Why should we be optimistic about our defense next year?

#51
#51
Better coaching and demanding more from every player and holding them accountable plus getting them more motivated with a Positive Mental Attitude will help alot.

The guys have to BELIEVE in themselves and their team.

AJ played all year hurt with a bad turf toe which is really painful and I really have no idea how he did it since most players won't even think about playing through that much pain so AJ being 100% healthy will add to his speed and he'll be much better able to push away and get off blocks much better.

The 3-4 Defense is actually a much better D which is why so many college and NFL teams are trying to switch to it but it takes 2 years even in the NFL to learn it and get it down pat and there's a coaching shortage that really knows the 3-4 well and can teach it properly.

The 4-3 is well known by most all coaches and most kids are taught the 4-3 in High school so they know it alot better and feel more comfortable in the 4-3 so going back to that will definately help us.

Several players will return from injury but 1 that everyone has forgotten is McNeil and he did pretty well for such a young kid thrown into the fire and now he'll be healthy again and have some experience under his belt so that will help in the rotation.

I didn't expect alot last season moving to the 3-4 D but I certainly didn't expect us to be as bad as we were either and we didn't seem to improve much as the season went along which bothered me.

I think we'll be back to being a good D this season but not a great D just yet.

I think getting to a great D again like we all expect and need in the SEC will take us another 2 or 3 years and kids in the system for at least 2 years to learn everything and get some on field experience.

I look forward to seeing what bUTch and the boys will have our kids doing this season.

VFL...GBO!!!
 
#52
#52
VolMaster14 said:
I know we are going back to a 4-3 but why would Maggitt and Smith be moved to DE? They both played LB in the 4-3 in 2011.
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On Maggitt, he is fast. Butch likes fast LB's (just like Chavis did) to play in the 4-3. Maggitt is more of a LB, so good move IMO.
 
#53
#53
ATLVols said:
On Maggitt, he is fast. Butch likes fast LB's (just like Chavis did) to play in the 4-3. Maggitt is more of a LB, so good move IMO.
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Maggitt = LB...ok, bad azz LB. Good DTs and more experience in secondary plus HEALTHY! I realy think the soft spot will be depth. I look for defence like the '11 team, but key injury here or there could kill us.
 
#54
#54
At times, I think our quick-strike offense actually hurt our defense. I don't expect much from the defense, but if our offense can sustain long drives then it will go a long way in my opinion. Goal #1 should be time of possession.
 
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#56
#56
This is what I think the D looks like.

DE- Corey Miller
DT- Daniel McCullers
DT- Mo Couch
DE- Jacques Smith
LB- LaTroy Lewis
LB- AJ Johnson
LB- Curt Maggitt
CB- Eric Gordon
CB- Justin Coleman
S- Brian Randolph
S- LaDarrel McNeil
 
#59
#59
ScreaminVolHawkins said:
The title says it all. Any analysis on last year's d besides "Sal sucks"? What/Whom did you observe that you thought could work this coming year? I like Johnson, not saying he is Al Wilson, or even Omar Gaither or Kevin Simon, but he was the most exciting part of our defense (although I have always enjoyed watching Lathers as well). And how about the new class we have coming in? Shame about Carl Lawson, but who else could contribute right away?

So what should we be excited to see on our defense this year? Ill hang up and listen.
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The switch back to a 4-3 is why you should be optimistic. The switch we made last year (3-4) obviously blew up in Sal's face. We've always recruited for a 4-3 base defense, so it was asking a lot out of our front seven to excel out of this look. I think we'll see a lot more consistency on the defensive side of the ball. Don't get me wrong, we still lack in overall talent but I think the players will be playing much faster without having to think so much. Blown coverages should also be less of a factor. Go vols!
 
#60
#60
ScreaminVolHawkins said:
actually, i was hoping to start a thread that could help get me pumped up about next year but some miserable **** is trying to kill that buzz. and yes, i mean you moron. **** pff
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If you want a thread to get you excited about next year, look everywhere but football. There is absolutely nothing to be excited about. We got 1 4star coming in. We lost our best O lineman. Lost our 3 best offensive weapons. Our defense will be worse. The only thing to be excited about is dooley not on the sidelines. Other than that, We gonna be bad and its gonna be a long, slow death.
 
#61
#61
bigorange34232 said:
This is what I think the D looks like.

DE- Corey Miller
DT- Daniel McCullers
DT- Mo Couch
DE- Jacques Smith
LB- LaTroy Lewis
LB- AJ Johnson
LB- Curt Maggitt
CB- Eric Gordon
CB- Justin Coleman
S- Brian Randolph
S- LaDarrel McNeil
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This is what I think the defense looks like as well, give or take a player or two, but I don't think Gordon will start at CB. He will definitely play, but he won't start IMO, just takes way too many risks that lead to major gains for the other team.
 
#63
#63
Gruuden said:
If you want a thread to get you excited about next year, look everywhere but football. There is absolutely nothing to be excited about. We got 1 4star coming in. We lost our best O lineman. Lost our 3 best offensive weapons. Our defense will be worse. The only thing to be excited about is dooley not on the sidelines. Other than that, We gonna be bad and its gonna be a long, slow death.
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Also you know Oregon is going to try and make a statement against a SEC team. How many points did they score on USC last year? 60+?
 
#64
#64
navyvolunteer said:
And I do believe getting Randolph back will help. A good safety that the corners and lb's can trust goes a long ways.
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SAW bleacher-reports mock draft. 4 former Vols in top 70, all on offense of course, . Still if that dang sub-turtle in IQ , AKA Derek MyDaddy , had only lft the D in place, we would have won 8 games easily. How can a person manage law school and not have any common sense? I am getting fixated on this, the whole thing shouldda gone in a diff way. OF course that would have meant him back this year- so , meybee it was for the best. We will never know.
 
#65
#65
VolMaster14 said:
I know we are going back to a 4-3 but why would Maggitt and Smith be moved to DE? They both played LB in the 4-3 in 2011.
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Smith played DE in the 4-3.

Maggitt played DE on passing downs, and from day 1 was considered a hybrid type player.
 
#66
#66
bigorange34232 said:
This is what I think the D looks like.

DE- Corey Miller
DT- Daniel McCullers
DT- Mo Couch
DE- Jacques Smith
LB- LaTroy Lewis
LB- AJ Johnson
LB- Curt Maggitt
CB- Eric Gordon
CB- Justin Coleman
S- Brian Randolph
S- LaDarrel McNeil
Click to expand...

I don't see Lewis as an OLb. Probably ends up as a DE.
 
#68
#68
navyvolunteer said:
The D improved every year under sirmon. They was in the 30's when he left. Sal came in and changed everything and the D fell to like 118. That was basically with the same players. I think if they are coached better then they have to improve.
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Wilcox. Good point. I remember how + everyone was going into last season. Our D was actually pretty good in 11', when you consider the horrific 3 & Out juggernaut our O had become. The 11' D kept us in most games that year.

Then when folks around here started looking at the roster for 12', w only losing Malik, an improved D looked nearly guarateed. Unfortunately, we were almost all tragically wrong.

By the same token, by looking at the roster (especially WR/QB/TE/OL), almost everyone got super optimistic. As we now know, the offense (even w/o DaRick) was rediculously good.

Now, imagine if we had been right about a D that jumped to say "20th in the nation". Lord, 10-2 was not so crazy.

Dreaming is better than reality lately. :ermm:
 
#69
#69
Gruuden said:
If you want a thread to get you excited about next year, look everywhere but football. There is absolutely nothing to be excited about. We got 1 4star coming in. We lost our best O lineman. Lost our 3 best offensive weapons. Our defense will be worse. The only thing to be excited about is dooley not on the sidelines. Other than that, We gonna be bad and its gonna be a long, slow death.
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Thomas was NOT our best O lineman (although he was excellent). Oline is going to be the strength of the team next year.
 
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#71
#71
Gruuden said:
If you want a thread to get you excited about next year, look everywhere but football. There is absolutely nothing to be excited about. We got 1 4star coming in. We lost our best O lineman. Lost our 3 best offensive weapons. Our defense will be worse. The only thing to be excited about is dooley not on the sidelines. Other than that, We gonna be bad and its gonna be a long, slow death.
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We already have two 4 stars who early enrolled. Wtf are you talking about?
 
#72
#72
Im pumped about our D. NEVER underestimate the difference coaching makes. Just look at Gustav Wilcox and salmon Sunseri. From 20 to 118 back to 10 with the experience and new recruits! BOOM! run run run and rely on an awesome D and kicking game! U of TENNESSEE FOOTBALL! WEEEEE`RE BACK!
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#73
#73
bigorange247 said:
I don't know what you've been drinking, but I want some of it. If we beat Oregon and Florida, we should be in line for a national championship.
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Let him dream. He was probably one of the "no body can stop us!" ones of the '12 season. Some never played the game and know nothing about it except what they see on TV.
 
#74
#74
IMHO i think the D is going to start in the trenches with Big Dan! If he can create havoc while making the Oline double him up then A.J should be able to smack some people in the mouth before the get through the holes.
 
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