Defense Depth Chart Predictions on 9/1

If Chick is hurt this is gonna change things

Agreed. While he should be back by the end of camp, it might take him awhile to get his conditioning etc back. I would expect Chick to play against UL but not start.

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Pierre
WOLB Muhammad
WILB Kirby
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord
CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Crawford
 
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I'd like to see Dallas Crawford start over Bush. Don't understand the love for #2. He hasn't done much here.

Yet you want to see a kid who was moved to RB because he had no shot at playing over Deon Bush start over Deon Bush?

Yes. I think Crawford brings everything that Bush does to the position, probably a little bit more in terms of intanglibles.

Definitely more intangibles. Crawford diagnoses quicker and commits without hesitation. His first few steps are better than Bush's and it's not close. Bush prefers to sit and wait for the big play or big hit. It can look spectacular when it unfolds, like several times his freshman year, but even during that season I was struck by how inactive Bush is on the typical play. Everybody was seemingly willing to overlook that based on the big plays. Last season when he was nicked Bush was awful. I don't understand why he was out there. When your typical tendency is to get stuck flatfooted and then you can't get to the spot for the occasional big play, there's nothing to fall back on.

Very different styles. Crawford will fly to the spot in any direction. During the spring game it was obvious that he'll create big plays and also surrender big plays. His angles to the sideline were not the best on deep balls. Major jeopardy to double moves. Bush no doubt will be a superior player than 2013 but I sense the coaching staff is not thrilled with his lingering injuries or stationary approach, and that the benefit of a doubt is all but gone.

IMO, most Canes fans have an inflated opinion of Bush based on his high school credentials and freshman big play hype. I saw one recent quote from the coaching staff that Bush, "has a lot to prove," or something like that. Didn't surprise me at all, based on the spring game. That was a pathetic afternoon and was only partially salvaged based on energy from Malcolm Lewis and Dallas Crawford.
 
What has burns shown to start over Gunter
If Chick is hurt this is gonna change things

Agreed. While he should be back by the end of camp, it might take him awhile to get his conditioning etc back. I would expect Chick to play against UL but not start.

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Pierre
WOLB Muhammad
WILB Kirby
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord
CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Crawford
 
What has burns shown to start over Gunter
If Chick is hurt this is gonna change things

Agreed. While he should be back by the end of camp, it might take him awhile to get his conditioning etc back. I would expect Chick to play against UL but not start.

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Pierre
WOLB Muhammad
WILB Kirby
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord
CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Crawford

Burns has a lot more talent and so with a year under his belt he should surpass Gunter who has a limited ceiling.

I also wouldn't be shocked if Elder beat both of them out.
 
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What has burns shown to start over Gunter
If Chick is hurt this is gonna change things

Agreed. While he should be back by the end of camp, it might take him awhile to get his conditioning etc back. I would expect Chick to play against UL but not start.

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Pierre
WOLB Muhammad
WILB Kirby
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord
CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Crawford

Clearly fans have their favorites
 
What has burns shown to start over Gunter
If Chick is hurt this is gonna change things

Agreed. While he should be back by the end of camp, it might take him awhile to get his conditioning etc back. I would expect Chick to play against UL but not start.

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Pierre
WOLB Muhammad
WILB Kirby
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord
CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Crawford

Clearly fans have their favorites

It's not based on favorites. It's based on where I think things may stand at the moment and it is always shifting just like the staff's depth charts always change (except unlike the staff, I'm not going to engage in the fantasy of putting together a 4-3 depth chart when we are clearly moving in the other direction).

Chick is removed due to a month long injury. I'd prefer Grace to Kirby because he is faster, has better instincts and is better in coverage but I find it hard to believe they will go with a 210 LB backer over a 235 LB backer in the 3-4. I'd also like to see Bush start but recent comments from Golden suggest Crawford is ahead and Bush has quite a bit to prove. Seems they will in fact use McCord at Sam rather than competing with Quan at rush end. Considering his main competition at this point is Armbrister, I expect him to be ahead despite coverage problems.
 
I'd like to see Dallas Crawford start over Bush. Don't understand the love for #2. He hasn't done much here.

Yet you want to see a kid who was moved to RB because he had no shot at playing over Deon Bush start over Deon Bush?

Yes. I think Crawford brings everything that Bush does to the position, probably a little bit more in terms of intanglibles.

Definitely more intangibles. Crawford diagnoses quicker and commits without hesitation. His first few steps are better than Bush's and it's not close. Bush prefers to sit and wait for the big play or big hit. It can look spectacular when it unfolds, like several times his freshman year, but even during that season I was struck by how inactive Bush is on the typical play. Everybody was seemingly willing to overlook that based on the big plays. Last season when he was nicked Bush was awful. I don't understand why he was out there. When your typical tendency is to get stuck flatfooted and then you can't get to the spot for the occasional big play, there's nothing to fall back on.

Very different styles. Crawford will fly to the spot in any direction. During the spring game it was obvious that he'll create big plays and also surrender big plays. His angles to the sideline were not the best on deep balls. Major jeopardy to double moves. Bush no doubt will be a superior player than 2013 but I sense the coaching staff is not thrilled with his lingering injuries or stationary approach, and that the benefit of a doubt is all but gone.

IMO, most Canes fans have an inflated opinion of Bush based on his high school credentials and freshman big play hype. I saw one recent quote from the coaching staff that Bush, "has a lot to prove," or something like that. Didn't surprise me at all, based on the spring game. That was a pathetic afternoon and was only partially salvaged based on energy from Malcolm Lewis and Dallas Crawford.

Diagnoses quicker...lol he's never played a college snap at safety.
 
What has burns shown to start over Gunter
If Chick is hurt this is gonna change things

Agreed. While he should be back by the end of camp, it might take him awhile to get his conditioning etc back. I would expect Chick to play against UL but not start.

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Pierre
WOLB Muhammad
WILB Kirby
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord
CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Crawford

Burns has a lot more talent and so with a year under his belt he should surpass Gunter who has a limited ceiling.

I also wouldn't be shocked if Elder beat both of them out.

If there is a guy who gets no love it's Gunter. He brings size, physicality, and consistency to the CB spot. Burns has a higher ceiling but right now gunter needs to be starting opposite Howard.
 
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I'll tell ya what I'd like to see:

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Thomas

WOLB Muhammad
WILB Grace
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord

CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Bush
 
I'll tell ya what I'd like to see:

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Thomas

WOLB Muhammad
WILB Grace
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord

CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Bush

Rok Thomas is about 20 pounds too light to be a 3-4 DE. He will get there eventually, though, given his frame.
 
Just spent some time crunching numbers and arrived at this:





WDT Pierre - Moten - King

NT Wyche - Heurtelou - Moore - Jenkins

SDE Chickillo - Kamalu - Hamilton


JACK Thomas - AQM - Harris - Jackson


SLB McCord - Armbrister - Owens

MLB Perryman - Young - Smith

WLB Kirby - Grace - McCray


CB Gunter - Burns - Lewis - Mayes

CB Howard - Elder - Crawford

SS Bush - Dallas - Fentress - Gayot

FS Carter - Jenkins - Hester
 
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I'll tell ya what I'd like to see:

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Thomas

WOLB Muhammad
WILB Grace
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord

CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Bush

Rok Thomas is about 20 pounds too light to be a 3-4 DE. He will get there eventually, though, given his frame.

1. I agree about his weight

2. I think he'll prove quickly that he needs to be on the field and will compete with AQM at the Shayon position
 
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Just spent some time crunching numbers and arrived at this:




WDT Pierre - Moten - King

NT Wyche - Heurtelou - Moore - Jenkins

SDE Chickillo - Kamalu - Hamilton


JACK Thomas - AQM - Harris - Jackson


SLB McCord - Armbrister - Owens

MLB Perryman - Young - Smith

WLB Kirby - Grace - McCray


CB Gunter - Burns - Lewis - Mayes

CB Howard - Elder - Crawford

SS Bush - Dallas - Fentress - Gayot

FS Carter - Jenkins - Hester


9 of 11 starters are 4 star recruits or better here. 10 backups are 4 star recruits. Heads need to roll if this is not a top 20 defense.
 
Paul Williams BETTER produce a good secondary this year, or he may get the boot after this season, especially if Barrow comes back from hiatus. I can see Barrow being reinstated as our LB coach, and Hurlie being moved to coach our secondary
 
Just spent some time crunching numbers and arrived at this:




WDT Pierre - Moten - King

NT Wyche - Heurtelou - Moore - Jenkins

SDE Chickillo - Kamalu - Hamilton


JACK Thomas - AQM - Harris - Jackson


SLB McCord - Armbrister - Owens

MLB Perryman - Young - Smith

WLB Kirby - Grace - McCray


CB Gunter - Burns - Lewis - Mayes

CB Howard - Elder - Crawford

SS Bush - Dallas - Fentress - Gayot

FS Carter - Jenkins - Hester


9 of 11 starters are 4 star recruits or better here. 10 backups are 4 star recruits. Heads need to roll if this is not a top 20 defense.

Totally agree, not only stars but serious experience. yes chad and a few other freshmen will play, but this is a team sport and they should be able to compensate for the issue with Figs leaving.
 
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Just spent some time crunching numbers and arrived at this:




WDT Pierre - Moten - King

NT Wyche - Heurtelou - Moore - Jenkins

SDE Chickillo - Kamalu - Hamilton


JACK Thomas - AQM - Harris - Jackson


SLB McCord - Armbrister - Owens

MLB Perryman - Young - Smith

WLB Kirby - Grace - McCray


CB Gunter - Burns - Lewis - Mayes

CB Howard - Elder - Crawford

SS Bush - Dallas - Fentress - Gayot

FS Carter - Jenkins - Hester


9 of 11 starters are 4 star recruits or better here. 10 backups are 4 star recruits. Heads need to roll if this is not a top 20 defense.

Top 20 seems like a stretch and unreasonable given the circumstances. However, substantial improvement needs to happen this year. Team overall is still pretty young, but there is a lot of game experience returning. Giving up 40 points to every team with a pulse being the norm needs to stop this year or people need to get fired.
 
What has burns shown to start over Gunter
If Chick is hurt this is gonna change things

Agreed. While he should be back by the end of camp, it might take him awhile to get his conditioning etc back. I would expect Chick to play against UL but not start.

DE Kamalu
NT Wyche
DE Pierre
WOLB Muhammad
WILB Kirby
SILB Perryman
SOLB McCord
CB Howard
CB Burns
FS Carter
SS Crawford

Burns has a lot more talent and so with a year under his belt he should surpass Gunter who has a limited ceiling.

I also wouldn't be shocked if Elder beat both of them out.

I'd be shocked if Burns started over Gunter. Gunter is a solid DB.
 
Just spent some time crunching numbers and arrived at this:




WDT Pierre - Moten - King

NT Wyche - Heurtelou - Moore - Jenkins

SDE Chickillo - Kamalu - Hamilton


JACK Thomas - AQM - Harris - Jackson


SLB McCord - Armbrister - Owens

MLB Perryman - Young - Smith

WLB Kirby - Grace - McCray


CB Gunter - Burns - Lewis - Mayes

CB Howard - Elder - Crawford

SS Bush - Dallas - Fentress - Gayot

FS Carter - Jenkins - Hester


9 of 11 starters are 4 star recruits or better here. 10 backups are 4 star recruits. Heads need to roll if this is not a top 20 defense.

I'm with you. If Heaps can keep the offense on the field and reasonably sustain drives, there is absolutely no excuse for not having a top 20 defense.
 
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