Or run a more traditional 4-3 with a true WDE and put one of our back 8 on the bench.
That's the problem I envision coming with the 105 limit. Do you retain a 5th year guy and recruit the young kid? With our results I'd say take youth versus the same old same old and struggling to be bowl eligible
Speaking of Princewell and Lenhardt, are they on a milk carton somewhere?
This is an issue IMO. These dudes were making plays early in their careers… now we don’t see them? How could they have gotten worse?
It’s also a Rhule and White problem if they are not recruiting / developing guys that are better than our current players.
Lenhardt played okay I think when he was in there. Princewill has lost some snaps to other guys.
I know Gifford is the favorite whipping boy right now, and he has not played well this year. But the problems you list certainly aren't unique only to Gifford. I think Cooper may have been a bigger loss than we thought. The front 7 hasn't always impressed me at times either. I don't know if Tony White is quite the savior we all thought he was last year.
Princewill is listed as a linebacker this year. Last year it appeared he was playing the role of a pass rushing specialist. Williams fills that role this year. Princewill I think is competing for snaps with Sherman and MacGhee. Some people want to see more MacGahee. Sherman has been pretty solid from my limited view.
We lost probably our best all around corner to graduation. People underestimate the effect that has had on our back end.
A glaring example of regression under this “developmental” staff.
Just bench him. He is not good.
Another exhibit of the issue with rhule being a “developer” if they are getting worse.
He was a really good player last year so not sure what's going on with him. He is playing very hesitant, especially these last few games. I won't say he sucks, as a lot of things are pinned on Hartzog and Gifford just because they are the favorite whipping boys, but we we actually have much deeper issues on defense. But he has been mediocre at best and it's hard to remember the last time he has made a play.
Oh yeah, I see those 3 all at the Jack position. Another reason to lose the 3-3-5. If we could replace Gifford with another LB we’d be better off. Gifford is not making ANY of those plays.
Gifford is a below-average starter in the Big 10.
At times he makes plays. Some of it is that opposing DCs attack him and Hartzog. Sometimes they get blamed for things that aren’t their mistake. I’m guilty of that. I cussed Gifford for a blown coverage on one play only to learn days later the coverage was to be handed off to a safety who didn’t get there.
I agree, I think he and White do not see eye to eye. But, I think Rhule has let Butler override DCTW.
Losing our best CB and our DB coach has not been a positive. I really haven’t heard Butler’s name this year. I suspect he’s not going to be in Lincoln next fall.
A friend of mine always says that he would rather have players with 5* hearts that play for the name on the front of their jersey and not play for themselves instead of 5* players.
he's playing completely out of position
his inability to make plays against USC's big receivers wasn't an illusion. He's just too damned small at times. He was in the right place in good coverage but he couldn't do his job defending the receiver because of his size. That's not making him a scapegoat. That's a fact. It was a terrible matchup for him.
Mmmmm maybe he’s 5-8 in his long cleats for grass full of mud. He was easily a foot shorter than a couple of SC’s receivers.
I always text a friend during games. I mentioned fairly early in this year’s decline I thought Gifford wasn’t paling well. Taking bad angles and not keeping up with receivers. This discussion confirms I wasn’t wrong. Does he lack speed needed to play the position?
