Coming into the season, the big concern was our youth on defense. However, we all assumed that our proven commodities of Curvey, Moorehead and Jackson would play solid FB until the rest of the team came along. Unfortunately, despite improving defensive play out of the underclassmen, namely Bowen, Rubin, Banks, Carper (in the Iowa game), and Parker (although he took a step back against Iowa), our Seniors are not showing the play to get this defense to a top 40-50 level.
So far, Curvey and Moorehead have made very few plays and have failed to put pressure on the QB. That is a big reason our pass efficiency defense has fallen from 20th last year to 99th so far this year. So far, every QB has had ample time to sit back and pick apart the secondary. Even though Leaders didn't have many sacks, his harassment and push in the middle of the D-line definitely benefitted the DB's. These two need to be our playmakers on the D-line and if they don't improve in a hurry, we better start blitzing a lot more and trust that our DB's can defend man-up.
That takes me to Jackson, a player that many draft pubs have as a top 5 Sr cornerback. Against Iowa, he definitely did not play like it. Other than his kick return and one tackle on a WR screen in the 1st Quarter, his play was not good and his poor play was a part of two of Iowa's TD drives. On their first TD drive at the end of the 1st half, he sat back on 2nd and 14 against a true freshman (Douglas) and let him get a first down on a WR screen (i.e. Tate not having to throw downfield) without putting up any aggressive effort on the play. If he plays it correctly, at most it is a 5 yard gain and Iowa has a 3rd and 9. Iowa did not convert a third-down in the first half.
On Iowa's first TD in the second half, he bit on a pump fake and allowed Douglas behind him for a 18 yard gain. The worst part of the play was that Carper had a good angle on the flat play that Tate pumped and if Jackson stays in his zone and with Douglas, he probably has an easy pick. Finally, on Moeaki's TD, Jackson had him man-to-man and completely bit on a single jab step and let Moeaki get behind him for the easy TD. Generally, your top DB who is a SR and a projected 1st day draft pick should not get burned so easily by a 2nd team TE. If he jams Moeaki off the line and then runs with him, the play is disrupted and Iowa is forced to kick a FG since it was 3rd and 1 at the time. We need Jackson to take the roll that Hobbs played so well and that Hicks did a good job following up last year. If he can make teams fear throwing to his side, not only will the D steadily improve, but he can guarantee himself some NFL $$$. I look forward to seeing how he does in Texas against better WR's but a much less experienced QB.
So far, Curvey and Moorehead have made very few plays and have failed to put pressure on the QB. That is a big reason our pass efficiency defense has fallen from 20th last year to 99th so far this year. So far, every QB has had ample time to sit back and pick apart the secondary. Even though Leaders didn't have many sacks, his harassment and push in the middle of the D-line definitely benefitted the DB's. These two need to be our playmakers on the D-line and if they don't improve in a hurry, we better start blitzing a lot more and trust that our DB's can defend man-up.
That takes me to Jackson, a player that many draft pubs have as a top 5 Sr cornerback. Against Iowa, he definitely did not play like it. Other than his kick return and one tackle on a WR screen in the 1st Quarter, his play was not good and his poor play was a part of two of Iowa's TD drives. On their first TD drive at the end of the 1st half, he sat back on 2nd and 14 against a true freshman (Douglas) and let him get a first down on a WR screen (i.e. Tate not having to throw downfield) without putting up any aggressive effort on the play. If he plays it correctly, at most it is a 5 yard gain and Iowa has a 3rd and 9. Iowa did not convert a third-down in the first half.
On Iowa's first TD in the second half, he bit on a pump fake and allowed Douglas behind him for a 18 yard gain. The worst part of the play was that Carper had a good angle on the flat play that Tate pumped and if Jackson stays in his zone and with Douglas, he probably has an easy pick. Finally, on Moeaki's TD, Jackson had him man-to-man and completely bit on a single jab step and let Moeaki get behind him for the easy TD. Generally, your top DB who is a SR and a projected 1st day draft pick should not get burned so easily by a 2nd team TE. If he jams Moeaki off the line and then runs with him, the play is disrupted and Iowa is forced to kick a FG since it was 3rd and 1 at the time. We need Jackson to take the roll that Hobbs played so well and that Hicks did a good job following up last year. If he can make teams fear throwing to his side, not only will the D steadily improve, but he can guarantee himself some NFL $$$. I look forward to seeing how he does in Texas against better WR's but a much less experienced QB.
