2012 Defense

I feel we have reentered the Mitch King, Matt Kroul era, both of them started as freshman and grew into all big 10 performers. It may be a long year upfront next season as who ever starts will grow up the hard way like they should have this season, IMO. Not playing our young lineman this year has set us up for another disappointing season next year.

Kirk and company knew this was our weakness coming into this season and were going to take our lumps this season, so why not infuse the line with some more youth and see how they grow up. I'm not saying start all of them but give them regular playing time like they did with Clayborn and Ballard as freshman. We are limiting our winning potential with this mindset and it needs to change.
 
We can't play a 3-4. 3-4 OLB's are large hybrid DE-LB players that can play off offensive tackles and rush the passer/set the run edge (think Clay Matthews, Demarcus Ware, Harrison). Hitchens and Kirksey are way too undersized to do that.

Davis is our only potential 3-4 NT ... if he gets hurt or isn't good we have nobody large enough to control the middle gaps. We probably have a few guys who can play the end position.
 
Davis was a RS freshmen. KF has always stayed with SR's unless he has no choice
Johnsom coming is 6'4 300 lbs so he may be young but he has the size to play NG in a 3-4
Derby at 6-4 235 has the size and speed to be a outside backer in a 3-4 give him the offseason and put about 10 lbs of Muscle and he is good to go
Ekakitie at 6'3 285 would be a good DE in either a 3-4 or a 4-3
Cooper can be a DT in a 4-3 or DE in a 3-4 or even a DE IN A 4-3 at 6'3 285 LBS
with LTP 6'3 270 lbs and Mike Hardy 6'5 270 lbs both will be RS SO next year
the size will be there
KF will have to use youth as he will have just 2 SR's and 1 JR as upper classmen at his disposal
we have the talent just very little experience
i believe the incoming FR will get their shot at playing time but of the 4 DL coming i only expect Johnson cracking the 2 deeps
and chances are slim at that
 
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Will be interesting to see who emerges on the dline front. On paper at least, we have some nice players in the pipeline. Again, that is on paper. Let's hope some of the younger players can break through and turn into two or three year starters.
 
You guys are funny.

One of you said not playing the young guys is going to hurt. What young guys are you talking about Hardy, Trinca-Passat?

Sure, Cooper looks like he might be able to play the part, but everyone has said he is not strong enough to hold up yet.

Davis did play and the word about him is exactly what people have said in camp all along. He is slow off the ball and struggles to keep his pads low. At the stage he is at, Clayborn, Ballard, and Binns had all shown that they were going to be special. Davis' minutes were given away to Bigach, who was not nearly strong enough to be playing in the Big, but was clearly an upgrade.

Again, I am not saying Davis can't turn the corner, but he is at about Brommer or Archie level right now. Which is that his size looks about right, but he is miles away from being an effective Big Ten starter.

The rest of the guys you are talking about are going to be true freshmen. And you think somehow the DLine can be better than this year? PUT THE PIPE DOWN.

That just is not happening without some weird transfer situation.

However, just like I said with the OLine. This next year is going to be tough, but things are setting up very nicely for a run starting late in 2013 and peaking in 2014, which would coincide perfectly with KF's next 3 year up swing.
 
I am in the group that thinks this unit will struggle. I actually think Derby is going to be a starter next year. He has a leadership mantality that is needed and would be an excellent fit next to Morris. Hell Derby may even be a middle linebacker next year.

DL scares me as all of them are unknown to us. Davis played some but did not play well.
 
wardog23 said:
I am in the group that thinks this unit will struggle. I actually think Derby is going to be a starter next year. He has a leadership mantality that is needed and would be an excellent fit next to Morris. Hell Derby may even be a middle linebacker
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We have a solid group of LB's, I don't think Derby will crack the starting lineup. I don't get the Derby rumblings, what have you heard that I haven't? He had what 1 tackle on kickoffs not being a smart ***, but really what makes you think he will start next year?
 
Morris JR, Alston SO, Poggi R. SO, Hitchens JR, Kirksey JR. Unless we get some injuries I don't see Derby getting in the lineup.
 
I am not sure about Derby either. Unless Alston's knee is bad, seems like he is heir apparent to take over the Mike.
 
CAARHawk said:
You guys are funny.

One of you said not playing the young guys is going to hurt. What young guys are you talking about Hardy, Trinca-Passat?

Sure, Cooper looks like he might be able to play the part, but everyone has said he is not strong enough to hold up yet.

Davis did play and the word about him is exactly what people have said in camp all along. He is slow off the ball and struggles to keep his pads low. At the stage he is at, Clayborn, Ballard, and Binns had all shown that they were going to be special. Davis' minutes were given away to Bigach, who was not nearly strong enough to be playing in the Big, but was clearly an upgrade.

Again, I am not saying Davis can't turn the corner, but he is at about Brommer or Archie level right now. Which is that his size looks about right, but he is miles away from being an effective Big Ten starter.

The rest of the guys you are talking about are going to be true freshmen. And you think somehow the DLine can be better than this year? PUT THE PIPE DOWN.

That just is not happening without some weird transfer situation.

However, just like I said with the OLine. This next year is going to be tough, but things are setting up very nicely for a run starting late in 2013 and peaking in 2014, which would coincide perfectly with KF's next 3 year up swing.
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The Dline was terrible for the most part this year, it did get better however as the season went on. They were also tiny by big10 standards.

2005 D line was better than this years and that was all underclassmen first year starters who had seen almost no playing time up to that point.

Then three years later Clayborn and Ballard came in as 4* redshirt freshman and a true freshman and took away playing time from those guys.

Its very possible that some combination of Cooper, McMinn, Spears, Johnson, Faith E., Derby, and even Davis could produce a line better than this years.

Alvis may be ready also.

Young guys are going to have to step up but its not unprecedented. It helps having 4* guys who have potential to make a much quicker impact.
 
a
vegashawki said:
We have a solid group of LB's, I don't think Derby will crack the starting lineup. I don't get the Derby rumblings, what have you heard that I haven't? He had what 1 tackle on kickoffs not being a smart ***, but really what makes you think he will start next year?
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Well the coaches suggested he move there if he wants to see the field. At least I remember that being said earlier in the year. He could also play DE too, But I can see him cracking the starting lineup because he has attitude for Defense or at least he seems to carry himself that way.

Plus put in the Ferentz is friend with his dad theory that everyone complains about, and you have a starter. I can seem him rotating with Hitchens, Morris, Kirksey, and Alston.... going 5 deep at the LB position is not a bad thing is it?
 
In a nut shell the D line needs to improve big time and we need more speed at line backer. Nielsen/Morris got killed in pass coverage this year . With the competition we play our LBs have to be able to run and cover. I have a feeling we will see more rotation in the line-up then we have in the past for a few reasons
1) lack of experience.
2) I think we have a depth of talent.
3) The competition we play will require us to keep guys fresher then we have.

We also need to get more aggressive from a play calling standpoint. Of course this all depends on the big factor of if we can stay healthy or not. A large amount of injuries as with any team will make it very hard.
 
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