We played a 4-2-5 (nickel) defense. That defense was originally designed as a situational package, used as a deep pass "prevent", but has become more popular as a base defense with the rise of the multiple WR receiver spread offenses.
The problem here is that, without modification (moving players, usually safeties, into the box), it is not well suited to a good running offense.
The initial scheme vs FAU was just wrong, and there was little adjustment.
That is on the coaches.
Let's start with the DLine.
Big strong and fast. Great at pass rushing and stopping the inside run.
However, Saturday vs FAU showed them to be less effective on runs outside the tackles, missing gap coverage and often over pursuing.
Both of those issues are about practice and repetitions which after a time create the discipline for the players to react properly to a given situation.
That is on the coaches
Once the running back has gotten past the line of scrimmage, in our scheme, there was usually a lone LB left to stop the play for short yards. Our LBs are athletic but young and inexperienced. Often they, like the DL, over pursued,
and like the DL had to try and stretch back and get the ball carrier. The only way possible at that point to make the tackle is off balance with just the arms.
That is partially on the LBs, but the linebacker position, of all defensive positions, requires experience, and we don't yet have that. In any event, very few LBs can win a one-on-one with a stud RB in the open filed.
That the LB was consistently put in that positions is again the scheme,
and on the coaches.
Once the RB is past the LB, he then has to get through a safety. Once again, a stud running back will win the one-one-one almost every time, as an off balance safety is juked into committing and then has an off balance arm tackle as his only option.
Again the scheme was a major factor, and that is
on the coaches.
Additionally, the LB and DL pursuit by our defense left the middle wide open, allowing for Driskel to run, virtually untouched. No adjustment was made the entire game. Indeed based non his history from last season, and the FAU running scheme in general, that should have been addressed during the bye.
That is on the coaches.
We have a good pass defense and a good inside rush defense. However, we looked completely lost vs a running attack that went outside the tackles. We had a bye week to prepare for that, FAU's scheme was well known even to the fans, and we came out in our base nickel pass defense, and stayed with it w/o adjustment.
That is all on the coaches