Discussion thread: Margus Hunt

[kent dorfman]

I'd like to get as much input as possible here about how much Margus has progressed as a football player.

For starters, I'd like nothing more than to see Margus play on Sundays. I watch him on just about every play that he is in. That being said, here are my observations and I'd like to get some input.

As we all know, Margus is entering only his third year of playing football and there is no denying that he is a weapon on special teams. In fact, I attribute UTEP missing the attempt that went wide left to Margus' presence. Margus cut through, got his arm up, and I think the kicker had it in his head that no matter what, he needed to kick the ball to his left. If he launched it to where it started from the right side of UTEP's line, chances were good that Margus would have been on it. I will go so far as to say that their kicker hesitated a split second when he saw #92 breaking through the line. Indeed, even when Margus does not get a hand on the ball, he makes kickers think.

No doubt, Margus is a weapon. But the one thing I am not completely certain on is just how much of an impact he has when is in on defense. The guys on the D-Line who usually make the plays are Taylor Thompson and Marquis Frazier. I don't know if my memory of last season is fuzzy but I do not know what to make of how Margus is coming along as a defensive lineman. His best pass rush move is his bull rush - indeed, he tends to take some big, strong kids for a few rides. From watching the UCF game from last season, he seemed to play well against the run - when UCF ran stretch plays or anything to the outside. Margus is so athletic and so powerful that trying to run a stretch play to his side seems like a good way to get your RB stuffed for no gain. All Margus needs to do is stay with his guy, fight across to whichever shoulder he is supposed to fight across to (that of course depends on which way the play is going), and all the while do what he does best - physically overpower the poor kid trying to seal him off and push him backwards. And for the purposes of defending long developing run plays to the outside, it helps to be 6 ft 8 inches tall.

But where I think he struggles is when teams run right at him. I wonder whether or not he gets off the ball very quickly. And furthermore, it seems that for his uncanny ability to collapse the pocket by bullrushing the goon trying to block him, this at times hurts us when we play a qb with any kind of pocket presence - the kid will usually find a lane and take off on us or dump it off underneath. That being said, there is a lot to say for a guy like Margus who can collapse the pocket like he does - we have competent and capable D linemen who can pick up the trash and either sack the QB or chase him down before he is able to get any decent yardage.

One more thing - I noticed that late in the game, when UTEP was getting closer to "do-or-die" time, we put Margus at the nose. It looked to me like there would be times where his assignment was to spy the QB - I like that idea. I say this because he didn't seem to be rushing the QB - it was more like his job was to contain the QB. And, if he can block kicks then I see no reason why he can't waive his arms and take away the middle of the field in passing situations. And if the QB takes off, then no problem - we are in a good position because Margus is more athletic than the guy across from him. He can get loose from the blocker in a flash (the center probably won't know that his QB is taking off), and then track the QB down. Furthermore, since he is so effective at collapsing the pocket with his bullrush, I think he makes a good option at the nose in passing situations. But what is better? Collapsing the pocket from the right or left side? Or pushing the pocket into the QB's face?

Please, discuss. I am interested in what people have to say about this fella...

[Stallion]

I think he would have blocked the first kick too if it had been online. He causes as many missed kicks as he does blocked kicks. Good to see he is back to causing the havoc he did as a freshman after a little bit of a slump last yeare

[Charleston Pony]

Ganz gets credit for seeing the angles the UTEP kicker was taking, calling the TO and moving Margus into position