Started By
Message
Looking for an honest critique of your defense for the upcoming season
Posted on 8/10/15 at 11:21 am
Posted on 8/10/15 at 11:21 am
We all know your offense should be formidable.
What about the defense?
Thanks.
What about the defense?
Thanks.
6
Posted on 8/10/15 at 11:26 am to Tornado Alley
We're gonna suck because we lost our 3 best players
Posted on 8/10/15 at 11:29 am to Tornado Alley
Defensive line returns 8/10 on the two deep. Added highly ranked players Hjalte Froholdt and Jeremiah Ledbetter to try to offset the loss of Flowers and Philon. Bielema wants to platoon the DL this year since we have so much depth there.
At LB Brooks Ellis returns and he should get some votes for all-SEC, but other than him the rest are unproven. Reports are sophomore Khalia Hackett has been solid at MLB but we'll have to wait and see. Not much depth here and is the weak link of the defense IMO.
Secondary returns everyone except nickelback Tevin Mitchel. Jared Collins tied for the SEC lead in pass breakups last year. The other corner DJ Dean was just named a top 10 corner in college football by pro football focus. Behind them we have Henre Toliver who held Amari Cooper to 22 total receiving yards last year as a true freshman. Rohan Gaines returns at one safety spot and Josh Liddell at the other who started towards the end of the season as a true freshman last year. On paper this should be the best secondary we've had in a while.
My biggest question is who will replace Spaight. But I think a lot of people are sleeping on our defense this year because there aren't really any big names.
At LB Brooks Ellis returns and he should get some votes for all-SEC, but other than him the rest are unproven. Reports are sophomore Khalia Hackett has been solid at MLB but we'll have to wait and see. Not much depth here and is the weak link of the defense IMO.
Secondary returns everyone except nickelback Tevin Mitchel. Jared Collins tied for the SEC lead in pass breakups last year. The other corner DJ Dean was just named a top 10 corner in college football by pro football focus. Behind them we have Henre Toliver who held Amari Cooper to 22 total receiving yards last year as a true freshman. Rohan Gaines returns at one safety spot and Josh Liddell at the other who started towards the end of the season as a true freshman last year. On paper this should be the best secondary we've had in a while.
My biggest question is who will replace Spaight. But I think a lot of people are sleeping on our defense this year because there aren't really any big names.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 11:33 am to gohogs141
Robb Smith has produced a first team all conference player 3 years in a row at WILL
Posted on 8/10/15 at 11:38 am to Tornado Alley
Our secondary will be awesome and is deep. Our DL will be awesome and is ridiculously deep. Like our entire 3 deep on DL is quality. Our linebackers other than Brooks Ellis are all a question mark, but are getting praise in camp. Robb Smith is literally Jesus. All in all, we be good.
This post was edited on 8/10/15 at 11:40 am
Posted on 8/10/15 at 11:54 am to The_Joker
Do you expect to have a better defense than Alabama, LSU, or Ole Miss this fall?
Posted on 8/10/15 at 11:55 am to Tornado Alley
No, Yes, No
Sorry but I'm not sold on Steele.
Sorry but I'm not sold on Steele.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:02 pm to Tornado Alley
quote:
Do you expect to have a better defense than Alabama, LSU, or Ole Miss this fall?
I would expect all to be in the Top 20 based on what we know today
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:03 pm to Tornado Alley
I don't know enough about their defenses to say. But what I will say is that I expect it to be a better defense overall than it was last year. We might not be as good at getting to the QB because while we have an extremely deep DL, I don't know if any of them are the pass rusher that Trey was. But don't let that make you think the DL won't be extremely stout. The whole 2 deep and most of the 3 deep are all quality SEC starters. I weep for QBs in the 4th quarter.
However, we will give up a lot less over the top. Our 2 starting safeties are as good as they've been in a very long time. And we have 3 great corners all with solid backups. The only question mark is at LB, but as I said all reports from camp have been promising. A former NFL player with sons in the NFL said that Vernon Hargreaves is an upgrade at LB coach over Randy Shannon. Proof will be in the pudding though.
However, we will give up a lot less over the top. Our 2 starting safeties are as good as they've been in a very long time. And we have 3 great corners all with solid backups. The only question mark is at LB, but as I said all reports from camp have been promising. A former NFL player with sons in the NFL said that Vernon Hargreaves is an upgrade at LB coach over Randy Shannon. Proof will be in the pudding though.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:04 pm to Tornado Alley
I don't know enough about their defenses to say. But what I will say is that I expect it to be a better defense overall than it was last year. We might not be as good at getting to the QB because while we have an extremely deep DL, I don't know if any of them are the pass rusher that Trey was. But don't let that make you think the DL won't be extremely stout. The whole 2 deep and most of the 3 deep are all quality SEC starters. I weep for QBs in the 4th quarter.
However, we will give up a lot less over the top. Our 2 starting safeties are as good as they've been in a very long time. And we have 3 great corners all with solid backups. The only question mark is at LB, but as I said all reports from camp have been promising. A former NFL player with sons in the NFL said that Vernon Hargreaves is an upgrade at LB coach over Randy Shannon. Proof will be in the pudding though.
However, we will give up a lot less over the top. Our 2 starting safeties are as good as they've been in a very long time. And we have 3 great corners all with solid backups. The only question mark is at LB, but as I said all reports from camp have been promising. A former NFL player with sons in the NFL said that Vernon Hargreaves is an upgrade at LB coach over Randy Shannon. Proof will be in the pudding though.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:08 pm to The_Joker
quote:
I don't know enough about their defenses to say. But what I will say is that I expect it to be a better defense overall than it was last year. We might not be as good at getting to the QB because while we have an extremely deep DL, I don't know if any of them are the pass rusher that Trey was. But don't let that make you think the DL won't be extremely stout. The whole 2 deep and most of the 3 deep are all quality SEC starters. I weep for QBs in the 4th quarter.
However, we will give up a lot less over the top. Our 2 starting safeties are as good as they've been in a very long time. And we have 3 great corners all with solid backups. The only question mark is at LB, but as I said all reports from camp have been promising. A former NFL player with sons in the NFL said that Vernon Hargreaves is an upgrade at LB coach over Randy Shannon. Proof will be in the pudding though.
So, basically, you'll have the best defense in the conference.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:13 pm to Tornado Alley
I didn't say we'll have the best anything I said we'll be consistent and solid across the board.
And I'm no sunshine pumper usually. I legitimately think this defense will be awesome. It was #10 in scoring and total D last year in year 1 under Smith so I don't think it's a crazy prediction.
And I'm no sunshine pumper usually. I legitimately think this defense will be awesome. It was #10 in scoring and total D last year in year 1 under Smith so I don't think it's a crazy prediction.
This post was edited on 8/10/15 at 12:15 pm
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:13 pm to Tornado Alley
We lost all the star power but increased the depth and young talent tremendously.
It's all going to depend on if we get a couple stars to emerge. We could really use a good pass rusher to emerge and I think we'd be fine. However we will see if that happens.
Expect us to look like an all world type of team until the a&m game. From there on out we'll know what we really have.
It's all going to depend on if we get a couple stars to emerge. We could really use a good pass rusher to emerge and I think we'd be fine. However we will see if that happens.
Expect us to look like an all world type of team until the a&m game. From there on out we'll know what we really have.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:20 pm to oklahogjr
We lost star power in Trey Flowers, yeah but Philon was arguably outplayed last year by Taiwan Johnson. What Philon did best was get on the ball as soon as it was on the ground. He was always around the turnovers. And Spaight was great but nobody knew who he was going into the season. Ellis has twice the experience Spaight ever had, and our defense is designed to funnel everything to the Will linebacker, so I think we'll be fine. Greg McElroy said a couple days ago that Ellis will lead the SEC in tackles by the design of our defense. And as we said, that position is always the star of the defense for Robb Smith.
This post was edited on 8/10/15 at 12:22 pm
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:27 pm to The_Joker
quote:
And I'm no sunshine pumper usually. I legitimately think this defense will be awesome. It was #10 in scoring and total D last year in year 1 under Smith so I don't think it's a crazy prediction.
When you account for the fact that we finished top 10 in scoring defense -- which is really all that matters -- while starting two true freshmen in the secondary (Toliver and Liddell), two senior LBs who'd really never done anything (Spaight and Mitchell), and a paper thin linebacker corps that sustained a midseason injury to our MLB, that's pretty fricking amazing put into that context.
Throw in the fact that we don't have a pass-happy OC anymore to leave our arses in the wind after flinging a three-and-out and more depth and experience all around, and I'd actually be surprised if we're not top 10 again. We may not post back-to-back SEC shutouts this year (which was fricking sweet) if any at all, but I also highly doubt we give up 40 points in a game like we did last year to both Auburn and Georgia.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:31 pm to oklahogjr
Sometimes we get a little carried away and mention only losing three starters on defense when we actually had four defenders drafted by the NFL.
We lost two additional starters that were 5th year seniors and although they weren't SEC caliber during most of their careers, they put that experience to use and were instrumental in the defensive resurgence last year.
Arkansas has rarely been capable of "reloading" on offense or defense after losing that many contributors from the year before, but things seem different this time because the backups to these positions did get playing time last year in Bielema's system and there is young talent.
Heck of a challenge for Rob Smith.
We lost two additional starters that were 5th year seniors and although they weren't SEC caliber during most of their careers, they put that experience to use and were instrumental in the defensive resurgence last year.
Arkansas has rarely been capable of "reloading" on offense or defense after losing that many contributors from the year before, but things seem different this time because the backups to these positions did get playing time last year in Bielema's system and there is young talent.
Heck of a challenge for Rob Smith.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:36 pm to Tornado Alley
as others have said our d-line is deep and good
which in turn will do a good job hiding any deficiencies we have at linebacker and will make our entire back 7 look better.
this all goes back to berts philosophy of building from the inside out. our offensive and defensive lines are damn good which in turn will make everyone around them better. as long as bert is here I doubt we ever have to worry about our offensive line, defensive line, or running back.
which in turn will do a good job hiding any deficiencies we have at linebacker and will make our entire back 7 look better.
this all goes back to berts philosophy of building from the inside out. our offensive and defensive lines are damn good which in turn will make everyone around them better. as long as bert is here I doubt we ever have to worry about our offensive line, defensive line, or running back.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:42 pm to Tornado Alley
In all honesty I expect our defense to be better. Our DB's should improve which was our main weak spot. RS designs his defenses to make offenses run to our best players. Usually stacks the weaker side with more looks of pressure to force offenses to run towards our best player/s, which is why Spaight had so many tackles last season. I expect Ellis to be able to continue and should be towards the top of the SEC in productivity for total tackles.
The only drop off we should see is QB pressure but I'm hoping the DB's are improved enough in coverage to make it easier for the DL.
TL;DR version: RS is a boss. I should have never doubted the hire.
The only drop off we should see is QB pressure but I'm hoping the DB's are improved enough in coverage to make it easier for the DL.
TL;DR version: RS is a boss. I should have never doubted the hire.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 12:57 pm to The_Joker
quote:
We lost star power in Trey Flowers, yeah but Philon was arguably outplayed last year by Taiwan Johnson. What Philon did best was get on the ball as soon as it was on the ground. He was always around the turnovers.
Agreed. Johnson may be the most underrated defensive player we have, and he was a silent star last year. He was great at clogging the middle as well as getting inside pressure, which would flush the QB to either Flowers or Winston.
We ran a lot of quasi 4 DE sets last year with guys like Johnson, Loewen, Wise and Lewis to go along with Flowers, Winston and Philon (who was essentially an hybrid DE/DT). We lived in Texas's backfield doing this in the Texas Bowl.
Posted on 8/10/15 at 1:17 pm to Feral
And did I read/hear correctly that Johnson is up to 290 lbs. now? After being closer to 260 last year?
Page 1 of 2
Latest Arkansas News
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News