Best D-Line in the Country

[VAVol85]

Well-stated. And there are others as well, Hobbs, Bradley, Wethersby, Robinson, Heard, and new kid Ross.

We have come so far from where we were a few years ago, having to play the same few guys all the time.

Matthew Butler agrees with this post.

 

[SockeyeVol]

Well...I mean...we KNOW it's not Northwestern.

Northwestern is the Illinois of the Vanderbilt of the Big 10.

 

[Zues1]

But some people wanted him fired.
You got to have the Jimmy's and the Joes.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

I remember seeing some comments about this last offseason too and being excited about the group. They flashed at times but seemed to struggle in some SEC games midseason. Hopefully another year of experience is the difference this time.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Illinois is not the Vanderbilt of the Big Ten. That's actually a pretty absurd comparison.

Rutgers on the athletic side and Northwestern on the Academic side. Northwestern actually competes on the field too.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Well-stated. And there are others as well, Hobbs, Bradley, Wethersby, Robinson, Heard, and new kid Ross.

We have come so far from where we were a few years ago, having to play the same few guys all the time.

Toss in a Potentially Very Good LB corps, and we can have reasons be optimistic.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

Rutgers on the athletic side and Northwestern on the Academic side. Northwestern actually competes on the field too.

Historically Northwestern fits the bill pretty well. Rutgers has been a bit worse recently.

None as awful as Vandy overall...why can't Candy try as hard as Rutgers and NW?

 

[JohnWardForever]

We will see.

Yep. Wouldn't it be nice to actually know? Like be a fly on the wall for a minute...and see what goes on behind closed doors.

 

[bigorangepoppa]

The old adage, offense wins games, defense wins championships, is still true. When Heupel first arrived, the offensive talent was better than the defense, so go fast and try to put more points on the board than the other team. Now, the defense has been shored up, and building more depth than he has had previously. Me thinks things are about to get interesting.

 

[Rockytop10nessee]

Illinois is not the Vanderbilt of the Big Ten. That's actually a pretty absurd comparison.

Yeah, they’re more like Mississippi State or Mizzou. They’re capable of a big year here and there, but they usually suck. Indiana or NW is more comparable to Vandy.

 

[Rockytop10nessee]

Best in the COUNTRY. I love how people who know next to nothing @ the rest of the country, can rank it. As if anyone can name more than 1 DL on UCLA, or TCU, or Northwestern etc. Crazy talk.

I don’t have to know anyone on Northwestern’s DL to know for an absolute fact that they won’t be in the running for best DL in the country.

But I can name at least 4-5 guys from Georgia, Bama, OSU, etc that will actually be in the running to make that claim.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Historically Northwestern fits the bill pretty well. Rutgers has been a bit worse recently.

None as awful as Vandy overall...why can't Candy try as hard as Rutgers and NW?

Has to be Coaching. Fitzgerald always turned out a competitive team; usually had a winning record every other year s overwhelming talent. Vandy wins what; once every 10 years?

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Dline may be good, but secondary will be weakness....again

 

[savannahfan]

Coach Banks said that we might have one of the best D-line in the country and there are some in the media that might agree with him.

Coach Banks has a history of focusing on building a strong Dline and once he does, he's won conference championships.

His first DC job, he was a part of 2 MAC Championships.

Next job at Cincinnati, he took over the youngest defense in college football and in one year, turned it into the #21 most dominate defenses in college football. (See articles below)

No. 23 Cincinnati’s defense behind its turnaround

CINCINNATI — The last thing Cincinnati wanted to see in 2010 was its defense on the field in the fourth quarter of a close game. The Bearcats knew that by

www.times-news.com

At Cincinnati, in Banks second season, the defense was #1 in tfl, #2 in sacks, #6 in rush defense, #21 in scoring and #42 in total defense. (Stats look familiar....almost exactly like ours at Tennessee). Cincinnati won Big East Conference Championship. Banks was nominated for Broyles and was voted Rivals.com Big East Coordinator of the Year.

No. 23 Cincinnati’s defense behind its turnaround

CINCINNATI — The last thing Cincinnati wanted to see in 2010 was its defense on the field in the fourth quarter of a close game. The Bearcats knew that by

www.times-news.com

When Banks was at Illinois, the Vanderbilt of Big Ten, they were terrible on defense until they changed head coaches, who was a defensive coach, and though they didn't win, the defense improved dramatically. The defense in Banks last year, was #12 in 3rd down, from #88 previous year, #16 in 1st down, from #101, #16 tfl from #42, #16 passing yards allowed, #21 in pass efficiency D from #95 and #30 in total d from #109 previously.

Coach Gardner wasn't ready to agree with Coach Banks yet, but I think Coach Banks, as a DC that has a system that has worked in the past, may have a high level view of what pieces need to be in place and maybe Coach Banks sees it now.

Coach Heupel has praised the DLine alot.

I hope that this post ages well.......lol......but I'm gonna say........we might have the best DLine in the country.

I like what you say, BUT I can't agree that we will be the best.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

I don’t have to know anyone on Northwestern’s DL to know for an absolute fact that they won’t be in the running for best DL in the country.

But I can name at least 4-5 guys from Georgia, Bama, OSU, etc that will actually be in the running to make that claim.

That's fair. We shall find out.

 

[TAF]

Dline may be good, but secondary will be weakness....again

I have a feeling you will be proven VERY wrong...

Jerod McCoy & Ricky Gibson will be SOLID starting Corners...and LOTS of SPEED at Safety...more athletic...and...

 

[JohnWardForever]

Rutgers on the athletic side and Northwestern on the Academic side. Northwestern actually competes on the field too.

And based on what I've seen out of Vandy's leadership lately, Northwestern is way smarter than that school in Nashville.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Rodney Garner said that we might have one of the best D-line in the country and there are some in the media that might agree with him.

RODNEY GARNER has a history of focusing on building a strong Dline and once he does, he's won conference championships.

His first DC job, he was a part of 2 MAC Championships.

Next job at Cincinnati, he took over the youngest defense in college football and in one year, turned it into the #21 most dominate defenses in college football. (See articles below)

No. 23 Cincinnati’s defense behind its turnaround

CINCINNATI — The last thing Cincinnati wanted to see in 2010 was its defense on the field in the fourth quarter of a close game. The Bearcats knew that by

www.times-news.com

At Cincinnati, in Banks second season, the defense was #1 in tfl, #2 in sacks, #6 in rush defense, #21 in scoring and #42 in total defense. (Stats look familiar....almost exactly like ours at Tennessee). Cincinnati won Big East Conference Championship. Banks was nominated for Broyles and was voted Rivals.com Big East Coordinator of the Year.

No. 23 Cincinnati’s defense behind its turnaround

CINCINNATI — The last thing Cincinnati wanted to see in 2010 was its defense on the field in the fourth quarter of a close game. The Bearcats knew that by

www.times-news.com

When Banks was at Illinois, the Vanderbilt of Big Ten, they were terrible on defense until they changed head coaches, who was a defensive coach, and though they didn't win, the defense improved dramatically. The defense in Banks last year, was #12 in 3rd down, from #88 previous year, #16 in 1st down, from #101, #16 tfl from #42, #16 passing yards allowed, #21 in pass efficiency D from #95 and #30 in total d from #109 previously.

Coach Gardner wasn't ready to agree with Coach Banks yet, but I think Coach Banks, as a DC that has a system that has worked in the past, may have a high level view of what pieces need to be in place and maybe Coach Banks sees it now.

Coach Heupel has praised the DLine alot.

I hope that this post ages well.......lol......but I'm gonna say........we might have the best DLine in the country.

Now Then...

 

[barrylee]

I remember seeing some comments about this last offseason too and being excited about the group. They flashed at times but seemed to struggle in some SEC games midseason. Hopefully another year of experience is the difference this time.

Some people just can’t let a positive post go by without throwing water on it.

VN full of “ just keeping it real” folks!

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

Dline may be good, but secondary will be weakness....again

Based on what? The secondary will be as good as we recruit it to be, just like the defensive line is..as is every other position on the field.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

I have a feeling you will be proven VERY wrong...

Jerod McCoy & Ricky Gibson will be SOLID starting Corners...and LOTS of SPEED at Safety...more athletic...and...

I would love to be proven a 1000% wrong, but the track record of past 3 years, the exodus of players and lack of recruited talent show otherwise. We will know by time Florida rolls into town.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

Some people just can’t let a positive post go by without throwing water on it.

VN full of “ just keeping it real” folks!

It wasn’t a negative post.

 

[vegasvolfan]

Yep. Wouldn't it be nice to actually know? Like be a fly on the wall for a minute...and see what goes on behind closed doors.

It would, sans being a fly lol. Might change a lot.

 

[JRich]

I always considered Northwestern the Vanderbilt of the Big 10.