He's definitely off base... but you're also too dismissive. How did the defense look last year before we basically lost the entire starting lineup to injury? Say, the first 3 or 4 games?
Not particularly good.
-App State had a 100 rusher against us
-VaTech had 21 first downs and 400 yards of total offense, and a 100 yard rusher. Thank goodness they imploded with all the turnovers
-Ohio had a receiver go for 150+ yds
-Florida jumped out 21-0, defense looked horrific in the first half. Tightened up for a quarter and a half while our our offense took over the game. Defense allowed another 100+ yard receiver
-Allowec 24 first downs, right at 400 yards and 31 points to an average Ga team with a true freshman qb
-TAM put 45 points and right at 600 yards on us
And stop with the "we lost the entire starting lineup" on defense. We lost JRM and DKJr (who came back the last 6 games, played 8 games overall), Sutton for 5 games and Danny OBrien after the 6th game. We lost two backup DTs after the midpoint of the season and a 3rd string linebacker in Sapp.
Barnett played 13 games, Gaulden played 13 games, Vereen played 13 games, Moseley 13, Abernathy 12, TKJr 11, Vickers played 11 games....that's 7 of your 11 starters playing 86 of a possible 91 games between them.
Did injuries hurt? Of course they did. But it's beyond lazy and short sighted to blame the failings of last year's defense on just the injuries. Florida was missing 7 starters when they went to LSU late in the year to close out the SECe division title, didn't seem to bother them, they found a way, while having to play an extra road game. Conversely, well, we know what happened with our guys.....