LC knows my thoughts on this but I will repeat it: we simply don’t recruit enough good players AND get them on the field at the same time to win a MACC. This year it is the defense that has No playmakers. The lack of turnovers seems to me to be a major issue. Looks like this may be the worst season in the FS era if it continues like this.
In my opinion, defense is partly a mind game. If you can get into the other team's head, and shake their confidence, it gets them out of their rhythm, and they make mistakes. Once they start getting confidence, they get comfortable, and they look like a whole other team. Ohio was in NIU's head most of the first half, and the QB was hurrying his throws. Once NIU realized that they could move the ball, they settled down, took their time, and made plays. I just don't understand, if a defense is working, and you have the other team second guessing themselves, why you would ever back off and let them get comfortable, especially not right before the half.
As for the quality of players on the defense, it's certainly true that there was no pass rush at all, even on obvious passing downs. The defensive ends did get sacks last year, so the fact that they are getting virtually no pressure on QBs this year makes me think it is a schematic issue, not a player issue. The interior defensive linemen were not good earlier in the year, but they seem to be improving. They were doing a pretty good job for most of the first half. Defensive tackling does seem to be an issue, but I believe that is teachable, so that is on the coaches.
This is mostly the same defense that played well late in the year last year, so I'm reluctant to blame it all on talent. The key losses were Gullet, Croutch, Payne, and Berger. Were they all essential? On the offense is where most of the turnover was, and there you see a lot of young players. Some of those are stepping up, particularly Allison and Hooks.