Why does it seem like

[57stratdawg]

We've had some damn good DLmen under Mullen, but never a great DL unit?

 

[philduckworth]

We've had some damn good DLmen under Mullen, but never a great DL unit?

Usually a weak player or two on every d-line we have had. I mean we had Kaleb Eulls at DE for something like 3 years.

 

[rugbdawg]

Both Fletcher Cox and Preston Smith have made more "wow" playsin the NFL than college. But generally, I disagree. I think we have had some damn good Dline units...but they have underachieved. We have had physical freaks out there.

It comes back to technique and philosophy. I've always thought we generally use poor individual technique on the Dline. That's on Turner. We consistently lose contain. That's not usually team speed...that's technique and discipline.

More importantly, we don't value penetration into the backfield. Our Dline and defensive philosophy is built around gap control and reaction. It's easiest to see this when we are playing a team that we overmatch physically. The ball carrier just runs into the back of his Oline or is forced to try to bounce it outside. Rarely do we have someone penetrate deep into the backfield. The Kentucky game this year...you saw our Dline get overly aggressive early...we made some huge plays but we got burned a few times because we ran ourselves out of the play.

I don't think I've seen us slant since Mullen has been here...that's an exaggeration of course. Twists? Maybe 3rd and very long in a 3 man front once every two games.

The opposite extreme is the Ole Miss DLine. They are generally smaller, quicker, and faster. It seems they are slanting and twisting on every other snap. More likely to get gashed but more likely to get 3 and outs/losses too. Ole Miss certainly gives up the big play.

 

[VillagepeopleDogs]

Tsun has always valued deep penetration more than State. It's in their DNA. Goes way back starting with the students and now they value it as a recruiting tool.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Tsun has always valued deep penetration more than State. It's in their DNA. Goes way back starting with the students and now they value it as a recruiting tool.

You're right, especially Myles Hartsfield. He is probably their best penetrator. I even think they called him 'The Penetrator' in his high school locker room.

 

[KurtRambis4]

I thought

he played in the middle, mostly?

 

[rugbdawg]

No reason to get deep penetration if you can't finish.

 

[VillagepeopleDogs]

Depends on if you cause the 'penetratee' to have an early release.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Something stinks about all this

 

[johnson86-1]

he played in the middle, mostly?

I think he started his career in the middle and then we moved him to strong side end for the middle of his career, and finally got enough DE's to move him back to his natural position in the interior. He did pretty well considering he was a DT having to play DE, but there were some times where his lack of speed on the end was a huge problem for us.

 

[coach66]

Honestly to me most of our issues on defense have been related to DB play

lately, especially DB tackling. This may be a contributing factor to what you perception of our DLine.

 

[missouridawg]

Really? Wasn't Preston Smith a 3 time DL of the week?

.

 

[Dogariffic]

I think the D line is fine and has been for several years. Last year safety play and missed tackles hurt us repeatly. Watched a game highlight show the other day that showed our good plays and plays against us. I was amazed at the consistently poor tackling by the safeties.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

The angles that our safeties take are some of the worst I've seen. But as bad as they are, it doesn't compare to the shoulder tackles, or lack of wrapping up, that our defense does as a whole. Example: '14 Eggbowl. Redmond bad the Mississippi RB dead to rights in the backfield but didn't wrap up. He broke that 80 or 90 yard run, whatever it was, and Mississippi never looked back after that

 

[coach66]

That's a very painful example and a good one. If these new coaches just improve

our tackling we should be better on D.

 

[Palos verdes]

D-line is a group that we can recruit well at. However, over the years Dan has rarely gone after big time DT's outside of MS. Last year there were a bunch of them too.

 

[esplanade91]

The 3-4 switch makes me nervous, mostly because I have a lot more confidence in our DL than the lateral quickness of our LBs. I've seen a lot made of the viper position this summer, but I'm a little surprised not a lot has been made about Gerri moving to OLB/DE and Lewis/Brown taking over at ILB.

That being said, Adams, James, Jefferson has the potential to be one of the better units in Dan's tenure. Could be boom or bust.

 

[rugbdawg]

Richie Brown is a copy of TJ Mawhinney. Don't know if an offseason makes him a better athlete. No open field tackling skills.

 

[oxfordrebel22]

Both Fletcher Cox and Preston Smith have made more "wow" playsin the NFL than college. But generally, I disagree. I think we have had some damn good Dline units...but they have underachieved. We have had physical freaks out there.

It comes back to technique and philosophy. I've always thought we generally use poor individual technique on the Dline. That's on Turner. We consistently lose contain. That's not usually team speed...that's technique and discipline.

More importantly, we don't value penetration into the backfield. Our Dline and defensive philosophy is built around gap control and reaction. It's easiest to see this when we are playing a team that we overmatch physically. The ball carrier just runs into the back of his Oline or is forced to try to bounce it outside. Rarely do we have someone penetrate deep into the backfield. The Kentucky game this year...you saw our Dline get overly aggressive early...we made some huge plays but we got burned a few times because we ran ourselves out of the play.

I don't think I've seen us slant since Mullen has been here...that's an exaggeration of course. Twists? Maybe 3rd and very long in a 3 man front once every two games.

The opposite extreme is the Ole Miss DLine. They are generally smaller, quicker, and faster. It seems they are slanting and twisting on every other snap. More likely to get gashed but more likely to get 3 and outs/losses too. Ole Miss certainly gives up the big play.

That's a spot on analysis. Our DL has been hyper-aggressive under Kiffin/Wommack. It can be extremely frustrating at times when it's being manipulated out of plays (see Arkansas game last year), but it can also be really fun to watch, and dominating at times. OM has, for the most part, recruited a different type of Def Lineman. They'll sacrifice 25 pounds for a quicker first step.

It appears to be a difference in philoshophy with each team. Neither is right or wrong, I don't think. Like any system, it all comes down to which unit is the most talented.

I will say though, I'm glad as an opposing fan that State hasn't turned guys like Fletcher Cox and Chris Jones and Preston Smith completely loose. Because I feel like they could have been ever more dominant than they were.. which was pretty damn special.

 

[57stratdawg]

Your example is accurate, but to me a lot of tackling, especially with DBs, comes back to athletisism. It's easy to get guys on the ground when you're athletic enough to make up for bad angles and recover from a RB or WR's change of direction.

 

[Drebin]

Richie Brown is a copy of TJ Mawhinney. Don't know if an offseason makes him a better athlete. No open field tackling skills.

Agreed that he misses too many tackles. But TJ Mahwinney? C'mon man.

 

[True_Dawg]

uh huh

Richie Brown is a copy of TJ Mawhinney. Don't know if an offseason makes him a better athlete. No open field tackling skills.

Man...are you full of crap. You do know he is listed on the Bulldawg workout board as having the fastest 5-10-5 drill time on ...the team?

http://www.foxsports.com/college-fo...richie-brown-sec-defensive-player-week-092815

View attachment 4677 View attachment 4678

 

[TBone.sixpack]

17.Yes.
What's up Richie? Good luck this year

 

[rugbdawg]

TJ was a practice warrior and physical freak. He also was excellent at tackling folks 10 yards downfield. Really hope the 3-4 helps Richie. It really could eliminate the "in space" tackles he consistently missed. To be fair, I'm being hard on him...our LBs have been elite prior to him.

 

[Bulldogg31]

He reminds me of Daniel Boyd

 

[KurtRambis4]

Is this

schtick or are you serious?****

 

[MedDawg]

Agree with rugbdawg and 57stratdawg. DL is probably our best representation in the NFL. With Fletcher Cox, Preston Smith, Pernell McPhee and Chris Jones and we've had several NFL linemen but never a standout DL unit. 2010 we had a good defense with penetration, but our top 2 or 3 sack leaders were linebackers.

Maybe that's the answer. Our defense has been to contain with the DL and penetrate with the LB. Worked in 2010 but last season it allowed big runs.

 

[Drebin]

TJ was a practice warrior and physical freak. He also was excellent at tackling folks 10 yards downfield. Really hope the 3-4 helps Richie. It really could eliminate the "in space" tackles he consistently missed. To be fair, I'm being hard on him...our LBs have been elite prior to him.

TJ wouldn't get on the field if he was on this roster. He probably couldn't even make this roster. This is a new level of silliness from you if you are being serious.