DB Shaun Wade (1st Team All American, New England Patriots)

[pnuts34]

Same. I thought he struggled tonight even though I'm not saying he's bad or anything. He's got to just bat those balls down. He was there just has to make a play.

I dont like how pressed we are playing. I think last year with a small 5 yard cushion is best for our corners

I wanted to be frustrated watching him get abused by Dotson,but I remembered that:
1. This is our 2nd game of the season, and we haven’t had any tune up games to get the defensive backfield used to playin with one another. 2nd games of the season are usually against Toledo, Miami(Oh), BG, etc, and our 2nd game was against the best team that we’ll face all year, with the best WR, who made 2 of the best catches of the year.
2. Wade is adjusting to playing on the outside as opposed to the slot, and being tasked with shutting down the opposing teams top WR

I think he and the DBs in general will be fine over the rest of the season, learning to play together.

 

[kujirakira]

The entire secondary's demeanor changed after Brown got carted off.
A lot of cushion and not making sharp cuts on that part of the field.
Suspect part of it was scheme too, bend / break up by several scores and time running out. Just keep everything in front. I hate prevent, but can't blame it on the players.

For now I'm gonna chalk this one up to PSU voodoo.

 

[mendensa]

I wanted to be frustrated watching him get abused by Dotson,but I remembered that:
1. This is our 2nd game of the season, and we haven’t had any tune up games to get the defensive backfield used to playin with one another. 2nd games of the season are usually against Toledo, Miami(Oh), BG, etc, and our 2nd game was against the best team that we’ll face all year, with the best WR, who made 2 of the best catches of the year.
2. Wade is adjusting to playing on the outside as opposed to the slot, and being tasked with shutting down the opposing teams top WR

I think he and the DBs in general will be fine over the rest of the season, learning to play together.

I wish I shared your optimism about the DB's. Don't mean to sound like negative Nancy after a tough road win, but I've seen enough in two games from 2 pretty inept passing offensives with not a lot of elite talent on the outsides to recognize some drop-off in our back end.

With Cam's injury status unknown (?), Banks seemed lost most of the evening, Wade's lack of physicality, poor inside leverage, sloppy technique, massive cushions the entire night and his unwillingness to stick his nose in there; trailing on just about every slant pattern run...... a lot there to clean up if they plan to compete with Clemson or Bama in the CFP from 2 guys I think most felt pretty good about coming into the season.

Dotson played well and made a couple of great catches but would have been tougher had Wade actually challenged for the ball. I have concerns about Banks' top end speed too. Not sure what he runs, but looked thick and slow coming out of the pile with the scoop and score last weekend and I left feeling the same watching him run with WR's last night.

I guess I need to watch the game again but probably will end up feeling the same way after I do. It's not about the B1G, it's about having the horses to win it all. Not sure the back 7 is solid enough in the passing game to win a natty.

On a positive note, I was super impressed with the d-line, the pressure they got on Clifford with the help of the LB's, and the LB's coverage in the 1st half. They got Borland isolated in coverage (he was great in the run game) a handful of times in the 2nd half that netted some nice gains that teams are going to continue exploiting going forward as long as he's out there.

 

[jwinslow]

Same. I thought he struggled tonight even though I'm not saying he's bad or anything. He's got to just bat those balls down. He was there just has to make a play.

He broke up the first one, Dotson just made a great play. He got muscled out for the second one. Remember when similarly slim Ward got worked by IU early in his debut on the outside? I also remember a lot of questions about Roby's effort/focus in 2013 (Wisconsin?). Those two turned out okay (I realize you're not making the latter argument, I'm just using it as a flashback springboard)

There were certainly flaws in Wade's performance, and I agree that a more conservative scheme might help. It's helpful that they have a great challenge in practice, because this season is not going to prepare them for Alabama (though to be fair, few could).

 

[GovTressel]

I said since his redshirt fresh year he’s an NFL FS....huge physicality, range, plays well in space, but has never showed great m2m coverage.

 

[JohnnyCockfight]

I wanted to be frustrated watching him get abused by Dotson,but I remembered that:
1. This is our 2nd game of the season, and we haven’t had any tune up games to get the defensive backfield used to playin with one another. 2nd games of the season are usually against Toledo, Miami(Oh), BG, etc, and our 2nd game was against the best team that we’ll face all year, with the best WR, who made 2 of the best catches of the year.
2. Wade is adjusting to playing on the outside as opposed to the slot, and being tasked with shutting down the opposing teams top WR

I think he and the DBs in general will be fine over the rest of the season, learning to play together.

Our Dline also stopped getting pressure towards the end of the game. The changing momentum of line domination seemed to correlate with PSU's passing game getting better that part of the game.

 

[pnuts34]

I wish I shared your optimism about the DB's. Don't mean to sound like negative Nancy after a tough road win, but I've seen enough in two games from 2 pretty inept passing offensives with not a lot of elite talent on the outsides to recognize some drop-off in our back end.

With Cam's injury status unknown (?), Banks seemed lost most of the evening, Wade's lack of physicality, poor inside leverage, sloppy technique, massive cushions the entire night and his unwillingness to stick his nose in there; trailing on just about every slant pattern run...... a lot there to clean up if they plan to compete with Clemson or Bama in the CFP from 2 guys I think most felt pretty good about coming into the season.

Dotson played well and made a couple of great catches but would have been tougher had Wade actually challenged for the ball. I have concerns about Banks' top end speed too. Not sure what he runs, but looked thick and slow coming out of the pile with the scoop and score last weekend and I left feeling the same watching him run with WR's last night.

I guess I need to watch the game again but probably will end up feeling the same way after I do. It's not about the B1G, it's about having the horses to win it all. Not sure the back 7 is solid enough in the passing game to win a natty.

On a positive note, I was super impressed with the d-line, the pressure they got on Clifford with the help of the LB's, and the LB's coverage in the 1st half. They got Borland isolated in coverage (he was great in the run game) a handful of times in the 2nd half that netted some nice gains that teams are going to continue exploiting going forward as long as he's out there.

I haven't been impressed with any of the DBs of the top 3 teams tbh. Bama allowed to 2 WRs from Ole Miss to go over 140+yds (and 1 had 181yds) , and they're QB to have only 7 incompletions. And Ole Miss isn't even ranked. This was game 2 for the Bucks against theyre arguably hardest opponent. Clemson has played no one of any significance and still almost lost to BC. This will be a crazy season with only in conference games, but I just think that the team will gel by IU. Feel free to call me out if indiana or Maryland have 300+yds passing on us. I dont see any elite defenses this year. And I could see Clemson having issues in the CFP as well after playing no one but ND on their schedule. And even they're a suspect team

 

[Wells4Heisman]

The season is young, he'll get it together

 

[Taosman]

Wade and Dotson were having a physical battle. Dotson pushed Wade out of the play.
The defenses are behind the offenses right now but things should even out over time. Wade will get "coached up". Banks also.

 

[pnuts34]

Wade and Dotson were having a physical battle. Dotson pushed Wade out of the play.
The defenses are behind the offenses right now but things should even out over time. Wade will get "coached up". Banks also.

Defenses are almost always behind the offense, same issue in the NFL. I know that I'd be behind the coaching of Coombs, Mattison, LJsr, etc over most jn the country

 

[sflbuck]

I think all the press coverage last night was because of scheme. The defensive game plan was load the box, stop the run (including the QB run) and take your chances on PSU being able to beat you with the pass. and it worked. Except for the 1st drive, Penn State had no offense in the 1st half. They made an adjustment at half-time and scored on their 1st drive using short crossing patterns. OSU adjusted and took those away. PSU went cold again until Dotson made his 2 great plays.

 

[dragurd]

I think all the press coverage last night was because of scheme. The defensive game plan was load the box, stop the run (including the QB run) and take your chances on PSU being able to beat you with the pass. and it worked. Except for the 1st drive, Penn State had no offense in the 1st half. They made an adjustment at half-time and scored on their 1st drive using short crossing patterns. OSU adjusted and took those away. PSU went cold again until Dotson made his 2 great plays.

We didn't play much press man at least not in the 2nd half to my eyes. The corners were regularly 10 yards off the ball

 

[DaBuckeyes]

A couple things.

1. We had a 2 or 3 score lead at all points in the 4th quarter and therefore the DBs were giving a large cushion. Nearly all teams do this.
2. Outside corner is one of the toughest positions to avoid mistakes and when you do there's no hiding it. Nearly every one of our 1st round corners had games early their careers where it looked like they were absolutely lost. Roby vs Wisconsin/Aberderis. Ward vs Indiana/Cobbs. Okudah vs USC. Arnette vs everyone his first 3 years. Conley, Apple etc...

Wade will be fine.

 

[mendensa]

We didn't play much press man at least not in the 2nd half to my eyes. The corners were regularly 10 yards off the ball

After watching it again, they were in press much of the 1st 3 quarters. Just like they shut down the playbook on offense, they went pretty vanilla on defense in the 4th quarter too, probably bc they had some new faces in there and didn't want assignment mistakes.

Game was in-hand and they backed off giving WR's big cushions, ensuring that they wouldn't give up the big plays. It took away the aggressiveness, the pass rush was less effective getting to Clifford in the 4th, and it played a big part in PSU having some success moving the ball on their final few drives.

 

[dragurd]

After watching it again, they were in press much of the 1st 3 quarters. Just like they shut down the playbook on offense, they went pretty vanilla on defense in the 4th quarter too, probably bc they had some new faces in there and didn't want assignment mistakes.

Game was in-hand and they backed off giving WR's big cushions, ensuring that they wouldn't give up the big plays. It took away the aggressiveness, the pass rush was less effective getting to Clifford in the 4th, and it played a big part in PSU having some success moving the ball on their final few drives.

We were also playing off the first drive of the 2nd half when Seyvn got slanted to death.