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Defensive Line could be deep

Hstokes1447

Hstokes1447

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Taking a closer look at the collection of players on this defensive line, this could very well be the deepest Miami has been since the early 2000’s. With the versatility that guys like Moultrie, Mesidor, Roberts, and even Lichtenstein bring to the table this team could have 8-9 DE’s and 8-9 DT’s ready to rotate every game. Even at 80 snaps a game, there are enough bodies that not one player will ever have to play more than 20 snaps a game that’s just 5 snaps a quarter 😳. These guys could potentially be fresh all game long.
I believe there will be a roll (even if very small) form Moss and Kelly being they were able to enroll early.

There are 3 nose tackle body types on the roster now with Miller, Jackson, and Haye. Well 4 when you add in true freshman Moten.

This is also a very experienced group with 9 or the 16 players being 3 years or more removed from high school. Then you also have two young guys in Taylor and Jackson who both played a lot of snaps as true freshmen.

I’m still in “believe it when I see it” mode but with the over all talent (multiple all conference players from the portal) and leaps and bounds better couching and scheme this could very well be a dominate group in the ACC.
We all know the ACC has never been know for having great offensive line play so things could get very interesting in the trenches this season.

DE
Mitchell Agude 6-4 255 Covid SR (2nd team All PAC-12)
Jahfari Harvey 6-4 252 Covid RSO
Akheem Mesidor 6-2 272 Covid SO (3rd team All Big 12)
Chantz Williams 6-4 255 Covid SO
Jabari Ishmael 6-5 245 RFR
Nyjalik Kelly 6-4 240 FR
Cyrus Moss 6-5 215 FR (he doesn’t have to be 250 to be an effective stand-up rush end for 4-6 snaps a game)

DE/DT
Antonio Moultrie 6-4 265 Covid RSR (2nd team All-Conference USA)
Jacob Lichtenstein 6-5 270 Covid RSR
Elijah Roberts 6-4 285 Covid SO


DT
Jordan Miller 6-4 320 Covid RJR
Jared Harrison-Hunte 6-4 285 Covid RSO
Leonard Taylor 6-3 305 SO
Darrell Jackson 6-6 320 SO
Allan Haye, Jr. 6-2 305 RFR
Ahmad Moten 6-3 290 FR (I can see him taking a redshirt)
 
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I think Mesidor came here to play End, so unless we're talking about using him as an "End" in different fronts (I've mentioned 303 and 404 fronts dating back to this thread: https://www.canesinsight.com/threads/making-the-pieces-fit-on-dl.177501/page-4), I think he'll be given his chance at SSDE.

The two players I'm sincerely curious to see utilized are Moultrie and Lichtenstein. No idea what they'll do with them, but very excited to see creative fronts with actual assignments.
 
Lot of names in the room. Other than Mesidor/Agude none of these guys have contributed in a big way. It's a deep room but is it good? Time will tell. Staff seems very high on Harvey and have a lot of talent at edge/DT.
 
we gotta stop comparing everything to the early 2000s, 90s, etc. we've barely seen any of these kids play.

anyway, the depth does look nice. but you need dominant, top end players too -- that's the big question with this entire group. same problem I have with people who say we have one of the best RB groups in the country. who is the first team all conference player here? Messidor? Harvey? let's see who really steps up and wrecks the OL every snap. at the end of the day that matters more than having 12 guys who can play pretty well. Jaelan Phillips reminded us of what it looks like.
 
I would love to see an updated weight number on Moss. Kelly seems to be referenced often but Moss has the talent to give us reps this year if his body falls in line.
 
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rayray said:
we gotta stop comparing everything to the early 2000s, 90s, etc. we've barely seen any of these kids play.

anyway, the depth does look nice. but you need dominant, top end players too -- that's the big question with this entire group. same problem I have with people who say we have one of the best RB groups in the country. who is the first team all conference player here? Messidor? Harvey? let's see who really steps up and wrecks the OL every snap. at the end of the day that matters more than having 12 guys who can play pretty well. Jaelan Phillips reminded us of what it looks like.
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The same was said about Phillips before the start of the season. What has he done, wait and see and he showed everyone just what a 5 star talent can do. LT lead the team in tackles for loss last season as a true freshman. Players always make their biggest jump from their freshman to sophomore season. I fully expect LT to dominate in this scheme.

This is not a Manny coached team. **** when is the last time Miami had a collection of coaches this talented and experienced coaching the defensive side of the ball?

Let’s not pretend like Coach Joe didn’t have 2 defensive lineman make 1st team all pac-12 just last season.

Miami has not had a top tier DC since pre head coach Randy Shannon (again early 2000’s). Steel has had good to great defensive line play at every single stop he has ever made.
 
Hstokes1447 said:
The same was said about Phillips before the start of the season. What has he done, wait and see and he showed everyone just what a 5 star talent can do. LT lead the team in tackles for loss last season as a true freshman. Players always make their biggest jump from their freshman to sophomore season. I fully expect LT to dominate in this scheme.

This is not a Manny coached team. **** when is the last time Miami had a collection of coaches this talented and experienced coaching the defensive side of the ball?

Let’s not pretend like Coach Joe didn’t have 2 defensive lineman make 1st team all pac-12 just last season.

Miami has not had a top tier DC since pre head coach Randy Shannon (again early 2000’s). Steel has had good to great defensive line play at every single stop he has ever made.
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if this line is even as good as the 2017 (Manny coached) defense that had Chad, McIntosh, Joe Jackson, Norton, and Trent Harris I would be ecstatic. let alone the early 2000s. lol
 
IndayArtHauz said:
I would love to see an updated weight number on Moss. Kelly seems to be referenced often but Moss has the talent to give us reps this year if his body falls in line.
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Let him earn it. He’s fast but he looked so small and was getting dominated in the spring. I like Kelly’s athleticism and size but he’s gotta earn it too.

We have some workers who have proved it that transferred in and want to win. If moss and Kelly are providing valuable reps than I’m happy to see them get burn but I think they’ll learn a lot and not get too much burn this year
 
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Lichtenstein could probably play some de (particularly in running situations) too no?

We probably want to get down to about a 9 man rotation. Thinking it would be Agude, Harvey, Chantz, Moultrie, Mesidor, Harrison-Hunte, Jackson, Taylor, and Lichtenstein.

Could also see Roberts and Kelly replacing Chantz and Moutlrie.
 
This DL is a very intriguing group. We are deep with good and versatile talent. We have some young up and coming studs like LT , Moss and Kelly plus a lot of tough hard working good solid talents like Agude, Mesidor, Jackson, Moultrie and Lichtenstein. Then we have kids like Harvey JHH, and Chanz Williams who may be ready to break out.

What we don't have yet but are in the process of adding is high end elite talent. We have a few in LT and Kelly but we need much more than that in order to compete with the Bama's and the Georgia's of the world. With Mario and staff we will add these elite players.

What we have is a very deep DL that can rotate and be kept fresh for the entire game. This is a very solid line that should get better every game and should be able to do very well in the ACC. I think we will be rock solid and consistent without being too flashy unless players like LT, JHH, Agude and maybe Kelly begin to come into their own and start to dominate.
 
We got enough to compete. Just don't know if we are good enough right now to be elite. Help is on the way. I still think our front 7 has a lot of question marks for this year. I hope I am wrong. We finally have a little depth though.
 
Southbeach44 said:
We got enough to compete. Just don't know if we are good enough right now to be elite. Help is on the way. I still think our front 7 has a lot of question marks for this year. I hope I am wrong. We finally have a little depth though.
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Certainly not elite but we know that elite talent is on the way because of how well this staff recruits. What Mario has done through the portal has been downright divine. He has managed to load up of good solid versatile players with experience on the DL while adding young kids like Moss and Kelly. We have added a much needed Mike Backer and a CB in Porter also through the portal and augmented that with much needed talent in the 2022 recruiting class, like CBs Graves, Rogers and Harris and LB Bissainthe.

So no we are not elite but we are very solid and versatile with surprisingly good depth. We are also much improved as a defense from where we were last year and that is not even debatable. We are deeper, more talented, more versatile and more experienced in addition to being collectively faster, stronger, better coaches and in an infinitely better scheme. The best part is that this is literally just the beginning. Starting with the 2023 we are going to see this staff add some really serious elite talent to every level of this defense.
 
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htownkidd said:
Saw one of those S&C improvement photos that have been floating around of Darrell Jackson and he is 320. He is going to fvck some **** up. After TVD, the DL is the group I am looking forward to watching the most this season, specifically him & 56.
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Jackson really has the potential to be a force in this system. As a true sophomore at 6-6 320 he can be a true space eater that this team has been looking for.

From Maryland site

“As a Freshman (2021): Appeared in all 13 games with a start in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs. Virginia Tech (12/29) ... Totaled 22 tackles (15 solo) ... Matched a career-best with six tackles (four solo) in Pinstripe Bowl win over Virginia Tech (12/29) ... Notched six tackles (four solo) in win at Illinois (9/17)”
 
htownkidd said:
Saw one of those S&C improvement photos that have been floating around of Darrell Jackson and he is 320. He is going to fvck some **** up. After TVD, the DL is the group I am looking forward to watching the most this season, specifically him & 56.
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I'm right there with you man. For me it's also Taylor and Jackson but I'm also curious if JHH takes the next step. I'm also excited to see Agude at DE as I have high hopes for him. Then it's how much the new staff has been able to develop Chanz and Harvey. Throw in Mesidor, Moultrie and Lichtenstein and there is so much to take in with this DL. Can't wait!
 
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rayray said:
we gotta stop comparing everything to the early 2000s, 90s, etc. we've barely seen any of these kids play.

anyway, the depth does look nice. but you need dominant, top end players too -- that's the big question with this entire group. same problem I have with people who say we have one of the best RB groups in the country. who is the first team all conference player here? Messidor? Harvey? let's see who really steps up and wrecks the OL every snap. at the end of the day that matters more than having 12 guys who can play pretty well. Jaelan Phillips reminded us of what it looks like.
Click to expand...
Bingo! You hit the nail on the head.
 
Hstokes1447 said:
Taking a closer look at the collection of players on this defensive line, this could very well be the deepest Miami has been since the early 2000’s. With the versatility that guys like Moultrie, Mesidor, Roberts, and even Lichtenstein bring to the table this team could have 8-9 DE’s and 8-9 DT’s ready to rotate every game. Even at 80 snaps a game, there are enough bodies that not one player will ever have to play more than 20 snaps a game that’s just 5 snaps a quarter 😳. These guys could potentially be fresh all game long.
I believe there will be a roll (even if very small) form Moss and Kelly being they were able to enroll early.

There are 3 nose tackle body types on the roster now with Miller, Jackson, and Haye. Well 4 when you add in true freshman Moten.

This is also a very experienced group with 9 or the 16 players being 3 years or more removed from high school. Then you also have two young guys in Taylor and Jackson who both played a lot of snaps as true freshmen.

I’m still in “believe it when I see it” mode but with the over all talent (multiple all conference players from the portal) and leaps and bounds better couching and scheme this could very well be a dominate group in the ACC.
We all know the ACC has never been know for having great offensive line play so things could get very interesting in the trenches this season.

DE
Mitchell Agude 6-4 255 Covid SR (2nd team All PAC-12)
Jahfari Harvey 6-4 252 Covid RSO
Akheem Mesidor 6-2 272 Covid SO (3rd team All Big 12)
Chantz Williams 6-4 255 Covid SO
Jabari Ishmael 6-5 245 RFR
Nyjalik Kelly 6-4 240 FR
Cyrus Moss 6-5 215 FR (he doesn’t have to be 250 to be an effective stand-up rush end for 4-6 snaps a game)

DE/DT
Antonio Moultrie 6-4 265 Covid RSR (2nd team All-Conference USA)
Jacob Lichtenstein 6-5 270 Covid RSR
Elijah Roberts 6-4 285 Covid SO


DT
Jordan Miller 6-4 320 Covid RJR
Jared Harrison-Hunte 6-4 285 Covid RSO
Leonard Taylor 6-3 305 SO
Darrell Jackson 6-6 320 SO
Allan Haye, Jr. 6-2 305 RFR
Ahmad Moten 6-3 290 FR (I can see him taking a redshirt)
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Oh how i wish this was a silver lining. In reality, it's a lot of names and numbers, no proven quality. Sounds like a lot of "sunshine" up our ar#'s.
 
Swampcity said:
Oh how i wish this was a silver lining. In reality, it's a lot of names and numbers, no proven quality. Sounds like a lot of "sunshine" up our ar#'s.
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So making a all conference list proves nothing? 🤦🏾‍♂️ The battered woman syndrome that some of you guys suffer from is insane.

Miami’s defensive coordinators over the past 15 years

2007 Tim Walton
2008 Bill Young
2009 - 2010 John Lovett
2011 - 2015 Mark “wefense” D'Onofrio
2016 - 2018 Danny Miaz
2019 - 2020 Blake fu@king Baker 🤦🏾‍♂️
2021 Danny Miaz

There has only been one time, during this time period, that a coach on this list had a better team defensive ranking that Coach Steele. **** the coaches on this list are not even better DC’s than Miami’s current LB coach 😂
 
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