Make a bold prediction on Nebraska's Defense

[Jack_John_Mark]

The reason I say "bold" is because no matter what prediction you make it is going to be just that. We don't really know jack shit about half of the guys who are going to be on the field.......just going by hearsay and what have you.

Obviously the reason I started this thread is because my bold prediction is that the Front 7 is going to click like a mother fucker.

The Defense is going to give up a few big plays, but overall is going to be surprisingly good. I said we would give up over 20 points a game, but I'm changing that now. It will be in the teens.

What say you?

(Please get drunk before you respond to this)

 

[chucksker]

Give up 23.2 ppg

D-line plays average but a surprisingly amazing LB core covers it up decently

Santos breaks out with 90+ tackles, 14 TFT, 4 sacks

Zaire becomes a stud and shoots up mock draft boards after next season

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

I actually think our LBs are going to be surprisingly good as well.

I think our DLine is going to struggle the most, but it's going to be better than last year by 10 fold.

 

[Red_Alert]

Rushing Defense: 48
Pass Defense: 14
Pass Eff Defense: 9
Total Defense: 29
Scoring Defense: 39

 

[chucksker]

But seriously JJM....ain't Bo's praise of the defense strange this year?

I mean it's not just general "I think we will be pretty solid this year"

He's very specific in his praise. It's strange. "Safeties are playing really well right now"

"SJB is has had his best week in our program this week"

"Randy Gregory is a freak"

He is very specific....this is a different brew of Pelini coach talk....I'm starting to actually believe it

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

Exactly, chuck.

It has been different. Bo has been different. The entire staff has been different.

Something is not the same. There seems to be a level of comfort going through Fall Camp that I've never seent before out of Bo and staff. Something is developing that is making them feel this way. I really think Zaire and Santos are going to have a good year.

I think a couple guys up front are going to come along as the year moves on, but overall I think the DLine is going to struggle in the early going.

 

[chucksker]

It's just strange. I mean in all the past years conventional wisdom said that our defense would be average to above average. And in fall camp all the coaches in the usual coach speak talked about how good the D would be. And then it sucked

Now this year, everything SCREAMS that our D is going to completely fucking blow. But the coach speak oozes confidence and comfort....and that our D WILL be good

Something strange is happenin out on those practice fields that we just don't know about

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

Rushing Defense: 28
Pass Defense: 14
Pass Eff Defense: 9
Total Defense: 20
Scoring Defense: 19

fify

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

It's just strange. I mean in all the past years conventional wisdom said that our defense would be average to above average. And in fall camp all the coaches in the usual coach speak talked about how good the D would be. And then it sucked

Now this year, everything SCREAMS that our D is going to completely fucking blow. But the coach speak oozes confidence and comfort....and that our D WILL be good

Something strange is happenin out on those practice fields that we just don't know about

Well, I don't remember the last time we've been this athletic on Defense....honestly speaking.

In 2009, we were VERY sound. But we weren't this athletic.

We have a lot of speed, and then on top of this, all I've heard from my sources and from obvious media sources is that the younger guys are very mature.

 

[iruletheskool]

#1 scoring defense in the country

 

[chucksker]

He said BOLD skool....not ridiculously stupid blindly staring through your scarlet and cream colored glasses

 

[iruletheskool]

Wouldnt be the first time under Bo.. but this is the first time weve had multiple players with phenomenal talent

 

[Huskers4lyfe15]

Defense gives up 10 pts per game
Braxton Miller held to 1-20 throwing with -20 Rush Yards in the Big 10 title game
Then to top it off we beat alabama 55-0 in the title game and hold them to 6 first downs all game

You said be drunk right? So this is where everyone went when ESPN started sucking 3 years ago?

 

[aqwk68]

We have more takeaways than giveaways. Not sure if this is a bold defense prediction or offense prediction though

 

[Brasky]

Kool-Aid overdose.

 

[HuskerInSecLand]

We do know some things about this defense.

1) The secondary is phenomenal.
2) The line is young
3) The dead weight is gone (hopefully)

Our linebackers are going to be great but right now Santos is the only one with any real experience. We (and they) need to keep in mind they are young and are going to do some dumb things. Hopefully Pelini will keep it simple L) and they will grow.

Though we really have not seen development in season before I am predicting Bo is learning enough and these guys are hungry enough that we will this year.

With that my prediction will be many mistakes up front but getting better as the season goes on. Good chance of a fiasco with UCLA but come conference play we are starting to click and by the time we hit our last 4 games we are downhill and roll into Indianapolis 11-1.

Two years from Now Nattie!!

 

[huskers1217]

But seriously JJM....ain't Bo's praise of the defense strange this year?

I mean it's not just general "I think we will be pretty solid this year"

He's very specific in his praise. It's strange. "Safeties are playing really well right now"

"SJB is has had his best week in our program this week"

"Randy Gregory is a freak"

He is very specific....this is a different brew of Pelini coach talk....I'm starting to actually believe it

Nate can play a lot of different spots for us, he has played some safety, and he has played some will, some buck, some dime. He is going to be a good football player"

i love it when Bo says people are going to be good football players.

 

[huskers1217]

Bo is also high on Brodrick Nickens

 

[Footballnut]

Bo is also high on Brodrick Nickens

he's not really... just answers the questions when they are asked. He likes the depth Nickens gives us but I doubt Nickens sees much time at all.

 

[Footballnut]

My predictions... don't know if they are bold or not. Not going to give projected rankings just projection for each level.

Defensive Line - I think we have a better than average defensive line this year. I think Avery Moss, Thad Randle, Aaron Curry and Jason Ankrah start but Randy Gregory quickly makes a major impact. I'm going to say that Greg McMullen takes over Moss' spot about halfway through the season and really comes into his own. Vincent Valentine doesn't see much time on the field but Maliek Collins does. Nebraska has more sacks than last year but also more busts in the run game.

Linebackers - I think Afalava, Santos and Anderson start off with Santos and Anderson being the main LBs in the nickel. The athleticism is much improved but the experience isn't there. I think Anderson and Santos both get 60+ tackles this season and Afalava ends up with 4-5 sacks when he becomes a speed rusher on obvious passing situations opposite Randy Gregory. This crew will struggle in the early part of the year but will have solid games against UCLA and Purdue to the point that we start seeing major potential.

Corners - SJB has the best year of any Husker since Dennard's Junior year in the secondary. He earns 1st team All-B1G and 2nd team All-American honors and launches up draft boards everywhere. Josh Mitchell gets supplanted by Mo Seisay part way through the year and we intercept 6-10 more balls than we did last season.

Safeties - I think our starters at the beginning of the year are Corey Cooper and Harvey Jackson, but by mid-season Charles Jackson has taken over one of the spots. We get better play from the safeties as a whole which means less big plays in the passing game. That, coupled with a more aggressive pass rush leads to more interceptions and better run support.

As a whole I think this team's numbers will be slightly better than 2012's team but they will be playing their best and deepest ball come late november whereas last season we looked exhausted. Nebraska holds opponents to an average of 22 ppg but leads the B1G in Pass Defense and is middle of the pack in run defense.

The biggest game comes in Ann Arbor when Nebraska hands Brady Hoke his first loss at home as Devin Gardner throws 2 INTs and gets sacked 4 times.