Look, even in the years when PSU fans complained Joe doesn't recruit any more and, not even arguably, our HI S&C methodology utilizing mostly machines, was far inferior to our current system, we stayed in most games because of our D. Scrap is probably in meetings Saturday afternoons, however, Friday night he had to turn the tube on. I just wonder if he mused to himself, "What are they trying to do here?"
Is our D to complicated?
- Thread starter emrtmakesshiteup
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Not the problem. You can’t teach experience. PSU is 4-0 and still building. You have true fresh and RS fresh littered throughout the 2 deep. First year starters across the board at LB.
Maybe the problem is impatient fans? Not maybe, that is the problem. Do you think Pry got dumb in 1 year? I don’t.
#6 and #7 are not inexperienced and they are getting a lot of snaps. They are not making plays. DL has not been good, but I think the lack of LB play is magnifying the issue. I like the CB's, assuming TCF is not injured. S are both new, so hard to assess but nothing jumps out in the play of 4, 17 or 38.
Which one do you consider a natural LB between the two? Behind the them are frosh and RS frosh. Both are not there yet, not sure one will ever be there to be honest. This DE group took a few hits as well this summer. I imagine the time for learning gets trimmed moving forward and if you aren’t making plays the time will get cut back. This isn’t going to be a dominant defense. The horses up front are not there or are very young.
The problem I keep seeing is total lack of gap control. Several times a game I see DL going through the same gap and getting pushed by one OL. I can't tell if this by design or just freelancing. This leaves gaping holes, and our LBs either just fill in a gap, which often is the wrong one, or run around blocks. I am not sure even Marcus Allen could fill these gaps. OSU will exploit us big time up the middle.
As an aside, on a 3rd and medium or long play, I saw both of our LBs fly out to cover the same flare back, totally vacating the middle of the field for an easy completion and first down. And our LBs do not drop into coverage and get depth, leaving lots of seams. It seems tome lots of fundamentals are missing right now. Gap control for our DL would go a long way to helping the LBs look better.
As an aside, on a 3rd and medium or long play, I saw both of our LBs fly out to cover the same flare back, totally vacating the middle of the field for an easy completion and first down. And our LBs do not drop into coverage and get depth, leaving lots of seams. It seems tome lots of fundamentals are missing right now. Gap control for our DL would go a long way to helping the LBs look better.
Neither are natural, but would hope that given their experience they could be in better position or even tackle. I have been saying that I would like to see more of #9. I don't think it would hurt. On DL, I agree injuries have had an impact. Without Givens, not sure we would have much play at DT. Would like to see more of Mustipher. But to your point, young and inexperience. Just where we are.
When offenses go fast, we are in trouble. D looks lost, doesn't know where to line up and confusion in coverage. Yes, a sign of inexperience. But will continue to be exploited.
I honestly think the staff knows what they are doing and who needs to play. Fun to speculate for sure, but I doubt 9 isn’t out there more for no reason at all. Youth is never a quick fix. Just have to hope the lights start going on.
I get it. Just a little frustrated that the experience is not being productive.
Cam flashes at times, but then is totally out of position on the next play. Hopefully he can at least start to play with some consistency.
Scrap needs to ask the same question of his Steelers defense. They suck much worse than Penn State's defense.
I see the same thing. By now, these players should understand gap control. We keep hearing how athletic and fast they are, yet mediocre teams are getting chunk plays at an alarming rate. I thought we were improving, but against Illinois we took a step back. With their speed and athleticism OSU May score 28 points in the first Quarter.
Yes, it is too complicated...and I would argue too restrictive. Pry is trying to be "multiple and aggressive" with exotic blitzs and alignments...especially in the first halves of games.
This means that the defense attacks certain parts of the field and its success is entirely up to Pry guessing the offensive play correctly. The problem is that modern offenses line up, see exactly what we're doing and know we'll leave wide open gaps in the field, so they audible into a play that attacks that part of the field. Hence, the plays where every defender takes themselves out of the play as they run to the part of the field Pry told them to.
This means that the defense attacks certain parts of the field and its success is entirely up to Pry guessing the offensive play correctly. The problem is that modern offenses line up, see exactly what we're doing and know we'll leave wide open gaps in the field, so they audible into a play that attacks that part of the field. Hence, the plays where every defender takes themselves out of the play as they run to the part of the field Pry told them to.
If you listened to post-game comments by Jan Johnson AND James Franklin, their halftime adjustment was that they went back to playing base defense and that's when they shut Illinois' offense down. In fact, the stats in the second half reminded me of what we did to teams in 2005.
You do this (guess) when you feel you are outmanned. Maybe they do? I hope they learned this in the 2nd half vs. ILL. As I mentioned above, our LBs are also very poor in pass coverage, failing to drop or flying out of their zones when they see a RB flare or crossing route flash, OSU will kill us with their misdirections and then resulting speed unless this gets cleaned up quickly.
