I'm not ready to go all in yet but I think it should be. I'll have to see the linebackers, including the outside guys, play like they've made a big jump. We still havent adequately replaced the Sark holdovers at the outside spots. We've had a few good games out of Tryon and Bowman and not much else.
I think the players are there. I love Tryon and Latu but both have to make a leap. We havent seen Hammer or Calvert yet but most of us are counting on them stepping up.
The secondary will be nails, probably the best one we've had in this period.
The defense should be as good as they were in 2016-2018. There are a couple question marks at safety and ILB, but I think we have brought in talent and should be pretty good.
If Tryon gets any better than he was in the second half of last year, he’s one of the better players in the country. Bowman is solid and better than he gets credit for on the board. If Latu’s weight loss helps and he takes a jump, the pass rush will be better than any of the previous teams.
Guys graduate and leave early so there will always be question marks, but we should have the best defense in the conference. There are a lot of highly touted young guys both on the DL and at LB and some of them will rise to the occasion.
2020 should be somewhere around: Onwuzurike, Bronson, Tryon, Bowman, Ulofoshio, ???, Molden, McDuffie, Taylor, Turner, Williams?
I give the edge to 2016
2016 had three excellent DL and a great secondary. There was little depth though and the LB were nothing special to not particularly good. Without anyone to replace Mathis the pass rush and strength on the edge didn't exist. 2019 has excellent DL and secondary, both with way more depth, two pretty good guys on the edge plus some good prospects on the edge, a bunch of 2nd and 3rd year guys at ILB who should at least be good by committee.
2016 is the standard to measure against right now but the whole team was paper thin The strength was up front and in the back. This roster is less accomplished but just as talented and deeper at both position groups. It comes down to the pass rush and inside linebackers, and there's more talent and depth there too. I give the edge to 2020/21.
2016 was the best defense we had in years and years. Good enough to win with a REAL offense. So it is remembered fondly like everything that year up to the Peach Bowl.
Rewatched a good chunk of the Peach Bowl last night. That defense was fucking good.
5 elite level players (Vea, Gaines, Budda, King, Sid Jones) plus no real weak spots anywhere. You could say edge play, but at least the guys in those spots like Qualls and Jaylen Johnson had other strengths that were useful and good overall players.
I don’t think this years will be quite that good. If they can get close though UW will be tough to beat if we can generate a halfway decent offense.
2016 defense was good enough to win the natty, without question. Offense didn't show up against any team with a pulse, their legacy that year built on crushing the worst Oregon D in 75 years and Stanford with both starting CBs out, and coming off a back to back road game 6 day break.
Give 2016 Mathis (especially) and Azeem in the Peach Bowel and we give Bama a game even without an offense.
That defense at full strength was unreal. Not enough depth though.
This defense might not be quite as great top end but should be much more injury proof.
The Ross fumble killed our momentum, we had Bama on the ropes. Then Brownsocks threw the pick 6 to seal our fate.
2 plays that made us shit our pants and vastly changed the rudder that both involved Ross 1- the fly sweep to Ross against USC where we lost like 10 yards (we were moving the ball like a knife through butter before that play) 2- The Ross fumble (we were nearly perfect, other than the Budda dropped INT before that play)
Give 2016 Mathis (especially) and Azeem in the Peach Bowel and we give Bama a game even without an offense.
That defense at full strength was unreal. Not enough depth though.
This defense might not be quite as great top end but should be much more injury proof.
The Ross fumble killed our momentum, we had Bama on the ropes. Then Brownsocks threw the pick 6 to seal our fate.
2 plays that made us shit our pants and vastly changed the rudder that both involved Ross 1- the fly sweep to Ross against USC where we lost like 10 yards (we were moving the ball like a knife through butter before that play) 2- The Ross fumble (we were nearly perfect, other than the Budda dropped INT before that play)
The Ross play vs USC was on Ross. He slowed up so blocks could be set up and got caught from behind. Nobody could have caught him if he went full speed.
Baseman
Member Posts: 12,365
Comments
I think the players are there. I love Tryon and Latu but both have to make a leap. We havent seen Hammer or Calvert yet but most of us are counting on them stepping up.
The secondary will be nails, probably the best one we've had in this period.
2020 should be somewhere around: Onwuzurike, Bronson, Tryon, Bowman, Ulofoshio, ???, Molden, McDuffie, Taylor, Turner, Williams?
I give the edge to 2016
*substitute Tuli for Bronson and Latu for Bowman*
https://www.google.com/amp/s/athlonsports.com/college-football/10-greatest-defenses-college-football-history?amp
SEC
If Tryon gets any better than he was in the second half of last year, he’s one of the better players in the country. Bowman is solid and better than he gets credit for on the board. If Latu’s weight loss helps and he takes a jump, the pass rush will be better than any of the previous teams.
Guys graduate and leave early so there will always be question marks, but we should have the best defense in the conference. There are a lot of highly touted young guys both on the DL and at LB and some of them will rise to the occasion.
2016 is the standard to measure against right now but the whole team was paper thin The strength was up front and in the back. This roster is less accomplished but just as talented and deeper at both position groups. It comes down to the pass rush and inside linebackers, and there's more talent and depth there too. I give the edge to 2020/21.
Let's see 2020 win something then pop off
5 elite level players (Vea, Gaines, Budda, King, Sid Jones) plus no real weak spots anywhere. You could say edge play, but at least the guys in those spots like Qualls and Jaylen Johnson had other strengths that were useful and good overall players.
I don’t think this years will be quite that good. If they can get close though UW will be tough to beat if we can generate a halfway decent offense.
Fuck Petersen's offense.
That defense at full strength was unreal. Not enough depth though.
This defense might not be quite as great top end but should be much more injury proof.
1- the fly sweep to Ross against USC where we lost like 10 yards (we were moving the ball like a knife through butter before that play)
2- The Ross fumble (we were nearly perfect, other than the Budda dropped INT before that play)