PonyFans.com

I didn't say they should just stand still at the line of scrimmage.

Having a Hunt or Watt break free on a play or two is great. It has a significant impact on those two plays.

What is more impactful over the course of a game is that both players are big, strong, and athletic enough to occupy two blockers on every play. That frees up the linebackers to make plays on a consistent basis. That is what wins you football games.

You can't just put a big sloth in there, because you have to be athletic to command two blockers. The smaller the player gets, the more athletic they have to be in order to be successful.

You can survive with 270 lb guys at DE as long as the are quick enough and athletic enough to command two blockers. If my nose is only 270, he better be strong and quick.

if the center can block the nose, and the guard can run out and line up the inside linebacker, you are going to get pounded up the middle all day. if the nose has to be blocked down by two players, that is when you stop the run. Same thing on the outsides.

The hope is that if the ends are a little on the light side - 270 instead of 280 - they are quick enough to force a double, and you have the depth to keep the speed up on the ends.

That is what I meant by occupying blockers. 270 isn't the 240 guys we were throwing out there a couple of years ago. You can be 270 and decently athletic and be a really good DE in a college 3-4.

JasonB - RIGHT ON BRO!

JasonB wrote:I didn't say they should just stand still at the line of scrimmage.

Having a Hunt or Watt break free on a play or two is great. It has a significant impact on those two plays.

What is more impactful over the course of a game is that both players are big, strong, and athletic enough to occupy two blockers on every play. That frees up the linebackers to make plays on a consistent basis. That is what wins you football games.

You can't just put a big sloth in there, because you have to be athletic to command two blockers. The smaller the player gets, the more athletic they have to be in order to be successful.

You can survive with 270 lb guys at DE as long as the are quick enough and athletic enough to command two blockers. If my nose is only 270, he better be strong and quick.

if the center can block the nose, and the guard can run out and line up the inside linebacker, you are going to get pounded up the middle all day. if the nose has to be blocked down by two players, that is when you stop the run. Same thing on the outsides.

The hope is that if the ends are a little on the light side - 270 instead of 280 - they are quick enough to force a double, and you have the depth to keep the speed up on the ends.

That is what I meant by occupying blockers. 270 isn't the 240 guys we were throwing out there a couple of years ago. You can be 270 and decently athletic and be a really good DE in a college 3-4.

The 240 pound DE's we had were in the 4-3 before we switched to a 3-4. Taylor Thompson and Marquis Frazier were never 240 lbs and they were the starting 3-4 DE's until last year. In a 3-4 the NT needs to be about 300 and the DE's ideally need to be 285 or better. Yes we could get away with 270 pounds defensive lineman if we play against only passing teams but if we play against a big physical running they could get manhandled, get worn down or both. If Tech passes a lot we should be fine.

And then there was the time when our starting dline was 225# youri yenga, 230# justin smart, and 5'11 270(?) can't remember his name guy who transferred to a juco then wound up at eastern Michigan

RGV Pony wrote:And then there was the time when our starting dline was 225# youri yenga, 230# justin smart, and 5'11 270(?) can't remember his name guy who transferred to a juco then wound up at eastern Michigan

Right, that was when we ran the 4-3.

We actually have some good size up front, we are just going to be young and inexperienced.

Zach Wood 6-3 260
Darrian Wright 6-0 290
Zelt Minor 6-3 260
Beau Barnes 6-5 255
Nick Red 6-1 300
Elie Nabushoshi 6-4 260
Cameron Smith 6-2 260
Brian Cramer 6-4 275
Andrew McCleneghan 6-5 250
Spencer Conley 6-6 260

Plenty of size there. Hopefully as the year progresses we see a set rotation.

PP said Wood is now 270.

RGV is right ... although he's giving Youri Yenga the benefit of the doubt. Wasn't he 210 or less when he started playing as a freshman?

Speaking of Taylor Thompson (who "was never 240") - he was listed at 6-7 and 224 as a freshman in 2008, and played in 9 games. Apparently his muscle was heavy, though, because he shrunk an inch on the 2009 roster as he started to bulk up.

StallionsModelT wrote:We actually have some good size up front, we are just going to be young and inexperienced.

Zach Wood 6-3 260
Darrian Wright 6-0 290
Zelt Minor 6-3 260
Beau Barnes 6-5 255
Nick Red 6-1 300
Elie Nabushoshi 6-4 260
Cameron Smith 6-2 260
Brian Cramer 6-4 275
Andrew McCleneghan 6-5 250
Spencer Conley 6-6 260

Plenty of size there. Hopefully as the year progresses we see a set rotation.

We have height not necessarily size.

StallionsModelT wrote:We actually have some good size up front, we are just going to be young and inexperienced.

Not knowing what all of the classifications are, but by year six, shouldn't we have juniors and seniors ready to step in?

Silk wrote:PP said Wood is now 270.

RGV is right ... although he's giving Youri Yenga the benefit of the doubt. Wasn't he 210 or less when he started playing as a freshman?

Speaking of Taylor Thompson (who "was never 240") - he was listed at 6-7 and 224 as a freshman in 2008, and played in 9 games. Apparently his muscle was heavy, though, because he shrunk an inch on the 2009 roster as he started to bulk up.

Tayler also played in a 4-3 in 2008 which can have lighter DE's guy. He was 224 or so coming out of HS but he got a trainer and put on weight as I remember it and he actually was about 250 or so as he came into in freshman year even though the roster listed his high school weight. After that he was around the 270 to 280 mark for the rest of his time at SMU. Remember we were playing the 4-3 when he got here. He was never 240 in a 3-4 defense. Please pay attention to my entire statement.

SMU 86 wrote:

Silk wrote:PP said Wood is now 270.

RGV is right ... although he's giving Youri Yenga the benefit of the doubt. Wasn't he 210 or less when he started playing as a freshman?

Speaking of Taylor Thompson (who "was never 240") - he was listed at 6-7 and 224 as a freshman in 2008, and played in 9 games. Apparently his muscle was heavy, though, because he shrunk an inch on the 2009 roster as he started to bulk up.

Tayler also played in a 4-3 in 2008 which can have lighter DE's guy. He was 224 or so coming out of HS but he got a trainer and put on weight as I remember it and he actually was about 250 or so as he came into in freshman year even though the roster listed his high school weight. After that he was around the 270 to 280 mark for the rest of his time at SMU. Remember we were playing the 4-3 when he got here. He was never 240 in a 3-4 defense. Please pay attention to my entire statement.

Didn't we run a 3-4 immediately upon JJ's arrival or did he keep the 4-3 for one year? Taylor Thompson's first year was JJ's first year.

We ran the 4-3 the first year JJ got here then we went to a 3-4 the 2nd year.

RE: Defensive ends... I would call Beau Barnes experienced. It seemed like he played a lot last year. Also, Phil Steele projected Zelt Minor to get the starting nod probably based on his speed in rushing the passer. Aren't most of the teams in the American run first? What is the breakdown run v. pass-first in the AAC?

AusTxPony wrote: Aren't most of the teams in the American run first? What is the breakdown run v. pass-first in the AAC?

Good question. If most are pass first we will be in a better position to stop them imo.

Looking at high ranking teams that run the 3-4.

Alabama's front 3 290 at DE , 310 at NT, and 292 at DE.
http://alabama.rivals.com/cdepthtext.asp?teKey=2

Georgia's front 3 297 at DE, 302 at NT, and 295 at DE.
http://uga.rivals.com/cdepthtext.asp