GP1 Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Before the board goes stupid with complaining about halftime adjustments, let's put those ideas to bed and focus on the real problem which is the defensive scheme we play. There were adjustments, you guys just didn't pick up on them. Please don't see this as bashing the defensive players...they are in a no win situation.I've been complaining about this defense for three years now. It's junk and it gives up too many yards to teams that play against it. We don't have the type of offense WVU does that can match teams score for score and still play a bad defense. The two biggest problems are: Reason 1: It operates on extremes. Why? Reason 2: The players are too small.An old rule is to blitz early and if it works, keep blitzing. When we blitz, we have to send a ton of guys because three linemen and one undersized LB are not going to apply enough pressure so we end up sending an extreme amount, six. This creates one-on-one match-ups that IU exploited. Small players getting exploited because they have to function in the extreme...see the trend? If blitzing doesn't work, then you have to try to cover. Keep following, it gets better. Our run blitz worked well early until they play action passed it to death. On passing downs early, we blitzed and were burned by either the feet of the QB or poor open field tackling after a completion to a "hot" receiver. To say we didn't adjust out of this at halftime is just wrong. Akron couldn't continue to do what they were doing and they didn't. The second half, we rushed three (again, an extremely small amount), because three is the number of linemen we have, and mostly tried to cover. We covered OK, but the lack of linemen up front allowed the IU QB to run like crazy. As good as Robinson is at holding the line on running plays, he is equally as poor as a pass rusher. Time after time he was out of his lane opening up the middle for the QB to waltz through. We have to have much more discipline rushing the passer next week.It's not the adjustments, its the defense we use. Changing a completely unproductive QB was easy for JD to do. Changing an entire defensive scheme is something that can not be done mid season. If we are going to play this junk defense, the players have to tackle better when they blitz and we have to play almost perfect. We were in perfect position at times and poor execution hurt us. Akron just doesn't have a killer instinct. When we were up 17-10, we let them march right down the field and score. I knew at that point we couldn't win.I will say this though. I feel good about our chances next week at home. Benching that empty set (math reference { })Jacquemain was exactly the spark the team needed. You could see it in the way they played. There is zero "up side" to Jacquemain and he should not see the field again unless Jackson gets hurt. This reminds me of when JD benched an unproductive running back his first year and put in Biggs. The team took off from there. Can't State was not all that great against a D. State team regardless of what the score looked like.GO ZIPS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Very interesting analysis. Rushing and containing the QB in the pocket appears to be the weakness of this defensive scheme. Bring extra LBs or DBs to help with the rush, and the middle of the field opens up. Rush only 3 guys, and the QB has too much time. Not sure what the solution is here. But whatever it is, as GP1 says, you can't change a defensive scheme overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckzip Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 This scheme sucks. However, Akron isn't able to get enough talented big bodies to field a 4-3. So they figure the best way to get a little more speed onteh field is this crap.This team hasn't improved much under JD. I am really starting to wonder about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UAZipster0305 Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Let's not all be so negative here. We're now competing into the second half against Big Ten teams. We played OSU very respectably and had a shot at winning today. With continued improvement and the stadium on the drawing board, we will win these games in the future. This year, we'll be in contention for the MAC East and MACC, which is the goal to start every season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZippyRulz Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Bring extra LBs or DBs to help with the rush, and the middle of the field opens up. The same goes for dedicating someone to "spy" the QB, which a lot of people seem to think is the answer...it opens up other vulnerabilities. We need to recruit mo better DL's who can rush, contain and chase down a mobile QB. My contention is the new stadium will allow us to do that, starting this fall and I think the 3-3-5 will be scrapped in 08 or 09. I don't think this is a bad Indiana team either with the weapons they have. Hoeppner had them headed in the right direction and with the B10 looking a bit down they should make some noise. And don't forget that we showed signs of life on offense and now the other MAC teams will have to deal with our mobile QB, assuming we stick with CJ. It will be Doug Martin's stomach doing the cartwheels as he watches this game film and Can't may get a taste of their own medicine this Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Buckzip and Zippy Rulz...your points are well taken concerning the Defensive Linemen.That traditionally is one of the hardest areas to recruit for mid-major schools. This explains why so many teams at our level run 3-4 defenses. With John Mackey on the field at the Rover position, we essentially are running a 3-4 most of the time as well.What caused me the most frustration yesterday is that we DID appear to have a "spy" linebacker in the middle of the field watching the QB most of the times he decided to run. The problem was, with that much open field, and one guy there to watch him simply just could not catch him. That QB was just brutally fast. I'm not sure that I want to look at it as anything other than that at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zff Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Did anybody on this thread watch the game???? In the 4th quarter the Zips were only senidng the 3 dl after the qb. Two LB's were dropping back into coverage about 5 - 8 yards off the line of scrimmage. When the Hooiser QB ran out of the pocket the two lb's were right there haeding for him. But because he was 2 to 3 steps quicker than the lb's he ran free. I was waiting to see one of the lb's removed for a faster db who would have a better shot at the qb.Don't think Can't will do the same this week. Thier QB is not that fast.So to make my point it is not the 3-3-5 it is the fact our back 8 are just not fast and quick enough for the top elite players..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Class of 82 Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 The problem, IMO, yesterday was not the defensive scheme. In fact, it looked to me like the scheme worked pretty well... until the best athlete on the field made huge play after huge play, several times on key third and longs.Sometimes, I think you just have to tip your cap to the guy on the other team, and I think this is one of those times. We had no answer for Kellen Lewis. My guess is quite a few teams won't either.Hey, at least we now have a quarterback controversy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZippyRulz Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 In the 4th quarter the Zips were only senidng the 3 dl after the qb. Two LB's were dropping back into coverage about 5 - 8 yards off the line of scrimmage. When the Hooiser QB ran out of the pocket the two lb's were right there haeding for him.There you have it. The Zips coaches do make adjustments. We just have to work with the material we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted September 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Did anybody on this thread watch the game???? In the 4th quarter the Zips were only senidng the 3 dl after the qb. Two LB's were dropping back into coverage about 5 - 8 yards off the line of scrimmage. When the Hooiser QB ran out of the pocket the two lb's were right there haeding for him. But because he was 2 to 3 steps quicker than the lb's he ran free. I was. See paragraph 4 of my original post. We are basically saying the same thing.I'm not one bit shaking in my shoes about Can't next week. They don't have nearly the players IU does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted September 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 This scheme sucks. However, Akron isn't able to get enough talented big bodies to field a 4-3. So they figure the best way to get a little more speed onteh field is this crap.This team hasn't improved much under JD. I am really starting to wonder about him. They don't need a 4-3, they need a 3-4. Mackey is not big enough to play a position that needs a medium sized player.To say that Akron has not improved under JD is just silly. As a team, there is more talent on the field than ever before. We are actually competing well against Big Ten schools.JD has shown a willingness to change when he changed QBs this week. A lot of coaches would rather be right than win and he showed yesterday he does not think like that. He needs to give this defense the same hard look at the end of the year. Don't just throw in the towel and say we can't recruit D-Linemen. We can. OU has, why can't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipsrifle Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Though I did not see the IU game yesterday, from what I've seen and read through the first 3 games, CJ gets my vote for QB. As for the D, a lot of very good, informative points brought up, thank you. I have to think that we run the 3-3-5 to best take advantage of the players we have. We don't have a lot of depth at DL, so we are putting the best D on the field we can.I hope everyone is right about Can't not being that good, but they have taken us by suprise in the past, and I am pleasantly suprised at this point to think we've got a chance to win the MAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 GP1...I don't think Akron gives up on recruiting good defensive lineman. Historically, it's just one of those positions where few big-time recruits slip down to the mid-major schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74ZIP Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 GP1...right on...i commented after watching the Army game that JD was off when he annointed Jacquemain...with a shaky O-line he needed some athleticism behind them to bail them out...Jacquemain is a 'statue'...on the D side unfortunately the ZIPS strength is against the pass,not the run...beat the ZIPS by running right at them and a semi-mobile QB...Mackey seems to be a great kid but he is a 'tweener'...not big enough...not fast enough...Edelman beat the ZIPS single handedly last year...they have a good secondary...JD made the mistake last year of getting pass happy against can't...you better run right at them and score some points to have a chance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RACER Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 i do give jd a good job on change of qb.this is not a knock on jake.with the offensive line very young cj give us the best chance.cj arm looked decent also and looked great as a runner.if anyone if to blame is the athletic department. akron needs to stop scheduling games where you chances of winning our not good.beating a big ten team on the road is not easy.i dont want to here about bg beating min.thats one game out of how many this year.if a team is not going to give us a return game then don't schedule them.two road games in a row against big teams is insane.plus we got almost nothing for osu compared to other schools like ysu.i know the games are scheduled years in advance;so start making the zips a decent schedule.i seriously doubt if indiana will make a return trip ,and osu wil never play at a mac venue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74ZIP Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 RACER...see my post about the AD pimping the team for $$$$$$$$....and the new stadium is at least 2 years away...lets everyone get off this wait until 2009 crap...just ask the Browns if a new stadium guarantees wins.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 ...just ask the Browns if a new stadium guarantees wins.... NOTHING guarantees wins. Just ask ND and Michigan (well, one of them hadda win this week, but NEway).Perception and destiny are fickle things. Karma is unquantifiable. What matters is mass inertia. A new stadium builds mass. Inertia is what we have to work on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RACER Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 name me one team in the big ten sec acc that plays four home games.there is none,and will never be.if that was the case all teams would schedule all the games away.it's unfair to the players,and coaches to go on the road for all the non conference games.quit playing teams that will not give you a return trip.the new stadium will not be done for at least two years.thats the best case senario.i realize you need $ to run team but if you don't win you will never build a home fan base either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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