What is the defensive scheme without Floyd?

Submitted by UMQuadz05 on

Since JT is a confirmed AMSHG victim, I ask:  what is the plan of the defense now?  I'm going to assume Avery gets the start.  Does this mean we will have to play man-to-man coverage with deep safety help?  It seems possible we may start Talbott and Vinopal too.  I never played football; what's the simplest scheme possible?  With the super-young corners, does it make the most sense to say "just stay as close to that guy as possible"?

Hypothetical:  What if M plays a super-vanilla base D, but we actually look better than the last few weeks?  That would be the final nail in the GERG coffin, wouldn't it?

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MaiZedOuT

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:27 PM ^

Is straight man to man, with help over the top. The younger DB's IMO are better at man coverage than zone. Also I'm really sick and tired of the cushion the opposing WR's are getting in these zone schemes.

Let's see some man press cover 2, with some heat on the QB. We need to send pressure up the middle. If we do that we will cut the field in half for Shithouse. We did the same thing against Teblow in the Cap One Bowl.

Joined: 08/19/2010

MGoPoints: 1298

mtxgoblue

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:27 PM ^

It will be the same as its been all season.

1. Rush 3 - get no pressure

2. Drop cornerbacks to 15 yards behind LOS

3. Allow QB to throw to wide open receiver

4. Don't tackle

5. Repeat

Joined: 09/10/2008

MGoPoints: 111

mgowake

November 3rd, 2010 at 9:38 PM ^

I don't know how many times we've held the other team to a 3rd and long, only to have the opponent easily convert. It's gotten to the point where the longer the down, the more I expect something terrible to happen. There is seemingly no increased probability of a punt as the distance on 3rd down goes up for this defense. That just doesn't make any sense.

Joined: 11/23/2009

MGoPoints: 1062

Jomafalo

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:34 PM ^

I think we should just all out blitz on every play. Worst case scenario: we get scored on quickly and get the ball back to our offense to score more points, then hope we end up with the ball last. Best case scenario we get the ball back quickly without the other team scoring. It's an improvement either way you look at it.

Joined: 04/12/2009

MGoPoints: 698

Ben from SF

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:39 PM ^

WVU under Casteel blitzes two / thirds of the time.  Our D was designed to blitz.

However, Illinois runs a lot of pitch option, and blitzes may leave us vulnerable to long runs by the slot or TB.

Still, at this point, what do we have to lose.

Joined: 10/08/2008

MGoPoints: 1349

WooWolverine

November 3rd, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^

At the same token blitzing will disrupt the timing of the pitches, hopefully creating enough confusion to allow for the rest of the D to flow to the ball.  You're right that it could leave us vulnerable to long runs but I'd say if we keep doing the same thing we have, the long runs will happen regardless.

Joined: 11/02/2010

MGoPoints: 7

MHNet

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:49 PM ^

I told my friend we might as well blitz every down, too.  Rush three, give opposing QB all day to throw, give opposing receivers all day to find the hole, our secondary is gonna get shredded...again.  But rush like eight, give opposing QB just seconds to throw, pray our secondary can cover a receiver for two or three seconds...I like those odds!  Worst case we give up a big play and get the ball back quicker instead of painfully watching our defense failing to stop 3rd and 15s two or three times each drive.

Joined: 09/30/2008

MGoPoints: 660

jtmc33

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:36 PM ^

Redshirt Freshman with the 111th best passing attack in the country.  

Pressure him and make him make bad decisions.  If he proves good enough (i.e. calm enough) to complete quick slants and/or can run a la Juice Williams then they will win.  If he is rushed and throws incomplete passes on 3rd down and/or a couple picks then we win.

Just don't let him have 4-7 seconds to pick apart Talbott-Avery-Rogers-Christian-Vinopal.

Joined: 04/15/2009

MGoPoints: 10052

jtmc33

November 3rd, 2010 at 3:00 PM ^

Grab your kleenex because here comes more:

Vinopal (FS), C. Gordon (Spur), Avery (CB), and Rogers (CB) have 10 career starts at their current positions... combined.

Vinopal - 1 - PSU;  C. Gordon - 1 - PSU; Avery - 0; Rogers - 8 - all in his Senior season.

 

Joined: 04/15/2009

MGoPoints: 10052

mschol17

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:39 PM ^

I know everyone is going to hate this, but it's going to be a conservative stay-in-your-rush lanes defense.  We have to make them execute down the field and not give up the big play. 

 

However, I hope we pack the box and make them throw, because he's not that good of a passer.

Joined: 10/08/2009

MGoPoints: 2233

maizenbluenc

November 3rd, 2010 at 4:46 PM ^

Nathan Scheelhaase makes a name for himself as Illinois' new playmaking quarterback

Scheelhaase has completed 61 percent of his passes (102-for-166, 10 touchdowns, seven interceptions) and is Illinois' second-leading rusher with 538 yards.

He was 16 for 20 against Purdue with 4 TDs and no interceptions. Purdue's defense is better than ours.

He'll have a good day.

Joined: 07/21/2009

MGoPoints: 10630

His Dudeness

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:39 PM ^

Pain, pain and more eye bleeding pain?

GERG: " Hey, I tell yah what, we ain't even gone take the field on this series. How 'bout that!?? WILDCARD, BITCHES YEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAWWWWW!!!!"

Joined: 11/24/2008

MGoPoints: -973290

Papochronopolis

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:40 PM ^

This defense needs to be more aggressive.  We shouldn't blitz every play, but we should try to bring a ton of heat on the Frosh QB and make him make tough throws down the field.  Even if we give up some big plays, we may end up getting some more stops (and maybe..a turnover!?) than we would if we just sit back and play Cushy McCusherson pillow defense all game (which we cant even play anyways).

Joined: 09/17/2009

MGoPoints: 1863

RoseBowlBound

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:41 PM ^

Blitz 7 and instruct the other four players to hold any receiver that they are close to.  Put the game in the refs hands to penalize us 50 times - I bet they blow a few calls in our favor.

Joined: 08/16/2010

MGoPoints: 603

Nickel

November 3rd, 2010 at 1:43 PM ^

Option A - send sorority houses to opposing team hotel, hope the girls can wear them out enough for us to win a shootout the next day.

Option B - set all clocks in opposing team hotel back by 6 hours while they're asleep.  Cover windows with night scenes.

Option C - hire sprinkler operator guy from Buffalo Wild Wings commercials.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 2732