Worst set of DE’s since Manny has been here..

[The Sphinx]

1-pretty sure I have not ****ed myself yet.
2- we can demand whatever we want, that doesn’t make it happen. You need the horses and right now I’m not sure we have the players. We might, but anyone who is confident we have them may be kidding themselves.

the good news in my opinion is that manny seems to be aware that the priority needs to be recruiting and he hired some real alpha dog recruiters that will stock the roster if given time.

also- a lot of us had very high expectations coming into last season for Phillips. There was so much chatter about his freak athleticism. I know I was concerned about him staying healthy but I felt better about him than anyone we have now by a long shot.

Phillips? I was 50-50 on him going into last year. No one knew he was going to have the type of season he had. No one. We were all hopeful at best.

We’ve got the staff my dude, and that means a lot. And our talent is deeper. I’m not at all worried about our DL with Jess.

TWill has me hopeful, but our LB corp... Now that’s where I’m a little worried.

 

[filmcane]

Much better than last year & around the same level as 2018.

That's exactly how I see it.

Look, I don't want to take a dump on Stroud. By all accounts he's a good dude, is still with us helping run the program and he recruited like a banshee!

However, for those unfortunate enough to have followed my posts during this past season, you know that near the top of my complaints about the team was the fact that Stroud wasn't a good DL technique coach. Simpson, on the other hand, is one of the best we've ever had at that staff position.

The combo of the depth we have at DT, the talent we actually do have at DE (multiple 4*s), the more aggressive scheme Manny will be running, better coverage on the back end and a LBing core with a pulse, plus Simpson's excellent training, will actually make the net efficacy of our DL improve over this past year. The DE's may not put up gawdy numbers, but we will be much stronger against the run and keeping the QB scrambles contained. That stuff is important. Forget splash, think the Moneyball approach for CFB D's.

I expect our D as a whole to take a giant step forward this year and I expect the DL as a whole to also take a step forward.

Last thought: one of the best D's we've ever had (and I feel like the youngsters don't appreciate it since they didn't experience it live) was the 91'/92' D. It was one of our best ever! Now, I'm not saying we can equal them, we 100% CANNOT equal the best LBing core in CFB history, HOWEVER, what makes me compare them to this coming season's D is similar but a slight inversion. Here's what I mean...

The net sum of the 91' D was up there with the greatest D's we've ever had, and they were elite in the secondary and great at LBer, plus, their DE's were all world (for CFB at least), but their DT's were just solid. The net result of it all, equalled a great D. In this coming season's case, with such leadership, experience and athleticism returning at DT, if our DE's hold serve, the net result should equal a top 10 D.

Last year, our starting DE's were both NFL level athletes and had their glory moments, but the net result of the whole D was meh against any O with a pulse. I could care less how splashy our DE's are as long as the net result is a top 10 level D. I think we get that next year and I think Simpson will squeeze the maximum amount of production out of our ends.

 

[CashMoneyCane]

I feel the opposite on that. I feel edge guys always makes interior guys easier in pass rush situations. Creates more 1on 1s and forces the QB to step up if you have sum dominate guys off the edge.
DT wise we have a few grown youngmen on the inside. All we need Simpson to do it get them to play more discipline

I mean I hear you but I see it as six of one or half dozen of the other. Any one guy dominating makes it easier for the others.

 

[filmcane]

LT is starting out at de , y’all sleeping on this unit. There’ll be more depth than last year. Especially with the youngsters making a jump.

Wait, what?? LT is starting out at DE?? Is that vetted or your projection? Look, if it's your projection, you've got the resume to predict it, but I am curious if this is your projection or you maybe, kind of sort of might have heard someone say something about LT to DE...?

 

[filmcane]

Feel like a lot of the success the DE's have will be partly predicated on what happens at DT, specifically with Nesta. If he can become a consistent, dominant force, it will really help out the more green DE's on the roster.

From my point of view, we're looking at probably the best DT rotation top to bottom in years.

Right on the mark with this post!

 

[filmcane]

That's a big boy line w/ him at DE

No joke! If you want the DL to contain the run better, that's the kind of beef at DE that will discourage a run game.

 

[filmcane]

Dline will look much better under Jess Simpson

AND, Jess will have a full offseason with a full Spring to really coach these guys up. That is HUGE!

 

[Ethnicsands]

Harvey, Johnson
Cam, LT
Chantz, Q,
joyner, mccloud

Silvera, Ford
Hunte, Miller
Blissett, Holley

 

[CashMoneyCane]

I agree

You could have concurred.

Probably should have concurred.

 

[Cribby]

Wait, what?? LT is starting out at DE?? Is that vetted or your projection? Look, if it's your projection, you've got the resume to predict it, but I am curious if this is your projection or you maybe, kind of sort of might have heard someone say something about LT to DE...?

Not a prediction. He needs more weight and strength inside but they want his speed end length on the field early. He’s a freak.

 

[Cribby]

Harvey, Johnson
Cam, LT
Chantz, Q,
joyner, mccloud

Silvera, Ford
Hunte, Miller
Blissett, Holley

Joyner is with Banda now

 

[Canez1]

Neither Ivins nor Lake know anything about Football.

Harvey is set to be the next up that will breakout the same way Garvin & Rousseau did after they became the full time starters. People just don’t seem to understand that eventually you have to develop talent, which means sometimes guys who haven’t played a lot will be put in a position where they will play a lot & when you’ve seen over the last 4 years is nothing but good productivity at DE, then it’s pretty clear the system we run is conducive to having guys step up & maximize their ability.

Jahfari had 4.5TFL’s last year all while not logging more than 20 snaps a game until the OK State game. GUARANTEE he will have 10-15TFL’s, again the system creates productivity along the line because of the style of play with the DL’s focus mainly being predicated on getting upfield vertically & stunting heavy between the gaps.

We also have a ton of Depth, Jahfari Harvey, Deandre Johnson, Cam Williams, Elijah Roberts, Chantz Williams, Jason Blissett, Quentin Williams, Jared Harrison-Hunte, Nesta Silvera, Jon Ford, Jordan Miller, Jalar Holley, Leonard Taylor, Jabari Ishmael, Thomas Davis & Allan Haye (although I don’t think the TF’s will play that much if at all), plus Zach McCloud is supposed to be moving to DE as well this season.

We have more than enough players who can get the job done.

Starting to stack them Williams boys like we did the Jonses back in the 90s.

 

[DTP]

Every off season we have this discussion. It’s college football, it’s impossible to bring back returning starters at every single position (although we’re close). You have to rely on new guys somewhere every year. That’s why your recruit. We’ve got a nice group of young guys, some of whom were among our highest rated recruits over the last few years. And they brought in a veteran transfer who is a proven commodity. Last year it was a three man rotation. This year, depth is significantly better. No lineman is going to have to play 70+snaps like Phillips and Roche did last year. I think we got a coaching upgrade by bringing back Jess Simpson so I’m banking on a more disciplined unit. Not to mention, the scheme dictates that edge guys are going to get theirs. Every end in this scheme has been productive. Even guys like Jackson, Garvin and Trent Harris, who aren’t high draft picks, ate well in this defense.

Linebacker, on the other hand....

 

[JD08]

2018: I don't know how we'll replace McIntosh/Norton
2019: I don't know how we'll replace Willis
2020: I don't know how we'll replace Rousseau
2021: I don't know how we'll replace Phillips/Roche

 

[JgDaCane]

I expect a huge year from the DT's which in turn should make life easier for everyone.

 

[TruCane81]

I’m simply not gonna worry about edge kids in this scheme. It’s probably the only spot on the entire team where I am fully confident that the next man up is going to produce.

and running back

 

[Ethnicsands]

Joyner is with Banda now

An yeah. Good.

 

[grover]

Harvey, Johnson
Cam, LT
Chantz, Q,
joyner, mccloud

Silvera, Ford
Hunte, Miller
Blissett, Holley

If McCloud plays is he still allowed to collect his social security check?

 

[svenben]

Harvey’s the twitchiest guy we’ve had at the position in ages, bar none. The interior should be stronger, which will help the ends. We’ll probably rotate a lot and individual numbers may be down but we have athletes on DL who can play.

Bar none?

 

[svenben]

Before last season started. GR15 opted out and we was left with a temple transfer and a kid coming out of retirement. I think we are in better shape this year.

That's ridiculous.