Rob Daniel quote

“I feel like if you watch film closely, their receivers weren’t wide open,” Daniel said. “There were the pass interference calls and balls caught in traffic. None of them really ran free. If they want to think they can come out and pass on us, go ahead and do it. I need more interceptions anyway.”



I love the cockiness. This is the year gents.

I love it too but I also feel, based on past quotes as well, that Rob has a bit of an air of not being in touch with reality. I'd love to see a little humility mixed in with that brash confidence. Caught in traffic or not, the pass defense hasn't exactly been the star of the team. Hopefully it can become elite as the season goes on. Having Bronson back should help get pressure to make it so.

I think our Pass Defense has been more than sufficient. Here is our Defensive PER and Defensive Yards per Attempt and Defensive Completion Pct:



2014: 112.67 DPER; 5.80 ypa; 58.4%

2013: 113.16 DPER; 5.81 ypa; 56.9%

2012: 112.50 DPER; 6.16y ypa; 56.6%

2011: 112.58 DPER; 6.06 ypa; 57.8%



I think one reason people think our Pass Defense is worse, is because teams are throwing A LOT against us.



Passing Attempts Per Game by Opponent:

2014: 47.5

2013: 37.6

2012: 29.1

2011: 33.2



Teams are throwing 26.3% more this year than last year. And they're doing so because they can't run on us. Last year team ran for 160 yards per game and 3.9 yards per rush and ran 41.5 times per game. This year it's 88.8 yards per game. 2.9 yards per rush on 30.8 rushing attempts.



And it's also the 3rd & Longs we've given up. How opponents are doing on 3rd & 7 or more

2014: 13 of 39 (33.3%)

2013: 28 of 117 (23.9%)

2012: 13 of 87 (14.9%)

2011: 23 of 93 (24.7%)



We've already given up in four games the same amount as all of 2012.



But I'm ok with how the defense has played.

Rob was the DB that "selfishly" in his own words, went for the interception and gave up the hail Mary. On another play. He pulled off his man leaving him open deep and then collided with PoVey who was breaking up a pass on his own man and Rob went for the interception. Luckily, the QB did not see the deep receiver. And he does get PI calls. Young man has upside with more experience. Meanwhile, play more, talk less.



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Spiff



Yep, other than that off night Vs Houston, they have been just about the same as our patchwork 2013 pass defense, which was about like our typical, but underwhelming pass defenses in recent and most years past.



I am OK with it though not super impressed. I think many fans have issues because they bought the hype on our lock down corners. They are not lock down corners - yet. They will probably look like lock down corners Vs some of our future opponents. Then everyone will be happy and assume they will play that way on New Years Day.



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If I were playing BYU, I would throw, throw and throw some more.



The secondary might be better this year but it's still the weakest link, and as Spiff points out, we excel at stopping the run.



While Houston and Virginia lost, they did move the ball against us and it was through the air. Their "success" provides a bit of a blue print for future opponents.



I'm not convinced our defense could hold against an air-raid type team.

The problem is the pass rush. It's that simple. Our corners are not lock-down, but how many teams actually have that luxury in college? It's very rare. 111 pass attempts and 0 sacks. That's an embarrassing statistic. Our blitzes are crap too. The only ones that ever seem to work are corner or safety blitzes. For years now I've watched 1 or more LB's crash into the middle of the line only to get stonewalled. That has got to change or we'll continue to get exposed by passing team. I think Kaufusi is the key here.

Gunk wrote:
If I were playing BYU, I would throw, throw and throw some more.



The secondary might be better this year but it's still the weakest link, and as Spiff points out, we excel at stopping the run.



While Houston and Virginia lost, they did move the ball against us and it was through the air. Their "success" provides a bit of a blue print for future opponents.



I'm not convinced our defense could hold against an air-raid type team.

If you look at the actual data, and I am sure Spiff can confirm, Virginia ran all over us. The pass defense was decent. The run defense was porous. It was bad. Embarrassing.



Houston did expose our pass defense, slightly - not terribly. I have called that an off night for the pass defense which was decent vs UCONN, Texas, and Virginia.



Virginia exposed our rush defense. I suspect data will show that the Virginia was an off game for our rush defense which was solid in our other three games.



Spiff - is that what the data says?

mizzoucoug wrote:
The problem is the pass rush. It's that simple. Our corners are not lock-down, but how many teams actually have that luxury in college? It's very rare. 111 pass attempts and 0 sacks. That's an embarrassing statistic. Our blitzes are crap too. The only ones that ever seem to work are corner or safety blitzes. For years now I've watched 1 or more LB's crash into the middle of the line only to get stonewalled. That has got to change or we'll continue to get exposed by passing team. I think Kaufusi is the key here.

We do not have zero sacks this season. Not an impressive number of sacks, but we have had sacks. Even PoVey got one. Houston and Virginia had better offensive lines than Texas and UCONN. Bronson will help, but it isn ot like he was a sack making machine before he went down.



But, I agree. BYU has not had a good and consistent pass rush and that has been a problem.

Cougarbib wrote:
Bronson will help, but it isn ot like he was a sack making machine before he went down.

Maybe not, but he will be a sack-facilitating machine. Kaufusi demands attention at the line that Michael Alisa is not getting, nor should he.



It's no coincidence that while Kaufusi had only 2 sacks in two games (on pace for a 12 sack season....so still veryproductive in the sack game), no one has had a sack since he went down and was replaced by Alisa. In the two games where LeBronson played, FIVE other guys had sacks for BYU--the extra attention he demanded opened up lanes to the QB for the other blitzers.



That's why BYU, and especially BYU's pass D needs him back.

Rob can tackle and hit guys... This is one thing about this secondary that goes kind of unnappreciated and taken for granted. We've played teams with speed and in the past we would allow 1-2 broken plays to turn into huge plays. This year that has not happened (hail mary doesn't count).



Even in the 1996-97 Cotton Bowl we almost lost because of 2 big plays by Kstate..(and some referee home cooking) otherwise our defense pitched a shutout... This defense is overall better than last years in spite of the lack of pass rush because they can stop the run and our DBs can lay the wood. I don't think we would get pushed around like we did last year against Wisconsin.



I love like Rob, darn near love him. He's a linebacker playing corner.

BYU rush defense vs UVA: 44 carries for 192 yards for 4.4 ypc.

BYU rush defense vs other teams: 79 carries for 163 for 2.1 ypc.



BYU sacks w/ Bronson: 7 for -36 yards.

BYU sacks w/out Bronoson 0 for 0

mizzoucoug wrote:
“I feel like if you watch film closely, their receivers weren’t wide open,” Daniel said. “There were the pass interference calls and balls caught in traffic. None of them really ran free. If they want to think they can come out and pass on us, go ahead and do it. I need more interceptions anyway.”



I love the cockiness. This is the year gents.

I would be more accepting of his cockiness if he was backing it up on the field. Rob Daniel needs to clean up his sloppy play, he is getting picked on and losing.

Rob Daniel is kind of a tool. I am glad he is a cougar, but he is one of those guys that they shouldn't be putting a microphone in front of.



When he gave up the huge hail mary I remember him saying something like "I should have tried to hit it down instead of go for the interception, but I was just being selfish. I'm not worried about it."



On further review of the tape, he wasn't going for the interception either. He was in terrible position behind all of the other receivers and basically just watched one of them catch it for a 60 yard touchdown in the endzone.



I think he is playing the wrong position, personally. He should be playing right next to Bills as a free safety, because his skills aren't man coverage, they are tackling and zone coverage. He is great against the run, has been ever since he came here. But against the pass? Not so much...

Hard to say whether he should be playing safety. Who are the next DBS after him?

BK makes a big diff. I agree w frdbtr on RD but disagree with an earlier post marginalizing BK over Alisa. Attention to BK frees up Fua more and inside blitzes more. But it is systemic and little improvements could go a long way, in a synergistic way.

RobD tweeted after the UH game that he "was in position on every play" and they AFR crew proofed that incorrect. I like his confidence but he seems a bit overconfident. Maybe all the pro scouts who have been at games to see him and tHill has gone to his head.

Mark my words... the haters will eat crow this season. Rob Daniel is good enough at his position that we could beat anyone. He is not our weakest link, not by a long shot.. in fact he's one of our top 10 best players.

snoscythe wrote:

Bronson will help, but it isn ot like he was a sack making machine before he went down.

Maybe not, but he will be a sack-facilitating machine. Kaufusi demands attention at the line that Michael Alisa is not getting, nor should he.



It's no coincidence that while Kaufusi had only 2 sacks in two games (on pace for a 12 sack season....so still veryproductive in the sack game), no one has had a sack since he went down and was replaced by Alisa. In the two games where LeBronson played, FIVE other guys had sacks for BYU--the extra attention he demanded opened up lanes to the QB for the other blitzers.



That's why BYU, and especially BYU's pass D needs him back.

this is good analysis. I noticed this especially in the uva game. every time we sent people our extra guys were being picked up like clock work. i also think our guys when they blitz could maybe take a hair more time and try not to just run straight into the blocker.

craigoscarson wrote:
Marks my words... the haters will eat crow this season. Rob Daniel is good enough at his position that we could beat anyone. He is not our weakest link, not by a long shot.. in fact he's one of our top 10 best players.

Nobody hates Rob Daniel. OK a few comments were a little venomous. Daniel might be top 10. 10 out of 22. Top half. Probably is. He talks like he thinks he is top 3.



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Cougarbib wrote:

Marks my words... the haters will eat crow this season. Rob Daniel is good enough at his position that we could beat anyone. He is not our weakest link, not by a long shot.. in fact he's one of our top 10 best players.

Nobody hates Rob Daniel. OK a few comments were a little venomous. Daniel might be top 10. 10 out of 22. Top half. Probably is. He talks like he thinks he is top 3.



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You think there's only 22 players on this team?

I think Rob is our best CB, and it's not close. I don't really understand the hate, either, corner seems to be a position where you NEED a bit of cockiness.