UT spring storylines: Defense

#2
#2
Don't have a good feeling about our D line right now. Maybe somebody can post something to change my mind. Please!
 
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#3
#3
drodvol said:
Don't have a good feeling about our D line right now. Maybe somebody can post something to change my mind. Please!
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It's going to be young and inexperienced. There are several young talented freshman coming in but we're very short on veterans.

Still, the talent is there. It's going to depend on how fast the talent can be developed and how well they work together.
 
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#4
#4
drodvol said:
Don't have a good feeling about our D line right now. Maybe somebody can post something to change my mind. Please!
Click to expand...

I wish I could but I am not buying the DC yet. He probably had more to work with on the DL last year than this year.

I guess I could offer that the LB group should be better and deeper along with the secondary. DL is a huge concern and especially if Saulsberry is slowed at all by his injury. He is the best returning DL they have.
 
#6
#6
I had a great feeling about the O line last year b/c of the exp. factor. Maybe some new blood won't hurt...regardless of which side of the ball
 
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#7
#7
99probsbutchaint1 said:
I had a great feeling about the O line last year b/c of the exp. factor. Maybe some new blood won't hurt...regardless of which side of the ball
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I agree. I'm ready to just see some new faces. I'll take a hungry player over a player that's not into the game. We had absolutely no intensity on either line this year.
 
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#8
#8
Iv'e come to the conclusion that 2014 will be gut renching for the fan base. So many set the expectations way to high. I will watch every game come what may but 2015 is the year I believe we see the improvement so desperatley wanted.
 
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#12
#12
sjt18 said:
I wish I could but I am not buying the DC yet. He probably had more to work with on the DL last year than this year.

I guess I could offer that the LB group should be better and deeper along with the secondary. DL is a huge concern and especially if Saulsberry is slowed at all by his injury. He is the best returning DL they have.
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Our Dline sucked. It showed last year that we've changed Dline coaches a lot. No matter who came in, it'd be the same.
 
#16
#16
I think our DL will be better. McCullers didn't do much, especially against spread teams and there are plenty. Our sr DE got his first sack of the year the last game. No way we don't improve there and protect the edge, filtering qb's and rb's back to our help D. Sauls is back and he was playing as well as any of them, imo. Walls played well early, but didn't do much later in the year.
We should be better at DL, LB, DB, WR, TE, QB and ST coverage this year. OL has a couple of worry spots, but a couple of nasty kids in Crowder and Kerbyson. Rb could be better. We will know quickly.
 
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#17
#17
drodvol said:
Don't have a good feeling about our D line right now. Maybe somebody can post something to change my mind. Please!
Click to expand...

They will start out as good as last year and get better as the season progresses.

We get major upgrades on team speed. We will get our NB sorted out and someone will move up to #2 corner.
Safeties will be better and don't be surprised if McNeil is relegated to a backup safety, especially on passing downs. They will be better and deeper from the start...no doubt about it!

LB: AJ and Maggitt reunited will be awesome! This lessons AJs exposure on passing downs. Maybin, Creamer, Bates, Weatherd, will all be major upgrades from Sapp and Brewer. Jakob Johnson is DAS FREAK! and he will reek havoc at LB position as well. LBs will be better from the start and have meaningfull depth.

DL is biggest concern but you are essentially trading experienced-average talent with inexperienced-above average talent. I'll take the latter. New recruits are very talented and have high potential for growth. Also some guys in the system from last year will rise to the top (O'Brian, JWilliams, Saulsberry, Carr, Vereen) and they will be stronger and more experienced. DL will start out about the same as last years squad and get much better by mid-season.
 
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#19
#19
Burger said:
Our Dline sucked. It showed last year that we've changed Dline coaches a lot. No matter who came in, it'd be the same.
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The thing that bothers me about that statement is that they didn't really bench anyone for playing poorly. McCullers continued to play as did Smith. I don't blame position coaches past or present for that... I blame the DC. If your 350 lb DT is an obstacle that your MLB has to run around 5 yds into the secondary on many plays... then PLAY SOMEONE ELSE.
 
#21
#21
Spartacavolus said:
I think our DL will be better. McCullers didn't do much, especially against spread teams and there are plenty. Our sr DE got his first sack of the year the last game. No way we don't improve there and protect the edge, filtering qb's and rb's back to our help D. Sauls is back and he was playing as well as any of them, imo. Walls played well early, but didn't do much later in the year.
We should be better at DL, LB, DB, WR, TE, QB and ST coverage this year. OL has a couple of worry spots, but a couple of nasty kids in Crowder and Kerbyson. Rb could be better. We will know quickly.
Click to expand...

I hope the DL can be "good". They won't be more talented... at least not the returning guys with enough development to make big contributions. I'd feel much better if Saulsberry weren't coming off a knee injury. That guy was by far UT's best DT last year in spite of continuing to play inexplicably BEHIND McCullers.
 
#22
#22
Well some of those DL will now have 2 real seasons with S&C as we distance ourselves from the pencil whipping Faux S&C sessions of the CDD era.
 
#23
#23
We have weaknesses ... every team does ... just take a look at those slow gorks Bammer had on the field when Auburn returned that FG attempt on them last season as an example ... its no secret our DL should be suspect ... but our LBs should be a source of strength ... our DC should be able to scheme some to help them out until they gain some experience ... but the hand wringing here on VN wont change a whole lot about what occurs on the field this season ...
 
#24
#24
sjt18 said:
The thing that bothers me about that statement is that they didn't really bench anyone for playing poorly. McCullers continued to play as did Smith. I don't blame position coaches past or present for that... I blame the DC. If your 350 lb DT is an obstacle that your MLB has to run around 5 yds into the secondary on many plays... then PLAY SOMEONE ELSE.
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Who? People who aren't even ready to be on the field? You act like we have a lot of decent back-ups. We don't, and our string gap was huge.
 
#25
#25
One thing for sure we are going to have a lot of freshman on the field on both sides of the ball the future is bright, but the present a little dim, got to hang in there and pull a top 10 recruiting class off which will be hard with only 18 to 22 recruits coming in 2015.
 
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