UNH defense

[UNHknowledge]

I know a lot of focus has been on the electrifying UNH offense (very deserving) and everybody has been quick to bash and knockdown anything positive I have said about our D (including "UNH fan rcny"). Like I have said in previous posts...we are first in the A10 in caused turnovers and sacks and you don't win 20 out of the last 25 games in the A10 playing poor D. Listening to I-AA waves this week I was happy to hear Coach Keeler of Delaware praising the UNH D when he was watching film of the UMass game, and I'd have to say that was clearly the poorest the D has played this season (400 yds passing and O caused turnovers) so I don't understand why so many disagree with what me and coach Keeler are seeing. I'm looking forward to seeing the Cats straighten out the pass D this week and create turnovers again @ Hofstra. I'm not gonna lie...this Hofstra team scares me a little bit.

Flenory for Buchanon.

[art vandelay]

good call. UNH's offens is also on the field for about 15 minutes a game which puts a lot of preasure on the UNH D to make big stops thats the reason for the number of yards given up.

[JohnStOnge]

In any case, I will always remember that UMass won the national championship in 1998 with a defense that was, statistically, absolutely horrible. It gave up over 400 yards (and I think it was in the neighborhood of 450) and 28 points per game. They gave up 43 points and (if I'm remembering correctly) close to 600 yards in the championship game.

So it can be done without a great defense if the offense is good enough.

[LacesOut]

Hofstra????????????????

[JohnStOnge]

good call. UNH's offens is also on the field for about 15 minutes a game which puts a lot of preasure on the UNH D to make big stops thats the reason for the number of yards given up.

I don't know. The only time I've seen them play was against Colgate but they didn't look real good on the defensive side of the ball in that one. And I'm not talking about giving up a bunch of yards after the game was out of hand. I thought Colgate was able to move the ball well. It's just that UNH's offense was so overwhelming it didn't matter.

Kind of interesting though that they did have less time of possession than their opponents in all of their regular season games...ranging from about 23 to 29 minutes. They didn't last week though. Last week they actually had slightly more time of possesion than Colgate.

[FlyBoy8]

I don't know. The only time I've seen them play was against Colgate but they didn't look real good on the defensive side of the ball in that one. And I'm not talking about giving up a bunch of yards after the game was out of hand. I thought Colgate was able to move the ball well. It's just that UNH's offense was so overwhelming it didn't matter.

Well, the game was 34-0 at halftime. In the first half, Colgate had the ball 9 times (not including the one play they had right before halftime). Of those nine drives, three ended with UNH interceptions, four were three-and-out and the other two went for a combined 46 yards.

So frankly I think you weren't seeing what you think you were seeing.


Not including the Iona game, which was a UNH shutout, the Cats have only given up an average of 11 points in the first half (and 13 points in the second half). UNH's scoring defense is actually ranked in the top half of the A-10.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

There was so much Colgate bashing on here that I didn't bother to post my thoughts figuring that I'd just be viewed as a wacko. JMHO, but I thought the UNH defense along with the special teams won the Colgate game.

Colgate defense was actually slowing down the UNH offense. They only scored in one of their first three possessions (and three of the first seven). The punt return that put UNH up 14-0 was huge. Colgate was driving down the field, but UNH got a turnover and eventually scored to go up 20-0 (missed PAT). Colgate was driving again and UNH got another turnover. The 11 second explosion ended the first half. The defense did a pretty good job not allowing Colgate to execute any of their patented, time consuming drives. But by Colgate not scoring, they were vulnerable for the big UNH explosion.

The prior week I felt UNH could score every time they started a possession against Maine. I felt that they only stopped themselves. I'm not being arrogant, I reaaly sensed that. I didn't feel that way at all in the 1st half against Colgate.

The UNH offense can be slowed down, but odds are they will explode or at least score a decent amount of points (UMass and Hofstra). For sure the UNH defense can be exploited, but the D has been pretty good at stopping huge plays/home runs. And they really seem to be there when the game is on the line. After UMass scored two straight possessions and took the lead, the defense stopped them and allowed the offense to put more points on the board. After Maine and UNH played shootout ball in the first half, the UNH defense stopped Maine in the 3rd quarter while UNH scored four unanswered TDs. The D might not be statistical giants (other than the points allowed and turnover margin), but they've been pretty adept at "getting the job done".

In some great news for UNH, senior co-captain LB Alan Tallman has been cleared to play Saturday. He was a starting LB last year who was injured at Maine and missed the playoffs (that was your guy rcny46). This year he was injured in the 2nd game at Towson and has been out since. His forte is run defense which should help the Wildcats on a cold, blustery day in Durham.

[ChickenMan]

The UNH defense is tougher than most people think and one major point that has been totally overlooked has been UNH's ability to create turnovers. UNH's 'D' has generated 44 so far this year... 23 INTs and 21 fumble recoveries and they are a +22 overall in that category. That ability to creat turnovers should not be discounted.

[JohnStOnge]

Well, the game was 34-0 at halftime. In the first half, Colgate had the ball 9 times (not including the one play they had right before halftime). Of those nine drives, three ended with UNH interceptions, four were three-and-out and the other two went for a combined 46 yards.

So frankly I think you weren't seeing what you think you were seeing.


Not including the Iona game, which was a UNH shutout, the Cats have only given up an average of 11 points in the first half (and 13 points in the second half). UNH's scoring defense is actually ranked in the top half of the A-10.

Do you know what Colgate's total first half yardage was? I was flipping back and forth...think I was probably spending time watching the DII playoff game between Grand Valley and Sagniaw Valley as it was a good game. I just know that when I'd flip and watch Colgate on offense they looked like they could run the ball. It just didn't look like a physically dominant defense to me. But I wasn't thinking about first half vs. second half either.

I guess since two drives in the first half got 46 and four were three and out we can safely say that 6 of the nine drives amounted to less than 86 yards.

[JohnStOnge]

The other thing guys is...really...if you're ranked 95th in total defense you haven't played great defense to this point. There's no way you get to 95th playing great defense.

Of course it may not matter. And, who knows? Mabye the defense will step it up if it has to.

[LacesOut]

I'm looking forward to seeing the Cats straighten out the pass D this week and create turnovers again @ Hofstra. I'm not gonna lie...this Hofstra team scares me a little bit.

I'll say again.........HOFSTRA???

LOL

[AZGrizFan]

I'll say again.........HOFSTRA???

LOL

Laces, MUST you be concerned about the petty details???? xlolx xlolx xlolx It says UNHKnowledge, not anything regarding knowledge about who they're playing! :doh: :doh:

[WildcatFan]

He wrote that about Hostra on November 2nd - not a recent post.

[Granite]

One of the strengths of the D last week against Colgate was their ability to get pressure on the QB consistently. When Colgate had time, they were generally able to exploit the secondary down the field. The UNH defense did a nice job stopping the run up the middle most of the day as well.

Obviously, this isn't a dominating defense. But as UNHAlum said above, they seem to get it done - to provide just enough room for the offense to maneuver. They also have the ability to clamp down in the Red Zone - we were 4th in the A-10 in Red Zone D this season, so bend but don't break as a strategy has worked for us this year.

As far as the turnovers, part of that is due to the offense's ability to build big leads early. That allows the D to play more aggressively and to take more chances.