Regarding the defense

[GoSU96]

Last weeks starters:

Two True Freshmen at DE, two True Sophs at DT
Three Jr LB's
Two true Sophs at Safety, One true Soph and one Jr at CB

Participation through the year, including specials, based on having at least one tackle.

DL - all Freshmen and Sophs (including redshirts) except for one RS Sr.

LB - Three Jr. starters, Sr's Hodge and Taylor off the bench, and three freshmen or R-Fr getting time as well, including specials.

DB - 11 DB's , could include just specials for a couple, classes include RS

Six Sophs, three Jrs, two Fr.

Participation for Uconn said Wayne Morgan played for the first time this year. He didn't register a tackle.

This is a VERY young group that is playing.

Combine that with a young group of OL, Sophs and Freshmen at QB and RB, you are developing a team with a ton of experience on both sides of the ball in over the next two upcoming seasons. Not worried in the least about WR.

This season, just enjoy the ride and watch the development. This year is the investment in the future.

 

[AAM62]

Slayton isnt a true soph

 

[bcubs9497]

Slayton isnt a true soph

Anthony Guidice is, though.

 

[Finwad32]

Last weeks starters:

Two True Freshmen at DE, two True Sophs at DT
Three Jr LB's
Two true Sophs at Safety, One true Soph and one Jr at CB

Participation through the year, including specials, based on having at least one tackle.

DL - all Freshmen and Sophs (including redshirts) except for one RS Sr.

LB - Three Jr. starters, Sr's Hodge and Taylor off the bench, and three freshmen or R-Fr getting time as well, including specials.

DB - 11 DB's , could include just specials for a couple, classes include RS

Six Sophs, three Jrs, two Fr.

Participation for Uconn said Wayne Morgan played for the first time this year. He didn't register a tackle.

This is a VERY young group that is playing.

Combine that with a young group of OL, Sophs and Freshmen at QB and RB, you are developing a team with a ton of experience on both sides of the ball in over the next two upcoming seasons. Not worried in the least about WR.

This season, just enjoy the ride and watch the development. This year is the investment in the future.

Hit it on the head, we're playing a ton of youth. Even the guys who've been in the program, that are some form of So/Jr, have a crazy amount of game experience.

They're only going to improve.

 

[TDTOrange]

Morgan also played specials against USF. Can't say if he did anything to appear in the box score though or if the participation report picked him up. Unless it was Dungey running down there on KO coverage

 

[upperdeck]

why would morgan play only specials if he is healthy enough to play?

 

[upperdeck]

the D had some issues, but if you flip the UL number to a crazy number of 600 instead of 800 we drop to the 70's and that number would be OK if the offense does what we hope. I dont think we would give up 800 to UL every time no matter how poorly we play but that will skew the D no matter how well they play the rest of the year.

 

[GoSU96]

Watching the game, 2nd quarter long drive, Armstrong and Pickard out there. Hodge getting a lot of time. Playing a bunch of guys, that's a feature, not a bug.

Shorten the development cycle by throwing guys in the deep end and getting them game snaps. Same thing that Shafer did in 2009. Build around jr LB's and the Jones' and played Carter, the Thomas', Ball, Sharpe.

 

[SoBristol]

Not a lot different than what Shafer had last season -- he had seniors at the two DE spots, and Whigham at one CB, and at the 8 other spots he had RS- or true sophs plus Hodge (true junior). An even younger defense overall than this 2016 defense. Basically, the core of the young 2016 defense had to cut its teeth by starting in 2015.

 

[CuseOnly]

Not a lot different than what Shafer had last season -- he had seniors at the two DE spots, and Whigham at one CB, and at the 8 other spots he had RS- or true sophs plus Hodge (true junior). An even younger defense overall than this 2016 defense. Basically, the core of the young 2016 defense had to cut its teeth by starting in 2015.

No he didn't...

There were 3 upper classmen just on the defensive line alone. Raymon rSR (gone), Simmons rSR (gone) and Thompson rJR (gone). That is more leadership and experience than on this 2016 defense already.

Upper classmen DB's were Whigham SR (gone) and Morgan rJR (injured).

That's 5 of 11 defensive starting positions and this year they are all sophomore's/freshman with he exception of the LB's which are all JR's.

Huge difference having 3/4 of your down linemen being upperclassmen to anchor the Defense, especially when you have 2 guys that can rush the passer. OL and DL take the longest to develop, meaning our DL is way behind in experience as compared to who they are up against.

 

[SoBristol]

No he didn't...

There were 3 upper classmen just on the defensive line alone. Raymon rSR (gone), Simmons rSR (gone) and Thompson rJR (gone). That is more leadership and experience than on this 2016 defense already.

Upper classmen DB's were Whigham SR (gone) and Morgan rJR (injured).

That's 5 of 11 defensive starting positions and this year they are all sophomore's/freshman with he exception of the LB's which are all JR's.

Huge difference having 3/4 of your down linemen being upperclassmen to anchor the Defense, especially when you have 2 guys that can rush the passer. OL and DL take the longest to develop, meaning our DL is way behind in experience as compared to who they are up against.

As I wrote, Shafer had 8 spots with kids and 3 with seniors - the DEs and Whigham. Can't count Morgan (injured) or Raymond (same). The DT starters were Slayton and Samuels with true frosh Clark as the first off the bench. Huge difference is having your DTs be in their first season (RsF) and leading LBs as Sophs - compared to those players this season have another year under their belt. It is the same in the secondary. Whigham was out injured in the back part of the season, and the D dbs were Whitner (true frosh), Cordy (soph), Hudson (soph), and Winfield (Rd-S). Huge difference in having the CBs with another year of experience and more experience at the safety spots as well
Babers has a moderately young defense with true frosh at DEs (plus a grad transfer there)- Shafer even younger except at DE.

 

[CuseOnly]

Ra

As I wrote, Shafer had 8 spots with kids and 3 with seniors - the DEs and Whigham. Can't count Morgan (injured) or Raymond (same). The DT starters were Slayton and Samuels with true frosh Clark as the first off the bench. Huge difference is having your DTs be in their first season (RsF) and leading LBs as Sophs - compared to those players this season have another year under their belt. It is the same in the secondary. Whigham was out injured in the back part of the season, and the D dbs were Whitner (true frosh), Cordy (soph), Hudson (soph), and Winfield (Rd-S). Huge difference in having the CBs with another year of experience and more experience at the safety spots as well
Babers has a moderately young defense with true frosh at DEs (plus a grad transfer there)- Shafer even younger except at DE.

Raymon played in all 12 games and started in 7, he wasn't injured as much as you make it out.

Morgan played in all 12 games and was the starter on the preseason depth chart just like Raymond.

Whigham was moved to safety for the latter part of the season. Started 6 at corner and played in 11 games was only out for 1.

You act as if they were out for the season, they were there, all of them and contributed a lot.