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My idea for the 3-4 starting depth chart

  • Blaize said...

    I really don't think couch is big enough to play the NT on anything but passing downs. So that's why I believe McCullers will be our run stopper and in passing situations they will rotate him off....

    I don't think he's big enough either and will eventually be moved to the end, like Jesse Williams was with Bama last year. But I just expect McCullers to take a few games before he is conditioned enough for Dooley to start him, just like Couch last year.

    CincyVol

  • I'm not real sure we have the corners to play the 3/4. In the 3/4 your corners are in man coverage most of the time we will need to generate more pressure on the QB's so they will not have the time to pick us apart. I think with McCullers at NT eating up blockers Sentimore, Maggit and Johnsson should be able get pressure.

    docmac

  • We didn't have the corners to play in a 4-3 last year...

    Admittedly, I'm not a football tactics expert, but I guess I don't understand why the corners would play more man in a 3-4?

    CincyVol

  • docmac said...

    I'm not real sure we have the corners to play the 3/4. In the 3/4 your corners are in man coverage most of the time we will need to generate more pressure on the QB's so they will not have the time to pick us apart. I think with McCullers at NT eating up blockers Sentimore, Maggit and Johnsson should be able get pressure.

    That depends on what type of 3-4 system you are running. If you are running the blitz 6 every play and cover the rest of the field, then yes, our corners would get murdered in 1 on 1 situations with most of the teams in the SEC. However, there are also zone blitzes, zones, cover 2, 2 deep, and many other variations of the 3-4. It would be interesting to see if Waggner could hold up in one on one coverage to do a half zone coverage leaving Waggner on an island. He's good, but I don't know if he is that good.

    *Edit* and let me say that a year of experience makes a huge difference in a corner's skill level... especially in the SEC.

    This post was edited by Blaize on 2/2/2012 at 1:10 PM

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    UT Class of 2012 #17 on 247Sports.com

    Blaize

  • motownvol said...

    Love this discussion and it will be interesting to see how some of the position battles play out but the best thing is we have some options whereas the last couple of years it was put this one person here and hope for the best. Competition makes everyone better!

    Let's not forget Byron Moore at SS I deffinetly think Waggner moves back to corner and Bonner and Gray get good looks at corner also. I don't think we will see our corners 15 yards off the line with Sal running the D.

    blue tick

  • Cool +1 how about one for the offense lol

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    DTvols1

  • I don't think we will see our corners 15 yards off the line with Sal running the D.

    Please God Let this be true... oh and I'm gonna do an offense and a remake of the defense a little later.

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    UT Class of 2012 #17 on 247Sports.com

    Blaize

  • +1 for the graphic Blaize but like some others I don't think our secondary will look like that. I think Gordon found a home last year as nickelback. I think one of our starters at corner will be Waggner and the other spot is up for grabs. I think our safeties will either be Randolph and Brewer or Randolph and McNeil. I think you may also see Sentimore give Walls a run for his money at DE.

    volfan28 ●

  • Blaize said...

    I really don't think couch is big enough to play the NT on anything but passing downs. So that's why I believe McCullers will be our run stopper and in passing situations they will rotate him off....

    I agree but let's not forget that Couch will have had plenty of time to get bigger before next season starts and he was only a sophomore last fall.

    volfan28 ●

  • hdrizzle21 said...

    Deion Bonner will start before Teague does. If we get a SS that can play Waggner will move to CB and it will be Waggner and Lanier. Teague is beyond slow, gives an 8-10 yard cushion, and is soft.

    Also let's not forget Byron Moore.. remember he came in a bit overweight last year which caused him to miss out on some playing time. After a year of working out with the team he could be a major contributor.

    volfan28 ●

  • Ok so what I have concluded is... no one will know what our secondary will look like because all of the positions are going to be competition... competition brings out the best in players... I'm glad there is competition this year.

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    UT Class of 2012 #17 on 247Sports.com

    Blaize

  • hdrizzle21 said...

    Deion Bonner will start before Teague does.

    I really hope not... I'm sick of seeing freshmen in our starting lineup... I'm fine with Freshmen seeing the field, but unless there is an injury I would rather someone who has gone up against SEC receivers before, start the game.

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    UT Class of 2012 #17 on 247Sports.com

    Blaize

  • Blaize said...

    I thought due to some injuries last year, Gordon started a game or two and played above and beyond expectations.... Maybe that was when he got the nickel position.

    All I know for sure is the Vandy game and the one before it the 104.5(Nashville sports radio) guys were praising him for his play. Let's just say I'm excited to have a group of starters with 0 freshmen in it!!!! Finally.

    Oh and we are actually really deep at dline so I expect to see a lot of rotation in the ends (maybe see couch at the NT some)

    Gordon did play the nickel last year and at times very well.....he did not play CB much at all if any.

    I have a feeling it will be hard to keep 2nd year jucos B. Moore and esp. Lanier off the field.

    SamVolsam

  • hdrizzle21 said...

    Deion Bonner will start before Teague does.

    I will bet you a $1000 e-dollars that Teague does not let a freshmen take his starting spot that he has held for 2-years!

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    OrangeVol79 ●

  • OrangeVol79 said...

    I will bet you a $1000 e-dollars that Teague does not let a freshmen take his starting spot that he has held for 2-years!

    But what about his status 3 games into the year?

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    thankinvol21

  • thankinvol21 said...

    But what about his status 3 games into the year?

    Without injury- he will hold on to it.

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    OrangeVol79 ●

  • Blaize said...

    Please God Let this be true... oh and I'm gonna do an offense and a remake of the defense a little later.

    Great can't wait to see it, love the card send me one lol.

    blue tick

  • Blaize said...

    Please God Let this be true... oh and I'm gonna do an offense and a remake of the defense a little later.

    Maybe A two deep chart?

    blue tick

  • OrangeVol79 said...

    Without injury- he will hold on to it.

    IIRC Lanier and Coleman were our starting CBs at the end of last season. Maybe Teague was banged up? My memory is foggy. I think the starting CB spot opposite Waggner will be a three way battle between Teague, Lanier, and Coleman.

    I see where you're coming from in thinking the guy with the most experience will win the job but Teague has more competition now and with the new defensive scheme; everyone is starting from scratch. Knowlege of Wilcox's playbook won't help him this year like it did in 2011. That's not to say that his experience doesn't matter but we have some other experienced corners who are probably more athletic.

    It's also worth noting that Dooley mentioned the need for speed on the perimeter of our defense last year and I'm sure Sunseri will feel the same way. If Gray, Bonner, and Tino enter fall practice with as much knowledge of the playbook as everyone else, who's to say they can't challenge for playing time? They will most likely be the fastest CBs on the team.

    Then there is Byron Moore... the guy most of us thought would step in and be a starter last year. The guy who earned playing time at USC as a true freshman. The guy 247Sports rated as a 94. I know he may be a safety but he has the talent to be our best corner. He has great size for a corner and at one time he had 4.5 speed but that was before he gained weight last summer. That's not elite speed but there are dozens of NFL corners with 4.5 speed. Maybe he comes in ready to play and competes for a starting spot?

    My point is that we have too many options to assume that Teague is the starter and I haven't even mentioned Eric Gordon but like I said earlier I think he's found a home at nickel back. Teague is probably the least athletic option but like you said he's one of the most experienced. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out but my guess is that someone other than Teague ends up starting at CB.

    volfan28 ●

  • SamVolsam said...

    Cool way to see it.

    I think you will see Randolph at Safety and Lanier at CB. Gordon will never be a starting CB. He is a perfect nickel playing close to the line of scrimmage. EG has issues in open space...he is quick and aggressive but not fast enough to be a S or CB. Watch out for Orta or B. Moore at S too. Sentimore will play a ton too but so will Walls.

    Eric Gordon is one of the fastest players in the team. He is also one of the quickest. Ask anybody, he shoulda been starting last year and should make a major impact this year.

    Sneeds

  • +1 impressive. Sitting here today I would have to agree.

    Busman20

  • volfan28 said...

    IIRC Lanier and Coleman were our starting CBs at the end of last season. Maybe Teague was banged up? My memory is foggy. I think the starting CB spot opposite Waggner will be a three way battle between Teague, Lanier, and Coleman.

    I see where you're coming from in thinking the guy with the most experience will win the job but Teague has more competition now and with the new defensive scheme; everyone is starting from scratch. Knowlege of Wilcox's playbook won't help him this year like it did in 2011. That's not to say that his experience doesn't matter but we have some other experienced corners who are probably more athletic.

    It's also worth noting that Dooley mentioned the need for speed on the perimeter of our defense last year and I'm sure Sunseri will feel the same way. If Gray, Bonner, and Tino enter fall practice with as much knowledge of the playbook as everyone else, who's to say they can't challenge for playing time? They will most likely be the fastest CBs on the team.

    Then there is Byron Moore... the guy most of us thought would step in and be a starter last year. The guy who earned playing time at USC as a true freshman. The guy 247Sports rated as a 94. I know he may be a safety but he has the talent to be our best corner. He has great size for a corner and at one time he had 4.5 speed but that was before he gained weight last summer. That's not elite speed but there are dozens of NFL corners with 4.5 speed. Maybe he comes in ready to play and competes for a starting spot?

    My point is that we have too many options to assume that Teague is the starter and I haven't even mentioned Eric Gordon but like I said earlier I think he's found a home at nickel back. Teague is probably the least athletic option but like you said he's one of the most experienced. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out but my guess is that someone other than Teague ends up starting at CB.

    Great post 28 I think everybody has kinda forgotten about Moore, finally got some pt the last 3 games big time recruit last year out of jc came in a little out of shape and got behind early, think he plays big this year Sr. I think only had 2 yrs.

    blue tick

  • Here's my opinion of what I think it should be at the start, obviously things will change during the season.

    3-4
    DE: Sentimore, Miller
    DE: Couch, Walls
    NT: McCullers, Carson
    OLB: Smith, Williams
    MLB: Johnson, Harris
    MLB: Lathers, Mitchell-Thornton
    OLB: Maggitt, Bohannon(maybe) or King
    CB: Waggner, Teague
    CB: Gordon, Lanier
    S: Randolph, McNeil
    S: Brewer(if healthy), Moore

    4-3
    DE: Smith, Bohannon
    DT: Couch, Hood
    DT: McCullers, Carson
    DE: Sentimore, Walls
    OLB: Maggitt, King
    MLB: Johnson, Mitchell-Thornton
    OLB: Lathers, King
    CB: Waggner, Teague
    CB: Gordon, Lanier
    S: Randolph, McNeil
    S: Brewer, Moore

    Sneeds

  • CincyVol said...

    The injury to Brewer is definitely going to make that a position to watch in Spring and Fall practices...

    sorry i missed it but what happened to Brewer???

    Vol4life94

  • ACL- Mid season- South Carolina i believe

    This post was edited by OrangeVol79 on 2/2/2012 at 6:01 PM

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    OrangeVol79 ●

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