[NU Sports] 3rd and 13

[Jonathan Hodges]

Hank did try to send the house a few times during the game and got burned a
couple of those times.  The fact is that NU was missing two critical
aspects to a good defense: cover corners and defensive linemen who can put
pressure without sending the blitz.  In 2008 he had those (McManis/Mabin &
Wootton), and the result was the best NU defense since 1996.   Since then,
those have been lacking and we've seen the results.  Plus, losing the best
CB (Mabin) and a big DT (Mafuli) added fuel to the fire.

As I wrote over at HTP <http://hailtopurple.com/jhodges/comment11l23.html>,
NU should make three staff changes this offseason: a new OL coach, a new DB
coach, and a sports psychologist/consultant.  They could certainly use more
playmakers on defense (in the aforementioned positions specifically), but
some improvement in the coaching of those positions would help the guys
that are there, who have most definitely underperformed this year (and
recent seasons as well).

In any case, I give credit to Fitz and the seniors for their comeback
attempt to make this one entertaining.  I'm as frustrated as anyone about
the continuation of the drought, but eventually NU will get a more
favorable bowl matchup to get that win (which will be even more
satisfying).  Note that NU has been an underdog in all 9 of its recent bowl
games (all Ls), by an average of 8.5 points.  The 'Cats have played many of
those games much closer than that.  I'll continue to support Fitz and the
'Cats and am proud of the way NU runs its program.


Go 'Cats!!!
Jonathan

--
Jonathan Hodges
Contributor, HailToPurple
Web: http://www.hailtopurple.com/jhodges/
Twitter: @hailtopurple
Email: j-hodges at alumni.northwestern.edu



On Sat, Dec 31, 2011 at 6:08 PM, <bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> To my mind this 4th-quarter situation  was the game's key play, and Hank
> didn't blitz and the receiver was wide open anyway.
>
> Modern football is about pressuring the QB. If you don't, you can't be
> five yards from the receivers.  One or the other -- and Hank's defense does
> neither.
>
> I would have sent the house. How could it have been worse? Maybe there'd
> have been a bad pass or a sack and if we get the ball back there we force
> OT at the least.
>
> Sigh.
>
> Brad Wilson
> Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
> _______________________________________________
> nwu-sports site list
> nwu-sports at tssi.com
> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
>