up at this point. You do have to give the team credit for getting some stops late. They kept playing hard. Hope they can regroup for a tough road game.

True, but Crocker dialed up many blitzes during the game and neither our linebackers, safeties nor our corners were quick enough or strong enough to get to the quarterback. Tre Bell came one time on a corner blitz and was easily knock off his feet by a Eastern Carolina blocker.

 

[Exit 4]

True, but Crocker dialed up many blitzes during the game and neither our linebackers, safeties nor our corners were quick enough or strong enough to get to the quarterback. Tre Bell came one time on a corner blitz and was easily knock off his feet by a Eastern Carolina blocker.

I was out of pocket yesterday, so I haven't actually been able to watch the game yet. Maybe I will tonight and I'll be looking to see what we try to do to create pressure.

Nostical calling Crockers head? Well, that is eye opening.

 

[Jimdish255]

Even if some of these guys could cover better they seem physically overmatched by recievers who are able to break tackles and block downfield. If we're going to get burned at least try to find some physical guys who can shed a block and tackle and work on pressuring the QB with some more effective blitz techniques.

As for the scheme you at least have to be able to substitute in short yardage. If we can't do that we may not win a game this year. Other coaches aren't stupid and they're going to keep exploiting the weakness up front. The Diaco excuse only takes you so far.