What defensive change did we make in the second half versus Navy?

[Palatine]

Navy went 95+ yards on their first drive and 80 on their second. They were unstoppable. Our first touch was often five yards down field

In the second half, we had guys in the backfield and made numerous stops for losses.

What was the change? It wasn't just playing harder. We did something with the scheme.

 

[31GuardTrap]

IMHO--The biggest thing in the first half were the long pass completions and not attacking defensively. Those were taken away in the second half. that and Carrezola and Walsh played lights out. EJ to a certain degree as well. They were unblockable in the 3rd and 4th quart for the most part. I noted to those around me the lack of attacking the line of scrimmage in the first half. In the 2nd half, they were attacking and not letting the blockers come to them. You blow up blocks before they can set and negative yards are an almost certainty.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I thought adding Cam Stapleton helped with setting the edge in the second half. I thought his athleticism and knack for being around the ball were big keys in the turnaround. It make the QB keep less attractive and it freed up Walsh and Carrezola IMO.

The first rule against the option, don't let them dictate. Second rule, hit the QB as often as possible. I thought we did both better in the second half with Cam in the game.

 

[Palatine]

I thought adding Cam Stapleton helped with setting the edge in the second half. I thought his athleticism and knack for being around the ball were big keys in the turnaround. It make the QB keep less attractive and it freed up Walsh and Carrezola IMO.

The first rule against the option, don't let them dictate. Second rule, hit the QB as often as possible. I thought we did both better in the second half with Cam in the game.

No question we did a much better job hitting the QB in the 2nd. And I'm not talking about passing, I'm talking about run defense.

Walsh was deep on the backfield a few times in half two. We had no one anywhere near that deep in the backfield in the first half. Did we change from mirroring to penetrating at the snap? It was more than personnel or playing harder. The guys were in different places.

 

[Dooley]

Matt Walsh and Luke Carrezola completely took over is what happened. Those two very easily played their best 30 minutes of football of their careers against Navy in the second half. If they can bring that kind of energy and physicality all season, then our D is in excellent shape.

 

[businesslawyer]

I think Navy's ability to hit a long pass in each of the first two drives just shook the defense up and put it on its heels. As I said above, If Jhavon makes a senior play on the first throw, I think the game plays out very differently.

 

[Excalibur]

Navy still moved the ball. The fumble/Summers return hid that fact somewhat.

 

[businesslawyer]

Navy still moved the ball. The fumble/Summers return hid that fact somewhat.

That was their only drive of the second half.

 

[mikedog10]

It just looked like the game slowed down for them... this is was three years of prepping for the triple-option has done, it's really night-and-day from since we were playing Army at Yankee Stadium. I'm almost disappointed that UConn is done facing triple-option teams for the time being, I think the guys are finally playing 300-level football. I bet they'd beat Navy if they played again..

 

[Palatine]

Matt Walsh and Luke Carrezola completely took over is what happened. Those two very easily played their best 30 minutes of football of their careers against Navy in the second half. If they can bring that kind of energy and physicality all season, then our D is in excellent shape.

Yes, but neither was that far in the backfield until the second half. They were doing something different. Perhaps a responsibility was changed or an angle or something. I wasn't just playing better.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I was complaining about the safeties the whole game, but I think they moved up a few yards at the snap in the second half. They were probably 12-15 yards off from the LOS most of the first half, and then were closer to 10 yards off in the second. Getting to the point of attack a second earlier can make a huge difference, eating up a blocker even if the safeties don't make the tackle themselves. A well coached and reasonably talented team will stop an option IF they have enough bodies at the LOS.

 

[uconnfan68]

Navy went 95+ yards on their first drive and 80 on their second. They were unstoppable. Our first touch was often five yards down field

In the second half, we had guys in the backfield and made numerous stops for losses.

What was the change? It wasn't just playing harder. We did something with the scheme.

Agree it wasn't just playing harder. The scheme was different. Conditioning, I hope, also played a part, although I have doubts were in better shape than Navy. Size eventually won.

 

[RMS25CT]

The defender with QB responsibility was making the QB make his decision sooner. He (different players on any given play) closed the gap between himself and the QB, thus making him either pitch or turn up field sooner than was the case in the first half. Actually, it wasn't until late in the drive that Summers returned the fumble that it started occurring. And that's when things starting changing for the better defensively. And the fact that a couple plays earlier #11 knocked the snot out of the QB just as he pitched the ball. I'm sure the QB was thinking about that a little the balance of the game.

I won't call out any specific player but there was one DE (who I will leave nameless and numberless) that was getting caught up riding the OT/TE down block on the inside backer too long and then finding himself in no man's land with too much space between himself and QB and not closing that space.

 

[businesslawyer]

The defender with QB responsibility was making the QB make his decision sooner. He (different players on any given play) closed the gap between himself and the QB, thus making him either pitch or turn up field sooner than was the case in the first half. Actually, it wasn't until late in the drive that Summers returned the fumble that it started occurring. And that's when things starting changing for the better defensively. And the fact that a couple plays earlier #11 knocked the snot out of the QB just as he pitched the ball. I'm sure the QB was thinking about that a little the balance of the game.

I won't call out any specific player but there was one DE (who I will leave nameless and numberless) that was getting caught up riding the OT/TE down block on the inside backer too long and then finding himself in no man's land with too much space between himself and QB and not closing that space.

Is that what led to Luke and Stapleton being on the field together (and Ormsby not playing much)?

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Is that what led to Luke and Stapleton being on the field together (and Ormsby not playing much)?

I noticed this as well. I think it is the reason, however he came in later and played much better.

 

[huskysupporter]

Yes, but neither was that far in the backfield until the second half. They were doing something different. Perhaps a responsibility was changed or an angle or something. I wasn't just playing better.

They definitely changed it up. The D looked completely unprepared the 1st half. 3 guys keying on pitch on some plays, I was like, what the heck! Second half looks like scheme change. Its amazing what a team can do with the right scheme.

 

[Palatine]

The defender with QB responsibility was making the QB make his decision sooner. He (different players on any given play) closed the gap between himself and the QB, thus making him either pitch or turn up field sooner than was the case in the first half. Actually, it wasn't until late in the drive that Summers returned the fumble that it started occurring. And that's when things starting changing for the better defensively. And the fact that a couple plays earlier #11 knocked the snot out of the QB just as he pitched the ball. I'm sure the QB was thinking about that a little the balance of the game.

I won't call out any specific player but there was one DE (who I will leave nameless and numberless) that was getting caught up riding the OT/TE down block on the inside backer too long and then finding himself in no man's land with too much space between himself and QB and not closing that space.

That is absolutely true about Joseph. He really delivered a blow to the QB on the play before the fumble

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think Navy's ability to hit a long pass in each of the first two drives just shook the defense up and put it on its heels. As I said above, If Jhavon makes a senior play on the first throw, I think the game plays out very differently.

I agree. They had stuffed the option two straight plays before both of those passes. The run defense suffered right after in each case, and seemed deflated.