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Defense next year

Peter Ariz

Peter Ariz

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This has been posted a few times here, but a lot of next season's success relies on this year's class. I'm talking about from the defensive view because we know the offense will put up points. It is a lot to ask of an incoming class, but that's why JuCos are so valuable.


Devante Bond-- Very good shot with him right now... would be a HUGGGEEEEEE boost in the pass rush. Imagine pairing him with a bulked-up McCord

Lavon Hooks-- Visit will put Miami in the lead IMO... Starter from day 1 and he could continue to grow. Coaches are going crazy over the possibility of him being here next season.

Ben Bradley-- Don't know how good of a shot Miami has until he gets down for his visit on the weekend of December 7th. another guy who would start from Day 1 (how crazy would a 3-man rotation of Porter, Hooks, Bradley look?)

I feel they will land 1 between Hooks & Bradley and either one would be incredible. Obviously it would be ideal for them to land both

Keith Bryant-- Would be in the rotation and could push for one of the top spots by year's end

Matthew Thomas-- There's a common misconception with him that he is a Hybrid OLB/DE... while he can be a pass-rusher, his future is not at DE. He can play any of the LB spots effectively and do everything you ask of a big-time linebacker. Blitz, cover (he's very fluid), and get in there on run support

Burns/Carter-- Will add quality depth

Tim Williams-- could play a McCord-type role from this season, but ideally I'd like to see him redshirt

Add this with the maturation of Bush/Howard/Jenkins/McCord/etc. and we could see a big jump in next year's defense.

Offseason progression will be the biggest part of this equation along with Porter staying/EJ getting his head on straight
 
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Next year's defense is predicated on the improvement of the players already here and a few instant impact players that can be acquired this year...the JUCO kids are of the most importance for success next year. Hooks and Bond are a shot of immediate versatility this defense severely lacks for D'Onofrio to run his defense. Matthew Thomas is another player that provides the much needed versatility, but I'd like to see Thomas not be thrust into the forefront right away. I want him to play, but I don't want him to be needed to be THE MAN right away (one reason why Bond is important).
 
Larry said:
Next year's defense is predicated on the improvement of the players already here and a few instant impact players that can be acquired this year...the JUCO kids are of the most importance for success next year. Hooks and Bond are a shot of immediate versatility this defense severely lacks for D'Onofrio to run his defense. Matthew Thomas is another player that provides the much needed versatility, but I'd like to see Thomas not be thrust into the forefront right away. I want him to play, but I don't want him to be needed to be THE MAN right away (one reason why Bond is important).
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Peter Ariz said:
Offseason progression will be the biggest part of this equation
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.
 
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btcane said:
Intelligent thread. A refreshing change from Scout/Canestime. Lu, glad you're here.
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Peter is your Mike Bakas

Edit: but he actually gives you updates
 
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Glad you said that about Thomas. He is an elite LB, not a DE. DE makes zero sense for him.
 
I'm still a bit skeptical that we will get Hooks. There was some JUCO a few years ago who had a similar recruitment to Hooks and went elsewhere, but I want him here BAD. That guy is a monster with room to grow and seems to be just learning the DT position, which is absolutely scary. One thing with Thomas, I hope he gets the opportunity to play downhill. While he can do everything you ask of him and is fine in coverage, that guy has an unbelievable nose for the ball and gets through the line with ease, whether it be rushing the QB or running down the RB. Looking forward to seeing that and taking advantage of all of his talents because players like him are very rare. Future 1st rounder.


Bond is a guy who I think can be a Javon Nanton-esque player for us. We need one of those BAD right now. He would help us get off the field on third down.


Thomas competing with Kirby for an OLB spot is how you return to the top.
 
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weownfsu said:
I'm still a bit skeptical that we will get Hooks. There was some JUCO a few years ago who had a similar recruitment to Hooks and went elsewhere, but I want him here BAD. That guy is a monster with room to grow and seems to be just learning the DT position, which is absolutely scary.


Bond is a guy who I think can be a Javon Nanton-esque player for us. We need one of those BAD right now. He would help us get off the field on third down.


Thomas competing with Kirby for an OLB spot is how you return to the top.
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Think Kirby is destined for MLB but I agree with pretty much everything you said.
 
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JHallCanes said:
weownfsu said:
I'm still a bit skeptical that we will get Hooks. There was some JUCO a few years ago who had a similar recruitment to Hooks and went elsewhere, but I want him here BAD. That guy is a monster with room to grow and seems to be just learning the DT position, which is absolutely scary.


Bond is a guy who I think can be a Javon Nanton-esque player for us. We need one of those BAD right now. He would help us get off the field on third down.


Thomas competing with Kirby for an OLB spot is how you return to the top.
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Think Kirby is destined for MLB but I agree with pretty much everything you said.
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Kirby at MLB and getting EJ at SLB and Perryman at WLB sounds even better.
 
weownfsu said:
JHallCanes said:
weownfsu said:
I'm still a bit skeptical that we will get Hooks. There was some JUCO a few years ago who had a similar recruitment to Hooks and went elsewhere, but I want him here BAD. That guy is a monster with room to grow and seems to be just learning the DT position, which is absolutely scary.


Bond is a guy who I think can be a Javon Nanton-esque player for us. We need one of those BAD right now. He would help us get off the field on third down.


Thomas competing with Kirby for an OLB spot is how you return to the top.
Click to expand...

Think Kirby is destined for MLB but I agree with pretty much everything you said.
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Kirby at MLB and getting EJ at SLB and Perryman at WLB sounds even better.
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Right I think Kirby to MLB would allow us to get our best linebackers on the field together. Kirby is a bit small but I think its a bonus if we can keep Perryman and EJ outside where they are best. Who knows though, all 3 are still pretty young and then you got Thomas and Grace (hopefully) but neither strike me as an MLB.
 
Larry said:
Next year's defense is predicated on the improvement of the players already here and a few instant impact players that can be acquired this year...the JUCO kids are of the most importance for success next year. Hooks and Bond are a shot of immediate versatility this defense severely lacks for D'Onofrio to run his defense. Matthew Thomas is another player that provides the much needed versatility, but I'd like to see Thomas not be thrust into the forefront right away. I want him to play, but I don't want him to be needed to be THE MAN right away (one reason why Bond is important).
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This pretty much says it all.

As both you and Pete have mentioned, the rest is up to:

(1) Mccord eating roids
(2) Pierre taking the next leap
(3) Porter sticking around and sleeping in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber
(4) Kirby progressing to the point he can confidently play the middle
(5) Eddie Johnson staying in school and watching enough film to just be average in pass coverage
(6) The two young safeties watching a lot of film and each gaining 10-12 pounds
(7) Corners Crawford, Dortch and Howard hitting the weights very, very hard.

If all of that happens, I'm already on record as saying we're a top 40 defense next year even if we're a relatively high-paced offense.

Hooks
 
You forget about our pathetic scheme and decision making by the guy who runs the defense. We may have horses but unconvinced we will be better than 75 in nation with noDforyou coaching
 
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Canesfrom said:
You forget about our pathetic scheme and decision making by the guy who runs the defense. We may have horses but unconvinced we will be better than 75 in nation with noDforyou coaching
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I didn't forget.

It's not the scheme I would run, but it's a scheme that will look a lot better when he has more of the type of players he needs to run it. I'll stick by my claim.
 
Dude on 247 posted that Bradley said this ... I had one set up to Miami for the 7th, but I don’t know if I am going to take it because of all the things that are going on down there. I may go to Oklahoma on the 7th and I am going to talk to Coach Shipp about that.
 
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hasena75 said:
LU. do you think when Coach D gets his guys that he will be successful with the D?
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More successful, yes. Again, it's not my style of Defense, but I recognize what he did this year. They basically said "**** it" and played a bunch of guys, got them experience doing something they all seemed incredibly uncomfortable doing, and took the consequences. Worse yet, they did it with guys who were in terrible position (young, inexperienced, lacked peak physical strength) to do so. Could they have waited and done it 2 years from now? Then they'd have people *****ing that they should have taken their lumps when we were ******.

Look, you can say these guys aren't wildly innovative (sans Fisch, who is very theoretical and seems like he's whiteboarding at times) and you can disagree with their philosophies, but this staff, as led by Golden, seems to calculate everything. They have a plan. They try to execute the plan. Last guy who ran things this way and with a plan was Butch.

We'll find out shortly if it's a great, good, average or **** plan. My hope is that Golden is flexible enough in his plan either way.
 
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