why our defense for the last 3 games have been playing so soft for the first half, not bringing many blitz packages and using a prevent secondary to only then turn it on for 3rd and 4th quarters? I was talking to an ex Portland State QB about this at the MSU game and he said he was convinced that Pellum was playing Coydog for the first half so that the opposing offense for the 3rd and 4th wouldn't have a halftime to make adjustments to his defense. It was an interesting point but at the same time I thought, that's a hell of a risk to take if you're playing a very potent or competent offense like MSU ran or ones that we might see from a quicker tempo Texas A&M, Oklahoma, FSU or Auburn in a playoff structure. What I saw against MSU in the first half was AA, Buckner and Balducci basically lying on the O line not looking to impose their will and I saw our secondary give up the 10 yard outs and slants basically for free. We gave Cook 3 seconds a play to throw the ball in the first half with almost zero rush. Second half starts and the above mentioned D Line players start attacking gaps and imposing their will and the secondary flips the switch and attacks those underneath patterns and blitzes are called from all over the field. Cook is sacked, hurried up and harassed thusly shut down. So as we go into the game against WSU, I sure hope a more aggressive version of quarters 1 and 2 might occur be it that the Cougs never saw a ball they didn't want to throw. I think our secondary can give their receivers fits and this may be a game we'd rather have our defense take them out early rather than allow them to find a pass happy groove. Thoughts?
I spoke with someone on here about this following the MSU game. The way they were sending in waves of fresh defenders in the 100+ degree heat staying in vanilla packages while Sparty stuck with their starters and shot their load, I said they were playing the football equivalent of rope a dope. Not worried about WSU. I bet Pellum starts it off vanilla again and only cranks it up with various looks/packages as/if he needs to put the game away. The bigger games looming ahead are good reason for him to keep his cards close to the vest, the whining from our game thread participants who want a shut out are not. So far Pellum is running the D a whole lot like his esteemed predecessor STOMP
The question is can you do that against an offense that is explosive as ours such as Texas A&M, Auburn or FSU? The D might not want to take such a wait and change attitude!