Earlier this week, I wrote about the offense’s improvement compared to the same timeframe in 2025. While the offense has been a bright spot, the defense still has work to do. Sometimes they look incredible, making plays all over the field; other times they look completely lost, with missed assignments and wide-open spaces in the defensive backfield.
The three things that stand out to me as needing rapid improvement are bad angles/over pursuit, poor tackling, and more pressure from the defensive line.
Fortunately, if you can fix the bad angles, then tackling automatically improves. That really stood out to me in the Tech game because guys were in position to make plays. But instead of breaking down to make a tackle, they took an extra step or two, and all it took was a nudge from a blocker or a cut upfield for the runners to break free for extra yards. There was also way too much arm tackling and reaching for the ball. Turnovers are great, but you can create them by getting a shoulder on the ball.
It is early, and I know teams don’t do as much tackling in the offseason because of practice limitations, depth, and injury concerns. But it could also be that guys are too amped up and are playing out of control. Either way, they have to focus on getting it right because UH is going to play a lot of close games, and every snap is one step from greatness and one step from disaster.
Martin wrote about it Friday, but Houston also needs more pressure from the front four. UH has to force the QB to make quicker decisions. Replacing Carlos Allen and Eddie Walls is a big task, and I don’t expect anyone to be a 1-for-1 replacement. The guys up front have to do a better job winning their individual battles and getting in the QB’s face. I single out the front four because, while Austin Armstrong does have a solid blitz package, they often play a bend-but-don’t-break defense when they have a lead. One part of me wishes the defense would attack constantly, but I understand the philosophy they have run with.
That future needs to start this week because every road game is a challenge and every opponent is dangerous on any given day. I expect the defense to correct the current deficiencies and address the shortcomings, and this year’s team will look completely different in the future.
