2019 defense. How good will it be?

[KingCharlesSpaniel]

Safety - We will definitely miss Abram and McLaurin, but how much? Will Cole, Landrews, and Murphy maintain the level of play?
Corner - I really like the way Dantzler has come along this season. Who will play the other corner?
LB - No losses to graduation here. Great play this year from Thompson and Gay. Did Lewis underachieve or was he hampered by injury and scheme? Lewis was #7 in tackles with 22 solo, 18 assisted, and 3 for loss, so not bad stats.
DE - Rivers is good, but Sweat is a great talent. I did not rewatch my recordings of the games this year (some just too painful to watch again). Can those who gave closer attention evaluate how well Jones and Adams played and how this unit might be next year?
DT - Of course Simmons will be a huge loss. Who is even returning to this position other than Autry? Will this former strength be the biggest weakness of the 2019 D?

 

[PBRME]

The defense is going to take a huge step back next season.

 

[o_dawgnabit]

It’ll be a step back but not drastic. keeping shoop will be the key. But we lose a couple generation type players in a sweat and simmons but still have some great depth at DL. LB’s will be our strength next year. And in the secondary, losing Abrams and McLaurin hurts but the back ups have looked really good. I think we take a step back but can still be a top 30 defense.

 

[Dawgtruc]

Corners will be really good. Dantzler and Smitherman.

The biggest drop-off will be D-Line obviously.

 

[PBRME]

Keeping Shoop is huge must. Losing Simmons, Sweat, Abrams, and Mclaurin is going to be a big loss. We won’t have anyone next season offenses have to gameplan around or anyone on the line that will demand double teams freeing up everyone else. There’s no sugar coating it.

 

[philduckworth]

Keeping Shoop is huge must. Losing Simmons, Sweat, Abrams, and Mclaurin is going to be a big loss. We won’t have anyone next season offenses have to gameplan around or anyone on the line that will demand double teams freeing up everyone else. There’s no sugar coating it.

People also underestimate the combined losses of Gerri Green, Hoyett, Cory Thomas and Peters.

 

[missouridawg]

The defense is going to take a huge step back next season.

We bring back a solid core in the LBs and secondary. Our DL will be gutted. As will our depth. Count me in the camp that I think we take a huge step back too.

 

[Philly Dawg]

It will be solid. We will need more from the offense in big games.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

Shoop has put together top 20 defenses with less talent than we will have next year. We won’t be elite, but still one of the better defenses in the country.

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

The talent level on defense will still be very high, but inexperienced outside of Linebacker. We will need the freshman to provide depth on the DL. Top 30-35 nationally is probably a realistic expectation.

 

[Drebin]

We bring back a solid core in the LBs and secondary. Our DL will be gutted. As will our depth. Count me in the camp that I think we take a huge step back too.

It's not gutted. We have some big losses there. Nobody is going to replace Simmons. Rivers can replace Sweat. Plenty of other guys, including Adams and Jones are ready to step up. Wouldn't be surprised to see a freshman step in......Pickering perhaps.

The hit will be to the depth of the line, but we will be SEC West quality there.

 

[Clarence Boddicker]

It's not gutted. We have some big losses there. Nobody is going to replace Simmons. Rivers can replace Sweat. Plenty of other guys, including Adams and Jones are ready to step up. Wouldn't be surprised to see a freshman step in......Pickering perhaps.

The hit will be to the depth of the line, but we will be SEC West quality there.

This is the correct viewpoint. Big losses, and we won’t be dominant, but DL will not be a weakness.

 

[Crazy Cotton]

Shoop has been an upgrade from all appearances, compared to 3rd and Grantham. We aren't giving up the big plays we seemed to last year with a similarly talented roster (can't find the stats, but it certainly feels that way). One apparent advantage of JoMo is that assistants actually enjoy working with him, and he doesn't regularly throw them under the bus. going through def. coordinators every other year hurt us probably more than we realize over the last decade.

 

[KingCharlesSpaniel]

This is the correct viewpoint. Big losses, and we won’t be dominant, but DL will not be a weakness.

How interchangeable is DT and DE in our defense? Rivers will clearly stay at DE, but will others potentially be moved inside? Are the 2018 recruits likely to play and at DT or DE? Crumedy, Lovett, or Cameron Young? I have been most concerned about DT since 5 of 7 DT on our depth chart will be moving on.

 

[Clarence Boddicker]

How interchangeable is DT and DE in our defense? Rivers will clearly stay at DE, but will others potentially be moved inside? Are the 2018 recruits likely to play and at DT or DE? Crumedy, Lovett, or Cameron Young? I have been most concerned about DT since 5 of 7 DT on our depth chart will be moving on.

We have recruited very well there

 

[NWADog]

DE/DT: fletcher Adams, Kobe jones, Aaron Odom, marquiss spencer, Fabian Lovett, Chauncey rivers, lee autry

we won’t have the experienced depth we had this year but we we have talent. That’s not counting Moore and Pickering coming in.

LB: Lewis, gay, thompson all coming back

safeties: Murphy, Cole, landrews

cb: smitherman, dantzler

we will be solid. Have to stay healthy and develop some depth behind these guys

 

[Bulldogg31]

Not nearly as big a drop off as the worriers think.We’ve played 3 deep all year. There are almost 30 guys getting decent playing time this year and a bunch of redshirts who can play.