What type of defense would you like to see next year?

[PimpMario]

With the addition of Moses and Fuller coming off his redshirt year I started thinking about something too many of us took for granted last year: defense.  

 

Fuller and Moses give us more size and depth and after getting smacked around by Baylor's zone I couldn't have but picture us in zone.

 

What about a 1-3-1 with Petteway on top, Pitch in the middle, Fuller and Shields on the wings and Moses/Smith down low?

 

With Petteway on top and could have him extend so that teams can't swing the ball?

 

Then when the other team turns it over Petteway is already cherrying picking for easy transition dunks.

 

Our defense was good last year and at times great but next year we could be better.

 

Also, if our defense is clicking early we could really start off on fire next year!!!

[Silverbacked1]

I want one that let's us hold teams to less points than us.

I mean I want one that keeps us in games, much like this years did.

[HuskerFever]

I would like a solid defense that isn't designed slowing down the pace of the game.

[kleitus]

We were good defensively before we added moses (who isn't a slouch... bit of a foul machine, but he will flat out defend the hoop).  Given our issues inside that's EXACTLY what we needed in many ways so long as he doesn't get out of control.

 

We could be a top 10 defensive team next year.  We were 53rd in points allowed this year as it was and that was including a horrible start due to the team gelling.

 

So if you want what i would like to see?  improvement.  if we improve we're going to be awful good defensively.

[Dean Smith]

With the addition of Moses and Fuller coming off his redshirt year I started thinking about something too many of us took for granted last year: defense.

Fuller and Moses give us more size and depth and after getting smacked around by Baylor's zone I couldn't have but picture us in zone.

What about a 1-3-1 with Petteway on top, Pitch in the middle, Fuller and Shields on the wings and Moses/Smith down low?

With Petteway on top and could have him extend so that teams can't swing the ball?

Then when the other team turns it over Petteway is already cherrying picking for easy transition dunks.

Our defense was good last year and at times great but next year we could be better.

Also, if our defense is clicking early we could really start off on fire next year!!!

There are different rotations you can do with the 1-3-1 but the standard variety does not have the post defender "down low." The middle man is the primary low block defender & the bottom rotates out to guard the corner and usually helps trap the short corner.

[Big Ern]

Just play good solid man-to-man and sprinkle in some 2-3 to get a team out of a rhythm or if foul trouble presents itself. Good man-to-man coach are what they are. It takes specific recruiting (length) and a coaching staff who understands good zone defense to make it effective for prolonged periods of time. Our coaches are more than capable if that's what they believe in. However, philosophically it doesn't fit. You can make a man just as effective as a zone in situations where you sag the defense and switch screens on the perimeter. I'd say we have a line-up built more for this situation. Enough length and lateral quickness to stay in the driving lanes and to contest shots, but not enough pure lateral quickness or on-ball ability to pressure to a great extent and deny heavily in the passing lanes. Benny can get up in somebody's grill all he wants, but other than that why put yourself in position to foul?

[Huskerpapa]

I am pretty sure our base defense will remain the same.  Hard a** switching man to man.  That said, I would like to see some 1-3-1 and 2-3 looks. 

[AuroranHusker]

Definitely not one of those who took the defense for granted this past season. It'll be key to this upcoming season's result as well. The Moses Ayegba signing today is a B1G-time move to battle post players in conference play especially.

 

If you're looking at a 1-3-1 D, the more likely scenario would be to have off-guard Tai on top w/ wingmen Shields, Pitch & Petteway across the middle & a point like Benny Parker down low running himself ragged from sideline to sideline. [Or strictly for a defensive-only mindset: a Smith or Ayegba would be the force in the center of the middle line in lieu of a stretch 4 like Pitch.]

[PimpMario]

Wouldn't zone help us protect our guys from foul trouble?

 

I am not talking about playing some zone as a change up.

 

Could we actually use zone effectively next year?

[tcp]

man to man mixed with help man. with additional size, zone really shouldn't have to be used very often with this team.

it's fine to whip that out against a superior driving team, but against everyone else, the man is preferable. too many good shooters in the B1G to be focused primarily on clogging the lane.

[Huskerpapa]

Wouldn't zone help us protect our guys from foul trouble?

 

I am not talking about playing some zone as a change up.

 

Could we actually use zone effectively next year?

If you play the zone as it is intended, you may actually be more prone to foul.  It comes down to how aggressively one (we) choose to defend...

[Cookie Belcher]

Miles is and always has been a man to man guy. Now, he is smart so if zone is in our best interest you will see some of it, but I would be shocked if the base defense is anything but man.