Sure hope #34 Mafe has better Gap discipline this Saturday

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gopherdudepart2

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Far to many times last week, he vacated his gap responsibility and didn't do a good job of playing the run. I sure hope he does a much better job of maintaining outside leverage and playing team defense this Saturday. If he keeps containment better, the Safety's and linebackers should be able to clean up and tackle better. That is my hope for Saturday, better gap responsibility by the defensive line, especially #34 he can be a special football player if he does a better job playing the run.
 

I have to say, and I know I'll get beat up on this one, but there are so many people on here that think this guy is an awesome player and will break out this year. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. Frankly, I have not seen anything in the past to show he'll break out.

I'm hoping to see what others do and hopefully it will happen this year. Maybe tomorrow, as I'd really like to have someone on the D become a reliable pass rusher! Without someone to rush the passer, the Purdue game, and perhaps others, could become shootouts and I just don't know if I trust Sanford to get it done in those games.
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
Far to many times last week, he vacated his gap responsibility and didn't do a good job of playing the run. I sure hope he does a much better job of maintaining outside leverage and playing team defense this Saturday. If he keeps containment better, the Safety's and linebackers should be able to clean up and tackle better. That is my hope for Saturday, better gap responsibility by the defensive line, especially #34 he can be a special football player if he does a better job playing the run.
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Are you sure you know what he was supposed to do on those plays?
 

DanvilleGopher said:
I have to say, and I know I'll get beat up on this one, but there are so many people on here that think this guy is an awesome player and will break out this year. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. Frankly, I have not seen anything in the past to show he'll break out.

I'm hoping to see what others do and hopefully it will happen this year. Maybe tomorrow as I'd really like to have someone on the D become a reliable pass rusher! Without someone to rush the passer, the Purdue game, and perhaps others, could become shootouts and I just don't know if I trust Sanford to get it done in those games.
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Your mom has gap discipline
 



The film doesn't lie. This was game one against the gold standard team in the Big Ten. What a way to start the season to shake up all the cobwebs.

There will be plenty of time to study the films and hopefully make the corrections.

There is plenty of time for us to complain.
 

Maybe Mafe is just more of a pass rush guy. In my high school experience at DE they are different mentalities...one's on the front foot going forward for the kill, chasing, pursuing, the other is defending, bracing, withstanding. The opposite of why offensive linemen often love to run block and don't enjoy pass blocking. I loved pass rushing and was strangely good at it and an awful run defender because I don't embrace contact.

Deep teams often make these situational substitutions because different guys are good at different things.
 


DanvilleGopher said:
I have to say, and I know I'll get beat up on this one, but there are so many people on here that think this guy is an awesome player and will break out this year. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. Frankly, I have not seen anything in the past to show he'll break out.

I'm hoping to see what others do and hopefully it will happen this year. Maybe tomorrow, as I'd really like to have someone on the D become a reliable pass rusher! Without someone to rush the passer, the Purdue game, and perhaps others, could become shootouts and I just don't know if I trust Sanford to get it done in those games.
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Maryland will be a long frustrating game, too, if no pass rush. Unless we hold the ball for 50 minutes.
 



UpAndUnder43 said:
Are you sure you know what he was supposed to do on those plays?
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Exactly what I was going to say. DE's don't always have contain responsibilities. If OP has some film (or even a description) of plays where Mafe was clearly out of position I'd be curious. I've seen a LOT of people blaming Mafe for that long TD run early, but it looked to me like a LB was supposed to contain that, but they both got caught in the wash...then Nubin took a horrendous angle. Mafe was playing the "hang" technique waiting to see if the QB was keeping that on zone. SOmetimes that's coached (particularly with an athletic QB), sometimes it's indecision by the DE. We have no idea in this case.
 

MGGopher said:
Exactly what I was going to say. DE's don't always have contain responsibilities. If OP has some film (or even a description) of plays where Mafe was clearly out of position I'd be curious. I've seen a LOT of people blaming Mafe for that long TD run early, but it looked to me like a LB was supposed to contain that, but they both got caught in the wash...then Nubin took a horrendous angle. Mafe was playing the "hang" technique waiting to see if the QB was keeping that on zone. SOmetimes that's coached (particularly with an athletic QB), sometimes it's indecision by the DE. We have no idea in this case.
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Right. I’m not saying Mafe is flawless. I don’t know. I could watch the game 20 times and still not know.

My uncle coached D1 and in the NFL for 30+ years. He was the OC for an AFC team. The amount of detail he could share on his teams plays and then not know for sure on other teams was incredible. He knew more than most on other teams, obviously, but has to guess on assignments at times.
 

DanvilleGopher said:
I have to say, and I know I'll get beat up on this one, but there are so many people on here that think this guy is an awesome player and will break out this year. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. Frankly, I have not seen anything in the past to show he'll break out.

I'm hoping to see what others do and hopefully it will happen this year. Maybe tomorrow, as I'd really like to have someone on the D become a reliable pass rusher! Without someone to rush the passer, the Purdue game, and perhaps others, could become shootouts and I just don't know if I trust Sanford to get it done in those games.
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Honestly I think it is that a lot of local and even some National people see a guy with all the physical tools to break out in a big way. He has not been an awesome player to this point, but the hope is there that it will all come together and he will become a force.
 





Gophergrandpa said:
Maryland will be a long frustrating game, too, if no pass rush. Unless we hold the ball for 50 minutes.
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Don't think we can say "no pass rush" based on one game against Ohio State. If there is a better offensive line than ours in the conference, it is Ohio State's.

Iowa and Wisconsin will be similar, just not quite as good. We all know our defense will be better by that time of year and maybe Rossi will by then be willing to shake things up with the occasional blitz with the quicker linebacker group of Oliver, Willis, and Gordan.
 

Couldn't tell who it was from my seat at the live game, but I'm assuming on the long touchdown run on third and short that somebody was supposed to seal the edge. Can't imagine the DC drew up a play that bet the farm on "I assume they won't run it to the right."
 

DanvilleGopher said:
I have to say, and I know I'll get beat up on this one, but there are so many people on here that think this guy is an awesome player and will break out this year. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. Frankly, I have not seen anything in the past to show he'll break out.

I'm hoping to see what others do and hopefully it will happen this year. Maybe tomorrow, as I'd really like to have someone on the D become a reliable pass rusher! Without someone to rush the passer, the Purdue game, and perhaps others, could become shootouts and I just don't know if I trust Sanford to get it done in those games.
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I don't mean this to attack you, but this stuff is pretty carefully tracked. He was one of the most-consistent pass rushers in the Big 10 last year.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
Couldn't tell who it was from my seat at the live game, but I'm assuming on the long touchdown run on third and short that somebody was supposed to seal the edge. Can't imagine the DC drew up a play that bet the farm on "I assume they won't run it to the right."
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I think Mafe likely got sucked inside on that play but it's hard to tell. It's not uncommon at all to have a LB or a S have contain and it looked like his first step was crashing inside. I only know this because I watched this play a number of time to watch MSM.

If you get a chance, re-watch this play on youtube. MSM takes a bizarre step towards the center. It is such an awful first step that not only is he out of play but he literally picks Gibbons. Then Nubin took an atrocious angle. Now, I'm not saying that Mafe didn't mess up too, but it's less obvious. MSM and Nubin REALLY messed up.

It really looks like Mafe's assignment was not to contain. He was supposed to take on the pulling TE and crash the line. I believe contain was likely MSM and Nubin.

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