NG or 1-Tech play will make or break our defense next year.
by CJNole on Jul 22, 2010 2:41 PM EDT
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I think we’ll be able to tell what type of defense will have after the first series of the OU game. If there are problems with our NG play, we’ll see it against Samford. The real test will be against OU due to the difference between SC programs at BCS schools and Div 2, there shouldn’t be anyway physically for our DT to get manhandled. If they do, we are in for another long season. Right now, I think McDaniel is going to start at NG or 1-Tech with Dawkins starting at DT or 3-Tech. One thing to consider is prior to last two seasons; we were able to have statistically pretty good defenses due to the play of DT. Odell has put a lot of guys in the pros so the coaching is there but are the players old enough and physically ready to take on grown men. The way I see things there are four possible outcomes.
1. McDaniel gives ground and is consistently blocked one on one. If this happens, first I think we will see both McCray and McCloud get a shot almost immediately. If either player were unable to improve on McDaniel play there is trouble on the horizon; I would expect only a modest improvement from last year’s defense (80-90). We won’t give up as many big plays but the defense will have a tough time getting off the field and will be forced to stunt their ends inside again to defend the inside rush.
2. If McDaniel is able to maintain his ground and force the OU center to scrap him then the defense will be much improved (top 50). The ends will be able to maintain proper lanes and the Smith will have a chance to make plays sideline to sideline.
3. If McDaniel forces teams to double team him and is able to maintain his ground the defense will be a around top 30. Smith would be able to use his speed to move sideline to sideline and we would be able to stop the run consistently with seven players in the box and maintain good down distance.
4. If McDaniel is able to split the double team during the first few series, we are looking at a top ten defense. This asking a lot of true sophomore but it’s not out of the realm of possibility by the time McDaniel reaches his last year. Next year, I would say it’s close to impossible. There is no player more disruptive then an unblockable NG. You cannot run away from him and are severely limited in your passing game.
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I appreciate this line of thinking
This is the core of the Tampa-2 defense – control with your DTs, leaving your athletic MLB to read and react. Just good football sense, regardless of the scheme.
FSU Defense 2010: Taking back 1st down.
"probably need a new strength coach"
Sounds like we now have one of the best in College Football. I don’t think this is the problem, just need time, depth, and upperclassmen.
If our ng gets manhandle by a d2 guard, we need a new strength coach or new players
Unless Samford has a bunch bcs transfers on their line, we shouldn’t be manhandle by a d2 guard
FSU football is the new case study for the outliners phenomon
by CJNole on Jul 22, 2010 3:53 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I removed the line about the strength coach because people are going to read that and think you're an idiot
And then they will not read the rest of your post and then there won’t be any discussion about the actual post.
To expect our players will be up to speed strength wise after a single off-season in a high-level strength program is ridiculous.
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
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I understand your point
But is there anyway our kids should get pushed around by a bunch of D2 kids? Even last year, we weren’t manhandled by D2 kids that didn’t start at BCS programs. To me that would represent a massive step backwards.
FSU football is the new case study for the outliners phenomon
No and they weren't last year or ever
Why insert the nonsense? The main part of your post is something people might want to read. But they’ll never get there having to go through that
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
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I thought the word was Stroud was doing a good job, relative to the previous strength coach?
Grace I call Your name, Oh won’t Your smile fall over me, I’m cracked and dry on hands and knees, Oh sweet grace rain down on me I need You grace
-Phil Wickham
Relatively speaking, I agree
A top strength program nationally? not close, obviously that’s what Jimbo wants to bring here.
Stroud performed admirably in a role he had no expertise in.
He was placed in a position to fail, yet he still exceeded the expectations placed upon him by his superiors. Stroud fought tooth and nail against program leaders to help his players and earned the respect of many of them as a result. You can’t say that about many 2009 FSU coaches.
by Caveman Mafia on Jul 23, 2010 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I think this massively oversimplifies things
a lot of “if he does this”…“our defense does this” going on which ignores a lot of other factors.
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
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by Bud Elliott on Jul 22, 2010 4:09 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Zero chance our D is top 10 next year.
That will wait until we have an entire depth chart that understands the system AND a couple top-half-of-the-1st-round studs going out and – as Mickey said – making plays.
And again lack of reasonable expectations kills another attempt at a unique article.
Is it really that hard to say “a shot at a top 30 defense” instead of top 10?
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
Tomahawk Nation: Nole-Holds-Barred Analysis of FSU Sports!
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Why would the best our defense could do next year be top 30?
Our past five years our defense has been at that level if not better. Look at the last five years performance from a scoring defense perspective
2004 – 4th
2005 – 28
2006 – 37
2007 – 34
2008 – 26
The more you look at past performance the more 2009 performance looks like an outlier due to a lame duck staff and loss of focus of a DC. Are you saying is that it’s close to impossible for next year’s defense to be better then 2008 even with a dominant NG (Suh).
FSU football is the new case study for the outliners phenomon
As a fan of 1-AA football (FCS, blah blah) I just want to point out that Samford is not D2 (like North Alabama, Valdosta State, etc) but is instead in Division 1 FCS (1-AA) (like Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, Villanova, Montana, etc). The S&C programs at the upper tier FCS schools are about on par with mid-tier FBS (1-A) schools (think: C-USA, MWC), but still well behind upper tier FBS schools (SEC, ACC, etc) due to a major lack of resources (money).
With that said, Samford is a middle of the pack FCS school and absolutely should get pushed around by FSU’s line(s).
With THAT said, don’t be sad if we don’t win 70-0 like we did against Western Carolina or UT-Chattanooga a few years back. Those two teams were the two worst teams in the Southern Conference (the same conference Samford is in) and Samford is a much better team than either of them. Expect like, 63-14 or something like that.
ASIDE
I really wish more people would care about (or at least care to learn about) FCS football. It’s not the money driven business that BCS level football is; not as much anyway. And there are some great players that are playing for nothing but school pride and the chance to win a National Championship rather than playing to get paid.
I’ve loved the Noles since I was born and never miss them when they play, but there’s just something… real, or pure or something about watching my alma mater (6x National Champions Georgia Southern [84, 85, 89, 90, 99, 00]) play in front of 20,000 on a Saturday night.
/END ASIDE
by Klak on Jul 22, 2010 9:25 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I don't use "FCS" much here because it's a politically correct football term and confuses folks, however
you do bring up a great point that Samford is 1-AA (or FBS is you really prefer) and not D2.
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
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by Bud Elliott on Jul 22, 2010 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions
I completely agree that FCS/FBS confuses people
And I’m not one to get upset whatever you call it. I still much prefer 1-A and 1-AA. As long as you call it what it is: D-1 football.
Not only FCS, but D-2 and D-3 football.
May be biased because I will be playing D-3 football but from watching it over the years it really is football in its purest sense. People assume the athletes aren’t as good (fair assumption) so the games won’t be as good (unfair assumption). If you have a chance I suggest attending a lower-than-FBS game whenever one may get a chance. It’s good stuff.
GSU is my alma mater too, as of today
(finished my last class in summer term) and I agree there is some great football being played in D 1-AA. I’ve also been a Nole since birth. Would have been weird if I went with my second choice for my screen name, “Klik”.
Congrats!
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
Tomahawk Nation: Nole-Holds-Barred Analysis of FSU Sports!
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by Bud Elliott on Jul 22, 2010 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I disagree with the premise of this article.
One position does not make or break a team. Are there more important positions on the field? Sure. You could certainly make the argument that the NG position is the most important on the field for the defense. However, there are 10 other positions that will also make or break the team.
If you asked any FSU fan who the weak link was on defense last year, I think you would have rec’d the same response 70% of the time. That particular player didn’t play NG, but even casual fans would argue that the certain unnamed player “broke” the defense.
Bottom line: there are 11 guys out there. If someone doesn’t do their assigned job, they have the potential to “make or break” a team.
Last year, weak play at NG or 1-Tech caused many of the problems we saw on defense
There are ten other positions on defense but a weakness up the gut is tougher to cover up then any were else on the field. At the same time, a player that is able to cause havoc up the gut causes more problems for an offense then anywhere else on the field. It changes a team’s game plan, you can’t run up the middle and Mike roams free to make plays. You have rollout the QB and use less timing routes. Or run out of the shotgun with shorter routes.
FSU football is the new case study for the outliners phenomon
I like the premise of the article. The way I read it, CJ isn’t saying that the whole defense depends on JM. Rather, the biggest question mark on the D is the NG position, and by watching that position, we might be able to rather quickly get an idea of how this D as a whole is going to perform.
Obviously, there is an unsaid, “holding other assumptions about the rest of the D constant…”.
I agree with the premise. It gives me yet another specific thing to keep my eye on during the first few games of the season and makes the games that much more interesting. It’s things like this that make me love this site. Reading this site makes watching the games all the better.
>->------------> FEAR THE SPEAR >->----------->
No, I didn't forget to read the title.
I’m just telling you how I read post and that I enjoyed the post reading it that way.
>->------------> FEAR THE SPEAR >->----------->
nothing to add really
just that i am also a GSU alum.
and we’re gonna need the 4-man rotation of Dawk, Jacobbi, Moses, and Amp to stay healthy this year or we are in trouble.
Good to see you posting here more Gasou
This team will improve in '10... on its 16-16 conference record over the last 4 years.... after losing 20 games in the last 4 years... after having the 7th worst major-conference defense... after not even winning its own division in the ACC in the last 4.
Tomahawk Nation: Nole-Holds-Barred Analysis of FSU Sports!
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took me a little bit to figure this place out
but aside from our mega thread, this is my favorite nole site on the net. always enjoy the content here, Bud. keep up the great work!
I would tend to more readily agree with the premise
if FSU played a 3-4. Given the ‘Noles don’t, I’d say it isn’t whether or not the NG plays well or not, but how the interior line plays.
by Wild@Heart Nole on Jul 25, 2010 9:13 PM EDT reply actions
Hope we are not relying to much on just one player
As this thing makes it sound like it is so much about McDaniel. I assume there will still be lots of rotation on the Dline on purpose to keep guys fresh and also due to injuries. Injuries always throw the equation off!
If you look at last year tape
We need better play out of the NG position. We weren’t able to hold the point last year and had to crash the DE to stop the inside rush.
In my mind, we have three guys that can play NG next year, each on one of them is better then what we had last year but they also all have questions marks.
1. McDaniel – physically will make the step forward. Last year, he played well for a freshmen but physically wasn’t ready to play.
2. McCloud – Has a great natural body for a 1-T but will he be able to get in shape in time for the season. How many downs will he be able to get you?
3. McCray – Will his elbow hold up? Can he stay healthy? Physically he looks the part but has never played to the ability. Is that due to his body being banged up or is it a lack of ability.
FSU football is the new case study for the outliners phenomon
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