Fierce competition along the D-Line

[knapplc]

John Papuchis -- Husker defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator -- also gave out some intriguing nuggets:

 

** The fourth-year Husker assistant said competition along the defensive line "is farther along than we've ever had." In fact, he said, as many as nine tackles are in the hunt for playing time, led by starters Jared Crick and Baker Steinkuhler.

 

** It's pretty clear junior defensive end Cameron Meredith has a great chance to retain his starting role. Papuchis called Meredith "the unsung hero of our defensive front from a year ago."

 

However, "The other side is a little bit of a question mark," Papuchis said.

 

He said leading candidates to start at the other end spot are, in no certain order, Jason Ankrah, Josh Williams, Eric Martin and juco transfer Joseph Carter. It'll be one of the most intriguing position battles of preseason camp, he said.

 

"The battle is on," he said.

 

** Papuchis said he hopes for "a pass-rush presence we haven't always had in the last few years."

 

** Linebacker Lavonte David's emergence last season was "phenomenal," Papuchis said. David set the single-season school tackles record after transferring from Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College.

 

"He did a lot of it on raw athleticism and a basic knowledge of the system,"

 

** Papuchis said senior cornerback Alfonzo Dennard is as tenacious and ferocious as any corner in the country. Meanwhile, the battle for the starting job opposite Dennard is "a wide-open race," Papuchis said, mentioning Ciante Evans, Andrew Green, Dijon Washington and Lazarri Middleton as being among lead candidates.

 

** Junior linebackers Sean Fisher and Will Compton "in a lot of ways are the heart and soul of the defense," Papuchis said. No question, they've grown in the system. By the way, both are healthy, "as far as I know," the coach said.

 

** Compton and Fisher are just two examples of veterans who've grown in Bo Pelini's system. One can see all the teaching and preaching about "culture" trickle throughout the roster, John said. "It's a great thing to see."

 

** With bonafide stars on each level of defense -- Crick up front, David in the middle and Dennard on the back end -- "You have to feel pretty good going into the year," Papuchis said.

 

 

The rest from Sipple's Blog.

 

 

Having nine DTs who are legitimately capable of playing at this level will be crucial this year, since teams are absolutely assured of testing us on the ground. Last year we were lights-out against the pass, but the run... not so much. We're going to need fresh, capable bodies all year.

 

 

And I'm very interested in seeing a pass rush like we had in years past. We've been spoiled with the push Suh and Crick made the last three years, but we haven't gotten the same thing from DE. If we have legitimate threats at DE, with competent Linebackers to fill gaps, this could be a fearsome, awesome front seven.

[da skers]

John Papuchis -- Husker defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator -- also gave out some intriguing nuggets:

 

** The fourth-year Husker assistant said competition along the defensive line "is farther along than we've ever had." In fact, he said, as many as nine tackles are in the hunt for playing time, led by starters Jared Crick and Baker Steinkuhler.

 

** It's pretty clear junior defensive end Cameron Meredith has a great chance to retain his starting role. Papuchis called Meredith "the unsung hero of our defensive front from a year ago."

 

However, "The other side is a little bit of a question mark," Papuchis said.

 

He said leading candidates to start at the other end spot are, in no certain order, Jason Ankrah, Josh Williams, Eric Martin and juco transfer Joseph Carter. It'll be one of the most intriguing position battles of preseason camp, he said.

 

"The battle is on," he said.

 

** Papuchis said he hopes for "a pass-rush presence we haven't always had in the last few years."

 

** Linebacker Lavonte David's emergence last season was "phenomenal," Papuchis said. David set the single-season school tackles record after transferring from Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College.

 

"He did a lot of it on raw athleticism and a basic knowledge of the system,"

 

** Papuchis said senior cornerback Alfonzo Dennard is as tenacious and ferocious as any corner in the country. Meanwhile, the battle for the starting job opposite Dennard is "a wide-open race," Papuchis said, mentioning Ciante Evans, Andrew Green, Dijon Washington and Lazarri Middleton as being among lead candidates.

 

** Junior linebackers Sean Fisher and Will Compton "in a lot of ways are the heart and soul of the defense," Papuchis said. No question, they've grown in the system. By the way, both are healthy, "as far as I know," the coach said.

 

** Compton and Fisher are just two examples of veterans who've grown in Bo Pelini's system. One can see all the teaching and preaching about "culture" trickle throughout the roster, John said. "It's a great thing to see."

 

** With bonafide stars on each level of defense -- Crick up front, David in the middle and Dennard on the back end -- "You have to feel pretty good going into the year," Papuchis said.

 

 

The rest from Sipple's Blog.

 

 

Having nine DTs who are legitimately capable of playing at this level will be crucial this year, since teams are absolutely assured of testing us on the ground. Last year we were lights-out against the pass, but the run... not so much. We're going to need fresh, capable bodies all year.

 

 

And I'm very interested in seeing a pass rush like we had in years past. We've been spoiled with the push Suh and Crick made the last three years, but we haven't gotten the same thing from DE. If we have legitimate threats at DE, with competent Linebackers to fill gaps, this could be a fearsome, awesome front seven.

They are being very overly optimistic here. In fact is scares me that we can't get more separation on the depth chart. We don't have 9 line men who are legitimately capable of playing at this level. We have 2 linemen that are cable of playing at a high level. 3 that have the potential but haven't show it yet and 4 or 5 that are pretty close in ability to the 3 but in all honesty have probably already peaked. They are D1 talent and good support fill in players (10-12 reps a game type players) but not many would be dominant or start and play all game every game before their Sr year at a top BCS school.

[Axl_sued_me]

I was at this event last night. Got free tickets to it from 1620. It was pretty cool. We got to ask the questions. So pretty much, we did all the work for Sipple, Sean Callahan, and McKeowan. They just sat at the back table and ate hot dogs all night.

[da skers]

I was at this event last night. Got free tickets to it from 1620. It was pretty cool. We got to ask the questions. So pretty much, we did all the work for Sipple, Sean Callahan, and McKeowan. They just sat at the back table and ate hot dogs all night.

Be honest Callahan ate about 20 of those dogs. . .didn't he?

[FrankWheeler]

In fact is scares me that we can't get more separation on the depth chart. We don't have 9 line men who are legitimately capable of playing at this level. We have 2 linemen that are cable of playing at a high level. 3 that have the potential but haven't show it yet and 4 or 5 that are pretty close in ability to the 3 but in all honesty have probably already peaked.

 

Can you expand on this, I don't completely agree with what you are saying and don't understand why this would scare you. Crick and Steinkuler provide the seperation on the depth chart, we are returning the two starters from last year that started every game.

 

I am guessing you are calling out Thad Randle, T-Mo and Chase Rome as your 3 with potential but no results?

 

Your "4 to 5" others would include the rest of the guys at DT, Jay Guy, Jeff Uher, Justin Jackson, Josh Molek, Todd Peat & Kevin Williams? That list includes 2 redshirt freshman and 2 true freshman, how can you say these guys have already peaked?

[da skers]

In fact is scares me that we can't get more separation on the depth chart. We don't have 9 line men who are legitimately capable of playing at this level. We have 2 linemen that are cable of playing at a high level. 3 that have the potential but haven't show it yet and 4 or 5 that are pretty close in ability to the 3 but in all honesty have probably already peaked.

 

Can you expand on this, I don't completely agree with what you are saying and don't understand why this would scare you. Crick and Steinkuler provide the seperation on the depth chart, we are returning the two starters from last year that started every game.

 

I am guessing you are calling out Thad Randle, T-Mo and Chase Rome as your 3 with potential but no results?

 

Your "4 to 5" others would include the rest of the guys at DT, Jay Guy, Jeff Uher, Justin Jackson, Josh Molek, Todd Peat & Kevin Williams? That list includes 2 redshirt freshman and 2 true freshman, how can you say these guys have already peaked?

I'm including the ends in the D-line. Cam and Crick are the only two who are playing at an exceptional level. Steinkuhler has yet to reach that level as he has a dominate game and then one he has issues with. He's grouped in with the three I consider that could be great at some point. Rome has much upside as does Moore (eventually). Williams has peaked and isn't slated to be much higher than 3 deep at DT the next 2 years unless someone is hurt or they move him. Randle is pretty much tapped as well and will play ahead of Rome at first just because he's been here but he's as good as he's going to get and last year showed he's not realistically an every down guy. I expect he may start the first few after Crick leaves but Rome will take over. Ankara is really an on the fence guy. He's pretty much physically where he's going to be. He needs to pick up the technique and reads much better so now I have him in the peaked. That can change if the light goes on (disappointing). Martin will be a situational player and while fun to watch. . won't start often.

 

Again. . I'm not saying the guys at the bottom of the 9 aren't good athletes and can't help us but we'd be screwed if they were all we had. . and I do look for guys coming in like Peat to jump ahead of them.

[FrankWheeler]

Can you tell me what you mean by 'peaked'? Because I don't really know what that even means.

 

Which Williams are you talking about for the 3 deep at DT? Josh Williams is an end and Kevin Williams is an incoming frosh.

 

Randle has pretty much tapped what? He's going to be a redshirt soph next year, there aren't many redshirt freshman that are every down players. Ankrah is also going to be a redshirt soph to say he won't get any better at reads and technique and that he has 'peaked' is nonsense. To say any player has 'peaked' as a freshman or sophomore is pretty silly.

[kchusker_chris]

To say any player has 'peaked' as a freshman or sophomore is pretty silly.

Yes & no - their skill level maybe - but their impact on the Huskers might have peaked. I would say Cody Green had peaked. I could see where a few of these players w/ a couple years in the system have had about all of the impact they are going to have. You've got more (potentially) more tallented guys coming up behind them in Peat/Williams, but you aren't going to just throw them in there this year and expect them to product at the same level as Crick. So to imply that we have 9 interchangable DL is a little bit of a stretch IMO. Same goes for the OL.

[theknife]

This thread is hilarious. Look at Suh's stats in 2007 and 2008, an argument could have been made he had "peaked". Why don't we take a step back and leave the forecasting to those who actually are developing said talent.

[Husker_x]

This thread is hilarious. Look at Suh's stats in 2007 and 2008, an argument could have been made he had "peaked". Why don't we take a step back and leave the forecasting to those who actually are developing said talent.

 

Well said.

[n.e.husker]

Papuchis says that up to 9 are in the hunt for playing time, not 9 that will be all americans. We know who the top two are, but after that its nice having that kind of depth and competition behind them, always pushing making eachother better.

[da skers]

Can you tell me what you mean by 'peaked'? Because I don't really know what that even means.

 

Which Williams are you talking about for the 3 deep at DT? Josh Williams is an end and Kevin Williams is an incoming frosh.

 

Randle has pretty much tapped what? He's going to be a redshirt soph next year, there aren't many redshirt freshman that are every down players. Ankrah is also going to be a redshirt soph to say he won't get any better at reads and technique and that he has 'peaked' is nonsense. To say any player has 'peaked' as a freshman or sophomore is pretty silly.

So which one of your buddies plays on the D-line that has you all up in a tissy and trying to figure out the exact meaning of every typed word?

 

But, its a fact that not every player is NFL caliber and while we'd like to have 16 guys that are first team all American we don't. Some guys aren't going to get much better athletically than they are now. Their bodies matured earlier than guys around them in high school. We all know that's partly why they dominate at that level. When they recruited them the did so on the idea that they would still physically mature even more and through SC work their abilities would instead of go up a click go up two or three clicks because they still had room to grow. They simply didn't grow like they thought. Yes they''ll be in better shape and leaner and some quicker. . but not as they projected. That growth comes in year 1 and tapers in year 2 in a large majority of college athletes. After that continued development comes in technique. Some of these guys. . all they had to gain was technique and its not enough at this point. Its noting new, but I say it probably happens more now that high schools have training programs and kids practice football year round. I will also say we are blessed with the fact that Bo and Carl get more from "average" D-1 talent than 80% of the coaches out there.

 

For example, Randle is near as good as he's going to get athletically. Physically he was more mature than what they expected. He didn't have the extra growth they thought and so as a result the things they want to do with his body haven't benefited him like they thought. He's not going to be a guy who goes through major transformations any further. His chance to become better will be based solely on if he can master a skill set now. A guy like Rome or even a Justin Jackson my pass him up. Ankra is a bit the same. He was a beast compared to other incoming freshman....guess what...he's no longer light years ahead. For lack of a better term..his progress (based on crystal ball projections) has stalled. Or at the very least has not multiplied like first thought.

 

You realize the coaches have projected depth charts usually 2-3 years out right? Sure..competition is open 100% and anyone at any time can start or be at any spot on the depth chart. They also chart out where they hope people will be in year 2, 3, 4 or 5 of college so they can recruit for needs. That changes as their evaluations of the players change and as natural selection in sports runs its course. I just so happen know where a few of those guys sit in those evaluations at this time. Some of that is from former players who watch practice, some from a conversation with a coach or one of my friends who hangs with the AD on game days. It still can change an is always fluid because kids are kids and people surprise us both good and bad. But there is a reason (actually many reasons) we take lots of O-line and D-line guys. They don't develop ideally and we don't have enough bodies for the number of spots.

[da skers]

This thread is hilarious. Look at Suh's stats in 2007 and 2008, an argument could have been made he had "peaked". Why don't we take a step back and leave the forecasting to those who actually are developing said talent.

Suh had peaked under the old coaches. He wasn't going to get much better physically or technique wise. I would bet there was less than 20% of a chance he would have been an all American canidate.

[knapplc]

This thread is hilarious. Look at Suh's stats in 2007 and 2008, an argument could have been made he had "peaked". Why don't we take a step back and leave the forecasting to those who actually are developing said talent.

Suh had peaked under the old coaches. He wasn't going to get much better physically or technique wise. I would bet there was less than 20% of a chance he would have been an all American canidate.

So "peaked" is a relative term?

 

Suh sucked under Cosgrove. Pelini told him as much. He got better, though. I have faith.

 

MUCHO, GRANDE FAITH.

 

 

[josh]

I believe kevin steele rated nebraska defense 4th in the country, first in the big ten! Gbr, not sure if this means much