Anyone worried about the middle of the Dline this year?

[Dwinstitles]

Golden recruited RJ and got Willis to transfer here

That's a better haul so far in terms of not ranking but on field production. No dancing just straight monsters. I think RJ is an incredible player he was unlockable when healthy with the Giants. He was one of those evals other teams missed on.....like Greg. We all knew and now know Greg is a freak

 

[Bennubird]

I didn't call OP dumb, and I don't think LCE did either. And the board has gone five pages on the topic, at this point, so my opinion that our defense is an obvious strength of the team has not prevented Canes from talking football. If you never intended for me "to get defensive" you would not have implied I'm conceited. And, in point of fact, I didn't get defensive. In my response to you, I clarified my comment to LCE and left you to reach your own conclusions about me as a person.

Guys just want to talk football. That's my point. OP had a question. Don't see why he needs to be called dumb and talked down too. You expressed your opinion and I expressed mine. Never intended for people to get defensive. Just a point of view.

 

[1LuvCane]

I didn't call OP dumb, and I don't think LCE did either. And the board has gone five pages on the topic, at this point, so my opinion that our defense is an obvious strength of the team has not prevented Canes from talking football. If you never intended for me "to get defensive" you would not have implied I'm conceited. And, in point of fact, I didn't get defensive. In my response to you, I clarified my comment to LCE and left you to reach your own conclusions about me as a person.

Sounds good....

 

[Canes Legacy]

I’m very high on Miller. I thought he flashed quite a bit in the limited number of snaps last year. So long as he improves his conditioning, he should be a big contributor this year as the 3rd DT.

 

[1LuvCane]

I’m very high on Miller. I thought he flashed quite a bit in the limited number of snaps last year. So long as he improves his conditioning, he should be a big contributor this year as the 3rd DT.

Beautiful clip. I'm on board. Stout interior DT play assisted by even stronger DE pley...

 

[Canes Legacy]

Beautiful clip. I'm on board. Stout interior DT play assisted by even stronger DE pley...

Ford- 4th year
Silvera/Miller- 3rd year

These guys are in grown man territory. Time for them to step up and be forces in the middle. Pair that with what’s at DE and OCs will be laying in bed staring at the ceiling on Friday nights.

 

[Sabetta]

You assume I don't?

No one is being holier than thou or acting as if they're better, no need for passive aggressive subtle shots, it ain't got shìt to do with reading football websites, I actually played the game so my understanding comes from that perspective.

The point is, there are better ways to inform yourself about something you're asking instead of just lobbing blanketed statements about something that you might be unsure of.

Our DL was & still is a strong point for our Defense, looking at individual stats wouldn't reflect that, but knowing the assignments & what they were asked to do they played to their assignments. Were they perfect? No absolutely not. Can they & do they need to improve? 1,000%. But when people say they haven't done anything or shown anything that's where the frustration comes from on my part, because it removes all context & just judges their play on a limited basis.

Perfect example, anybody who watched Jon Ford vs UVA, FSU, Pitt & Duke can't say he's not good or hasn't shown anything, but just because most fans just look at Box score stats they think he hasn't played well. His primary job was to be a 2-gap space eater to free up the rushers, he's wasn't tasked with being a pass rusher getting heavy TFL's like Willis & RJ did, his job was to clear the runway for Shaq & Pinck & to allow Rousseau the ability to get more one on ones in his stunts & his ability to move around.

The question shouldn't be are people worried about Ford, Nesta, Miller etc, the question should be will Blake Baker make adjustments to put them in a better position to be more effective in aspects of rushing the passer or do they feel due to the step up in Run Defense that they've used them correctly?

The players are fine they're more than good enough to get the job done, the issue is how will the coaches use them & what exactly is their philosophy in how they want to use them... We had less interior TFL's from the DT's than we've had in 2017 & 2018 but had a better Run Defense, so what does that tell you about the shift in assignments they gave the DT's?

This is unfortunate because I usually look forward to your insights and local knowledge. But you just broke out the “I played card” which of course trumps everyone’s opinion and is possibly the douchiest move on a message board.
Next time I’ll run my thoughts past you. My question wasn’t based on stats, it was based on my eyes, my knowledge of the position and my experience. We can all poke holes in all conference teams, PFF stats and the actual stat sheet but when you are a starting DT and play in this defense you should be getting more than 3.5 TFLs (Nesta 1) in 14 games. What I saw last year was Ford unable to finish tackles despite being in the right gaps and Nesta rarely flashing like we’ve seen Norton do as a Sophomore all the time. Sorry, I know you played but when you’re in a down hill 1 gap defense you’d hope for your starters to log more than 4.5 TFLs in 13 games. Also, let’s not mention that neither of them did anything in the pass game. But again, I defer to your previous playing experience.

 

[The Real Kirk Lazarus]

Not in the least bit concerned about any part of the dline

 

[Disgustipated]

We have literally one of the strongest DLine units in the nation, but reading this thread you'd think we were New Mexico St lol smh...

Miami's Dline literally rivals any school in the nation. Hopefully we play football this year because this defense will be legit

 

[Memnon]

This is unfortunate because I usually look forward to your insights and local knowledge. But you just broke out the “I played card” which of course trumps everyone’s opinion and is possibly the douchiest move on a message board.
Next time I’ll run my thoughts past you. My question wasn’t based on stats, it was based on my eyes, my knowledge of the position and my experience. We can all poke holes in all conference teams, PFF stats and the actual stat sheet but when you are a starting DT and play in this defense you should be getting more than 3.5 TFLs (Nesta 1) in 14 games. What I saw last year was Ford unable to finish tackles despite being in the right gaps and Nesta rarely flashing like we’ve seen Norton do as a Sophomore all the time. Sorry, I know you played but when you’re in a down hill 1 gap defense you’d hope for your starters to log more than 4.5 TFLs in 13 games. Also, let’s not mention that neither of them did anything in the pass game. But again, I defer to your previous playing experience.

I mentioned the fact I played in response to the other poster claiming that I was being a know at all or that I was acting as if I was better because I read "football websites" all day, I was just adding to the context of where my opinions come from that it's based on my experience from playing the game & not just from being a stat nerd because I'm far from it. I wasn't saying that my take supersedes all or that I'm a DT expert because I'm not I played CB, but my point was just that my opinion is formulated from experience.

And can yall please leave the passive aggressive snark behind lol. No one ever said you have you run your takes by me or that my opinion is the only one that matters, nor have I ever acted in that way, my dispute comes from people flippantly saying stuff about aspects of the game they don't understand & then acting as if we're in the wrong for saying otherwise.

At the end of day I'm just not gonna keep going back & forth over it, I already explained why if you're just looking at TFL stats that you could come to the conclusion that you've come to about the interior line, so I'll just ask you, why was our Run Defense the best it's been in the Diaz era last year despite not having the high TFL productivity we've seen from the 2017 & 18 seasons by the DT's?

 

[1LuvCane]

This is unfortunate because I usually look forward to your insights and local knowledge. But you just broke out the “I played card” which of course trumps everyone’s opinion and is possibly the douchiest move on a message board.
Next time I’ll run my thoughts past you. My question wasn’t based on stats, it was based on my eyes, my knowledge of the position and my experience. We can all poke holes in all conference teams, PFF stats and the actual stat sheet but when you are a starting DT and play in this defense you should be getting more than 3.5 TFLs (Nesta 1) in 14 games. What I saw last year was Ford unable to finish tackles despite being in the right gaps and Nesta rarely flashing like we’ve seen Norton do as a Sophomore all the time. Sorry, I know you played but when you’re in a down hill 1 gap defense you’d hope for your starters to log more than 4.5 TFLs in 13 games. Also, let’s not mention that neither of them did anything in the pass game. But again, I defer to your previous playing experience.

Completely understood. Its the same with the Harley/Pope situation. We can speculate and excuse all we want. Up to now they've shown flashes but no consistency. The true measuring stick is the field. Looking forward to seeing improvement by them...

 

[Sabetta]

I mentioned the fact I played in response to the other poster claiming that I was being a know at all or that I was acting as if I was better because I read "football websites" all day, I was just adding to the context of where my opinions come from that it's based on my experience from playing the game & not just from being a stat nerd because I'm far from it. I wasn't saying that my take supersedes all or that I'm a DT expert because I'm not I played CB, but my point was just that my opinion is formulated from experience.

And can yall please leave the passive aggressive snark behind lol. No one ever said you have you run your takes by me or that my opinion is the only one that matters, nor have I ever acted in that way, my dispute comes from people flippantly saying stuff about aspects of the game they don't understand & then acting as if we're in the wrong for saying otherwise.

At the end of day I'm just not gonna keep going back & forth over it, I already explained why if you're just looking at TFL stats that you could come to the conclusion that you've come to about the interior line, so I'll just ask you, why was our Run Defense the best it's been in the Diaz era last year despite not having the high TFL productivity we've seen from the 2017 & 18 seasons by the DT's?

Because we played a weak *** schedule?
Rush yards per game
CMU #42
VaTech #49
LaTech #52
FIU #63
GT #72
Duke #79
FSU #93
Florida #109
UVA #117
Pitt #118
4 non P5 teams on the schedule will help. But I know, I’m wrong because you know more.
And you can beat that TFL drum all you want but it means something In this defense. The defense is designed to cause chaos up front to force TOs. So the lack of TFLs is directly coorelated to the lack of turnovers forced which was 20, down from 25 in ‘18 and 31 in ‘17.
I could keep going but I gotta put the kids to bed. Feel free to debunk

 

[CF3]

Were fine at DT. You should be worried about linebackers.

If we're fine at DT, I think (hope) linebacker will take care of itself

 

[DTP]

Still not concerned.

 

[rok]

Outstanding low key trolling.

In 2020 most downs are obvious passing situations unless your playing in the Big 10.

Note: Rousseau to DT is incumbent on Jaelan Phillips fulfilling his potential as top overall recruit and performing so well that the coaches are left with little choice except inserting him and removing either Ford or Silvera from the starting lineup.

 

[Lazarre]

As long as Baker doesn't have GR15 playing NT on 3rd downs. I'm good with the DT position.

 

[BoxingRobes]

I'm worried about Miami up the middle, but not really because of the defensive tackles. Replacing Shaq between the tackles at middle linebacker and hopefully getting a little more of a fast twitch to the edge and boundary is probably my biggest concern.

If we run the offense we are expected to run. High pace, high scoring and supplement it with a defense that gets after the QB with 3 pass rushers on the field most of the time...its really important to have a guy clean up the dirty **** up the middle. Think Patrick Queen for LSU last year. This becomes more important when you're running out 5 DBs in what is essentially your base.

On topic, I think the defensive tackles will be fine. The veterans don't have a ton of ceiling but some safe floors and I think they'll be fine, especially if our games become pace games.

 

[JgDaCane]

Ford & Miller take up ALOT of room.

 

[Jedi Master Cane]

Receiver, linebacker, and corner all worry me more than DT. We're fine there.

 

[Number1CanesFan]

Think we’re fine there and actually underrated at DT due to our overwhelming talent at End..no superstar player but pretty stout with Ford, Miller and nesta

Those New York young bucks are going to challenge for PT. They should be solid back ups. Coaches were singing their praises last year when they were on scout team.

I think we can go 6 deep at DT. This could be the most depth we've had at DT of guys who can actually contribute.