forums

2012 defense: prepare your ****

CanesAreAble

CanesAreAble

All-ACC
Joined
Nov 2, 2011
Messages
9,144
Roster breakdown
Seniors: 6
Juniors: 9
Sophomores: 6
Freshmen: 21
Total: 42


Defensive End
1. Anthony Chickillo SO
2. Ricardo Williams R-FR
3. Shayon Green JR
4. Kelvin Cain JR
5. Tyriq McCord FR
6. Jelani Hamilton FR
7. Jake O'Donnell FR
8. Dwayne Hoilett FR


Defensive Tackle
1. Curtis Porter JR
2. Darius Smith SR
3. Olsen Pierre SO
4. Luther Robinson JR
5. Jalen Grimble SO
6. Corey King R-FR
7. Jacoby Briscoe FR
8. Dequan Ivery FR
9. Earl Moore FR


Linebacker
1. Denzel Perryman SO
2. Ramon Buchanan SR
3. Jimmy Gaines JR
4. Gionni Paul SO
5. Eddie Johnson R-FR
6. Tyrone Cornelius JR
7. Raphael Kirby FR
8. Gabriel Terry FR
9. Josh Witt FR
10. Jawand Blue FR


Cornerback
1. Brandon McGee SR
2. Ladarius Gunter JR
3. Thomas Finnie SO
4. Tracy Howard FR
5. Larry Hope FR
6. Vernon Davis FR
7. Nate Dortch FR
8. Antonio Crawford FR


Safety
1. Vaughn Telemaque SR
2. Ray Ray Armstrong SR
3. Deon Bush FR
4. Rayshawn Jenkins FR
5. A.J. Highsmith JR
6. Kacy Rodgers JR
7. Andrew Swasey SR


I mean, ****.

Literally HALF of the two-deep are Freshmen. That is ridiculous! Not a good recipe for a stout defense.

Despite having some very promising talent, we're just entirely too young. Please show me an upperclassmen who's consistently produced. Someone we can count on. Because, uh, I can't find a single one.

We might see incremental improvement over the **** show that was 2011, but I don't expect much. I think most of our gains will be intangible (attitude, leadership, familiarity, etc...). That can go a long way, but I still think we're gonna take some massive hits.


But on the bright side, I'm really encouraged about the 2012 recruiting haul, and 2013 looks to be a great year for SoFla talent. Our defense should be back on track sooner than later. Finally.
 
Advertisement
On top of that you can scratch guys like Green and Porter off at some point in the season as they in particular have glass like bodies. Can Buchanan come back from injury and play a full season at 100%? 2 of the seniors we have should be replaced by season's end, Ray Wrong and Teleslow. Very young defense. Lots of mistake potential. Will wear down as the season progresses but will also hopefully make less mistakes.

I am looking at this season mostly to see what the young talent looks like for potential in the future.
 
Barring injury, it's not as bad as you make it out from an age perspective (talent is a different issue).

At DT, you have a senior and two fourth year juniors in your two-deep.
At DE, you have Chickillo (sick player, high level talent) and two juniors (Green and Cain) in the two-deep.
At LB, you likely start woth a fifth year senior (Cookie), a junior (Gaines) and a soph who might be the best player on the team.
At S, you probably start two seniors.
At CB, you have a senior and a juco transfer as top three guys, along with Finnie, who has experience (two spring practices under his belt) in your top four.

The problem, again, is talent and depth more than age, ImO.
 
Insanecane said:
On top of that you can scratch guys like Green and Porter off at some point in the season as they in particular have glass like bodies. Can Buchanan come back from injury and play a full season at 100%? 2 of the seniors we have should be replaced by season's end, Ray Wrong and Teleslow. Very young defense. Lots of mistake potential. Will wear down as the season progresses but will also hopefully make less mistakes.

I am looking at this season mostly to see what the young talent looks like for potential in the future.
Click to expand...

Why do people keep saying Porter is made of glass? He was injured because our on player was tossed into his knee during the ohio state game.

Last year was a freak accident where his hand got caught up in a helmet.
 
DE is scary behind Chickillo and Kirby needs to be right behind DP. I think the D will be fine, it is the offense I am more concerned with.
 
Advertisement
Corner is gonna be key. If the newbs can step in and produce right away, our defense will be fine. Need a lb that can cover too, with that we can cheat against the run, blitz on passing downs, etc. I hope Chick emerges, we need some type of pass rush to help the newbs out though. A few improvements from guys from last year plus the talent coming in, I think we will be much better defensively than 2011.
 
Cityboy4life82 said:
Insanecane said:
On top of that you can scratch guys like Green and Porter off at some point in the season as they in particular have glass like bodies. Can Buchanan come back from injury and play a full season at 100%? 2 of the seniors we have should be replaced by season's end, Ray Wrong and Teleslow. Very young defense. Lots of mistake potential. Will wear down as the season progresses but will also hopefully make less mistakes.

I am looking at this season mostly to see what the young talent looks like for potential in the future.
Click to expand...

Why do people keep saying Porter is made of glass? He was injured because our on player was tossed into his knee during the ohio state game.

Last year was a freak accident where his hand got caught up in a helmet.
Click to expand...

It was my impression Porter had been hurt for most of two seasons in a row now. If that is not the case then I'll take back what I said.
 
I want to think the D will be better than last years, but there's too many true freshmen for me to feel confident that this will be the case.

DE is a scary position. Just too much youth.

Same with CB.

DT is only a key injury away from being vulnerable.

But LB will be better this year, even though they are fairly young.

So, don't know about 2012, but the 2013 D should be stout.
 
We gone be straight, these freshmen are not scrubs. Of course they will make mistakes but which freshmen doesn't? The key will be how fast they learn from them. I think they will turn the corner after the BCC game, that game will be when they will be put in a situation where their mistakes will not cost the team as much. I don't we will be depending on them as much as people think. Only way that happens is if the upperclassmen have a repeat of the last 2 to 3 seasons and we will know that after the BC and KSU game.
 
Advertisement
Db's will be young, but I'm thinking these new guys have to be an upgrade from Mike Williams. Not trying to bash him; he was a backup for Wake and that's what he played like.
 
Armbrister at LB and Alexis at DT.

But yeah, we're in trouble.
 
OrlandoCane said:
I want to think the D will be better than last years, but there's too many true freshmen for me to feel confident that this will be the case.

DE is a scary position. Just too much youth.

Same with CB.

DT is only a key injury away from being vulnerable.

But LB will be better this year, even though they are fairly young.

So, don't know about 2012, but the 2013 D should be stout.
Click to expand...

No doubt D will be better. To my recollection we bring back all the LBs with experience. We bring back both safeties. We bring back McGahee,Finnie, Juco DB, and nations best DB.

D-Line we took our lumps last year playing with Freshman they will be a year stronger and better, Dar. Smith, Luther Robinson (third year) , Grimble (second year) Pierre (second year) , Porter (third year) If we can get one or two incoming guys to be servicable and provide depth in rotation we will be good.

DE - Last year we had Marcus Robinson, Smith, Pierre, Chick. (Vernon who missed almost the entire season)

This year Ricardo Williams, Hoilett,Cain,Green, Chick,Pierre, Hamilton I dont see how the DE situation can be worse than last year

DB- The kid from Wake sucked last year.. BOTTOM LINE.. we didnt have enough players to even run a dime , or enough talent to run effective nickel .. YOU Cant tell me u dont from Spring feel better about our situation at DB than last year.

This unit will suprise two years into the 'new' defensive scheme
 
Thing is I can live with freshmens mistakes. They will get better with age. The older guys mistakes aren't as forgivable since they have been here for awhile. I am excited to see the youth play here. I am not expecting a undefeated season but these kids will be the goods.
 
Advertisement
Ethnicsands said:
Barring injury, it's not as bad as you make it out from an age perspective (talent is a different issue).

At DT, you have a senior and two fourth year juniors in your two-deep.
At DE, you have Chickillo (sick player, high level talent) and two juniors (Green and Cain) in the two-deep.
At LB, you likely start woth a fifth year senior (Cookie), a junior (Gaines) and a soph who might be the best player on the team.
At S, you probably start two seniors.
At CB, you have a senior and a juco transfer as top three guys, along with Finnie, who has experience (two spring practices under his belt) in your top four.

The problem, again, is talent and depth more than age, ImO.
Click to expand...


Agree, and that's why I mentioned the part about none of the upperclassmen having produced with any type of consistency. Most of the guys we're counting on to be impact players arrived in 2011 or 2012.
 
rokulika said:
Armbrister at LB and Alexis at DT.

But yeah, we're in trouble.
Click to expand...


I left off Armbrister because if he's being moved from arguably our weakest position to LB to provide depth behind 7-10 other guys, he'll likely never take a meaningful snap on defense. Ditto Davon Johnson.

And I thought Alexis got moved to offense. Regardless, I've heard nothing encouraging about him.
 
Advertisement
Depth is definitely the main issue on Defense. However, I was pleasantly surprised and semi-impressed with what I saw in the Spring from the defense. Especially with the play of the LB's and DB's. These guys were playing physical, making sound tackles and running hard to the ball.

Like everyone is saying the main issue is still at DE. I'm questioning why we never went after a JUCO guy there. I hope McCord and Hamilton can come in and contribute immediately.
 
Micanor Regis-DT
Andrew Smith-DE
Marcus Robinson-SLB
Sean Spence-MLB
Mike Williams-CB
JoJo Nicolas-FS
Olivier Vernon-DE

Well, it is more important to look at who we lost, not just who returns. While depth is an issue, only Spence and Vernon were talents that are difficult to replace and Vernon only played half of the season anyways.
 
CaneSB said:
Micanor Regis-DT
Andrew Smith-DE
Marcus Robinson-SLB
Sean Spence-MLB
Mike Williams-CB
JoJo Nicolas-FS
Olivier Vernon-DE

Well, it is more important to look at who we lost, not just who returns. While depth is an issue, only Spence and Vernon were talents that are difficult to replace and Vernon only played half of the season anyways.
Click to expand...


Ojomo
 
CanesAreAble said:
rokulika said:
Armbrister at LB and Alexis at DT.

But yeah, we're in trouble.
Click to expand...


I left off Armbrister because if he's being moved from arguably our weakest position to LB to provide depth behind 7-10 other guys, he'll likely never take a meaningful snap on defense. Ditto Davon Johnson.

And I thought Alexis got moved to offense. Regardless, I've heard nothing encouraging about him.
Click to expand...

Yup you're right about Alexis. Armbrister feels like another Carl Walker and Davon will be scout team mvp.
 
Advertisement
Back
Top