Bend but don't Break

[DELdaBull]

That defense is a fallacy.

Your job as a defense is to not give up any points. A perfect defense gets all 3 and outs.

If you are bending and not "tightening" up until a team is in fg range (aka scoring range) you have failed as a defense.

Unless the philosophy changes look to see more games like this. Specifically Cincinatti and West Virginia. They have really good offenses.

[CousinRicky]

I'm not quite sure that our soft defense is planned that way.  I mean letting a team drive down the field and hope you create turnovers in the red zone?  Really. WTF are they thinking.  Just shows how lucky we were against ND.  How many meaningful sacks have we had this season?  Or pressures for that matter?  This is just getting me all riled up again.  Never mind. 

[hbryan]

Claude Davis is the only one who consistently applies pressure on the QB and he doesn't start....WHY?

This defense is an embarrassment to a team that was built and has always prided itself on defense.

[Bulls On Parade]

LOL at bend don't break that only works when your defense is actually good enough to tighten up

Famu a HS team scored 17 and UTEP a bad team scored 24 face it this will be a long year on defense

[South_Florida_Flip]

You can substitute the word passive for soft and I think it fits the way the D has played so far this season. We're nowhere near aggressive enough, which was one of our trademarks on D.

[GaUSFBull]

I think it's glaringly obvious we don't have any cover corners either.  Kayvon and Q aren't the type of guys that will play man to man, they're basically safeties playing zone coverage.  We probably won't see guys playing man to man all year, they'd probably get dusted on routes if they did. 

[DELdaBull]

I prefer the Break Them Defense.

[The Great 8]

We have to play bend but don't break defense. Not only does it work well in college (there were 3 or 4 TO's that we should've had last night that were taken back by penalties, or stupid drops), but it works well for our personnel specifically.

As pointed out, we don't have corners we can put on an island. They're good, but they need safety help. At the same time, we have a defensive line that is fast, but not long, and not strong. Thus, we're not gonna get pressure unless we blitz an extra guy or two. That's dangerous though because of our lack of cover corners.

Lastly, on Davis not starting yet...it's probably because he's as big as a linebacker. Graham would truck over him even easier than guys like Giddins and Hampton.

[DELdaBull]

We have to play bend but don't break defense. Not only does it work well in college (there were 3 or 4 TO's that we should've had last night that were taken back by penalties, or stupid drops), but it works well for our personnel specifically.

As pointed out, we don't have corners we can put on an island. They're good, but they need safety help. At the same time, we have a defensive line that is fast, but not long, and not strong. Thus, we're not gonna get pressure unless we blitz an extra guy or two. That's dangerous though because of our lack of cover corners.

Lastly, on Davis not starting yet...it's probably because he's as big as a linebacker. Graham would truck over him even easier than guys like Giddins and Hampton.

Keep saying "bend but don't break" is the D we should be playing as teams like WVU, Cincy, and Miami put up 500+ yards and 40 points on you.

"Bend but don't break" is a defensive oxymoron.

[Bull Dozer]

Claude Davis is the only one who consistently applies pressure on the QB and he doesn't start....WHY?

This defense is an embarrassment to a team that was built and has always prided itself on defense.

He's to small and to undisciplined to be an every down DE.  He's good in obvious passing situations because you can just turn him loose but even then he still gets out of his rush lane and loses contain on the QB.  He did this a couple times last night and Sunseri was able to roll out unmolested to his side to buy time and find an open target.