It's obvious we had a problem all year with missed tackles. We had one of the highest missed-tackle rates in the nation.
I know it can be a misleading stat for evaluating overall defense, because our players swarm do a good job of swarming to the ball. For fast, attacking defenses like ours, a missed tackle will slow down an offensive player enough to allow someone else to clean it up.
However, it's still an issue that needs to be fixed. One-on-one tackles have to be made and can't be avoided altogether. Although we were better this year, it seems to be a nagging problem from year to year.
We had 28 missed tackles against Louisville. We had plenty of whiffs vs. Indiana in the championship game. The one that sticks out is the Poyser missed tackle over the middle that would've stopped the receiver way short of the first down. I think it was against Becker.
From what I understand, our practices are very physical with a lot of hitting. A lot more than other programs. Definitely more than Indiana's 90-minute walk-throughs.
So, shouldn't we be better at tackling? Or are we hitting too much in practice, where guys are banged up and playing with a bit of hesitation? Anyone who's played with a shoulder stinger knows how that can affect your ability to wrap up.
Seeing Ponds tackle Fletcher in the box while OJ Frederique shows a pitiful effort on a tackle near the 5-yard line is infuriating. Even the announcers called it out.
Is this a coaching issue or a personnel issue?
I know it can be a misleading stat for evaluating overall defense, because our players swarm do a good job of swarming to the ball. For fast, attacking defenses like ours, a missed tackle will slow down an offensive player enough to allow someone else to clean it up.
However, it's still an issue that needs to be fixed. One-on-one tackles have to be made and can't be avoided altogether. Although we were better this year, it seems to be a nagging problem from year to year.
We had 28 missed tackles against Louisville. We had plenty of whiffs vs. Indiana in the championship game. The one that sticks out is the Poyser missed tackle over the middle that would've stopped the receiver way short of the first down. I think it was against Becker.
From what I understand, our practices are very physical with a lot of hitting. A lot more than other programs. Definitely more than Indiana's 90-minute walk-throughs.
So, shouldn't we be better at tackling? Or are we hitting too much in practice, where guys are banged up and playing with a bit of hesitation? Anyone who's played with a shoulder stinger knows how that can affect your ability to wrap up.
Seeing Ponds tackle Fletcher in the box while OJ Frederique shows a pitiful effort on a tackle near the 5-yard line is infuriating. Even the announcers called it out.
Is this a coaching issue or a personnel issue?
