Kudos to Harasymisk and this defense!

[Morrischiano]

We need to talk about our DC and our defensive players.

Harasymiak showed some incremental improvement last year but this year our D is really coming together. Rarely out of position, few blown coverages, and a D that makes the other team work hard to score. I don’t know if we’ve given up a scoring play of greater than 20 yards this year.

The biggest thing, though, is how well this team tackles. No arm tackle attempts but solid form tackles and hard hits, with guys swarming to the ball. I think this is our best tackling team since we joined the Big. It’s actually a joy to watch.

 

[ScarletKid2008]

Just gotta clean up the missed assignments and losing the edge on QBs ! mSU watched the tape of the Mich and Wisc game and dialed it up a few times. Once for an easy TD

 

[rucoe89]

Just gotta clean up the missed assignments and losing the edge on QBs ! mSU watched the tape of the Mich and Wisc game and dialed it up a few times. Once for an easy TD

Agree on maintaining edges. Need to get Max M to up his game a bit more. Turnovers are good. Next level will be to add some scoring TOs.

 

[Miggins]

Have we let up a long touchdown all year?

 

[Scarlet16E]

Red Zone Defense is legit.

 

[gef21]

The defense is good and 1-2 players away from being elite.

 

[Kbee3]

The Peterson kid from Union City in the 2023 class and Sanders from Bergen Catholic and the 2024 class ?

 

[RU848789]

We need to talk about our DC and our defensive players.

Harasymiak showed some incremental improvement last year but this year our D is really coming together. Rarely out of position, few blown coverages, and a D that makes the other team work hard to score. I don’t know if we’ve given up a scoring play of greater than 20 yards this year.

The biggest thing, though, is how well this team tackles. No arm tackle attempts but solid form tackles and hard hits, with guys swarming to the ball. I think this is our best tackling team since we joined the Big. It’s actually a joy to watch.

There was recently a thread by @Knight Shift which included a link to a source showing RU having the least missed tackles in CFB. We really do tackle well. One of my favorites was last week, when there was a long out pass completed to the MSU WR and Melton slipped, but still was able to grab the WR's ankle on his way down and hold him up and eventually make the tackle - otherwise it would've been a big gainer.

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/t...kle-rate-teams-rutgers-1.266760/#post-6475828

 

[RUBOB72]

We need to talk about our DC and our defensive players.

Harasymiak showed some incremental improvement last year but this year our D is really coming together. Rarely out of position, few blown coverages, and a D that makes the other team work hard to score. I don’t know if we’ve given up a scoring play of greater than 20 yards this year.

The biggest thing, though, is how well this team tackles. No arm tackle attempts but solid form tackles and hard hits, with guys swarming to the ball. I think this is our best tackling team since we joined the Big. It’s actually a joy to watch.

Well said and let’s continue playing tough hard nosed D. As Matt Millen said , “ Rutgers D line gets lower pad level than the O lines they face .”

 

[LeapinLou]

From my view, these guys are all playing at a really high level. In no particular order:

- Bailey
- Lewis
- Dixon
- Longerbeam
- Igbinosun
- Powell

That's 6 out of 11 positions that are "All Big 10" caliber. Powell and Dixon are off the charts.

 

[RUBlackout7]

From my view, these guys are all playing at a really high level. In no particular order:

- Bailey
- Lewis
- Dixon
- Longerbeam
- Igbinosun
- Powell

That's 6 out of 11 positions that are "All Big 10" caliber. Powell and Dixon are off the charts.

All of these players have NFL talent. When’s the last time we could have said that?

 

[LeapinLou]

All of these players have NFL talent. When’s the last time we could have said that?

In 2006, 9 out of 11 starters on offense ended up playing professional football. And the two that didn't were really good college players. A bunch of the defenders as well. That starting lineup was absolutely stacked. It was no accident why we got ranked as high as 7th in the country.

 

[RUBOB72]

All of these players have NFL talent. When’s the last time we could have said that?

In year 1 of Schiano part 1 … on his radio show when asked what he needed to compete with the best? Answer when we have 7-8 NFL type players in each class then we will compete. By 2005 we had that .Where we still fell short is all the brick n mortar , bells and whistles. In 2006 we did have a “ trap” game of which I admit. Cincinnati under Dantonio was well schemed out.That and tackling our receivers as they went to catch the ball. Will we ne t year or two have 40 NFL types on the roster? Not there YET…

 

[jordkap]

Have we let up a long touchdown all year?

Va Tech scored one from 39 yards out, nothing else close. Though 2 very long pick 6s.

 

[LeapinLou]

From my view, these guys are all playing at a really high level. In no particular order:

- Bailey
- Lewis
- Dixon
- Longerbeam
- Igbinosun
- Powell

That's 6 out of 11 positions that are "All Big 10" caliber. Powell and Dixon are off the charts.

NJ.com put out an article late yesterday about the defense. They mention that Jennings and Toure, who I didn't even mention, are among the leading tacklers. So that's 8 out of 11 guys that are just killing it. Ironically, if you would have asked some people who is the best returning starter, they would have said Max Melton.

 

[NickRU714]

I think people are overly critical of the defense in general.

Every team scores points.
It seems some still have this expectation that we should only be giving up 6 points a game. That's just not reasonable.

If we lose a game 24-14 that isn't the defenses fault.

 

[ScarletDave]

The tackling has been the #1 miss impressive thing… just unreal open field one on one tackling this year.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

I think people are overly critical of the defense in general.

Every team scores points.
It seems some still have this expectation that we should only be giving up 6 points a game. That's just not reasonable.

If we lose a game 24-14 that isn't the defenses fault.

Normally I’d agree with you, but in this case, we’re playing a team that hasn’t put up more than 17 regulation points against anyone other than winless FCS, Indiana State. So yes, giving up 24 would be a disappointing outing.

I get that two of their games were against OSU and Michigan, but there is enough other games worth of data to consider. One of them was against Akron, one of the worst FBS teams in college football. Another game was against UofL (not exactly a defensive super power - gave up 38 to Pitt, 34 to G-Tech and 28 to BC).

 

[yesrutgers01]

I also think Melton is having a much better year then we give him credit for. He has been put on an island all year which is allowing other players like the safeties to really play well. And don't underestimate out interior DL, Iton and Hamliton seem to be in on every play- and Toure may be the guy that will get a ton of notice from scouts. I don't believe we are weak anywhere on our defense

 

[Knight Shift]

“I don’t think we’ve played that highest level that we can play at yet,” defensive end Aaron Lewis said. “We’ve had good games where we’ve put some stuff together, we’ve put our techniques together. But I feel like there’s that one notch that we can go to still. And I know that we’re going to reach it before the season’s done.”

“I feel like we’re in a good space, I feel like we can improve and we will continue to improve as the season continues to go,” linebacker Mohamed Toure said. “We’re just doing what we do. The Dark Side, that’s our identity. We just go out there and play violent, physical and fast every weekend.”

Rutgers football's defense is playing at elite level. Could it get even better?

Rutgers football's defense ranks among the best in the nation in multiple categories. The players believe there's still improvements to make.

www.app.com

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Agree on maintaining edges. Need to get Max M to up his game a bit more. Turnovers are good. Next level will be to add some scoring TOs.

I am wondering if they changed MM's technique and assignments this year. The D is doing well.. but maybe the cost of that is this drop in MM's effectiveness. That is, maybe MM taking more risks in coverage mostly works.. helps the D overall, but results in his guy occasionally catching balls he could have stopped last year.

I do not know enough to say if they pushed him out of his comfort zone but given that players generally improve year to year, barring injury, this perceived drop in effectiveness could due to something unseen and not just an inexplicable loss of talent.

 

[rucoe89]

I am wondering if they changed MM's technique and assignments this year. The D is doing well.. but maybe the cost of that is this drop in MM's effectiveness. That is, maybe MM taking more risks in coverage mostly works.. helps the D overall, but results in his guy occasionally catching balls he could have stopped last year.

I do not know enough to say if they pushed him out of his comfort zone but given that players generally improve year to year, barring injury, this perceived drop in effectiveness could due to something unseen and not just an inexplicable loss of talent.

Possibly. Seems like he is taking many risks, but not sure if that may be reason receivers are getting behind/ahead of him.

Separate question --- are our DBs taught not to look back but rather go for the ball with the receiver once it comes down? Seems to be two different techniques taught about how to play the ball for 1:1 coverage, but I am not an expert to know for sure.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Possibly. Seems like he is taking many risks, but not sure if that may be reason receivers are getting behind/ahead of him.

Separate question --- are our DBs taught not to look back but rather go for the ball with the receiver once it comes down? Seems to be two different techniques taught about how to play the ball for 1:1 coverage, but I am not an expert to know for sure.

They are taught to not look back. That's a GS thing from.. forever. I was torn over it early on in GS 1.0.. seeing so many INT opportunities fall harmlessly to the ground... but I think it works... mostly. Especially against GREAT QBs who can look off DBs. If you are only watching the WR hips and hands and eyes no QB can fool you... no play-fake can fool you. Only the WR can fool you.. and the hips don't lie.

I think I read here that killer pick-6 TD guy said a few things including that he laid back to entice the QB to throw there so he could jump on it. Now.. that's something you can only do spying the QB... who might fool you. But I think what we do is stay close to the receiver convincing the QB that everyone looks covered.. when in man coverage. That's the first level of defense.. stay close enough that the QB will not throw it there. "Eye discipline" for the CBs probably means get on the WRs hip and stay there... don't lose him while looking elsewhere.