The State of the Miami Defensive Line...13 years ago

DMoney
DMoney
3 min read
Most Canes fans are pretty excited about the future of the program. Quarterback is set this year and beyond with Morris, Olsen and Kaaya. The offensive line is loaded to the gills, and the skill positions look like Miami skill positions again. Defensively, the back seven is littered with potential studs like Bush, Jenkins, Figueroa and a rising group of corners.

But the one black cloud hovering over the program is no longer the NCAA. It's the DL. The initial returns on the defensive line class of 2012 are disappointing, and we struck out in 2013. What makes this worse is that team's DL play last year was some of the worst in the country. Many Canes fans are wondering whether this weakness will hold back a program that is on the verge of greatness.

Why is this feeling familiar to long-time Canes fans? Let's go back to this time in 2000. The quarterback position was in great hands with Dorsey. Emerging studs like Moss, Wayne, Portis and Gonzalez were all over the offense. Dan Morgan was on the brink of stardom at linebacker. Even the defensive backfield, which had long been a weakness of the probation-era teams, was brimming with young, experienced talent like Ed Reed and Mike Rumph.

But it always kept going back to the DL. This group was constant disappointment and let Miami down in all of its biggest games. For years, the DL consisted of overachievers like Matt Sweeney, disappointments like Quincy Hipps and Clint Hurtt, and unreliable headcases like Adrian Wilson. Damione Lewis still hadn't made the leap to stardom everybody expected. Butch's 1999 and 2000 classes-- which were otherwise blockbusters-- failed to land any instant impact defensive linemen. The only guys who made it to campus right away from those two classes were Larry Anderson, Cornelius Green and John Square.

At this time in the summer of 2000, just like in the summer of 2013, it looked like the defensive line would continue to hold us back. So what changed? Internally, Damione Lewis made the leap as a senior and William Joseph excelled after moving inside. Guys like Matt Walters and Jamaal Green developed into solid depth guys. Jerome McDougle signed out of nowhere in July and spent his 2000 season dominating on the scout team. Vince Wilfork re-signed after sitting out a year. Andrew Williams arrived in the next year as an instant impact JUCO. And as a cherry on top, Santonio Thomas didn't qualify for Florida and was able to re-submit his LOI to Miami.

What's my point? Trust the tie. He's working. When a little luck meets with an opportunistic and aggressive staff, some great things can come together pretty quickly...
 

Comments (59)

All it takes is one big signing. Great writeup. Jerome McDougle completely changed the landscape of the entire DL. We went from average to great just like that. I am hoping a signing like AQM or Bond or Chad Thomas can have that kind of impact for us. Preferably Bond since he should be ready to go right away.
 
I do trust the tie, but this position is a flat-out disaster for us right now. If we lose Porter, we're completely effed.
 
Pierre could be the best DT on the team this year and he is some 2-star nobody that Golden personally brought with him. Also just over a year ago, he looked like a kid that may never find a position on this team because of weight/versatility.

Not trying to excuse our DT recruiting. We've missed, plain and simple. DL recruiting is the most bust-filled, under/over-achieving position in the game though, so while I'm not blindly placing my faith in Golden, I am still optimistic.
 
At this point its not even about stars/world beaters, we need bodies. I trust that we can develop them, and I do think Moore and King will be more productive, but it takes a few years for a true DT to be effective, and we are razor thin right now.
 
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At this point its not even about stars/world beaters, we need bodies. I trust that we can develop them, and I do think Moore and King will be more productive, but it takes a few years for a true DT to be effective, and we are razor thin right now.


Moore is the guy I am most interested in. Ivery was a late addition and King was a roster filler, timing/circumstance kid. Not that they are both incapable of being good but Moore was a guy that was identified and recruited early in the process. Guys like Moore and Jantavious Carter are what will make Golden with the evals. He has seemingly done a very good job already but he just needs to keep hitting.
 
At this point its not even about stars/world beaters, we need bodies. I trust that we can develop them, and I do think Moore and King will be more productive, but it takes a few years for a true DT to be effective, and we are razor thin right now.


Moore is the guy I am most interested in. Ivery was a late addition and King was a roster filler, timing/circumstance kid. Not that they are both incapable of being good but Moore was a guy that was identified and recruited early in the process. Guys like Moore and Jantavious Carter are what will make Golden with the evals. He has seemingly done a very good job already but he just needs to keep hitting.

Agree on Moore, he's a kid that should be a redshirt freshman and had to play before he was ready. the same could be said about Grimble, hopefully he can add to the rotation at DE now that he's back outside.
 
Moore is the guy I am most interested in. Ivery was a late addition and King was a roster filler, timing/circumstance kid. Not that they are both incapable of being good but Moore was a guy that was identified and recruited early in the process. Guys like Moore and Jantavious Carter are what will make Golden with the evals. He has seemingly done a very good job already but he just needs to keep hitting.

If we could transplant Moore's brain into Ivery's head, we might have a player on our hands. But I'm skeptical of Moore's upside and Ivery's maturity.
 
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Put me on record saying I don't think redshirting Grimble would that much of a difference in the end. He just looks unathletic, slow and unexplosive. Hope the kid somehow proves me wrong.
 
didnt keep track of cfb at those times str up nfl guy but liked UM. Didnt realize that its so familiar and gives me hope good write up D and lets kick Ufags and fsu *** this year and send them home like the red headed step child they always will be.
 
Porter remaining healthy is our only shot. He goes down and we'll surely get exposed again.
 
Great write up DMoney sometimes it takes detailed write ups like this to jog the memory & put things in perspective. My money is on OP and Chick being the breakouts on the d-line.
 
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Freak is coming.

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I dont know if relying on a fr de is a good thing,he probably aint ready. Dude isnt Clowney or that Ole Miss kid and hes probably 225 regardless of what reports say. Bond is ready.
 
Moore is the guy I am most interested in. Ivery was a late addition and King was a roster filler, timing/circumstance kid. Not that they are both incapable of being good but Moore was a guy that was identified and recruited early in the process. Guys like Moore and Jantavious Carter are what will make Golden with the evals. He has seemingly done a very good job already but he just needs to keep hitting.

If we could transplant Moore's brain into Ivery's head, we might have a player on our hands. But I'm skeptical of Moore's upside and Ivery's maturity.

If Golden and Coach D sat down together and looked at their vision of the defense in 2, 3, 4 years and they identified Earl Moore as a guy who should be a main cog, I think that is telling. Now Briscoe is in the same boat and that looks like a bust so I'm not sitting here giving these guys complete benefit of the doubt. Pierre started to click, seemingly out of nowhere, so do we see the same thing from a guy like Moore? Not sure, D, but I am more than a little interested to see how this plays out. With Moore it feels like it may take longer than just this season.
 
Moore is the guy I am most interested in. Ivery was a late addition and King was a roster filler, timing/circumstance kid. Not that they are both incapable of being good but Moore was a guy that was identified and recruited early in the process. Guys like Moore and Jantavious Carter are what will make Golden with the evals. He has seemingly done a very good job already but he just needs to keep hitting.

If we could transplant Moore's brain into Ivery's head, we might have a player on our hands. But I'm skeptical of Moore's upside and Ivery's maturity.

If Golden and Coach D sat down together and looked at their vision of the defense in 2, 3, 4 years and they identified Earl Moore as a guy who should be a main cog, I think that is telling. Now Briscoe is in the same boat and that looks like a bust so I'm not sitting here giving these guys complete benefit of the doubt. Pierre started to click, seemingly out of nowhere, so do we see the same thing from a guy like Moore? Not sure, D, but I am more than a little interested to see how this plays out. With Moore it feels like it may take longer than just this season.

pretty alarming when u look at it like that JHall, most gave AG a pass because of Pierre and Wilkerson who was drafted real high. I guess this year we will find out but Briscoe HS film wasnt that great. Moore just passes the look test and Strong wanted Ivery and thats a good sign, OP looks like a star though when they release him.
 
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Moore is the guy I am most interested in. Ivery was a late addition and King was a roster filler, timing/circumstance kid. Not that they are both incapable of being good but Moore was a guy that was identified and recruited early in the process. Guys like Moore and Jantavious Carter are what will make Golden with the evals. He has seemingly done a very good job already but he just needs to keep hitting.

If we could transplant Moore's brain into Ivery's head, we might have a player on our hands. But I'm skeptical of Moore's upside and Ivery's maturity.

What's not to like about Moore? Almost 6'2", SOLID 300 lbs. Very good weight too. I think you might be off on this assesment D$.
 
Moore is the guy I am most interested in. Ivery was a late addition and King was a roster filler, timing/circumstance kid. Not that they are both incapable of being good but Moore was a guy that was identified and recruited early in the process. Guys like Moore and Jantavious Carter are what will make Golden with the evals. He has seemingly done a very good job already but he just needs to keep hitting.

If we could transplant Moore's brain into Ivery's head, we might have a player on our hands. But I'm skeptical of Moore's upside and Ivery's maturity.

What's not to like about Moore? Almost 6'2", SOLID 300 lbs. Very good weight too. I think you might be off on this assesment D$.

I think he's probably more like 6 flat but the real problem is that he seems to not be a quick twitch guy. It's often futile to try and assess FR DTs but when you watch them you do hope to see some explosion, as that's generally god-given and something that's improved in the weight room rather than created in the weight room. I do like him though, he played hard when he got his chance... just not sure about his potential ceiling. We'll see, long way to go.
 
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