Bo expecting a 'big jump' on defense

[Danny Bateman]

ughhhh... enjoyed the usual offseason sunshines and rainbows attitude by the team, but hearing we're not changing the scheme at all kind of makes me think we won't see much of a change in our pass rush next year.

Looks like it's another year of patticake BS.

Agreed. I'm not fan of the scheme. Yes, last year it worked wonderfully against predominantly pocket passers, but really struggled with true dual-threat QBs. I miss '03 when Bo consistently had Demorrio Williams come off the end and used a lot of disguised blitzes. I keep wondering if Bo changed his D philosophy (dual threat QBs existed in '03) or if he feels (despite what he may say publicly) that he doesn't have the necessary speed to unleash the rush scheme.

Well, we certainly don't have anyone that consistantly tore it up off the edge last season.

Cam looked flat out slow and was probably carrying too much weight last season. Ankrah underwhelmed, but I beleive he started to look better at the end of the year. He at least started most of the year, for what that's worth. Carter got lost in the shuffle last year and never really wowed me. Hope he can step up in a big way this season. Emart is certainly the most vicious DE we have, and he's got the physical tools to be a good one, but he's only got one more year to put it together. Too bad we couldn't have started him at DE right away if we knew he wasn't going to be able to mentally grasp the LB spot. Guess you can't know until they get here though.

We've got some good ones coming it. McMullen looks like the best DE we've recruited in some times (although Ankrah and J Williams both got tabbed as four stars too... Gulp). He could probably be a multi year starter if he puts it together like we're hoping he will. Moss is also very athletic and has a lot of potential. Anderson did a lot of blitzing and he did it WELL in his highlight video. Who knows if that will translate into D1 ball, but if it can he could make a similar impact to Demorrio, should Bo choose to utilize him in that role. Something tells me he won't... We shall see. I think the majority of the fan base wishes we'd get back to attacking on D, regardless of how successful Bo knows his current scheme can be. It just isn't exciting to watch unless we force turnovers, which we didn't do very well last year. Sacks are entertaining.

 

[AK-47]

Optimism is good, but team speed is more preferable.

We need a defensive front that can chase down mobile QBs.

It's much easier said than done to find d-linemen who are big and physical enough to deal with the opposing o-line and are also mobile enough to chase down the likes of Dennard Robinson or Braxton Miller.

 

[bshirt]

Optimism is good, but team speed is more preferable.

We need a defensive front that can chase down mobile QBs.

It's much easier said than done to find d-linemen who are big and physical enough to deal with the opposing o-line and are also mobile enough to chase down the likes of Dennard Robinson or Braxton Miller.

That's right. Guys like Deacon Jones don't grow on trees.

 

[girlknowsfootball]

Bo has said these exact words before... the season following produced the 2009 defense. He never said anything about the defense making improvements last year... he was pretty quiet about it actually. He knew they were inexperienced and needed game experience. I think we see some great CB/S play and some great LB/DL play this year. I think we see some great RB play, and a lack of use of the WR's again.

 

[knapplc]

Sophomore Braylon Heard is moving to cornerback, Papuchis said, because of his "great hips" and "great feet" in an effort to "get our best 11 athletes on the field." :thumbs

The problem I have with this quote is that it's not the case. It's nice to say, but you cannot tell me that P.J. Smith and/or Courtney Osborne aren't better athletes than Justin Blatchford, Lance Thorell and/or Austin Cassidy. Smith and Osborne were both Blackshirts two years ago, then last year they vanished.

Being a better athlete isn't the problem. The problem is that people don't seem to understand the defense, and Bo isn't willing to allow their athleticism make up for what they're missing. Well.... except in the case of 2010 Lavonte David, who we were told didn't get the defense, but he was always in the right place because of his skills. So which is it? Are we allowing for diminished knowledge of the defense but greater athleticism, or is comprehensive knowledge of the defense a MUST before you see the field, or do we just play favorites?

 

[Treand3]

Sophomore Braylon Heard is moving to cornerback, Papuchis said, because of his "great hips" and "great feet" in an effort to "get our best 11 athletes on the field." :thumbs

The problem I have with this quote is that it's not the case. It's nice to say, but you cannot tell me that P.J. Smith and/or Courtney Osborne aren't better athletes than Justin Blatchford, Lance Thorell and/or Austin Cassidy. Smith and Osborne were both Blackshirts two years ago, then last year they vanished.

Being a better athlete isn't the problem. The problem is that people don't seem to understand the defense, and Bo isn't willing to allow their athleticism make up for what they're missing. Well.... except in the case of 2010 Lavonte David, who we were told didn't get the defense, but he was always in the right place because of his skills. So which is it? Are we allowing for diminished knowledge of the defense but greater athleticism, or is comprehensive knowledge of the defense a MUST before you see the field, or do we just play favorites?

This is true. One of the problems I continually seen from Cassidy, Blatchford and Thorell were even though they knew the defense better, their lack of athleticism caused them to panic at times when a receiver got on top of them with speed.

 

[Lyons in the Sea of Red.]

Sophomore Braylon Heard is moving to cornerback, Papuchis said, because of his "great hips" and "great feet" in an effort to "get our best 11 athletes on the field." :thumbs

The problem I have with this quote is that it's not the case. It's nice to say, but you cannot tell me that P.J. Smith and/or Courtney Osborne aren't better athletes than Justin Blatchford, Lance Thorell and/or Austin Cassidy. Smith and Osborne were both Blackshirts two years ago, then last year they vanished.

Being a better athlete isn't the problem. The problem is that people don't seem to understand the defense, and Bo isn't willing to allow their athleticism make up for what they're missing. Well.... except in the case of 2010 Lavonte David, who we were told didn't get the defense, but he was always in the right place because of his skills. So which is it? Are we allowing for diminished knowledge of the defense but greater athleticism, or is comprehensive knowledge of the defense a MUST before you see the field, or do we just play favorites?

This is true. One of the problems I continually seen from Cassidy, Blatchford and Thorell were even though they knew the defense better, their lack of athleticism caused them to panic at times when a receiver got on top of them with speed.

Yup, Thorell was always right there, he just wasn't athletic enough. I think it is easier for safeties to lack in the athletic area than it is for those who are locked in coverage like Thorell was often. Safeties can make up for lack of athleticism easier than those who in coverage.

 

[Treand3]

Sophomore Braylon Heard is moving to cornerback, Papuchis said, because of his "great hips" and "great feet" in an effort to "get our best 11 athletes on the field." :thumbs

The problem I have with this quote is that it's not the case. It's nice to say, but you cannot tell me that P.J. Smith and/or Courtney Osborne aren't better athletes than Justin Blatchford, Lance Thorell and/or Austin Cassidy. Smith and Osborne were both Blackshirts two years ago, then last year they vanished.

Being a better athlete isn't the problem. The problem is that people don't seem to understand the defense, and Bo isn't willing to allow their athleticism make up for what they're missing. Well.... except in the case of 2010 Lavonte David, who we were told didn't get the defense, but he was always in the right place because of his skills. So which is it? Are we allowing for diminished knowledge of the defense but greater athleticism, or is comprehensive knowledge of the defense a MUST before you see the field, or do we just play favorites?

This is true. One of the problems I continually seen from Cassidy, Blatchford and Thorell were even though they knew the defense better, their lack of athleticism caused them to panic at times when a receiver got on top of them with speed.

Yup, Thorell was always right there, he just wasn't athletic enough. I think it is easier for safeties to lack in the athletic area than it is for those who are locked in coverage like Thorell was often. Safeties can make up for lack of athleticism easier than those who in coverage.

Yes