The defense will be drastically improved this season

[Hstokes1447]

I for one believe the defensive scheme sucks, but I also believe the 2013 defensive personal was the real issue. Looking at the current roster and what we have coming in I see upgrades at nearly every position. If you go back and watch the games a lot of the issues were missed tackles and blown coverages. Jimmy never got a proper drop in the middle and that resulted in a lot of easy completions. Even when Green was in position to make a pay, his lack of athletic ability just wouldn't allow it. Deon Bush, a very important player, was hurt all season, resulting in high minutes to Highsmith and Rodgers. Luther Robinson, Curits Porter, and Justin Renfrow where often on skates and hardly ever got any pressure up the middle.

Here is why I believe the D will be better (Even with a horrible scheme)

1. No true freshman in the 2 deep (with the exception of Chad Thomas)
2. No Highsmith, Rodgers, Green, Gaines, Cornileus, Fentress, or Robinson)
3. More athletic
4. More overall speed
5. Better tacklers (Most of the blown tackles came from SR's)
6. More experience (Most of the starters have all been in the program for 3 years now. When talent gains experience you usually see better players)
7. Better overall depth

SDE
Anthony Chickillo SR will be stronger and more experienced. Also with Kamalu coming into his own Chick will play less minutes keeping him fresh for the long season.
[video=youtube;OSNk-YSnPgk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSNk-YSnPgk[/video]

Ufomba Kamalu RJR He didn't get into camp until a few weeks before the season started last year. With a full year under his belt he should be improved

NT
This is the position that concerns me but Michael Wyche could be a difference maker. IMO Wyche & Calvin Heurtelou will be a upgrade over Porter & Renfrow
[video=youtube;TroYzbXOlFA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TroYzbXOlFA[/video]


DT
Olsen Pierre SR with another year to get stronger he should as least be solid. Lets not forget he was a undersized DT coming out of high school
A second DT must emerge but anyone can out perform Luther Robinson

WDE
Tyriq McCord JR if he can set the edge he will be a huge upgrade over Green. He will for sure be a lot better in cover and pass rush.
[video=youtube;d0HycRFpSJM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0HycRFpSJM[/video]

AQM SO Should be much improved, he will at least be a upgrade over himself as a true freshman
Chad Thomas FR will be a upgrade over one foot David Gilbert

SAM
Alex Figueroa SO will be a upgrade over himself as a injured true freshman. With more understanding of the game I expect to see him take a huge jump
Thurston Armbrister SR I believe he will be a lot improved. He made a huge jump last season in just his second year playing LB, with another year under his belt I expect to see a solid player. Lets not forget he was a 190 pound safety when he arrived at Miami

MLB
Denzel Perryman SR will be a huge upgrade over Jimmy Gaines. Jimmy was a nice person, but that kid was simply not a good football player. DP will be a tackling machine in the middle.
[video=youtube;FfSa4V15324]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfSa4V15324[/video]

We have some unproven guys behind DP but we can't be any worst at that position as we were in 2013

WILL
Raphael Kirby JR is a downgrade from DP but he still could be a very solid player
Jermaine Grace SO will be a huge upgrade over Tyrone. Jermaine has great instincts, he is a sure tackler, and he knows how to cover. TE's will not be running free on him

CB All of the top CB's return coming off a decent season, I fully expect to see this unit improve.
Tracy Howard JR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pQrtT7qq38

Ladarius Gunter RSR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKjdX-_MA5M

Antonio Crawford JR
Artie Burns SO

Safety
Deon Bush JR Safety is a new position for him, so he has had a lot to learn and also he was slowed down by injury. Deon can be a beast this season.
[video=youtube;z1nmcZeeXEQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1nmcZeeXEQ[/video]

Rayshawn Jenkins JR He made some big plays last season and also some bad play. If he can become more consistent he could be very good.
[video=youtube;0jkZL_RcXlU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jkZL_RcXlU[/video]

Dallas Crawford RJR Huge upgrade over Highsmith
Jamal Carter SO Huge upgrade over Rodgers, he could keep Jenkins out of the starting lineup if he continues to improve.

 

[Hstokes1447]

Defensive Backs 2013 Highlights
[video=youtube;slY_tOEFsCQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slY_tOEFsCQ[/video]

 

[RBhurricane87]

I expect a slight improvement, but I probably should know better than to get my hopes up like that.

On paper we improve, but schematically we remain the same.

I surely hope "more talent" equates to better on-field performance.

 

[Hstokes1447]

I expect a slight improvement, but I probably should know better than to get my hopes up like that.

On paper we improve, but schematically we remain the same.

I surely hope "more talent" equates to better on-field performance.

What are the exact schematically issues you see?

 

[wvcanefan]

I hope you're right, but I've got serious doubts. Until I see it I don't expect anyone to be a huge upgrade over the guys leaving. I've fallen for that way too many times over the last decade. Hopefully I can eat some crow.

 

[RBhurricane87]

I expect a slight improvement, but I probably should know better than to get my hopes up like that.

On paper we improve, but schematically we remain the same.

I surely hope "more talent" equates to better on-field performance.

What are the exact schematically issues you see?

I don't claim to be an "X and Os" expert, but anyone with a set of eyes can see that there is clearly something wrong with our Defense.

So, when I say "we remain the same schematically" I mean that I don't expect anything from our defensive scheme to change this season.

The only things that are changing are some of the players.

 

[SevenNSeven]

 

[Hstokes1447]

I expect a slight improvement, but I probably should know better than to get my hopes up like that.

On paper we improve, but schematically we remain the same.

I surely hope "more talent" equates to better on-field performance.

What are the exact schematically issues you see?

I don't claim to be an "X and Os" expert, but anyone with a set of eyes can see that there is clearly something wrong with our Defense.

So, when I say "we remain the same schematically" I mean that I don't expect anything from our defensive scheme to change this season.

The only things that are changing are some of the players.

My thought is if the scheme calls for a guy to cover the flats but he is not fast enough to get there before the RB, how do you blame that on the scheme?

Or if the safety is supposed to be over the top but he takes a bad angle allowing the WR to get behind him for the easy score, how do you blame that on scheme?

Scheme is not the result in guys not making tackles, that is the result of bad football players. How many times did we see AJ get run over, around, or by? Scheme can not fix that only better FOOTBALL players can.

 

[Hstokes1447]

I hope you're right, but I've got serious doubts. Until I see it I don't expect anyone to be a huge upgrade over the guys leaving. I've fallen for that way too many times over the last decade. Hopefully I can eat some crow.

Although the improvement was not as big as we would have liked to see, it still was an improvement. I just believe with an improvement in talent we could jump in the top 40 at least.

DEFENSE
2012 Overall 116th
2013 Overall 87th

 

[CANE]

My thought is if the scheme calls for a guy to cover the flats but he is not fast enough to get there before the RB, how do you blame that on the scheme?

It called asking players to do things they are not capable of doing. Violation of rule#1 of coaching.

 

[JHallCanes]

Good job, good effort

 

[cp7705]

I hope you're right, but I've got serious doubts. Until I see it I don't expect anyone to be a huge upgrade over the guys leaving. I've fallen for that way too many times over the last decade. Hopefully I can eat some crow.

Although the improvement was not as big as we would have liked to see, it still was an improvement. I just believe with an improvement in talent we could jump in the top 40 at least.

DEFENSE
2012 Overall 116th
2013 Overall 87th

We should have been better than that. If we had not melted down after that fsu loss, we would have at least be down around 50.

 

[Gatorhater]

I expect a slight improvement, but I probably should know better than to get my hopes up like that.

On paper we improve, but schematically we remain the same.

I surely hope "more talent" equates to better on-field performance.

What are the exact schematically issues you see?

I don't claim to be an "X and Os" expert, but anyone with a set of eyes can see that there is clearly something wrong with our Defense.

So, when I say "we remain the same schematically" I mean that I don't expect anything from our defensive scheme to change this season.

The only things that are changing are some of the players.

My thought is if the scheme calls for a guy to cover the flats but he is not fast enough to get there before the RB, how do you blame that on the scheme?

Or if the safety is supposed to be over the top but he takes a bad angle allowing the WR to get behind him for the easy score, how do you blame that on scheme?

Scheme is not the result in guys not making tackles, that is the result of bad football players. How many times did we see AJ get run over, around, or by? Scheme can not fix that only better FOOTBALL players can.

I hope you are right. But when a player can't make the play as called for and you don't have a backup who can, you have to change to something your players can do! That is why many of us have scheme. Ours is designed for players we do not have and have never had. It is best for 3,4 and 5 year guys. Today, your best players a usually gone after 3. That means the seniors you expect to make all these plays are guys who knew they couldn't get drafted. Please don't throw DP out as example. His second year was a down year because they put him in the middle and he is better outside. Moved him back last year and he was better. Now we put him back in middle and expect great things -- I am not so sure. DP is our best defender and his staying give defense a chance this year. But if you are counting on getting 4 years out of your best players in today's world you are in serious trouble. Al and Mark are living in Happy Valley 20 years ago.

 

[Gatorhater]

I hope you're right, but I've got serious doubts. Until I see it I don't expect anyone to be a huge upgrade over the guys leaving. I've fallen for that way too many times over the last decade. Hopefully I can eat some crow.

Although the improvement was not as big as we would have liked to see, it still was an improvement. I just believe with an improvement in talent we could jump in the top 40 at least.

DEFENSE
2012 Overall 116th
2013 Overall 87th

It could not have gotten worse, could it. Listen, in addition to this defense being alien to anything we have seen at THE U and contrary to our DNA, it also suffers from another defect. It requires a grind it out, clock eating, ball control offense. That is also something we have not seen at THE U since Howard brought in the pro style. Bama has that offense and its defense works. We have never had that, even with all our great RBs will still were not that offense. We have always quick strike--ground or air--never 4 yards and cloud of dust. This defense requires an offensive support system that is also not Cane DNA. JJ ran the wishbone at OSU before he came here. He changed Howard's defense to better fit Howard's offense and scrapped the wishbone. His defense then killed the wishbone in college football. JJ use our type of players to change college football--like Howard did on offense. Al is trying to use our players to recreate PSU in Miami. So maybe it 50 years he will win a couple of NCs like Jo Pa. Is that good enough for you?

 

[hoover437]

we will be much better on defense. We have play makers on defense now.

 

[MovingZen]

My thought is if the scheme calls for a guy to cover the flats but he is not fast enough to get there before the RB, how do you blame that on the scheme?

It called asking players to do things they are not capable of doing. Violation of rule#1 of coaching.

If a guy can't cover in the flats because he's not putting in the work to keep up with other athletes or just flat out can't do it for whatever reason(and his backup is no better), what exactly should he be asked to do? What scheme works with guys who can't cover in the flats, take **** poor angles, and can't tackle? It sure looks like we have a coaching deficiency, but it's guaranteed we had a talent, strength, and heart deficiency over the last few years. Every level of the D had glaring weaknesses, I didn't see a strength to play that couldn't be adjusted for.

 

[poncho0091]

I expect a slight improvement, but I probably should know better than to get my hopes up like that.

On paper we improve, but schematically we remain the same.

I surely hope "more talent" equates to better on-field performance.

What are the exact schematically issues you see?

DE covering slots receivers regularly and defenders playing so far off the ball that the offense is guaranteed a gain. Seriously. If the play is 3rd and 3, why are the dbs 7 yds off the ball. This is a good place to start.

 

[LA'Cane818]

You site no true freshman in the two deep, but they could have easily played last year. Could they have done any worse? The staff lacks a killer instinct and it permeates the entire program. Case in point, the AD tweeting that EVEN the basketball team puts players into the league, after Swopes as picked up as an UFA? Seriously?Nevermind the fact that we are currently marred in one of the worst dry streaks of missing a player in the first round. This is a win to them? The program is a shell of itself, all the dumb videos and rationalizing you want to do will not change the fact that mediocrity is heralded in Coral Gables now.

 

[CaneAlmighty]

Here is why I believe the D will be better (Even with a horrible scheme)

1. No true freshman in the 2 deep (with the exception of Chad Thomas)

1. 
   
   I wouldn't necessarily be against true freshmans coming in and working their way into the the 2 deep.
   The difference being that before we were forced to play true freshmans whether they were ready or not.
   But now it's different since we have good depth without them. If a Hester or Young or Moten can come in and beat out the veterans ahead of them that would bode well for the defense and make them better.

 

[BWCD]

We'll be back to where we need to be talent-wise when we're forced to redshirt these true freshmen after they compete with the upperclassmen, because the upperclassmen clearly outperform them in practice and games. The reason why we've had to forego a redshirt for some guys who needed it is because we either had depth issues, or the upperclassmen couldn't clearly distinguish themselves from the newcomers. Either way--that's not a good formula for success.

I'd love nothing more than to have enough depth/talent in the RS Fr thru RS Sr classes to where a true Freshman doesn't have to see the field this year, unless that kid absolutely provides an upgrade at a position of need (see Moten at DT, Thomas at rush end, or Yearby at RB).