Morrison says this year’s defense is better than last season

It is now.
It wasn’t.
As usual.

Why we start like shite every year is an utter mystery.

This year's defense hits harder and swarms to the ball better than last year's defense.

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The defense isn't better,

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Their #s vs the run are identical to the 2015 rushing defense which most on here consider a great defense.

It's a much better product vs the run and it isn't because of what the offense is doing.

The pass defense has been better since Holmes started taking primary snaps. The number of long plays allowed and TDs in the RZ was terrible when Sparks was starting. Sophomore slump in a big way.

Lock's play by far has been the biggest head scratcher, particularly on the 2, 6 and 8 routes when the WR/TE hasn't crossed his facemask. I haven't bothered to go back and chart it but he has to be about 40% on those throws. A lot of it is terrible mechanics/throwing off his back foot.

He needs the Rivers school of learning to climb the pocket rather than those off base throws he’s done a lot more of this year. Which makes no sense given how much protection he’s usually given.

Do you think his arm slot has anything to do with that Navy? He really seems to have dropped his arm slot, which can be helpful when throwing to routes to the outside, particularly to the right, where he is almost throwing around all the bigs. I haven't gone back to watch specifically so may be way off but is just my general impression.

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Also, you do have quite a bit of youth at DE and DB and the play there looks to be improving.

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that's a lot of it. Player the best players helps too. Seems to take these boys half a season to figure that out (if then)

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Really miss the dude from ladue

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Brady and Howard would both be SRs this year. Those are the two guys that should be taking primary reps this year with everyone else getting 20 ish reps in relief. That changes everything in terms of pass rush.

That being said, Byers has moved ahead of Williams on the depth chart. We'll see if it actually pans out in more reps. Hopefully it makes Williams elevate his game. He lacks a lot of violence with his hands and lets the LT lock him up. Byars is still raw on the edge but he knocks the shite out of the guy across from him on every play.

My opinion is the defense might be better because of Cale Garrett. Garrett has made Terez Hall and the other LB’s look better than they really are.

TBJ makes the other tackles better, because of the attention he gets.

DE ends make most plays because of Garrett and TBJ

The CB’s and S’s are still below average.