What do you guys think of what Fleck said here...

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Some Day...Maybe

Some Day...Maybe

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“Well, let's stop fixing problems. Let's be us. Let's make people earn it. And let's stop saying, okay, we've got to take away this and this and this. Let's play our style of defense that we know how to play before we've got into, okay, well, this guy went down and that guy went down now we've got to protect this guy because he's not ready.”

This was from his press conference and I found it interesting. Maybe admitting some mistakes and switching course. Basically saying screw it, we’re going to play our system regardless of personnel. I like it. What do some of you experts think?Stick to what we know and believe in and develop the guys into what’s expected. Develop personnel into what’s expected.



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Well, when it comes to our defense lately, we have nothing to lose by going backwards in time.
 

I think he's just illustrating that there are different choices you make as you put a team together and try different things.

Fine by me.
 

Fleck says a lot of things, so it's too hard to take once sentence and draw large conclusions from it.
 

Face The Facts said:
Fleck says a lot of things, so it's too hard to take once sentence and draw large conclusions from it.
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In everything he says, he always seems to be making excuses. In this case, he's trying to make it look like he's pointing at himself and the coaching staff for changing things schematically, but at the same time pointing out that players have gone down, and they are inexperienced.

Disclaimer: I'm still team PJ, and do believe there is a process that needs to be played out...but his excuse making week in and week out is tiring...we get it! your team is young, you need to build depth, but choose what you are saying more wisely. In one sentence, he's taking all the blame, in the next sentence, he's blaming youth and injuries.
 


Do you guys think we’d be better off just playing the system vs trying to compensate and game plan to protect inexperienced players? I hope we’ll find out. I’m excited to see the coaches do this and what happens. Hopefully they will.


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This feels like sort of the classic tension in strategy for all sports, you need to prepare for what the other team is going to throw at you but at the same time not let them dictate how you play the game. You obviously can't go all the way one way or the other, but the coach needs to find the mix that puts us in a position to win football games.
 

Well if it means adapting to more sophisticated BigTen offensive schemes, I'm all for it. But further on in the discussion (Strib story) he talked about missed tackles. That's fundamental regardless of personnel. As recently as two years ago, the team tackling was noticeably improved. Now it seems to have slipped. Perhaps PJ is really just calling on his defensive coaches to re-emphasize some of the basics and quick trying to patch holes.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Do you guys think we’d be better off just playing the system vs trying to compensate and game plan to protect inexperienced players?


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I think they should commit to stopping the run against all teams because they've demonstrated they are capable of doing that against good teams (IA and OSU). As far as pass defense, do whatever they can with the ability of the players they have to limit the damage. If we give up an average of 100 yards a game or less rushing and 250-300 yards passing, we can still win a few games if our offense performs like it did the last two games.
 



It's coach spreak but I get it. He feels that right now putting a bandaid on one problem creates another bigger one. He might be right, he might be wrong. I do know that while I dislike parts of his schtick I will have to trust him there since he is the coach and I am not. He sees the team every day so I would expect he knows better than I. We are who we are and likely better off playing that way than with people out of position.


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I am beginning to wonder if there is any coaching ability over at the complex. He says way too much and what he says indicates to me they are lost. It is going to get worse folks.
 

cjbfbp said:
I think they should commit to stopping the run against all teams because they've demonstrated they are capable of doing that against good teams (IA and OSU). As far as pass defense, do whatever they can with the ability of the players they have to limit the damage. If we give up an average of 100 yards a game or less rushing and 250-300 yards passing, we can still win a few games if our offense performs like it did the last two games.
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Agree 100%. Force teams to pass as it is the best way to potentially get turnovers and for teams to screw up.
 

gopherjay said:
I am beginning to wonder if there is any coaching ability over at the complex. He says way too much and what he says indicates to me they are lost. It is going to get worse folks.
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One coach says too much and the next doesn't say enough. He seems pretty transparent is you trust the process. If you have no patience and are skeptical of people then I see what you are saying.
 



I'm not a strong Xs & Os guy so I really appreciate the detailed FB reviews that folks put forward.

Can someone tell me if we're attempting more of a one-gap defensive scheme or two-gap system against the run? Just looking for a high level, general defensive philosophy answer. I'm also assuming what we're doing now is different than the previous regime.

I remember during Coach Kill's early years the mantra was "needing to simplify things for the players." I don't think I've heard this expressly from Coach Fleck but certainly could have missed it (even multiple times). That too was painful but of course eventually yielded great results.

Not looking for a treatise. I can google a more detailed explanation (especially from the pro-FB sites). I'm using this as a learning opportunity in hopes of a W this Friday night. Thanks in advance.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Do you guys think we’d be better off just playing the system vs trying to compensate and game plan to protect inexperienced players? I hope we’ll find out. I’m excited to see the coaches do this and what happens. Hopefully they will.
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Here's the thing though: it's not like they were trying to protect those guys just for s___ and giggles. They were doing it to protect against big plays! Obviously didn't work.

So let's say that we switch back to base defense. Then they run outside and a corner misses a tackle and it's a big TD run. Then what? Do we just say "oh well! Keep playing base!" ? I don't think so ...


I wish they'd try something fairly radically different. Give it a shot. 3-4 defense with Coughlin/Cashman at OLB flanking. Or try blitzing a lot of the plays. Just try something. What we've got is not working.
 

BilldGopher said:
I'm not a strong Xs & Os guy so I really appreciate the detailed FB reviews that folks put forward.

Can someone tell me if we're attempting more of a one-gap defensive scheme or two-gap system against the run? Just looking for a high level, general defensive philosophy answer. I'm also assuming what we're doing now is different than the previous regime.

I remember during Coach Kill's early years the mantra was "needing to simplify things for the players." I don't think I've heard this expressly from Coach Fleck but certainly could have missed it (even multiple times). That too was painful but of course eventually yielded great results.

Not looking for a treatise. I can google a more detailed explanation (especially from the pro-FB sites). I'm using this as a learning opportunity in hopes of a W this Friday night. Thanks in advance.
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It's a 2 GAP scheme but sometimes they play combination of 1 and 2. D-ends are small and light though so linebackers play tight to the line to take up blocks to funnel certain plays to free safety or CB. To me the biggest problem is linebackers do not maintain gaps or proper position to scrape. I think Martin and Barber are getting a bit worn down. Seems like getting out of position because of past mistakes, worried about others is causing problems. Other side seems to have figured out when Cashman is blitzing, recognize what we are doing. Linebackers keep getting caught up in the wash not attacking there blocks. Tackles and ends need to do better job of occupying blocks up front keeping things in front of them to free up the backers. Obviously, The QB and Running backs we have faced the last two weeks are good players. Winfield had recovery speed and instincts others do not. Until we get bigger and longer up front things will continue to be a struggle. They are too young except at tackle.

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I guess my view of coaching goes like this: put your players in a situation where they have the highest chance of success and the lowest chance of failure.

if you have a player who just can't do "x" technique on defense, then don't ask him to play that technique. or, don't play him. play someone else.

now, the rules say you have to have 11 players on the field - so I suppose in some situations, it's possible that a coach may be forced to play someone who is simply incapable of executing the system.

but, as I said, put players in a position where they have the best chance of success. you have to try something. even if that means altering schemes and game plans.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
One coach says too much and the next doesn't say enough. He seems pretty transparent is you trust the process. If you have no patience and are skeptical of people then I see what you are saying.
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Basically trust people and I think 30 plus years as season ticket holder, I am over patient.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
if you have a player who just can't do "x" technique on defense, then don't ask him to play that technique. or, don't play him. play someone else.
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What if our worst tackling corner is our best coverage corner? For example.

Just the kind of headaches I feel like this staff has to deal with this season.
 

Gophers_4life said:
What if our worst tackling corner is our best coverage corner? For example.

Just the kind of headaches I feel like this staff has to deal with this season.
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If the case is that our guys are better at covering than tackling, then we need to sell out on run defense and live and die by the pass.

I believe the defense is a couple years behind the offense at this point in talent and recruiting. It's hard to accept based on what we had with the previous staff. How can such a drastic change happen in two short years?

It is disheartening to see bad tackling and angles by DB's when it was a strength just two years ago.

This plays into why Fleck states that the future is bright and he is excited everyday for the rebuild.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
If the case is that our guys are better at covering than tackling, then we need to sell out on run defense and live and die by the pass.

I believe the defense is a couple years behind the offense at this point in talent and recruiting. It's hard to accept based on what we had with the previous staff. How can such a drastic change happen in two short years?

It is disheartening to see bad tackling and angles by DB's when it was a strength just two years ago.

This plays into why Fleck states that the future is bright and he is excited everyday for the rebuild.
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In 2016 the D starters for the Washington St bowl game were:
Richardson, Ekpe, Ekpe - Celestin, Cashman, Lynn - Durr, Myrick, McGhee, Travis, Ayinde

In 2018 the D starters for the Nebraska game were:
Moore, Silver, Coughlin, DeLattiboudere - Martin, Cashman, Barber - Durr, T Smith, Jacob Huff, Shenault
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Agree 100%. Force teams to pass as it is the best way to potentially get turnovers and for teams to screw up.
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This should be and probably is every coaches gameplan in college football. Most quarterbacks and receivers aren't polished enough to really, really hurt teams by the pass. Stop the run, you've done 70% of what it takes to be a successful defense.
 

Go Gophs said:
This should be and probably is every coaches gameplan in college football. Most quarterbacks and receivers aren't polished enough to really, really hurt teams by the pass. Stop the run, you've done 70% of what it takes to be a successful defense.
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This sounds good ....

so what then when the offense lines up with 4 WR in a bunch formation, and all the WR crack down inside and the ball is given to the RB who sprints hard outside, thus forcing a one-one-one between the RB and the CB? And the CB can't tackle to save his life?

what then ... ?


So you put a bunch of sure tacklers out there. OK, then they line up in that formation ... and do play-action pass, for an easy TD.


There are no easy answers. If there were such a thing, we would've done that.
 

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