Let’s Talk Defensive Line

#26
#26
orangebloodgmc said:
I almost agree 100% with your post, except I would move S. William's higher up in your levels. I do understand you are saying he is not yet a proven known producer, but I really like what we know of him so far. Watch out!
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I'll take it if it turns out that way. Lord knows we need him.
 
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#27
#27
We will find out within the first few games about the D-tackles. If we can't pressure/sack GA St, UTC, and BYU with our tackles then it's going to be a tough season again for the Dline. I don't expect to be in top half of the SEC in sacks but we don't have to be in order to win 7-8 games. However, I am more bullish on this Dline producing better results even with losing its top producers from last year. I just think, physically speaking, we are significantly deeper than last year at the tackle position.
 
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#28
#28
chaseasl said:
If eligible Soloman would, Gooden would start for several but not 75%.
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Solomon, maybe. Gooden couldn’t start for our ratchet line last year, although he did flash at times. He needs to take a big step forward this year for us.
 
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#30
#30
orangebloodgmc said:
I almost agree 100% with your post, except I would move S. William's higher up in your levels. I do understand you are saying he is not yet a proven known producer, but I really like what we know of him so far. Watch out!
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We literally know nothing of him and how he will play/produce at this level of football. I’m hopeful, but we have no idea if he can play here.
 
#31
#31
I think DL will be better this year than last ... Phiilips , Tuttle and Johnson .... with another year experience and i weight room .. Gooden , Butler , Mincey , S. Williams, Middleton , Emerson , Blakely , Simmons , Harris , Bumphus and hopefully Soloman for sure trumps what we had last year ...
 
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#32
#32
UTVOLS1614 said:
Depth wise definitely better. Top 3 guys I think I’d prefer Phillips Tuttle Johnson
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Those guys were mediocre at best. I think from a size and strength standpoint, Frazier and Middleton should make an impact early. JUCOs are not typically brought in to stay on the sidelines. I hope Emerson lives up to his star ranking and Solomon is cleared to play this year.
 
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#34
#34
BigOrangeTrain said:
Honest question, out of the DL listed, how many would actually start for 75% of the SEC? I say maybe 2 or 3.
Yes we are in serious trouble on the DL.
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Yeah and it depends on Solomon. Solomon would be a starter for most SEC teams, but he's still not been declared eligible for 2019. I'm not sure that there are any other definite SEC starters on that list.

Butler and Gooden could start for some I think, but probably not on the top-tier defenses like Bama and UGA. Savion Williams may be there, but we'll have to wait and see on him.

And the even bigger issue than starters is quality depth.
 
#35
#35
Rooster1 said:
So opposing teams will just need to run the ball?
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Basically, that is it, they can try to run the ball. Many teams are pass oriented, but again, its UT's LBs that will be the key to this defense......and I think we have a great stable of LBs.
 
#36
#36
BigOrangeTrain said:
Honest question, out of the DL listed, how many would actually start for 75% of the SEC? I say maybe 2 or 3.
Yes we are in serious trouble on the DL.
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I don't think you can go by that. My guess is that our DL group looks like everyone else besides Bama, Ga, LSU, Fl and Auburn and I'm guessing we have a couple of guys that would be in those teams rotation as well. DL is definitely a question mark but I like our back 8 guys a bunch this year. I think LBs and DBs are gonna be better than average this year.
 
#38
#38
PulaskiVolFan said:
I don't think you can go by that. My guess is that our DL group looks like everyone else besides Bama, Ga, LSU, Fl and Auburn and I'm guessing we have a couple of guys that would be in those teams rotation as well. DL is definitely a question mark but I like our back 8 guys a bunch this year. I think LBs and DBs are gonna be better than average this year.
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We are going to have to hope that this staff can get these guys to play above what we all think this year.
 
#41
#41
mitzustu said:
Looking at our roster do you guys think we are in as much trouble as everyone is acting like? If we count scholarship guys that are already eligible I see 7 defensive tackles (just used everyone 290 and above).

Savion, Simmons, Garland, Harris, Emerson, Gooden, Middleton

That’s deeper than last year IMO. Then you have guys like Taylor that can come down to end in passing downs....

48Ja'Quain BlakelyDL R-Jr. 6-2 283
50Savion WilliamsDL Fr. 6-4 315
51Elijah SimmonsDL Fr. 6-2 344
53Dawson StephensDL R-Jr. 6-1 292
54Kingston HarrisDL R-Fr. 6-3 312
79Kurott GarlandDL R-Fr. 6-3 303
88LaTrell BumphusDL Jr. 6-3 264
90Greg EmersonDL R-Fr. 6-3 310
93Emmit GoodenDL Sr. 6-3 302
94Matthew ButlerDL Jr. 6-4 285
96Airin SpellDL R-Fr. 6-1 284
97Darel MiddletonDL Jr. 6-7 290
98Aubrey SolomonDL Jr. 6-5 306
99John MinceyDL So. 6-3 280
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Great post. Yeah I counted just as many OLs as well. I think we are plenty deep and the fact we are a 3-4 defense with a decent LB group helps us as well because we won’t constantly have a 4 man front. If Fitz is as good as people are saying, we could very much be in for a surprise.
 
#43
#43
London Vol said:
Jonny Nash once sung "There are more questions than answers"

But the plan is than we just need 3 space eaters to allow the Linebackers to do their work (Taylor, Bituli, To`oto`o, Crouch, JJ etc)
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There you go... the answer in just those few words.

We just don't know what UT has since we haven't seen much from any of them
 
#44
#44
Rooster1 said:
So opposing teams will just need to run the ball?
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This brings up a point. We were hurting at LB for a while which put a lot on our past line. The facts that we are deeper at LB AND what I and a few others mentioned about being a 3-4 both give our deeper line a substantially better chance to succeed.
 
#45
#45
TAD said:
I think DL will be better this year than last ... Phiilips , Tuttle and Johnson .... with another year experience and i weight room .. Gooden , Butler , Mincey , S. Williams, Middleton , Emerson , Blakely , Simmons , Harris , Bumphus and hopefully Soloman for sure trumps what we had last year ...
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Agree. I think the DL will be much improved. We didn’t lose much in what we lost. Familiarity with scheme/system, bigger, more physically prepared players will be the biggest difference maker. We had guys, A la the OL, that just weren’t physically prepared to play in the trenches for 4 quarters with the seasoned SEC teams...
 
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#46
#46
BigOrangeTrain said:
Honest question, out of the DL listed, how many would actually start for 75% of the SEC? I say maybe 2 or 3.
Yes we are in serious trouble on the DL.
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remember, ky was 10-3 last yr with a lot less talent upfront defensively. we dont know right now who they could start for. lets just see and quit downing them before they even step on the field
 
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#47
#47
livefaith said:
OK, their are more questions than answers. But, here's the orange colored glasses version that gets our base Front 3 into the "SEC Average" category in quality and depth. This is truly a 6 player rotation position. That's where this group needs to be in order for us to reach our potential in 19'. I'm saying that is 7-5/8-4 and that's maybe on the high side.

Starters who will perform well after a yr of S/C & coaching ...
Emerson / Butler / Gooden

Next 3 who's goal is to not drop off when rotating in ...
Middleton / Mincey / Blakely

Any 2 of these wilcards performing well could be huge, especially by November ...
Solomon(xfer), Garland(rs), Harris(rs), Williams(newb), Simmons(newb), Bumphus(new position)

Here's hoping for at least an SEC Average rotation that allows Pruitt/Ansley to lean on the quality at the 2nd & 3rd levels. If we can improve our D from last season, then our offense should offer a hope of an improved team.
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You'd also hope that DB is going to be a strong point for the team, which hopefully means the QB has to hold the ball a second or two longer, leading to more sacks.
 
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#48
#48
TAD said:
I think DL will be better this year than last ... Phiilips , Tuttle and Johnson .... with another year experience and i weight room .. Gooden , Butler , Mincey , S. Williams, Middleton , Emerson , Blakely , Simmons , Harris , Bumphus and hopefully Soloman for sure trumps what we had last year ...
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You said "Trump". I have to go hide in the basement and cry now.
 
#49
#49
BigOrangeTrain said:
Honest question, out of the DL listed, how many would actually start for 75% of the SEC? I say maybe 2 or 3.
Yes we are in serious trouble on the DL.
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Honest question of the players that will majority play on the d-line this year, how many of them did we actually see on a consistent base last year outside of Gooden? Little to none cuz most of them redshirt. So we can't really make judgments from that standpoint
 
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#50
#50
Going out on a limb here maybe, but I could see Gooden making all Sec. And Soloman as well if eligible.
 
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