CSNbbs

I live in Bloomington so I see a lot of the Redbirds since they are the big game in town. If you compare how NIU did against Eastern Illinois with how ISU did against Eastern Illinois you will see NIU gave up 27 points while ISU gave up 7 points, Eastern gained 422 yards on offense against NIU, Eastern got 167 yards of offense against the Redbirds.
Defense cannot always be comparable but it seems this is a weak point for Northern Illinois and why is this so? If I think of what seems to be good defense I see the Oakland Raiders years ago hitting receivers at the line of scrimmage deterring them from running their pass patterns it was called the bump and run, could NIU copy something similar? Dick Butkus not long ago discussing defense said that it seemed to him that coaches no longer taught much the form tackling he remembered from even high school days. And when I think of form tackling I am reminded of the African Savannah[/size] and lions jumping onto the backs of water buffalo critters much larger than themselves and doing it in packs grabbing and pulling them down maybe like Butkus envisioned. Instead NIU defenders seem not capable many times of form tackling but lead with the shoulder hoping to knock off balance a runner causing him to fall which many times is not the case as the runners stay up and continue down the field.
Ball control and possession time is one way by an offense to help out a tired defense keeping them off the field longer for resting up. NIU offense seems to do that somewhat so I say there they are doing what they are capable. When I lived in San Diego I remember back in the 80s the San Diego Chargers could get up by 3 and even 4 touchdowns on an opponent and still lose the game since no lead ever seemed safe, simply outscoring your opponents does not work. These players can only do what they are taught and encouraged to do from their coaches, I say any NIU defense could be better than what we have with better coaching from NIU assistant defensive coaches.
Until coaching changes are made I do not see NIU being good enough on defense to win against teams they could beat but dont. And despite the comparison of how Eastern Illinois did against NIU and how they failed to do against ISU I do not think ISU defense is superior to NIU defense but I do think ISU coaching might be better than NIU coaching on the defensive side.

NIU just got super conservative and only tried to run the ball. We were up 28-6 in the middle of 3rd qtr. Should have kept our pedal on the gas but seemed like we were purposely trying not to embarrass EIU.

Hammock and his staff are horrible closers. Hope they get sharper in that department, ASAP. That and a slighter tighter D and we'll be dangerous again.

It's a combination of the D line not stopping the surge and no one tackling when given the opportunity.

The O line hasn't played well either.

This team will struggle if they don't play better in the trenches.

The offensive line struggles are minor to the issues I see on defense. I feel like they can be fixed with some tweaks and adjustments.

However, I am clearly concerned with the defense. For the first few seasons I gave them passes by way of a new system, and young players. But these guys are recruiting the kids they want and the players are getting more seasoned in the system. Yet, we are still horribly inept in coverage. The scheme looks way off, allowing for so much underneath. But also I will pound the drum on how fundamentally bad our corners look in man coverage (except Gandy).

Enough excuses. We tried the co-defensive coordinator look with a guy who was coaching HS football not long ago. Get these guys out of there and put someone who can scheme a defense and an asst who can coach up a secondary.

Jeff Knowles, we got an edible arrangement for you buddy. We need your services again.

This team is never going to get to the next level we hope for, with a defensive staff like this. They just don't have it in them.

To be honest, the defense made enough plays to win the Tulsa and Vandy games. It was the "high-powered'' offense that crap the bed.

I just don't know how we are worse on defense than last year, or at least no better. Did our defensive players reach their peak last year? This has to be on the coaches.

I am NOT saying this is THE reason but it might be a contributing factor:

(from official website): Illinois native Nick Benedetto ... position coach and defensive coordinator at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and NCAA Division II levels for the past nine years ... joined the Northern Illinois University football staff as co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach in the spring of 2022.

I have said at least half a dozen times ... when you have two DCs in charge, then nobody is in charge. NIU got its second DC last spring. And btw, which defensive assistant coaches are assigned to which DC?

(09-20-2022 02:31 PM)pvk75 Wrote: [ -> ]I am NOT saying this is THE reason but it might be a contributing factor:

(from official website): Illinois native Nick Benedetto ... position coach and defensive coordinator at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and NCAA Division II levels for the past nine years ... joined the Northern Illinois University football staff as co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach in the spring of 2022.

I have said at least half a dozen times ... when you have two DCs in charge, then nobody is in charge. NIU got its second DC last spring. And btw, which defensive assistant coaches are assigned to which DC?

Just throwing this out there and saying this without any
research, but is Bendetto truly co-writing the defensive scheme every week? Or was he given the title of Co-Defensive coordinator just to give him the salary that was needed to get him on the staff?
I know that coaches are given the title of Assistant Head Coach as a means to give them a boost in salary. It does not mean that they hae Head Coach responsibilities.

The reason I say that is you really never see Co-Defensive or Offensive coordinators before because as you have put it, it would not be ideal splitting that responsibility.

A lot of speculation possible, and I agree well-known in staff circles where money is tight. I also didn't go so I watched the CBSSN broadcast, and Benedetto's name was mentioned a couple times when complementing a defensive play. I don't recall hearing Jackson's name at all. I thought that was kind of odd. Isn't Jackson the first DC and Benedetto last spring's add? Fuel for the grist mill.

Pretty sure Benedetto is the lone play caller. Final gameplan may be both of theirs collaboratively with input from rest of the staff.

(09-20-2022 04:28 PM)pvk75 Wrote: [ -> ]A lot of speculation possible, and I agree well-known in staff circles where money is tight. I also didn't go so I watched the CBSSN broadcast, and Benedetto's name was mentioned a couple times when complementing a defensive play. I don't recall hearing Jackson's name at all. I thought that was kind of odd. Isn't Jackson the first DC and Benedetto last spring's add? Fuel for the grist mill.

That is strange. I think the only other head coach to split up Coordinator duties is Belichick. But he is doing it for ego reasons and not necessarily to improve the team.

Interesting stat. In the three games NIU has only caused four "three and out's" (that is with the opponents STARTING a drive and ending with a punt). I believe we had a one and out ending with an interception against EIU.

GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We can't expect the offense to basically take an entire half off every game and expect to win. We've been fortunate to be in position to win but fell short.