Strength and Conditioning

[V-Doub]

I rewatched parts of the UNI and Illinois game. What I saw most often was that NU was actually fine up front but the safeties and linebackers were very slow to react. Even remaining stationary for a second as if they weren't sure what to do. The worst example is on the OT run by Illinois where we had two free defenders who never reacted to the ballcarrier until he was past the line of scrimmage and then missed the tackle.
Something tells me they are getting overschemed and are not able to just play.

Definitely looks like they’re thinking too much at times. (Especially on the back end of the defense) Too often it looks that way…

 

[cubsker]

I think our players (on defense) got shaken, to some degree, once they realized their DC was getting owned by that fat slob. They were put in unexpected situations more than they were used to, and when that happens players start thinking too much and not executing/reacting instinctively. All of a sudden your defense looks soft, slow and on its heals. Like they said, they got punched in the mouth, (realized TW wasn’t putting them in the best position to win) and they didn’t/couldn’t respond.

UNI did the same thing to our tackles. I know that was a big boy they had at RB but so is Dowdell and he was stopped in his tracks by Illinois defenders.