[NU Sports] Cat Season Report Card (fwd)

[Roy Lamberton]

IMHO, the defense has improved under Colby, but your concern about recruiting
defenders is well taken.

If you go back and think about it over the years, NU usually has 2 of 4 decent
Dbacks - they tend to be seniors and every year they have to reinvent the
secondary. This year we had to do it twice, once when Battle beat Dious, and
then again when Battle had his academic issues surface. Next year we see the
return of a former starter to replace the seniors.

The loss of Backes, and Heinz put a big hole in a secondary that was expected to
be half decent this year. No coach can predict injuries.

I also don't think we all realized what Colby Clark and Luis Castillo actually
meant to the defense last year. Had both been playing close to 100%, the
defensive numbers would have been better. A two armed Luis is a major reason why
the Chargers are playing so well this year.

Greg Colby's strength is that when he can get everyone on the same page, and
healthy, he can put in defensive schemes that keep other teams out of the end
zone. The players still have to execute them, but we seem to adjust after the
half now, something I can remember folks on the chat whining about back when we
couldn't seem to change.

NU needs to start winning a few more battles when it come to getting top
defenders other than linebackers. We obviously need more defensive linemen
[altho a couple of the Frosh who redshirted could flip over there], but next
year, everyone is back except Cofield - leaving other offensive lines without
the need to double team someone. I for one, expect that our D-Line actually
improves over the winter as key players get healthy.

The sales pitch for NU's Defense should be the same one that the offensive
coaches used to get the team we've got now - come to Evanston and help us build
a winer. You'll probably play earlier than later if you're a top d-back or D
Lineman.

rsl



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton - Senior Associate
Computer Applications & Support Associates
and Publisher of Purple Reign, 
The Scout.com Northwestern University Site
(http://www.purplewildcats.com)
AIM Handle: CoachRoy74
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> 
> 
> Here's a direct quote from the NU website about current DC 
> Greg Colby: "Since coming to Northwestern, the Wildcat 
> defense has improved vastly under Colby..."  It has?
> --