Is the Canes Defense Championship Caliber?

[Memnon]

Not Yet. Clemson starting front 4 had 27 sacks and 17 came from their 2 DTs. Bama front 4 had 31.5 sacks and 12.5 came from their Dts.

For comparison miami starting d-line had 11.5 sacks and only 4.5 came from the DTs.

The d-line has to make that leap this year and hopefully the cb spots will be solid.

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

 

[timujian]

I say yes. Defense doesn't win championships the way it used to. Elite offenses do. Bama usually has one of the best defenses every year but Clemson has shredded them 2 straight title games. Miami won't be competing for titles until Richt can get the offense fixed. The defense is plenty good enough.

agree

 

[CanesFan93]

ACC Champsionship caliber? Maybe. Besides FSU and Louisville, no one else in the Atlantic has a strong offense going into the season.

Too many things have to happen for the D to be NC Championship worthy. I also have to see how a Richt-led team performs without some of its best players before making that call.

 

[CanesFan93]

Not Yet. Clemson starting front 4 had 27 sacks and 17 came from their 2 DTs. Bama front 4 had 31.5 sacks and 12.5 came from their Dts.

For comparison miami starting d-line had 11.5 sacks and only 4.5 came from the DTs.

The d-line has to make that leap this year and hopefully the cb spots will be solid.

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

In other words he's saying the DT talent isn't on par with those said programs, which it isn't imo. We have "good" players at the position that we can beat down most teams with because of Kool's coaching, Bama and Clemson have great interior DL players that are big and athletic whom will beat down any team. Going to have to start securing those types of kids or coaching the ones we have until they are on that level or better.

 

[FrancisSawyer]

Not quite yet but we are certainly headed in that direction. To state the obvious, much of it depends on the play of the secondary. There will be many new faces but the good news is that most of them are legit talents. Transfers Dean and Delaney will team up with Malek Young and freshman Trajan Bandy to form a CB unit with UM caliber speed and ability. At safety, true freshman Amari Carter will likely come in and take the SS position. I look at Carter's situation here as very similar to the 3 freshman LBs last year. Jaquan Johnson the instinctive playmaker will round out the unit at FS and provide leadership. This secondary is more talented on paper than last year imo. They just need reps together. Another factor in their favor is that they will be playing behind one of the best front 7's in the country.

 

[dukebeeasy305]

Not Yet. Clemson starting front 4 had 27 sacks and 17 came from their 2 DTs. Bama front 4 had 31.5 sacks and 12.5 came from their Dts.

For comparison miami starting d-line had 11.5 sacks and only 4.5 came from the DTs.

The d-line has to make that leap this year and hopefully the cb spots will be solid.

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

In other words he's saying the DT talent isn't on par with those said programs, which it isn't imo. We have "good" players at the position that we can beat down most teams with because of Kool's coaching, Bama and Clemson have great interior DL players that are big and athletic whom will beat down any team. Going to have to start securing those types of kids or coaching the ones we have until they are on that level or better.

There are other stats that also indicate good interior lineman play too though like TFL and they may have not gotten sacks but the QB hurries also help indicate their dominance. I think the line was great borderline elite last year. Assuming a step forward from everyone or key contributors I think the line will be right there with those two teams mentioned.

 

[ncncanes]

Um - Clemson and Bama have had the BEST DTs in the last few years

When I pick up a preseason magazine and see our DL in the top 10 units - we are back
- I think the difference between #1 & #1 0 by the end of the year is more due to injuries

 

[CanesNation26]

Not Yet. Clemson starting front 4 had 27 sacks and 17 came from their 2 DTs. Bama front 4 had 31.5 sacks and 12.5 came from their Dts.

For comparison miami starting d-line had 11.5 sacks and only 4.5 came from the DTs.

The d-line has to make that leap this year and hopefully the cb spots will be solid.

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

In other words he's saying the DT talent isn't on par with those said programs, which it isn't imo. We have "good" players at the position that we can beat down most teams with because of Kool's coaching, Bama and Clemson have great interior DL players that are big and athletic whom will beat down any team. Going to have to start securing those types of kids or coaching the ones we have until they are on that level or better.

. this ^ We have good DT's, but they're not elite, game changers.

 

[Olema24]

The defense will need some help the offense can't have a bunch of 3 and out. They imo were worn out it looked at times because they were on the field so much last year.

 

[teddywestside]

Not Yet. Clemson starting front 4 had 27 sacks and 17 came from their 2 DTs. Bama front 4 had 31.5 sacks and 12.5 came from their Dts.

For comparison miami starting d-line had 11.5 sacks and only 4.5 came from the DTs.

The d-line has to make that leap this year and hopefully the cb spots will be solid.

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

In other words he's saying the DT talent isn't on par with those said programs, which it isn't imo. We have "good" players at the position that we can beat down most teams with because of Kool's coaching, Bama and Clemson have great interior DL players that are big and athletic whom will beat down any team. Going to have to start securing those types of kids or coaching the ones we have until they are on that level or better.

. this ^ We have good DT's, but they're not elite, game changers.

This is like ****** city. lol. How many DTs get drafted in the 1st round? Because those are the only DTs that are definitively better than NOrton and Mcintosh. Both of these guys will go in the 2nd to 4th rounds.

Norton and McIntosh are the epitome of elite gamechangers.

 

[Pentagon Cane]

Not Yet. Clemson starting front 4 had 27 sacks and 17 came from their 2 DTs. Bama front 4 had 31.5 sacks and 12.5 came from their Dts.

For comparison miami starting d-line had 11.5 sacks and only 4.5 came from the DTs.

The d-line has to make that leap this year and hopefully the cb spots will be solid.

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

In other words he's saying the DT talent isn't on par with those said programs, which it isn't imo. We have "good" players at the position that we can beat down most teams with because of Kool's coaching, Bama and Clemson have great interior DL players that are big and athletic whom will beat down any team. Going to have to start securing those types of kids or coaching the ones we have until they are on that level or better.

. this ^ We have good DT's, but they're not elite, game changers.

I would suspect both will take huge leaps this season. Second year in a system where they can excel. Not asked to put on bad weight to play 2-gap. I'm sure the NFL is looking at both kids hard this fall.

 

[KrazyCane]

Yes and its obvious

Not sure how you can say it's obvious

The Defensive Line is loaded... The starting linebacker unit is the best in the ACC and we have a grad transfer coming in at corner that was a mid round NFL Draft prospect to sure up the secondary.

And the safety position is solidified with two upperclassmen in Sheldrick Redwine at FS and Jaquan Johnson at SS. Even though Redwine is green at the position the fact that he's a junior and already has shown the perfect skillset for the position makes the entire secondary more experienced.

Regardless very few "national championship" caliber defenses are rock solid top to bottom, last year's Clemson team defense was suspect beyond their dline..... Even with the question mark at FS, the defense is clearly national championship caliber and could withstand some injuries and still be elite.

If our offense is as good as our defense is going to be this year, no question Miami is going to the cfb playoffs this year.

 

[User-4525]

Front 7 yes, but dbs are TBD

 

[CanesNation26]

Not Yet. Clemson starting front 4 had 27 sacks and 17 came from their 2 DTs. Bama front 4 had 31.5 sacks and 12.5 came from their Dts.

For comparison miami starting d-line had 11.5 sacks and only 4.5 came from the DTs.

The d-line has to make that leap this year and hopefully the cb spots will be solid.

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

In other words he's saying the DT talent isn't on par with those said programs, which it isn't imo. We have "good" players at the position that we can beat down most teams with because of Kool's coaching, Bama and Clemson have great interior DL players that are big and athletic whom will beat down any team. Going to have to start securing those types of kids or coaching the ones we have until they are on that level or better.

. this ^ We have good DT's, but they're not elite, game changers.

This is like ****** city. lol. How many DTs get drafted in the 1st round? Because those are the only DTs that are definitively better than NOrton and Mcintosh. Both of these guys will go in the 2nd to 4th rounds.

Norton and McIntosh are the epitome of elite gamechangers.

lmao your bolded answer in the form of a question is utter irony given your first observation- '****** city'. Not many DT's get drafted in the first round because there aren't that many elite DT's. Saying that Norton and McIntosh can go in the 4th round doesn't contradict my claim that we lack elite DT's. As it stands right now, we have two NFL DT's on our team in Norton and McIntosh, who both compliment each other very well. They are very good, but not what I would consider elite. I'm talking Nick Fairley, Jonathan Allen, Ed Oliver, Dexter Lawrence types. We lack the top-end, elite DT talent that most championship teams possess. Hopefully RJ and/or Norton can take the next step this year.

 

[KrazyCane]

Not Yet. Clemson starting front 4 had 27 sacks and 17 came from their 2 DTs. Bama front 4 had 31.5 sacks and 12.5 came from their Dts.

For comparison miami starting d-line had 11.5 sacks and only 4.5 came from the DTs.

The d-line has to make that leap this year and hopefully the cb spots will be solid.

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

In other words he's saying the DT talent isn't on par with those said programs, which it isn't imo. We have "good" players at the position that we can beat down most teams with because of Kool's coaching, Bama and Clemson have great interior DL players that are big and athletic whom will beat down any team. Going to have to start securing those types of kids or coaching the ones we have until they are on that level or better.

. this ^ We have good DT's, but they're not elite, game changers.

Kendrick Norton and RJ McIntosh are two of the best DTs in the country. They were sophomores last year and balled how are they not elite??

 

[teddywestside]

Miami had 37 total team Sacks as a Defense & the DLine had most of them...

JJack had 7.5, Chad had 4.5, Kendrick had 2, RJ had 2, Trent Harris had 3, DJack had 2.5 & G Willis had 1.5

In other words he's saying the DT talent isn't on par with those said programs, which it isn't imo. We have "good" players at the position that we can beat down most teams with because of Kool's coaching, Bama and Clemson have great interior DL players that are big and athletic whom will beat down any team. Going to have to start securing those types of kids or coaching the ones we have until they are on that level or better.

. this ^ We have good DT's, but they're not elite, game changers.

This is like ****** city. lol. How many DTs get drafted in the 1st round? Because those are the only DTs that are definitively better than NOrton and Mcintosh. Both of these guys will go in the 2nd to 4th rounds.

Norton and McIntosh are the epitome of elite gamechangers.

lmao your bolded answer in the form of a question is utter irony given your first observation- '****** city'. Not many DT's get drafted in the first round because there aren't that many elite DT's. Saying that Norton and McIntosh can go in the 4th round doesn't contradict my claim that we lack elite DT's. As it stands right now, we have two NFL DT's on our team in Norton and McIntosh, who both compliment each other very well. They are very good, but not what I would consider elite. I'm talking Nick Fairley, Jonathan Allen, Ed Oliver, Dexter Lawrence types. We lack the top-end, elite DT talent that most championship teams possess. Hopefully RJ and/or Norton can take the next step this year.

WTH are you talking about? I'm telling you that Norton and McIntosh are going in the 2nd to 4th rounds in the NFL. That's their talent level. If you want to tell me that's not elite, then my question is how many DTs are going in the 1st round because those DTs are the ONLY DTs DEFINITIVELY BETTER than Norton and McIntosh.

There are about 8 DTs per team, with 120 Div 1A teams. That's 960 DTs. With 240 graduating each year. Going in the top 2-4 rounds in the draft, as maybe the 5th to 15th DT drafted out of 240 DTs graduating puts them in the 94th to 99th percentile.

THat's mfing elite.

 

[Hurracanes]

Front 7 yes, but dbs are TBD

I think this is a fair point and because our secondary is so questionable i say that are not championship caliber. Sort of reminds me of the 2002 season except we don't have a ST26 or Rolle coming in.

 

[supersaiyanshel]

Secondary is at least 2 seasons away frombeing where it needs to be.

 

[Cribby]

Front 7 is elite

 

[No_Fly_Zone]

Front seven is elite and will have greater depth than last year's squad. Secondary loses a lot of experience, but Delaney is talented. JJ should be that much more comfortable at safety, too. Otherwise there are the types of questions that come with a mostly untested secondary. That being said, I like Amari Carter a lot, and I think Bandy will do everything possible to make the most of his athletic talent.

Not sure of they will be "elite" overall, but I think this will be a top 15 defense causing a lot of havoc for the ACC.