Defense: Whole defense reminds me of 2013 season
2013 DE's
Hesse=So Drew Ott
M Nelson=Sr Dom Alvis
A Nelson=So Nate Meier
Epenesa-=Jr Mike Hardy
**Hopefully we are better at DE then in 2013, but Ott was solid, younger than Hesse at the time. Ott was better than Hesse, but Hesse as a Sr is better than Ott as a So. Matt Nelson is a good comparison I think to Dom. A Nelson totally different body than Nate, but bring similar game...pass rush. AJ will definately be better than Mike Hardy, but like Hardy, he was #4 and played inside and out.
DE Player comparions:
Parker Hesse---Sr Bryan Mattison....just a grinder. 60 some tackles, close to double digit sacks
Matt Nelson---Jr Dom Alvis....inside/outside guy. 40 some tackles, 6 sacks/6 TFL
Anthony Nelson--young Broderick Binns. Pass rush, long arms, disruptive, light. 40-60 tkles..6 sacks
AJ Epenesa--young Adrian Clayborn. Is he an elite DT or too good for us on the edge? 20 tackles/3ish TFL/3ish sacks.
2013 DT:
Bazata=Jr Louis Trinca Pasat
Lattimore=Jr Carl Davis
backups=hodgepodge of Hardy/Alvis/Cooper/Jaleel
DT Player comparisons:
Nathan Bazata: Jr Louis Trinca Pasat... 40 tackles/9 TFL/2 sacks....not the pass rush of Louis's Sr year.
Cedric Lattimore: Jr Carl Davis.....hate this need. If you look at Carl Davis and Jaleel Johnson (two optomistic comparisons) they had a combined 3 tackles their 2nd year on campus. We are asking Cedric to play about a year early in comparison to those two. Let's hope he can do it, but historically speaking, it looks tough to do.
Therefore, we need Brady Reiff/Jake Hulett/Garrett Jansen to be a Sr Steve Bigach...these 3 need a combined 30 some tackles with a few TFL/sack or two. Without a doubt, we need a 3rd DT to emerge. Where does a 3rd rotation guy suddenly emerge?? This is why I have a feeling we see AJ Epenesa a lot more than we think here at DT. He's physically ready and a freak of nature. With Parker, the Nelsons, Chauncey/Simon, Brincks, I think we have adequate DE depth, but we NEED a 3rd DT.
The LB's have already been compared to the 2013 LBs.
Hitchens led with 124 tackles at the WILL.....last year Josey led with 124 at the MIKE. Regardless, we need Josey to be healthy and himself again. Much tougher this year without Jaleel.
James Morris was 2nd with 113 tackles at MIKE. Last year Bower had 91 at WILL. The WILL position has always been a big tackling position and I think Bo needs to improve on that number. He needs to have a season over 100 tackles and be a stud.
Kirksey was 3rd with 95 tackles. The key with us this season to match that production is getting a healthy Ben Niemann. LAst year Niemann only had 69 tackles, battling injuries. But no coincidence, when he was playing well, our defense played well. The LEO position is soooo huge to our D. It is the spot that gets the most ire from fans as it usually is covering WRs in space. Our LEO needs to be good, and I think Niemann will have a great Sr year.
The biggest difference between 2012's LBs and our this year is the depth. They had none...0. We have Hockaday, Jones, Ward, Mends, and even Welch all ready to contribute. Just listing those guys should help us have good kickoff/punt teams.
Jewell=Pat Angerer....ballhawk, going to have a great season and have NFL opportunity
Bo Bower=Jeff Tarpinian...like Jeff, Bo probably should have been a special teams ace for much of his career, but this is a spot that we've been weak at for 4 seasons. Bo however, I think will have a great senior season.
Ben Niemann=Tyler Nielsen. Seems to always be bitten by an injury bug, but hopefully can have an injury free year and have a senior season more like Mike Humpal. I don't see him like Humpal, that is why I went with Nielsen.
CB situation=2014
We just graduated BJ Lowery but brought back promising Fr Desmond King who won the job in camp. This year, Manny Rugamba reminds me of a similar situation. Eventhough he did not start, no one is questioning Manny on one corner. He is still very young, but we are confident. Much like 2014, the other corner is up for grabs. Many thought it would be a battle between Maurice Fleming and Sean Draper but the underdog Greg Mabin came in and won the job. So we have the same situation this year?? It seems like a battle between Josh Jackson and Micheal Ojemudia but could we be surprised?? With our lack of depth, it also feels like a year where a true Freshman comes out of nowhere to be at minimum our #3 guy.
Look at history:
1998=DJ Johnson, 2000=Benny Sapp, 2002=Jovon Johnson, 2004=Charles Godfrey and Adam Shada (#3/4th CB), 2007=would of been Cedric Everson, was Jordan Bernstine, 2008=Shaun Prater, 2009=Micah Hyde, 2010=BJ Lowery, 2013=Desmond King, 2016=Manny Rugamba
Player Comparison:
Rugamba=DJ Johnson...doesn't seem to have the return ability like King or Hyde. DJ was a good player and likewise wore #5.
Jackson=I suppose Greg Mabin....WR looking guy, athletic as heck.
Ojemudia=Jordan Lomax...good corner, originally thought (and still may) be a S.
S Situation=2008
We returned senior Harold Dalton who had started all 12 games the year before and were getting ready to play former walkon Brett Greenwood who had started I believe 3 games the year prior. This year, we return a senior in Miles Taylor who has tons of starting experience but got beat out for his job late last year, so it's not like he is solid. I also like the comparison of Dalton and Taylor actually. Both big hitters that struggle in pass game. Also, although Gervase probably isn't Greenwood, how do you argue with that comparison as well. 1 thing of note, in 2008 2nd year guy Tyler Sash rose up to pass Dalton....hence, watch our for 2nd year guy Amani Hooker, who again, the Sash comparison isn't crazy.
K: Mike Meyer, walkon who won job in camp, beating out scholarship guys: 14-17, long of 42 in true freshman season. Only attempted 3 over 40 yards that season.
Keith Duncan has similar story: Walkon that won job in true freshman season. Went 9-11 with a long of 41. Never attempted anything over 40 last season.
**Think he more compares to Daniel Murray....Murray went
As for this season: If history indicates anything, Duncan will have a similar season (Meyer actually got worse, 14-20 FGs) but attempted longer kicks. I think Duncan will handle all kicks this year. Meyer also did Kickoffs, but that would be great if Recinos could do that and save Duncan's leg throughout the season.
Punting: Reminds me of 2005 OR 2012....walkon Andy Fenstermaker won the job over walkon John Gallery. Both guys were unknowns at the time trying to replace 4 year starter David Bradley. Fenstermaker was a RS Jr at the time (1 more year than Rastetter) and both came from smaller schools. Fenstermaker=Mt. Pleasant, Rastetter=Clayton Ridge. OR could this be like 2012 when true freshman Conor Kornbrath came in and beat out unknown Johnny Mullings. Regardless, Fenstermaker averaged 38+ yards per punt and Kornbrath struggled with 37.9......it's not going to be a great punting year.
PR=Vandeberg will be Andy Brodell
KR=is wiiiide open.
2013 DE's
Hesse=So Drew Ott
M Nelson=Sr Dom Alvis
A Nelson=So Nate Meier
Epenesa-=Jr Mike Hardy
**Hopefully we are better at DE then in 2013, but Ott was solid, younger than Hesse at the time. Ott was better than Hesse, but Hesse as a Sr is better than Ott as a So. Matt Nelson is a good comparison I think to Dom. A Nelson totally different body than Nate, but bring similar game...pass rush. AJ will definately be better than Mike Hardy, but like Hardy, he was #4 and played inside and out.
DE Player comparions:
Parker Hesse---Sr Bryan Mattison....just a grinder. 60 some tackles, close to double digit sacks
Matt Nelson---Jr Dom Alvis....inside/outside guy. 40 some tackles, 6 sacks/6 TFL
Anthony Nelson--young Broderick Binns. Pass rush, long arms, disruptive, light. 40-60 tkles..6 sacks
AJ Epenesa--young Adrian Clayborn. Is he an elite DT or too good for us on the edge? 20 tackles/3ish TFL/3ish sacks.
2013 DT:
Bazata=Jr Louis Trinca Pasat
Lattimore=Jr Carl Davis
backups=hodgepodge of Hardy/Alvis/Cooper/Jaleel
DT Player comparisons:
Nathan Bazata: Jr Louis Trinca Pasat... 40 tackles/9 TFL/2 sacks....not the pass rush of Louis's Sr year.
Cedric Lattimore: Jr Carl Davis.....hate this need. If you look at Carl Davis and Jaleel Johnson (two optomistic comparisons) they had a combined 3 tackles their 2nd year on campus. We are asking Cedric to play about a year early in comparison to those two. Let's hope he can do it, but historically speaking, it looks tough to do.
Therefore, we need Brady Reiff/Jake Hulett/Garrett Jansen to be a Sr Steve Bigach...these 3 need a combined 30 some tackles with a few TFL/sack or two. Without a doubt, we need a 3rd DT to emerge. Where does a 3rd rotation guy suddenly emerge?? This is why I have a feeling we see AJ Epenesa a lot more than we think here at DT. He's physically ready and a freak of nature. With Parker, the Nelsons, Chauncey/Simon, Brincks, I think we have adequate DE depth, but we NEED a 3rd DT.
The LB's have already been compared to the 2013 LBs.
Hitchens led with 124 tackles at the WILL.....last year Josey led with 124 at the MIKE. Regardless, we need Josey to be healthy and himself again. Much tougher this year without Jaleel.
James Morris was 2nd with 113 tackles at MIKE. Last year Bower had 91 at WILL. The WILL position has always been a big tackling position and I think Bo needs to improve on that number. He needs to have a season over 100 tackles and be a stud.
Kirksey was 3rd with 95 tackles. The key with us this season to match that production is getting a healthy Ben Niemann. LAst year Niemann only had 69 tackles, battling injuries. But no coincidence, when he was playing well, our defense played well. The LEO position is soooo huge to our D. It is the spot that gets the most ire from fans as it usually is covering WRs in space. Our LEO needs to be good, and I think Niemann will have a great Sr year.
The biggest difference between 2012's LBs and our this year is the depth. They had none...0. We have Hockaday, Jones, Ward, Mends, and even Welch all ready to contribute. Just listing those guys should help us have good kickoff/punt teams.
Jewell=Pat Angerer....ballhawk, going to have a great season and have NFL opportunity
Bo Bower=Jeff Tarpinian...like Jeff, Bo probably should have been a special teams ace for much of his career, but this is a spot that we've been weak at for 4 seasons. Bo however, I think will have a great senior season.
Ben Niemann=Tyler Nielsen. Seems to always be bitten by an injury bug, but hopefully can have an injury free year and have a senior season more like Mike Humpal. I don't see him like Humpal, that is why I went with Nielsen.
CB situation=2014
We just graduated BJ Lowery but brought back promising Fr Desmond King who won the job in camp. This year, Manny Rugamba reminds me of a similar situation. Eventhough he did not start, no one is questioning Manny on one corner. He is still very young, but we are confident. Much like 2014, the other corner is up for grabs. Many thought it would be a battle between Maurice Fleming and Sean Draper but the underdog Greg Mabin came in and won the job. So we have the same situation this year?? It seems like a battle between Josh Jackson and Micheal Ojemudia but could we be surprised?? With our lack of depth, it also feels like a year where a true Freshman comes out of nowhere to be at minimum our #3 guy.
Look at history:
1998=DJ Johnson, 2000=Benny Sapp, 2002=Jovon Johnson, 2004=Charles Godfrey and Adam Shada (#3/4th CB), 2007=would of been Cedric Everson, was Jordan Bernstine, 2008=Shaun Prater, 2009=Micah Hyde, 2010=BJ Lowery, 2013=Desmond King, 2016=Manny Rugamba
Player Comparison:
Rugamba=DJ Johnson...doesn't seem to have the return ability like King or Hyde. DJ was a good player and likewise wore #5.
Jackson=I suppose Greg Mabin....WR looking guy, athletic as heck.
Ojemudia=Jordan Lomax...good corner, originally thought (and still may) be a S.
S Situation=2008
We returned senior Harold Dalton who had started all 12 games the year before and were getting ready to play former walkon Brett Greenwood who had started I believe 3 games the year prior. This year, we return a senior in Miles Taylor who has tons of starting experience but got beat out for his job late last year, so it's not like he is solid. I also like the comparison of Dalton and Taylor actually. Both big hitters that struggle in pass game. Also, although Gervase probably isn't Greenwood, how do you argue with that comparison as well. 1 thing of note, in 2008 2nd year guy Tyler Sash rose up to pass Dalton....hence, watch our for 2nd year guy Amani Hooker, who again, the Sash comparison isn't crazy.
K: Mike Meyer, walkon who won job in camp, beating out scholarship guys: 14-17, long of 42 in true freshman season. Only attempted 3 over 40 yards that season.
Keith Duncan has similar story: Walkon that won job in true freshman season. Went 9-11 with a long of 41. Never attempted anything over 40 last season.
**Think he more compares to Daniel Murray....Murray went
As for this season: If history indicates anything, Duncan will have a similar season (Meyer actually got worse, 14-20 FGs) but attempted longer kicks. I think Duncan will handle all kicks this year. Meyer also did Kickoffs, but that would be great if Recinos could do that and save Duncan's leg throughout the season.
Punting: Reminds me of 2005 OR 2012....walkon Andy Fenstermaker won the job over walkon John Gallery. Both guys were unknowns at the time trying to replace 4 year starter David Bradley. Fenstermaker was a RS Jr at the time (1 more year than Rastetter) and both came from smaller schools. Fenstermaker=Mt. Pleasant, Rastetter=Clayton Ridge. OR could this be like 2012 when true freshman Conor Kornbrath came in and beat out unknown Johnny Mullings. Regardless, Fenstermaker averaged 38+ yards per punt and Kornbrath struggled with 37.9......it's not going to be a great punting year.
PR=Vandeberg will be Andy Brodell
KR=is wiiiide open.
