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RVACane said:
You really think people here don’t understand how well those guys played the edges against the run?

If I understand it, people here understand it.
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Not when you have people just pretending like there isn’t a very likely drop off. Where we really struggle is with gray area. If you say there will be a drop off, the next 10 replies are yelling at you for saying we’ll have the worst edge run defense in America. Uh, no. It was arguably the best in the country last year. It was arguably the best in school history last year. Saying you’re going to be a little worse isn’t egregious. Actually, it’s natural.

Akin to the dozens of people who argued with me last year and said the 2025 offense would be more efficient than the 2024 offense. We have a TON of people here, and in this world, who have no concept of nuance and black/white/gray.
 
GOCANES05 said:
Calais , to this day coaches state that he’s still impossible to block .
But teams he’s played say he’s even a better teammate and person always a smile gives his experience and wisdom away to all who are open to it.

Brother when he’s finished how could anybody say he’s not the best ever.

You mention to elite pass rusher Calais name and everything stops to acknowledge his greatness on and off the field.

An NFL TREASURE of all time.
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Calais was a huge bright spot during a dark time

Sadly many Canes deserved better while they were here

He’s rich now so that’s good but those days are behind us
 
OrangeBowlMagic said:
Not when you have people just pretending like there isn’t a very likely drop off. Where we really struggle is with gray area. If you say there will be a drop off, the next 10 replies are yelling at you for saying we’ll have the worst edge run defense in America. Uh, no. It was arguably the best in the country last year. It was arguably the best in school history last year. Saying you’re going to be a little worse isn’t egregious. Actually, it’s natural.

Akin to the dozens of people who argued with me last year and said the 2025 offense would be more efficient than the 2024 offense. We have a TON of people here, and in this world, who have no concept of nuance and black/white/gray.
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Well said as usual

I keep saying I hope Blount plays on the outside quite a bit. He was so raw but I think he could be a real force stopping the run on the outside.
 
JHallCanes said:
Well said as usual

I keep saying I hope Blount plays on the outside quite a bit. He was so raw but I think he could be a real force stopping the run on the outside.
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I’m hopeful. I still expect us to be **** good there. I think you and I talked in one of the threads about Blount being the kid on the team I’m most intrigued with. I’m with you and am really curious how he’s deployed. And if we really can keep Lowe and he plays to his potential, it’s a massive boost to the ceiling of that group. He’s got the body to play out there whereas Lightfoot and even Wilson get it done a different way.

Plenty of talent. Especially if Lowe and Blount do play out there and are ready. I think Blount is. He’s not even 20 yet, is he?
 
OrangeBowlMagic said:
I’m hopeful. I still expect us to be **** good there. I think you and I talked in one of the threads about Blount being the kid on the team I’m most intrigued with. I’m with you and am really curious how he’s deployed. And if we really can keep Lowe and he plays to his potential, it’s a massive boost to the ceiling of that group. He’s got the body to play out there whereas Lightfoot and even Wilson get it done a different way.

Plenty of talent. Especially if Lowe and Blount do play out there and are ready. I think Blount is. He’s not even 20 yet, is he?
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Yeah with the pure talent and clearly awesome coaching I’m really confident it will get figured out. Heatherman also kinda throws traditional positions out the window anyway

Was just pretty clear when people were obsessed with sack numbers with 3 and 4 they weren’t really understanding what was going on in the game

I’m biased here but I’m also just not trading Scott/Moten for anyone else in the country. Scott is ready I think. Some would say he’s already arrived but he’s scary good
 
I believe Jerome Brown and Dan Stubbs played together two season here.

They would be the most dominant duo in program history IMO.
 
I appreciate the OP is a new poster and posted a positive opinion about our defense. Not everyone knows the off-season details like the fact McConathy moved to TE.

RVACane said:
You really think people here don’t understand how well those guys played the edges against the run?

If I understand it, people here understand it.
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You're very forgiving of other posters. They're not very forgiving of each other as this thread shows.
 
@JHallCanes @OrangeBowlMagic I am conflicted on how much better or worse this team will be on defense. We need to replace Bain (virtually impossible), Mesidor, Scott and Thomas. It wasn't just the edge setting. It was that they often required 2 sometimes even 3 guys to block out just one of them.

On the other hand, Moten, Scott, Lightfoot and Blount all looked like they took a massive step forward during the playoffs. And then we went out and got Wilson, Davis (upgrade from Blay) and Carter (upgrade from Simpson). Our DL is a bunch of high performing 5 stars and Moten, who played like a Day 1/2 pick in the CFP.

Meanwhile, at DB, Thorton very much reminds me of Scott. Can Day, Fitzgerald, Hussey and Dunnigan fill the void left by Thomas?

I was super appreciative of Wes and Popo. But we're getting the two best LBs back in Toure and Smith. Can our other LBs deliver similar or better results than the two no longer on the team? Our CBs are all returning and I expect them to be the best CB unit in college football.

Netting it all out, I agree we won't be as good opening up game 1 at Stanford vs our awesome performance hosting Notre Dame last season. But I think it's a good chance our defense is collectively as good by the time we play Notre Dame and Clemson later this season. Is that Kool-Aid speaking?
 
grover said:
@JHallCanes @OrangeBowlMagic I am conflicted on how much better or worse this team will be on defense. We need to replace Bain (virtually impossible), Mesidor, Scott and Thomas. It wasn't just the edge setting. It was that they often required 2 sometimes even 3 guys to block out just one of them.

On the other hand, Moten, Scott, Lightfoot and Blount all looked like they took a massive step forward during the playoffs. And then we went out and got Wilson, Davis (upgrade from Blay) and Carter (upgrade from Simpson). Our DL is a bunch of high performing 5 stars and Moten, who played like a Day 1/2 pick in the CFP.

Meanwhile, at DB, Thorton very much reminds me of Scott. Can Day, Fitzgerald, Hussey and Dunnigan fill the void left by Thomas?

I was super appreciative of Wes and Popo. But we're getting the two best LBs back in Toure and Smith. Can our other LBs deliver similar or better results than the two no longer on the team? Our CBs are all returning and I expect them to be the best CB unit in college football.

Netting it all out, I agree we won't be as good opening up game 1 at Stanford vs our awesome performance hosting Notre Dame last season. But I think it's a good chance our defense is collectively as good by the time we play Notre Dame and Clemson later this season. Is that Kool-Aid speaking?
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I think my biggest “concern” is just leadership

Bain and Mesidor were veterans of the program and leaders. Anytime you lose that it could be nothing, it could be something

We have the talent just gotta see how it comes together

Between Scott, Thomas, Bain, Mesidor that was a TON of experience and that matters

Fortunately we have several guys that have been around a while

So I’m not concerned but like you’re saying, just gotta see how it plays out

It’s the best overall team we’ve had imo but that’s not always the entire story
 
JHallCanes said:
I think my biggest “concern” is just leadership

Bain and Mesidor were veterans of the program and leaders. Anytime you lose that it could be nothing, it could be something

We have the talent just gotta see how it comes together

Between Scott, Thomas, Bain, Mesidor that was a TON of experience and that matters

Fortunately we have several guys that have been around a while

So I’m not concerned but like you’re saying, just gotta see how it plays out

It’s the best overall team we’ve had imo but that’s not always the entire story
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Thats every team tho, before last season the coaches had to ask Mesi and bain to be more of leaders.. Mesi talked openly before the season how that wasnt really his role before and it wasnt natural for him but he had to step up.. He talked about meeting with guys and bringing people along, about changing the narrative and wearing I thing the enough shirts..

Having guys like Fletcher, Moten, Toure, and I am sure many others its their time, whether they want to or not, they have to step up and be the guy..

Guys like Scott and Thomas, Idk how you luck into that.. lol.. Especially Scott.. Those dudes were just locked in..

For some reason Im not worried about defense or dline barring injury.. More about guys on Oline.. We were self proclaimed playmaking oline last year.. How you replace Anez and Cici? We didnt ever have to worry about them, stalwarts for multiple seasons.. Is matthews gonna be that guy? Biggest question mark on team to me
 
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OrangeBowlMagic said:
Not when you have people just pretending like there isn’t a very likely drop off. Where we really struggle is with gray area. If you say there will be a drop off, the next 10 replies are yelling at you for saying we’ll have the worst edge run defense in America. Uh, no. It was arguably the best in the country last year. It was arguably the best in school history last year. Saying you’re going to be a little worse isn’t egregious. Actually, it’s natural.

Akin to the dozens of people who argued with me last year and said the 2025 offense would be more efficient than the 2024 offense. We have a TON of people here, and in this world, who have no concept of nuance and black/white/gray.
Click to expand...

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It sure the situation with Hayden Lowe, but he is very important IMO. If he's on the team that gives another big, talented end that can hold up on the run better.
 
DrewZ2 said:
What worries me is defending the run. Bain and Mesidor were every down DEs. You could see at times if Lightfoot was in, they’d run right at him because he couldn’t set the edge. That could trickle down into putting our LBs in some tough spots.

Pass defense, not worried. We have a stud DB field and pass rushing should be fine. It’s the 3rd and mid and 2nd and mid that could put us in tough spots.
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This is where you need guys like Blount, Lowe, and Scroggins to collectively fill the run D need as much as possible to mitigate losing Bain/Mesidor. Run D isnt the strength of Lightfoot or Wilson so our other guys gotta step up.
 
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