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re: USCe - Your 2014 Defense and Signees
Posted on 7/1/14 at 4:09 pm to scrooster
Posted on 7/1/14 at 4:09 pm to scrooster
Nice breakdown of the special teams, once again appreciated. Clearly they will play a big factor in the close games. I like UGA's special teams, but we must improve our return teams.
K Marshall Morgan and P Colin Barber are expected to be very good. Marshall was consistently good last year, while Barber was a bit more inconsistent. Our coverage teams were good over the last few years, specifically the punt coverage teams, but our return teams were atrocious.
We have to generate some hidden yardage/hidden first downs on our return teams or it will be much more difficult for offense to produce. I'm thinking the return of Malcolm Mitchell from injury and incoming freshman Isiah McKenzie will help. Hopefully we see fewer fair catches from a random white walk-on WR at PR. Plenty of room for improvement on the return teams, we were ranked in 120s in both last year I believe.
K Marshall Morgan and P Colin Barber are expected to be very good. Marshall was consistently good last year, while Barber was a bit more inconsistent. Our coverage teams were good over the last few years, specifically the punt coverage teams, but our return teams were atrocious.
We have to generate some hidden yardage/hidden first downs on our return teams or it will be much more difficult for offense to produce. I'm thinking the return of Malcolm Mitchell from injury and incoming freshman Isiah McKenzie will help. Hopefully we see fewer fair catches from a random white walk-on WR at PR. Plenty of room for improvement on the return teams, we were ranked in 120s in both last year I believe.
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Posted on 7/1/14 at 7:07 pm to MenloDawg
DT and LB should be a strength. DE is thin and inexperienced. English has a very quick burst, very similar to Clowney, but nowhere near the power or strength. I just don't see him being able to hold up against the run as an every down player, but he has gained some weight, so hopefully that'll help.
Safety should be solid. Williams was kind of disappointing last year, but I think he'll step up as the leader back there. Corner is scary.. we return nobody with meaningful experience. We have a couple of talented freshman coming in and I'm positive at least one will end up as a starter.
Overall, expect to see some type of hybrid scheme similar to the way we used Norwood in 2009 to take advantage of our LB's and stack the middle of the field with our DT's. Our DC prefers man coverage, but played more zone last year to alleviate stress on our young linebackers and safeties. I think you'll see a return to more man to man to make things simpler for the young corners.
Ward is an under-appreciated DC. I'm sure we will take our lumps early in the year, but he'll get them back to the normal style of stingy defense we have been accustomed to by the middle of the year; very much like 2013.
Safety should be solid. Williams was kind of disappointing last year, but I think he'll step up as the leader back there. Corner is scary.. we return nobody with meaningful experience. We have a couple of talented freshman coming in and I'm positive at least one will end up as a starter.
Overall, expect to see some type of hybrid scheme similar to the way we used Norwood in 2009 to take advantage of our LB's and stack the middle of the field with our DT's. Our DC prefers man coverage, but played more zone last year to alleviate stress on our young linebackers and safeties. I think you'll see a return to more man to man to make things simpler for the young corners.
Ward is an under-appreciated DC. I'm sure we will take our lumps early in the year, but he'll get them back to the normal style of stingy defense we have been accustomed to by the middle of the year; very much like 2013.
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