Travis Fisher assumed the position of defensive backs coach for Nebraska Football. What is his biggest obstacle in getting his unit to compete within a tough defense again?
You probably hate to be reminded as much as I do how poor the Nebraska Football defense was in 2017. The unit gave up over 430 yards per game, including to teams such as Minnesota.
The rather obvious way to stop teams from racking up such yardage is to simply take the ball away from them. Create turnovers. Okay, it’s probably not as simple as it sounds, but it is a vital quality of a good defense. As a defensive back, these turnovers will usually come in the form of interceptions.
The tallest task for Travis Fisher in 2018 is to create more interceptions among his squad of defensive backs. Where did Nebraska Football sit regarding interceptions in 2017? Let’s talk stats.
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The Huskers intercepted the ball 9 times in 2017. This number had them tied for 77th in the nation in total interceptions. It also landed them 10th in the Big Ten. Of those 9 interceptions, only 5 were snagged by defensive backs. Of those 5, only 3 went to players returning in 2018. Yikes.
Notable Big Ten West foes Iowa and Wisconsin finished first and second, respectively, in the nation in total interceptions. Evidently, the Blackshirt defensive backs haven’t been living up to the aggressiveness and physicality that the Big Ten is known for.
The interceptions must start flowing if the Blackshirts tradition is to be rejuvenated. This starts with the defensive backs. This would simply give the opponent fewer opportunities to score and give the Huskers’ new offense that everyone is hearing about more opportunities to score. This concept is what the Knights thrived on at UCF. UCF also tied for second in the nation in total interceptions in 2017.
Whether it takes mental coaching, physical coaching, or both, Nebraska Football defensive backs have to produce more interceptions in 2018 if they want to contend in the Big Ten West. This is the tallest task for Travis Fisher.