2012 Defensive Line Discussion

[bukIpower]

I searched for and did not find a thread on next years promising defensive line.

Why do you guys think Urban has put such a priority in the defensive line so far? Not only outside with Washington/ Spence/ Pittman/ but also going after inside help as well with Schutt and The kid from DC?

I believe the most important features of a team are up front so it's refreshing to see, but do you guys feel he doesn't think too highly of our current crop?

 

[TooTall]

I searched for and did not find a thread on next years promising defensive line.

Why do you guys think Urban has put such a priority in the defensive line so far? Not only outside with Washington/ Spence/ Pittman/ but also going after inside help as well with Schutt and The kid from DC?

I believe the most important features of a team are up front so it's refreshing to see, but do you guys feel he doesn't think too highly of our current crop?

Because our pass rush was next to awful last year? Time to improve on this year's weaknesses.

 

[Merih]

I searched for and did not find a thread on next years promising defensive line.

Why do you guys think Urban has put such a priority in the defensive line so far? Not only outside with Washington/ Spence/ Pittman/ but also going after inside help as well with Schutt and The kid from DC?

I believe the most important features of a team are up front so it's refreshing to see, but do you guys feel he doesn't think too highly of our current crop?

I don't think it speaks poorly of the linemen we currently have. It seems to me like Urban knows the value of having 8-10 guys who can play at all times, and who as a group possess a blend of speed, power, and technique which can give offensive lines fits. Once an OL has seen the different pass rushers and the different moves they like to use, it's easy for them to keep us at bay. In games this year we saw how much times opposing QB's had to find a guy, especially in the later games.

IMO Urban is taking a page out of the LSU formula. Recruit a lot of the best, most elite pass rushers in the country. Play them all, no matter how young. Over the course of the game, in almost every game this year, LSU's line got progressively better and better.

 

[bukIpower]

Because our pass rush was next to awful last year? Time to improve on this year's weaknesses.

I know thats the obvious, but so many of us are high on (probably still) a lot of the younger talent we have. Next year though with Simon as a Senior, Hankins the best returning tackle in the big ten, and perhaps even Nate chipping in as well we could really have a great line. I must admitt I'm not so sure any of the defensive ends we got in the last year or so is a straight up pass rushing/speed end. Can a guy like Washington come in and contribute as a freshman?

Also I sort of sense he is building this defense much like an SEC defense like you say Merih. In that regard I could see Sabino being used as a rush end type next year if he doesn't show well in this bowl game. Wether we like it or not Urban is going to use this upcoming game as an audition wether fair or not to gauge if our guys can compete with a middle of the pack SEC team.

 

[TooTall]

I know thats the obvious, but so many of us are high on (probably still) a lot of the younger talent we have. Next year though with Simon as a Senior, Hankins the best returning tackle in the big ten, and perhaps even Nate chipping in as well we could really have a great line. I must admitt I'm not so sure any of the defensive ends we got in the last year or so is a straight up pass rushing/speed end. Can a guy like Washington come in and contribute as a freshman?

Oh for sure! The defensive line as a unit played solid last year. The pass rush lacked quite a bit, but what they lacked there, they gained in stopping the run. I can't wait to have some actual RUSH DE's to compliment the run stuffers on this roster! Bennett is going to be a household name next year, I know it.

 

[bukIpower]

i know it's early in his career and it's unfair to put these kinds of comparisons out but Bennetts body type reminds me of Suh's. Right now I love the prospects of having Williams-Hankins-Bennett-Simon out there but I still think we need to have one of these true freshman coming in to help out as far as the speed goes from our defensive end position. Have to find more athleticism if this defensive line is going to be elite, but overall this should be a very good defensive line.

 

[TooTall]

i know it's early in his career and it's unfair to put these kinds of comparisons out but Bennetts body type reminds me of Suh's. Right now I love the prospects of having Williams-Hankins-Bennett-Simon out there but I still think we need to have one of these true freshman coming in to help out as far as the speed goes from our defensive end position. Have to find more athleticism if this defensive line is going to be elite, but overall this should be a very good defensive line.

One?! I can't wait to have a two deep D-Line! Fresh bodies on the D-Line=Championships.

 

[RB07OSU]

If Hayes and Miller develop their pass rush skills in addition to Williams coming back, it would be a huge help. Assuming those guys pick it up, I think a depth chart/rotation like this looks promising:
SDE: Simon, Baldwin, Hayes, Pittman (?)
DT/SDE: Bellamy, Bennett, Farris
DT/NT: Hankins, Goebel, Hale, Schutt (?)
WDE/LEO: Williams, Miller, Washington, Spence (?)

- Also makes me think maybe J.T. Moore andFellows (injuries) are the odd men out. Adding all of Washington, Spence, Pittman, and Schutt would be huge (plus any of Hamilton/Fowler), as it would light a fire under the butts of the other guys...basically a get to the QB or lose PT to the new guys that will. Gotta think at least one of those freshman would be able to make an instant impact. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sabino move to LEO, or strictly DE.

In sum, if that back-log of DL doesn't get it done, it would be a huge disappointment, especially considering Hankins and Simon are proven.

 

[buckeye4ever21]

The DLine class was the strength of last years class yet we've only heard how good Bennett was and he was the only one to see significant time as a freshman. Does anyone know if there is any buzz surrounding any of the other 4 guys in that DLine class of Farris, Miller, Hayes and Hale? Because I dont recall any of them making much noise in practice.

 

[MUBuck]

The DLine class was the strength of last years class yet we've only heard how good Bennett was and he was the only one to see significant time as a freshman. Does anyone know if there is any buzz surrounding any of the other 4 guys in that DLine class of Farris, Miller, Hayes and Hale? Because I dont recall any of them making much noise in practice.

I remember some buzz about Hale in spring practice (he enrolled early). Also remember him in the rotation, although I don't recall how much or how well. I wouldn't get too discouraged that none of these guys contributed a ton. Strength is so important on the defensive line, so give these guys an off-season before expecting results on the field.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

If Hayes and Miller develop their pass rush skills in addition to Williams coming back, it would be a huge help. Assuming those guys pick it up, I think a depth chart/rotation like this looks promising:
SDE: Simon, Baldwin, Hayes, Pittman (?)
DT/SDE: Bellamy, Bennett, Farris
DT/NT: Hankins, Goebel, Hale, Schutt (?)
WDE/LEO: Williams, Miller, Washington, Spence (?)

- Also makes me think maybe J.T. Moore andFellows (injuries) are the odd men out. Adding all of Washington, Spence, Pittman, and Schutt would be huge (plus any of Hamilton/Fowler), as it would light a fire under the butts of the other guys...basically a get to the QB or lose PT to the new guys that will. Gotta think at least one of those freshman would be able to make an instant impact. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sabino move to LEO, or strictly DE.

In sum, if that back-log of DL doesn't get it done, it would be a huge disappointment, especially considering Hankins and Simon are proven.

Very good analysis RB07!

The only thing I might change to your lineup is I think Bennett could be one of the starting DTs next year. In limited duty he was a monster this year.

 

[MaxBuck]

Joel Hale seems to have played this season in nearly all short-yardage and goalline situations. Probably a run-stuffer supreme with not a lot of pass pressure skill developed yet.

 

[keylime_5]

Hale has the frame to play NT at a high level and be disruptive being nearly 6'4"/315 lbs. at least. We have a history of having undersized wrestler types play that position like Garrett Goebel, Luke Fickell, Tim Anderson, and even Marcus Green, Dexter Larimore, and Todd Denlinger. Guys who were good players and did all the dirty work but weren't NFL athletes. I think Hale is a different type of nose being a big strong guy who is athletic enough to have played SSDE and 3 technique as a freshman in camp.

Having size and athletic ability at the DT position will get you on the field early and often, and we've seen that with Hankins and Hale. Tommy Schutt could be another guy who gets on the field early for those reasons - though it will be harder for him because we are loaded with quality veteran DTs (Hankins, Bennett, Goebel, Bellamy, Hale, Baldwin, Farris).

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

Baldwin and Farris are ends, imo. But they certainly have the frames to move down to DT. They also could be candidates to move to OT.
Simon is a tweeter, playing strong side end and DT.

This is how I see the defensive line shaping up next year...

Starters: Williams (if healthy), Hankins, Bennett, and Simon (also at DT)

2-Deep: Spence (if he commits), Goebel, Belamy, Miller

3rd-Sting: Pittman, Schutt, Hale, Washington

Rest of the Rotation: Moore, Farris, Baldwin, Hayes, Fellows (if healthy)

Needless to say, the defensive line will be extremely deep for years to come.

 

[Oh8ch]

DL was where Meyer had the most success in recruiting at UF. During his tenure he landed IIRC 7 players who were rated #1 or #2 at the position. A weak DL is the one portion of a D that you cannot hide, whereas a fast DL allows you to hide a weakness or two in the back 7.

That said, be it resolved by medical waiver, transfer or position change the 17 or so potential names for next year are just too many.

And while I know it is customary when you miss out on Ohio kids to say that we didn't really need them, what on earth would we have done with Wormley and Strobel?