Top Defenses of the 2008 Season

[Thunder&Lightning]

Your Projected top 5 defenses for next season...

[Yatta!]

Tough question, here's my attempt:
1. Ohio State
2. USC
3. Georgia
4. Auburn
5. Penn State

[YAYareaRB]

1. USC
2. Georgia
3. OSU
4. Auburn
5. LSU

[TouchdownUSC]

Isn't oklahomas defense supposed to be good?

[Yatta!]

Originally Posted by TouchdownUSC

Isn't oklahomas defense supposed to be good?

They lost Reggie Smith and Curtis Lofton, who were easily their best players on defence but it should still be a good unit, just not elite.

[etk]

Miami's defense should be much improved as long as we stay healthy in the new system. Breaking every bone in Tebow's body should get us top 5 alone.

[P-L]

Originally Posted by Yatta!

They lost Reggie Smith and Curtis Lofton, who were easily their best players on defence but it should still be a good unit, just not elite.

They still have plenty of talent left though. Auston English, DeMarcus Granger, Gerald McCoy, Ryan Reynolds, and Nic Harris are all studs.

[etk]

Originally Posted by P-L

They still have plenty of talent left though. Auston English, DeMarcus Granger, Gerald McCoy, Ryan Reynolds, and Nic Harris are all studs.

They also lost Lewis Baker, Marcus Walker, Darien Williams, DJ Wolfe, etc. They'll struggle vs. the pass.

[Tampa 2 4 life]

1. USC
2. OSU
3. UGA
4. OU
5. PSU

USF - Top 15-17.

[P-L]

Darien Williams really didn't play all that much last season and Lendy Holmes is a pretty good corner. Oklahoma is a big-time program, I'm sure they aren't going to throw some rejects out there to fill out the secondary. Too many people assume just because a program loses players at a certain position, they're going to be bad at that position. That really isn't always the case, especially with big time programs. Oklahoma may not repeat as the 9th best defense in the country, but they'll be just fine.

[kwilk103]

no love for the #4 ranked defense last year?

we lose a lot, but the guys replacing them are a lot more athletic

plus we have a better defensive staff, and our lbers are a lot better

we return our mlb, olb + the other olb was a force on st and had 50+ offers until some legal problems

we have a juco s thats goin to start, along with jr quinton andrews who was a freshman all-american

on the line we have sophomore scooter berry who was a freshman all-american and juco de tevita finua who was one of the top jucos in the country

[etk]

Originally Posted by P-L

Darien Williams really didn't play all that much last season and Lendy Holmes is a pretty good corner. Oklahoma is a big-time program, I'm sure they aren't going to throw some rejects out there to fill out the secondary. Too many people assume just because a program loses players at a certain position, they're going to be bad at that position. That really isn't always the case, especially with big time programs. Oklahoma may not repeat as the 9th best defense in the country, but they'll be just fine.

But when you lose a good coverage LB in Lewis Baker, your top defender in Lofton, both starting corners and 2 safeties, I think your pass defense might struggle a bit. Nic Harris is a big time player but he can't do it all on his own....look at Kenny Phillips last year, and Kenny's more dependable. There's no substitute for experience anyway.

[Shane P. Hallam]

Originally Posted by kwilk103

no love for the #4 ranked defense last year?

we lose a lot, but the guys replacing them are a lot more athletic

plus we have a better defensive staff, and our lbers are a lot better

we return our mlb, olb + the other olb was a force on st and had 50+ offers until some legal problems

we have a juco s thats goin to start, along with jr quinton andrews who was a freshman all-american

on the line we have sophomore scooter berry who was a freshman all-american and juco de tevita finua who was one of the top jucos in the country

No, they aren't Top 5 right now.

[Michigan]

Michigan's defense returns 8 starters and is top 10 calibur, but probably won't show it statistically because of how mediocre the offense will be. Morgan Trent, Terrence Taylor, and Brandon Graham should be all-big ten performers, while Donovan Warren, Will Johnson, Obi Ezeh, and Tim Jamison are very solid players. Only question mark is the safeties, with inexperienced underclassmen likely stepping in.

[BigJohn98]

Originally Posted by kwilk103

no love for the #4 ranked defense last year?

we lose a lot, but the guys replacing them are a lot more athletic

plus we have a better defensive staff, and our lbers are a lot better

we return our mlb, olb + the other olb was a force on st and had 50+ offers until some legal problems

we have a juco s thats goin to start, along with jr quinton andrews who was a freshman all-american

on the line we have sophomore scooter berry who was a freshman all-american and juco de tevita finua who was one of the top jucos in the country

You don't play anyone.

[BaLLiN]

1. USC
2. OSU
3. LSU
4. Georgia
5. OU
6. MIAMI! maybe?

[Billingsley26]

1. USC
2. Penn State
3. OSU
4. Georgia
5. USF

[LonghornsLegend]

Sergio Kindle will be a beast for us, cant wait to see it happen...Were a year or two away from having an elite defense, lots of young talent in the secondary that needs seasoning and coaching, but top 10 isnt out of the question.

[Sniper]

Originally Posted by Billingsley26

1. USC
2. Penn State
3. OSU
4. Georgia
5. USF

Penn State after losing Dan Connor and Justin King? Love your homerism Billingsley

[BaLLiN]

Originally Posted by Billingsley26

1. USC
2. Penn State
3. OSU
4. Georgia
5. USF

I was thinking about USF, with selvie, but they lost both their starting corners who were both great players.

[619]

1. USC
2. Ohio St.
3. Georgia
4. Oklahoma
5. Clemson

[keylime_5]

Eh, USC loses Sedrick Ellis, Terrell Thomas, Keith Rivers, and Lawrence Jackson. That's a lot of great players gone, they are probably 4 of their 6 best defenders. tOSU returns everyone on D except Larry Grant, but he will be replaced by 2006 starter Curtis Terry who missed 2007 due to injury, so we basically return 11 former starters.
1-Ohio State
2-Georgia
3-USC
4-Penn State
5-Louisiana State

[kwilk103]

Originally Posted by BaLLiN72

I was thinking about USF, with selvie, but they lost both their starting corners who were both great players.

also moffitt, and i think 2 on the dline

[Tampa 2 4 life]

Originally Posted by BaLLiN72

I was thinking about USF, with selvie, but they lost both their starting corners who were both great players.

Going back to a Zone Cover Two like we did in their Junior year and the past(Last year we switched to a Man Cover Two.) Moffit hurts us a lot though.

[Billingsley26]

Originally Posted by SNIPER26

Penn State after losing Dan Connor and Justin King? Love your homerism Billingsley

Well, let me come back with something....

We have Maruice Evans (1st team Big 10, 12 sacks), Sean Lee LB, Lydell Seargant coming to start after showing a lot of promise last year, Anthony Scirotto is back, and should have all legal problems behind him and should one of the best safeties (or perform at that level), DT Chris Baker, who looks a lot like Jay Alford with his play, and there are more too. These are players that were overshadowed by names like Dan Connor and justin King, but still performed very well for a great defense last year. Im especially excited to see Sean Lee and Maurice Evans. Lee is going to be another productive LB to come out of LB U, and Evans ws a beast last year, and should only get better.

I dont know if it is homerism, but maybe putting them at #2 is high, but they will still have a top defense.