Time to Lightly Doog - Defense
WoolleyDoog
Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 3,601 
DL - EDGE - #1s Zach Durfee & Voi Tunuufi #2s Isaiah Ward & DeShawn Lynch & DT #1s Sebastian Valdez & Jacob Bandes #2s Jayvon Parker & Logan Sagapolu
Edge isn't the best I can ever remember it being but it's certainly deep. Feels like there are legit 6-7 players who could could/will play and have promise. Tunuufi is underrated for making plays and there's at least a ton of practice hype around Durfee. Ward also sounds like a practice hero.
Valdez was kind of forgotten about and feels like he could be an all conference guy. I'm still dooging on Parker after he put opponents on roller skates at some key times in limited action the past couple years.
LB - #1s Alphonso Tuputala & Carson Bruener #2s Bryan Parham & Drew Fowler
Easily the most proven group on the team. Bruener is one of the best returning LBs in the Big 10 and he and Tuputala have played a ton of football. I like the depth with Parham and Fowler too. This certainly isn't 2008 USC. It should be very reliable at worst though.
DB - #1s CB Ephesians Prysock & Thaddeus Dixon S Justin Harrington, Cameron Broussard, & Kamren Fabiculanan #2s CB Elijah Jackson & Jordan Shaw S Makell Esteen, Tristan Dunn, and Peyton Waters
This group I am starting to doog might be really good, an improvement from last year, and be something they can lean on. I love the size overall and with Prysock as the #1 CB. I like Dixon beating out Jackson for the other starting spot. The safeties are super experienced and could actually be an upgrade from last year.
Comments
Bruener is lined up to be one of my favorite Dwags ever
Doog LITE!!
I think the defense improves slightly due to better LB play and better secondary depth. If they can find some interior combination that's stout against the run it could be a good defense.
A lot of "could be" and "if" items. That's pretty normal.
DL- Cab Valdez be a “push” for Tuli? Can Sagapolu assume Ale’s role? Can Bandes take that half step in development and not be a liability? I mean he came back for the grind one more year when he didn’t have to. Can either Parker brother or Davis be B1G stout? They also have a 315lbs JC guy. Is he anything more than a tub of goo? So many questions and not one you can point to and say, “yup, he’s done it and we can rely on that dude.” Not one.
LB- Agree on Bruener. If he’s healthy he’s in for a big senior season. I think Parham might get a lot of PT if he truly knows what his roll is. He’s fast. The RS Frosh from Bosco. Can’t remember his name. I think he could also make a push. His HS film was unreal and he was trinity league MVP, he’s just short. Tupatala seems slow. I’m not sure if he’s actually a step slow or a step slow in processing the play but it always seems he’s just behind where he could be to make big plays.
Edge- Durfee is a practice legend. When I see it on game day I’ll believe it. I want to believe. Ward was a man in the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma. I’d pencil him in at one side. Reports say Wayne has been flashing. He’s such an impressive looking human. I hope Kafusi can get the light to go on. Lane is still around. All he did was consistently play as a true freshman on a team that played for a title. Wooley, you mentioned that the bodies look good on the hoof. I agree. No more are the days playing 6’3” 235 Psalm with 6’3” 240 Potatoes O’Brien. These guys are all 6’5” or taller and between 235 and 290.
DBs- This group makes me want to doog a little as well. Prysock is a legit all conference DB and the winner of Jackson and Dixon will show well. Good depth, good height and good length across the board.
Why do you think Voi starts over Ward?
Not that it really matters, DE is deep
Prysock is an upgrade over Muhammad. Had we been able to pull Tacario (i still dont understand how we fucked up the rape and pillage of Arizona so badly), we would have had one of the top 3 cb groups in the country. LB group will be great. Safety should be solid. Line and Edge could go either way. Will be a testament to our coaching abilities.
Hum, I think the hype is building on Ward enough to put him over Voi. Voi also might be best as like a sixth man type anyway since he's a tweener. I would be a bit worried about Ward in the Big 10 at 6'5 220. Michigan killed us early running straight at Trice with him getting upfield and being more of a pass rusher. I wouldn't be surprised if Wayne gets a lot of run there as a huge guy told to just hold the edge.
I really am starting to doog on the secondary and I know there's probably sour grapes in the mix but I really think Prysock could easily be an upgrade over Muhammad. Guys like Tacario and the OL not just coming to UW to stay and fight for Brennan really stings as those guys coming could have easily pushed UW into the preseason Top 25, even without Tetairoa and Fifita.
Voi is as heavy as he’s ever been at UW. I think he’s listed at 282. Seems like he might be an interior DL on third and long. He’d be great at that, he’s got a knack of finding opponents behind the LOS. I’m here for it.
Ward dominated Oklahoma's OL
Regardless, Voi is a stud that can seemingly play anywhere.
Nothing changed with me. 8-4 is the floor.
Have to start 5-0 and find 3 more wins in a tuff back stretch.
I think the dawgs win handedly at Iowa. Big fans finally going to understand that Pac offenses are superior to all but the top 3 teams in their league...by a fucking lot.
Ward finished 2023 with 5 TFL and 4 sacks while Davis had 5.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks. They would've been #2 and #3 on the team last year (behind Trice), so they're going to see plenty of snaps.
Tunuufi, Durfee, Wayne, Lane, and Holtzclaw will all see playing time, so we really have 7 DE who can play this season.
Hiems could rotate in too
He’s gotta stay healthy.
Don’t do this to me
I can’t handle any sort of expectations this year
I crave a D that has has both edge and power up the middle. I don't mind if it bends as long as it doesn't break
I believe this is Canadian for push up the middle and heat from the edge.
That's not Canadian. I didn't see a single "eh" , "hoser", or "take off hoser".
I think canadawg could be an imposter. My guess is he lives in Minnesota or, more likely, Bellingham.