Defensive Stats

[bdkipe]

LB room is supposedly gonna be at full strength for the first time all season for Iowa so we will see.

I find it odd that everyone is pining for guys like Noah and Flowe. I loved both those cats and they were DUDES.

But IIR, a lot of this board was griping about those 2 in 2022.

Those of you who are the X-O gurus can correct me but if I understand Dan’s preferred version of the MINT D, more weight is placed on LB’s that can cover sideline to sideline vs diagnose and fit downhill.

Is this LB group not the greatest ever at run fits? Seems like that is certainly an area for improvement. That being said there is no denying this group can motor and cover some ground in a hurry.

I’d prefer that over a freaky athletic monster like Flowe who was always either in the wrong gap or losing TE/backs in coverage.

[dthomas=ddixon]

Isn’t the whole issue that our starting LBs just aren’t great? Bryce is solid but physically limited and Jackson is physically gifted but has always had processing issues, so he’s inevitably a step slow. Mixon is solid but hasn’t been able to distance himself from either of the other guys.

We need the young guys to pop and take over but they haven’t. Makes you wonder about development too. We should have had at least one really good LB at this point.