Can our Defensive Back look at the football?

[Some guy]

NO....and I will tell you why:


It really annoys me when fans complain that all the defensive backs have to do is turn around and look for the ball.

We play a lot of man coverage. Whether you are talking 9th grade, Varsity, Small College, Large College, Big Ten, or NFL football....when you are taught to play man coverage, you play it the same. You are playing the man not the ball. When a receiver gets behind you, you are taught to use 100% effort to spring towards the player you are covering to close the space. You then turn your head and play his hands/the football at the last possible second. When you turn your head, you turn you body slightly and lose speed.


Man technique is universal.



If you do not like the gopher football defensive backs not looking for the football. I suggest you start complaining about the coaching staff and advocating for a coaching staff that plays all zone defense...because playing all zone is the only way to avoid turning your back to the football.



That is my rant of the day.







2-0 feels pretty good. In a weak big ten, we could be threatening if we could get our quarterback play to Billy Cockerham (his senior year) levels.

 

[STPGopher]

NO....and I will tell you why:


It really annoys me when fans complain that all the defensive backs have to do is turn around and look for the ball.

We play a lot of man coverage. Whether you are talking 9th grade, Varsity, Small College, Large College, Big Ten, or NFL football....when you are taught to play man coverage, you play it the same. You are playing the man not the ball. When a receiver gets behind you, you are taught to use 100% effort to spring towards the player you are covering to close the space. You then turn your head and play his hands/the football at the last possible second. When you turn your head, you turn you body slightly and lose speed.


Man technique is universal.



If you do not like the gopher football defensive backs not looking for the football. I suggest you start complaining about the coaching staff and advocating for a coaching staff that plays all zone defense...because playing all zone is the only way to avoid turning your back to the football.



That is my rant of the day.







2-0 feels pretty good. In a weak big ten, we could be threatening if we could get our quarterback play to Billy Cockerham (his senior year) levels.

+1 I will add that there was much pushing-off going on. Saying there was much pushing-off may be an understatement. The team survived. On to TCU.

 

[Replacement Gopher]

Post of the day muh boy!!!!

 

[Sparlimb]

NO....and I will tell you why:


It really annoys me when fans complain that all the defensive backs have to do is turn around and look for the ball.

We play a lot of man coverage. Whether you are talking 9th grade, Varsity, Small College, Large College, Big Ten, or NFL football....when you are taught to play man coverage, you play it the same. You are playing the man not the ball. When a receiver gets behind you, you are taught to use 100% effort to spring towards the player you are covering to close the space. You then turn your head and play his hands/the football at the last possible second. When you turn your head, you turn you body slightly and lose speed.


Man technique is universal.



If you do not like the gopher football defensive backs not looking for the football. I suggest you start complaining about the coaching staff and advocating for a coaching staff that plays all zone defense...because playing all zone is the only way to avoid turning your back to the football.



That is my rant of the day.







2-0 feels pretty good. In a weak big ten, we could be threatening if we could get our quarterback play to Billy Cockerham (his senior year) levels.

Except our d-backs tend not to "Turn their head at the last possible moment" and instead run right into the receiver which normally warrants a flag. I trust the coaches are doing the best they can with what they have. And our defense has been a treat to watch. Not looking is not the way to get to the next level. Pass Interference is too big of a penalty at the pro level.

 

[Word]

Except our d-backs tend not to "Turn their head at the last possible moment" and instead run right into the receiver which normally warrants a flag. I trust the coaches are doing the best they can with what they have. And our defense has been a treat to watch. Not looking is not the way to get to the next level. Pass Interference is too big of a penalty at the pro level.

I didn't see the game on TV, but from my view from sec 208 it seemed like we almost got out-physicaled by the MTSU receivers in that they did a lot of Eric Decker-like pushing off to gain space. I was surprised they didn't get called for any offensive pass interference (many times you could see their arms fully outstretched between them and our dbacks) - but good for them they got away with it! Decker in college and Cris Carter in the pros made careers out of that.

 

[Some guy]

Except our d-backs tend not to "Turn their head at the last possible moment" and instead run right into the receiver which normally warrants a flag. I trust the coaches are doing the best they can with what they have. And our defense has been a treat to watch. Not looking is not the way to get to the next level. Pass Interference is too big of a penalty at the pro level.

When you are beat you are taught to not look. Use all speed to catch up and then play the WR's hands.

Pros are taught this too.


"Not a way to get to the next level"

You are correct, getting beat is not a way to get to the next level. But if you get beat at the next level, you will see pros play a WR's hands rather than the ball too.

 

[Indi1006]

NO....and I will tell you why:


It really annoys me when fans complain that all the defensive backs have to do is turn around and look for the ball.

We play a lot of man coverage. Whether you are talking 9th grade, Varsity, Small College, Large College, Big Ten, or NFL football....when you are taught to play man coverage, you play it the same. You are playing the man not the ball. When a receiver gets behind you, you are taught to use 100% effort to spring towards the player you are covering to close the space. You then turn your head and play his hands/the football at the last possible second. When you turn your head, you turn you body slightly and lose speed.


Man technique is universal.



If you do not like the gopher football defensive backs not looking for the football. I suggest you start complaining about the coaching staff and advocating for a coaching staff that plays all zone defense...because playing all zone is the only way to avoid turning your back to the football.



That is my rant of the day.







2-0 feels pretty good. In a weak big ten, we could be threatening if we could get our quarterback play to Billy Cockerham (his senior year) levels.

Has when they are right on the receiver they could turn and look for the ball like nearly all other teams have their DBs do.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Except our d-backs tend not to "Turn their head at the last possible moment" and instead run right into the receiver which normally warrants a flag. I trust the coaches are doing the best they can with what they have. And our defense has been a treat to watch. Not looking is not the way to get to the next level. Pass Interference is too big of a penalty at the pro level.

Have we had that many more PI calls the past few years than other teams? I really haven't noticed much of a difference.

Either way, with the rules as they are in college, I'd much rather have a few extra PI calls than getting burnt deep.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Has when they are right on the receiver they could turn and look for the ball like nearly all other teams have their DBs do.

What if they turn their head a half second too late? Will you be okay with us giving up a few more 75 yard TD receptions?

 

[GG07]

There is no reason our corners can't turn their head in the endzone. Are they going to run out of the endzone ?

 

[Indi1006]

What if they turn their head a half second too late? Will you be okay with us giving up a few more 75 yard TD receptions?

Look I think our DBs and their Coach are great but there were about five or six balls yesterday when we were right on the receiver and a quick turn of the head prob turns a big play into an incompletion or a pick. You saw that just like I did.

 

[Some guy]

Has when they are right on the receiver they could turn and look for the ball like nearly all other teams have their DBs do.

When you turn to look for the ball before the ball is right there, you lose the wide receiver. Man to man defensive backs (and especially corners) are universally taught not to look until they hear a ball call or see the WR's hands go up.

 

[Some guy]

What if they turn their head a half second too late? Will you be okay with us giving up a few more 75 yard TD receptions?

The 75 yard touchdown receptions are caused by them getting beat with feet, not eyes. The reason they aren't looking is because they are beat and trying to catch up.

 

[Indi1006]

When you turn to look for the ball before the ball is right there, you lose the wide receiver. Man to man defensive backs (and especially corners) are universally taught not to look until they hear a ball call or see the WR's hands go up.

Right, but our guys never turn their head they always try and knock the ball out after it arrives which as you saw yesterday is only marginally effective.

 

[Some guy]

There is no reason our corners can't turn their head in the endzone. Are they going to run out of the endzone ?

Depends on the LOS a little bit, if they are in the endzone from far away....you can't look away from the wideout. If the QB extends the play and there is a lot of space to work the wideout could leave the endzone or move to a different part of it.

If the LOS is in the endzone the play and route is going to be shorter in a smaller space...so you can get away with peeking a bit more.

In man coverage you need your pressures to get there or you are going to have a long day (this is why Everett withers defense worked in North Carolina but not here).

 

[Some guy]

Right, but our guys never turn their head they always try and knock the ball out after it arrives which as you saw yesterday is only marginally effective.

This is what they are taught to do. And it is pretty much universal, as they get better at it their eyes will start to locate football more.

 

[UpnorthGo4]

Coaches are teaching the wrong technique if this is what they are doing. DB's should always take quick looks to determine if the ball is in the air and where it is headed. The amount of ground a DB will lose to the WR by taking quick looks is negligible. And once a DB is beat by the WR they usually won't have time to catch up unless the ball is underthrown. Passes are usually underthrown as often as they are overthrown. If a DB doesn't take a look he will never see an underthrown pass. When that happens the DB will either miss the opportunity to make a play on the ball or the WR will stop and come back to catch the pass while the DB is still running in the opposite direction.

 

[Some guy]

Coaches are teaching the wrong technique if this is what they are doing. DB's should always take quick looks to determine if the ball is in the air and where it is headed. The amount of ground a DB will lose to the WR by taking quick looks is negligible. And once a DB is beat by the WR they usually won't have time to catch up unless the ball is underthrown. Passes are usually underthrown as often as they are overthrown. If a DB doesn't take a look he will never see an underthrown pass. When that happens the DB will either miss the opportunity for an to make a play on the ball or the WR will stop and come back to catch the pass while the DB is still running in the opposite direction.

32 NFL defensive back coaches would disagree with you on how to teach man. As would 300+ college defensive back coaches and thousands of high school coaches.

 

[Indi1006]

32 NFL defensive back coaches would disagree with you on how to teach man. As would 300+ college defensive back coaches and thousands of high school coaches.

You are full of it, but just in case I will watch this specifically today and report back.

 

[Spoofin]

Everyone is wasting their efforts worry about our DBs. That is not the limiting factor on this team. Not even close.

Sent from my MZ617 using Tapatalk

 

[UpnorthGo4]

32 NFL defensive back coaches would disagree with you on how to teach man. As would 300+ college defensive back coaches and thousands of high school coaches.

I have only one thing to say. If this is what the are teaching they are wrong. But I don't believe for one second that the majority of coaches are teaching their players the way you say they are. It makes absolutely no sense.

 

[Some guy]

I have only one thing to say. If this is what the are teaching they are wrong. But I don't believe for one second that the majority of coaches are teaching their players the way you say they are. It make absolutely no sense.

That's why they are making thousands of dollars to coach football and you aren't.


You will notice today as you watch that NFL defensive back are better at recognizing end of routes and will get there heads around faster, but that during the routes they will never look at the qb (if in man coverage).

 

[Sparlimb]

That's why they are making thousands of dollars to coach football and you aren't.


You will notice today as you watch that NFL defensive back are better at recognizing end of routes and will get there heads around faster, but that during the routes they will never look at the qb (if in man coverage).

Who said during the route. We've been talking all along about turning at THE LAST MOMENT. When you see the WR preparing for the ball turn your head and locate the pass. Swat away if possible or put your hands between the receivers. It isn't magical and anyone who has watched the NFL for more than 10 minutes knows this. The coaches are paid to coach, and if teaching kids to never turn around keeps them employed good for them. I don't need to agree, but I'm not getting paid either way.

 

[Some guy]

Gopher defensive backs do that. They aren't perfect, so they get beat. When they are beat, they use their time to catch up rather than turn away from the receiver. The nfl defensive backs do that too.

 

[Costa Rican Gopher]

Of all the legit things to complain about, the play of our DB's is not one of them.

 

[Spoofin]

Of all the legit things to complain about, the play of our DB's is not one of them.

This ^^^^^

 

[caliGopher]

Hmmmmmm.

Our pass efficiency and INTs look pretty good compared to the rest of the big ten so far...........

 

[Mvgopher]

That's why they are making thousands of dollars to coach football and you aren't.


You will notice today as you watch that NFL defensive back are better at recognizing end of routes and will get there heads around faster, but that during the routes they will never look at the qb (if in man coverage).

^This is correct on teaching man coverage

 

[STPGopher]

I didn't see the game on TV, but from my view from sec 208 it seemed like we almost got out-physicaled by the MTSU receivers in that they did a lot of Eric Decker-like pushing off to gain space. I was surprised they didn't get called for any offensive pass interference (many times you could see their arms fully outstretched between them and our dbacks) - but good for them they got away with it! Decker in college and Cris Carter in the pros made careers out of that.

Yes. Lot of pushing off. One time so bad the DB almost fell down from the shove.

 

[Donovan]

Seems like the best way to beat this man-to-man coverage is to have the QB purposely throw more balls behind the receiver. We got burned a few times on that Saturday.