Seeking Help From OBD Fans: Understanding the Linebacker Puzzler

[PittDuck]

What is going on with the Linebacking Corps?

 

At the beginning of the season, I (mistakenly it appears) assumed that our linebackers were going to be a force to be reckoned with and be the leaders of the Duck D.

 

Noah Sewell, DJ Johnson, Jeffrey Bassa, Jackson LaDuke, Keith Brown, and even Justin Flowe were all poised for breakout seasons, or so I thought.

 

That has not happened.  Any thoughts as to why?  Is it coaching? Schemes? I realize these guys were Mari’s picks and not Dan’s, but NS, DJ J, JB, KB, and JF should be able to play for anyone.

 

Why do you think our linebackers are not leading the D?

 

You guys have way more football acumen than I, and I would be very interested to hear your take. Thank you.

[Dr Hilarius]

@PittDuck Great question! I wish I knew the answer. 

 

I am not an expert by any means, but I am seeing a much improved defensive line.

 

Could it just be that there are fewer opportunities for linebackers?

 

Or maybe the LBs are doing such a great job getting into position that they’re forcing the play away from them toward DLs and CBs?

 

Again, I am not an expert, but it doesn’t seem like the LBs are getting beat, they’re just not getting their names called. 

 

What am I missing?

[Mic]

Could be several things.

 

a) Great D-line play in not allowing the opponent's RB's to get to that 2nd level as often,

 

b) Opponents attacking over the top into what was perceived at the beginning of the season (and esp after that game in Georgia) as a major weakness for O.  The fact that it hasn't been hasn't stopped teams from trying.  

 

c) They are playing better but O is swarming to the ball more and making more team tackles.  Funa won one of O's Pac-12 D-line Player of the week honors and Dorlus has won two.  That's happened because not as much is getting by them.

[Vandownbytheriverduck]

Agreed.
 

The pass coverage has had some lapses and play recognition isn’t always happening fast enough. 
 

Justin Flowe has really special physical tools but seems out of position at times and has missed some tackles. 
 

The speed and size is there amongst the group. I suspect they just aren’t quite there yet mentally to play fast and loose. 
 

However, there’s been a team wide improvement week to week which bodes well for what might yet be in store for Oregon’s Linebacking Corp. 

[Charles Fischer]

There could be other elements going on:

 

1) They do not resemble the linebackers Lanning had at Georgia, as Nakobe Dean, the star, was only 217 lbs.  Lanning wants lean, fast, athletic LBs that can cover, rush the passer and talented enough to hold up to the run game.  We don't have the prototype he wants for our defense yet.

 

2) They may not be as good as we thought?  The Bruin TD out of the backfield, was slow recognition by Flowe, when he was clearly responsible for the RB release on that side.  Then he actually slowed up, and then put on the jets too late at the edge.  This is inexperience, IMHO.

 

I've already detailed how Sewell was responsible for two TDs given up to Stanford.  He went to Flowe's gap...and Flowe was already there, while the 'Furd RB ran through the open gap that Sewell was supposed to be at.  Then, Sewell was slow to recognize a wheel route and did not have the wheels to catch up.

 

3) We might be in the process of implementing a defensive strategy unseen at Oregon before.  See my Thursday article on it, as I am working on it right now.

 

I think it might be a touch of all three?

 

[idontrollonshobbas]

Based on what I have read and heard (and seen), there is evidence that the LB corps is underperforming.  PFF and NCAA metrics are cited by those making this argument.  I think Mr. FishDuck has hit on the main reasons why.

 

Like the OP, I was jazzed to see Sewell and Flowe play together and am equally shocked by the underperformance. At the start of the season, I thought "Finally the Ducks don't have talented undersized LB's....we have a tandem of 5-star Monsters of the MIdway!"

 

I guess the good news is that Flowe may come back for one more season at this point....unless he goes ballistic the rest of the way, which wouldn't be bad for OBD at all!

 

Add me to the list of the dumbfounded. 

[Tandaian]

Sewell, Flowe and Bassa are 3, 4 and 5 with tackles on the team.  We may have had too high expectations for them as a unit.

[David Marsh]

I think they are asked to do more than they did under Cristobal... also lets get real here they didn't do a terribly good job covering under Cristobal either. We have had a soft underbelly for years now and this is what Lanning inherited from both Avalos and DeRuyter and most importantly Cristobal. 

 

Flowe is a wrecking ball but in truth he just sort of runs wild and can make plays but doesn't seem to understand what he is doing just yet. 

 

The Lanning defense uses linebackers differently than these linebackers were originally recruited for and they are still learning. They need to learn faster than they are right now because this is probably the weakest unit on defense. I say this because the secondary started as the weakest but the secondary has really grown and is doing a much better job now. DTR threw the ball away multiple times last Saturday because everyone was covered and he couldn't get away from the pass rush anymore. 

 

This defense is close to putting it all together... and once it does it is going to be terrifying. But until that point there are too many weaknesses and gaps between the pieces. 

[Log Haulin]

Sewell forced DTR that ended in an Addison pick.

[David Marsh]

On 10/25/2022 at 4:39 PM, Log Haulin said:

Sewell forced DTR that ended in an Addison pick.

He did have some nice pressures and I think his controlled pressure was great. He didn't give DTR any other option but to lob it up. Well I guess the other option was to throw it out of bounds. 

[Log Haulin]

On 10/25/2022 at 4:47 PM, David Marsh said:

He did have some nice pressures and I think his controlled pressure was great. He didn't give DTR any other option but to lob it up. Well I guess the other option was to throw it out of bounds. 

I think LB play has gotten better. Flowe is still very raw and inexperienced but is the exact body type and motor Lanning is looking for. Flowe could have a break out year next year.

 

My biggest concern is the pass coverage. 3rd and seven is easily converted due to LB lack of pass coverage. Big reason Ducks are 129th of 131 in 3rd down Defense.

 

The good news is the 1st and 3rd level play. Secondary isn't getting beat at the rate they were early.