If we get Trevon and that DT from UCLA...?

[mossmadness]

The secondary losses concern me. Some studies show that returning experience in the secondary has the greatest correlation to defensive success. Our defensive success last year would just be more evidence of that.

 

[Colombie]

What about 2017?

 

[miamimike]

We will have an offense that will keep our D off the field for more than 1 minute let’s keep that in mind

I think this is a good point. As well as our special teams hopefully putting opposing offenses in worse field position. How many times did teams start at the 50?

 

[252cane]

I am more worried about the DB positions than the DL positions. Bandy and after that its a bunch of not proven much except in mop up duty

Why you worried about DBs? In 2016 rumph basically had 3 safeties playing corner in colbert, redwine, and jaquan playing nickel. The position was worse off entering that year than it is now. Experince isnt everything.

 

[Artist Formerly Known As]

Losing Jaquan is as big of a loss as Willis IMO.

Defense wasn’t quite the same without him.

 

[Mikeiavelli]

Let's take a look

CB. Bandy/Blades
SS. Carter/Bolden
FS. Hall/K.Smith
CB. Ivey/Frierson
Nickel. Bandy/Couch
Striker. Finley/D.Smith

I love the quality here but we are dangerously thin. We need Emerson and at least 1 more CB. 2020 needs to be a homerun type of class.

Don't worry. If a man goes down we can always plug Knowles in any position.

 

[miamimike]

The secondary losses concern me. Some studies show that returning experience in the secondary has the greatest correlation to defensive success. Our defensive success last year would just be more evidence of that.

As Franchise has explained Manny’s D relies on good safety play. So your concern is reasonable

 

[HighSeas]

Willis and Jaquan Johnson are irreplaceable. Both were among the best at their position in all of CFB. It would have to be a cumulative effort of other guys stepping up to make up the difference.

 

[warpigs58]

Every team is going to try And run it down our throats. They all saw the Wisconsin game.

The Wisky game was a demoralized and beaten team. That is not who this Canes defense/ team will be this year. I love how posters act like mindset and emotion don’t have any affect on performance.

 

[Colombie]

The Wisky game was a demoralized and beaten team. That is not who this Canes defense/ team will be this year. I love how posters act like mindset and emotion don’t have any affect on performance.

There's also not too many teams on our schedule with their OL and a RB as good as Taylor.

 

[Captain Uberpants]

The Wisky game was a demoralized and beaten team. That is not who this Canes defense/ team will be this year. I love how posters act like mindset and emotion don’t have any affect on performance.

I didn’t say it would work, just what’s going to be tried, especially week 1 with the gaytors.

 

[warpigs58]

I didn’t say it would work, just what’s going to be tried, especially week 1 with the gaytors.

Gators lost 4/5 starting Offensive Lineman and RB1 this year. I have a feeling we will be able handle their rushing attack!

 

[RedPill Stepdad]

As long as we run the 4-2-5 we going to be skraight. That defense is a game changer the same way the spread offense was when it came into football. (I have been running the 4-2-5 ever since like NCAA 08. The first team I seen running it was TCU and Gary Patterson, back when WVU and Rich Rod ran the 3-3-5.) 4-2-5 is perfect for college football bc most teams try to spread u out and u have more DBs on the field that can cover more ground quickly. IMO Bubba Bolden aka Taylor Mays 2.0 is perfect for the striker position, which is essentially a more athletic linebacker and a roamer on the field. But yeah, couldn't go wrong with a spread option offense and a 4-2-5 defense hoping that's what we run.

 

[mirvin88]

Losing JJ will hurt more than losing Willis. Manny needs elite safety play for his defense

 

[caneallday21]

Willis was insanely dominant and made our defense dominant so it won't be the same but we'll still ne a top 20-25 group which if the offense plays to their talent will be more then enough

 

[caneallday21]

The Wisky game was a demoralized and beaten team. That is not who this Canes defense/ team will be this year. I love how posters act like mindset and emotion don’t have any affect on performance.

Everybody knows that's how you attack them there's just not many who can do it especially with Wisconsin having some absolute studs on their oline and plus without massive amount of turnovers they wouldn't get hit as hard either

 

[supersaiyanshel]

I think this is a good point. As well as our special teams hopefully putting opposing offenses in worse field position. How many times did teams start at the 50?

I think they'll be on the field even more this season. Enos is going to have an explosive offense that scores quickly (not even necessarily by design).

The problem w the D this year wasn't so much that they would get tired, it was that they were forced to consistently play on a short field due to early 3 and outs and horrendous Special Teams as you acknowledged.

Don't think for a second that Manny plans to go away from his mass sub method. He's probably going to go even harder w it if the offense is really explosive as expected.

 

[LuCane]

The secondary losses concern me. Some studies show that returning experience in the secondary has the greatest correlation to defensive success. Our defensive success last year would just be more evidence of that.

Would be surprising if we don't take a step back, but if we get Hill and UCLA DT (Nnoruka), things are setup really nicely on the DL to aide the DBs for perhaps only a reasonable drop in production. Instead of what one would expect from losing 3 seniors, including one AA.

DE Rousseau/Patchan
DT Nnoruka/Bethel
DT Nesta/Ford
DE Garvin/Hill

Hill is actually likely to be a better pass rusher than Joe Jackson, who played half the season hurt anyway. If Rousseau does what I project him to do, he'll be right next to Garvin as the best edge pass rusher here in a while. Garvin can make another leap. Nnoruka is NOT likely to match Willis' production, obviously, but he can minimize a massive dropoff. There would be legitimate depth behind them, too.

All of that helps a DB crew that'd be introducing guys like Bolden, Hall, etc. It helps Bandy and FInley return to Corner and Striker, respectively. I think someone like Ivey is able to meet a good amount of what Michael Jackson did for us. The question would really be with Bolden and Hall. On the bright side, they're freak athletes.

 

[bobbydigius]

Your assuming guys play at the same level next year as they did this year minus gwill

Can’t do that. Bethel should be better. Nesta should be better. Ford should take a big step. Garvin will be a grown *** dog. Might even get something from tyric in his 4th full year as a rotational vet. Patchan will be a couple years removed from surgery. Then you potentially add the kid from UCLA who is this style of D will be distributive. Potentially add Hill to the Rotation. And don’t forget Rossuea who should be ready to go by spring which gives him a chance to get ahead of the full rehab process. This front 7 has a chance to be on par and in some ways better. That’s assuming we add those two

I’m not sure we can count on Bethel or especially Ford really taking a major step. I hope Bethel becomes a solid guy there but what has Ford shown? I’ve at least seen some flashes from Bethel. Really I think we are gonna heavily depend on Nesta taking that step and some transfers. Otherwise our defense should be as good if not better everywhere else from a pure talent standpoint.

 

[Cincycane]

I believe someone will take over that DT spot and be very serviceable. It's the year of the Lb's making more plays and not going into the wrong gaps. Even better we will have a competent offense for a change to help out the D.