Defense

[stbone]

While I am mourning the twist to the season, I am really excited about the way the defense played after the Utah touchdown. I am excited about the level of energy they brought, and their execution. I am excited about this because: (1) it shows that the team culture hasn’t collapsed and that we are exactly who we thought we would be (minus a QB) and that players are still engaged; and (2) that there is a remarkably low threshold to reinvigorate this enthusiasm (the surge was brought on by one play in the whole game). I don’t know if the offense will be able to turn anything around this year, but if they even show a pulse, we will have a lights out defense (in contrast to what we had seen earlier in this game and the past couple of games).

Also, it would be great if Swan would teach his LBs on occasion to violently take on pulling/leading opposing players. We haven’t had an answer since (painfully) the Penn St. Rose Bowl, and it cost us our last chance at the ball yesterday.

[TruckStopTerrors]

The secondary needs to improve drastically.

[2008 National Champ]

I just can’t see blaming the D for anything this season. We just saw a game where they lowered their season average in ppg by half a point and are now 12th in the nation. At the same time if the combination of offense, defense and special teams were able to put up exactly 25 points in each game this year, they’d be 6-1.

25 ppg is all I’m asking for. That would 91st in the country. 25 ppg. Let that roll of the tongue. Of course, that would also represent an improvement over what the team has produced this year.

[stbone]

Based on the D’s turnaround after the Utah score, I think the D is likely better than their statistics indicate and would improve if the O started doing their part. (It seems like a case of the D being completely disheartened).

[2008 National Champ]

Gave up a bunch of chunk plays to be sure and never figured out how to stop the WR wildcat. When was the last time a team trying to finish off a Utah defense relied on a WR running the ball to make it happen?

Nine different players touched the ball for TCU on Saturday night. Only the QB’s didn’t have a rush or reception for 10 yards or more and 3 had both. Utah dropped back to punt on 11 of 14 drives. 9 of 14 Utah drives were 4 plays or less. And with all of that, the D still only gave up 13 points. It didn’t always look pretty but they were phenomenal when it mattered.

[stbone]

The WR wildcat (at least for the first down) was a very similar formation and play to what Penn St. used to score two touchdowns in the Rose Bowl. We aren’t very physical off of the LOS, and we struggle when there is a lead block. Both of these pays (and most of AZ’s running lays) exploited that.

[TruckStopTerrors]

One of my counters to this would be that yes, it’s a small sample as of now, but I do feel we were playing better offenses in the PAC. So many guys have been open or the secondary has made a mistake. We don’t have a lockdown corner and our safety play obviously has taken a huge downgrade along with linebacker play. Maybe it’s just the eye test, but I see our corners getting burned so often or not turning around and making a play on the ball etc. Snowden I feel has had some big moments. I’ve just been disappointed with the play overall.

[stbone]

I agree that we are missing the lockdown CB, and that safety play in the box is not at the level of last year. I am out on LB play because of the injuries (the LB play seemed significantly improved yesterday with the return of Karene). For the first time this season, we started getting to a QB yesterday. Pressure will make our secondary healthy.

[TruckStopTerrors]

I honestly think the LB play is down beyond not having Reid. Lander for whatever reason(injury from last season, bulked up too much), seems a bit slower and less athletic. He’s also made some really bad reads and lost contain.

[stbone]

I agree that Lander doesn’t look like he did in the past, but the sample size with Karene back is so small I don’t feel like I can say one way or the other. The LBs looked significantly better yesterday than they have for a while, and I hope that the improvement continues.

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