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Nagursky/Outland Watch List
GrundleStiltzkin
Member Posts: 61,515 
Four Huskies make Nagurski Trophy watch list; Shelton on Outland list, too
The watch lists continue to roll out, with the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announcing its 81-player preseason watch list for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded annually by the FWAA to whom they feel is the nation’s top defensive player.
Washington is one of two teams (Stanford is the other) to land four players on the watch list: OLB Hau’oli Kikaha, CB Marcus Peters, DT Danny Shelton and LB Shaq Thompson.
Comments
DE: Kikaha/ Roberson, Julian Edge: 2014
DT: E. Hudson/ Tripplet Edge: 2000
NT: Shelton/ Hatem Edge: 2014
DE/OLB: Littleton/ Pharms Edge: 2000
OLB: Feeney/ Kelley Edge: 2014
MLB: Timu/ Daniels Edge: 2000
OLB: Shaq/ Williams Edge: 2014
I would say the front 7 is better now than in 2000. Kikaha and Littleton is a far superior pass rushing combo to Pharms and Roberson. The DT's are a close call. I give a slight edge to Tripplet over Shelton because of the plays he made in opposing backfields. I like Shelton, but he's never dominated like Tripplet did in 2000 against Miami and Colorado. He won us the game against Colorado. He also had the huge play against Oregon State. I will take the playmaking DT over a massive run stopper, especially in college football. Tripplet makes it a tough call, but I think the 2014 DL is slightly better overall.
The 2014 LB's are far superior to 2000. Daniels is probably a tad better than Timu (at least more consistent). The other two are no contest. The depth of this year's team should be better too. On the DL we have Andrew Hudson, Mathis, Farria, and Qualls. At LB, I've heard Berria is a stud and I know the coaches like Victor and O'Brien too.
Swaye is right. The defense is loaded. If we can get even average DB play, and we already have an All conference CB, this defense can be very good. More_Time and some others will be rubbing it in that we got better on defense once Wilcox left. The secondary might not even be bad, it's just inexperienced. Having 4 dreckfest non conference games is perfect to get that group some confidence.
I expect this defense to be significantly better than 2000.
OL might not be a steamroll group, but they should at least be decent, and above average with good coaching...if Kasen comes back okay, and we get good production out of Miles, no reason not to expect 10+ wins this year.
We have good to very good talent (more on D than O) and great leadership/coaching for the first time in 20 years. 10 wins minimum or gtfo.
Darrell Daniels tackled everything he touched, and if he happened to miss, #25 and Akbar would arrive for a beheading. Shaq should have stayed at safety. He'd be a 1st round pick after this year and our defense would have no questions going into next year. Feeney is an honors candidate just for discussion.
I have high expectations for the secondary. Peters is a AA candidate. Every other DB we have back there may be young, but is highly recruited/regarded. Not only do you have the 4 game dreckfest to start the season, but that's followed up by the running game of Stanford (where the biggest challenge for the young DBs will be playing assignment football and not trying to do too much) and Cal before having to face Oregon. By the time you're 6 games into a season, you've lost a lot of the "youth element."
I also don't see how the offense won't at least be decent. The OL in 2000 was solid but not spectacular ... which is how I see the 2014 line given its experience and track record so far. Big edge at QB obviously in 2000. RB would be a wash. We'll have better WRs this year and the 2000 team had a better TE.
And then when it comes to coaching, I think you have to give the edge to Petersen.
I'm not saying that we're going to go to the Rose Bowl, you'd be twisting if you thought that I was saying that, but this team compares to the 2000 team in a number of areas. There's no reason for there not to be an expectation of success this year.
Edit: Forgot about Vontoure. He only played half the season, but he was really good too. He was one of the best players on the team in 99.
Only reason we are remembering fondly of that defense because compared to the past decade of dreck they look like the 1991 defense. However, at the time we didn't want the game to come down to them.
There is a reason why Tui had to have so many comebacks as a few times the D let us down(at stanford, arizona, Oregon State come to mind).
The talent on that defense was great but the performance was not. They did not play up to the sum of their parts. As one data poont they were just 4th in the conference in points per game. Good but not great.
However, that OL was the strength of that team. They would wear you the fuck out and we haven't had a team like that since. Gilby was a shitty head coach but the guy could coach up his fat fucks.
Tui was the leader, the heart and soul of that team which I doubt Miles will ever be. I think that OL was so good though. I still remember the Rose Bowl and Miami game in particular dominating the line of scrimmage up front, plowing open holes for nobody running backs.
Could this line be that way? It could with all that experience and first time in forever good OL coaching.
I think this will be our best team since 2000 and I can see the comparisons I really can.
On an unrelated note, is it too late to petition Peterman to have Miles wear #12 this season? No reason.