3rd Down

[Badge62]

I have a concern with our defense's inability to get off the field. Maybe I 'm just expecting too much, but with all the talk of how our D-line dominated fall camp and the way our secondary played last year and most of those guys back, I thought we would have a "shut-down" defense. I was concerned in UTEP game at the defense's inability to get off the field on 3rd down, even in 3rd and long. I wrote it off as first game stuff. I expected that to be a point of emphasis in practice heading into Toledo, so when Toledo faced a 3rd and 18 or 20 (after a penalty) on their very first 3rd down of the game, I thought  lightbulb would go off in every def players head ....."let's get a 3 and out." Toledo completed a pass for 28 yards and a first down. I thought right then, this isn't gonna be the blowout some expected.
I'm not looking to blame anyone, just making an observation. I can't help but feel that either a) our defense will in fact take a significant step backward, compared to the end of last year; or b) for whatever reason, our coaches don't have the full attention and focus of the players yet. Again, the Tech game will shed a lot of light.