It seems like every article I've ready lately is either in regards to Dak or our defense. Everyone is talking about Dak on the site so I want to focus on the latter. How is everyone feeling about the defense this year? We all know we return 22 of 25 guys from a year ago, but how good can they actually be? Obviously, I'm hoping they are as good of a defense as we've ever had, but I wonder if all of this hype isn't just fantasy land. To be honest, it scares the s*** out of me when people start talking positively about anything regarding MSU football, hell MSU anything. I'd just rather the media forget about us until the season starts. We aren't a program built to handle expectations, never have been.
Let's face it, we have to get pressure on the QB, that's what it comes down to. We started doing that towards the end of the year, and it worked out tremendously. BUT, can we consistently get pressure with 4 down lineman against the SEC elite? In year's past, we have been unable to do so and to adjust to this, we have typically brought pressure from an OLB/MLB, which has left us vulnerable at times. These two ends Ryan Brown and Preston Smith both have the goods to get it done. Both have good size and speed, but are they good enough to take on tackles from LSU, Bama, aTm, etc? Is our defense the kind of unit that can rise to the occassion? Obviously, our first 3 games are cupcakes, and the D should perform at a very high level. What would y'all want to see out of this group to give you a good feeling going into the LSU game? I don't think any of the first three teams should score more than 10 points or go over 250 yards of offense against us. If we are giving up high teens or even twenties to those teams, we are in trouble.
Just to get it out of the way, I think our D has the opportunity and talent to be an elite group. Possibly the best in the league this year, but then again, I've thought that in years past. I just want to start up some discussion and get everyone's thoughts to gauge whether anyone else is having anxiety over the hype these guys are receiving.
Let's face it, we have to get pressure on the QB, that's what it comes down to. We started doing that towards the end of the year, and it worked out tremendously. BUT, can we consistently get pressure with 4 down lineman against the SEC elite? In year's past, we have been unable to do so and to adjust to this, we have typically brought pressure from an OLB/MLB, which has left us vulnerable at times. These two ends Ryan Brown and Preston Smith both have the goods to get it done. Both have good size and speed, but are they good enough to take on tackles from LSU, Bama, aTm, etc? Is our defense the kind of unit that can rise to the occassion? Obviously, our first 3 games are cupcakes, and the D should perform at a very high level. What would y'all want to see out of this group to give you a good feeling going into the LSU game? I don't think any of the first three teams should score more than 10 points or go over 250 yards of offense against us. If we are giving up high teens or even twenties to those teams, we are in trouble.
Just to get it out of the way, I think our D has the opportunity and talent to be an elite group. Possibly the best in the league this year, but then again, I've thought that in years past. I just want to start up some discussion and get everyone's thoughts to gauge whether anyone else is having anxiety over the hype these guys are receiving.
