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Defense looking ahead

JMBuffs

JMBuffs

Club Member
Club Member
Summers has really stepped up with impressive performances against some great conference foes. Hate to lose Onu, Abrahms, and Taylor but the future looks bright.

Sami, Lang, and Moose will make up a steadily consistent Dline.

Landman is getting back to form (rough start to season) and Wells and Jones look like they are becoming good players.

Perry and Rakestraw have me excited! Those two could turn into a great Safety tandem.

Corner is still up in the air but the unfortunate injuries this season should make for some good competition next year where we will all of a sudden have some actual depth. Blackmon, Miller, Trujillo, and Luckett have all shown that they belong.

I am excited for this D to take a big step forward. Go Buffs!
 
The big change for the defense happended when they started to get pressure on the QB.

The last 2 games the defense has looked faster as it seems they finally understand their roles and assignments.

Maddox leaving was the best thing that happened to the secondary.
 
Duff Man said:
We are getting better, but a ways to go. Stanford and Washington at home is going to make plenty of defenses look good.

Edges, safety, and overall depth will be a multi-year process.
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Agree with needing another safety and edge rushers but I don't see overall depth as an issue. Dline is deep, Corners and LBS are deep. . . Safety could use some depth and a player like Gonzalez to come in and flash
 
No, the depth is fine

LB: Landman, Jones, Wells, Montgomery, JVD, Allen, Q Perry, Ham, Pell, Gustav, and Robinson

CB: Blackmon, Miller, Trujillo, Luckett, Oats and Thomas add Transfer from Miami

Yes, safety depth is short (Yikes)
Rakestraw, Perry, Lewis, Noyer
 
Duff Man said:
Names on a roster do not equal depth.
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True, but if we look 5 deep at LB's we are looking at significant playing time. Plus Ham and Allen were highly recruited Linebackers. Perry got on the field some this year as well. And I know you like Pell

Corners are more than just names 4 deep

Got to disagree with you Duff. We are significantly deeper than last year.
 
JMBuffs said:
True, but if we look 5 deep at LB's we are looking at significant playing time. Plus Ham and Allen were highly recruited Linebackers. Perry got on the field some this year as well. And I know you like Pell

Corners are more than just names 4 deep

Got to disagree with you Duff. We are significantly deeper than last year.
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Some guys with some moments here and there, but this team is basically two guys at ILB right now. Outside, we have several guys who are pretty inconsistent week to week.

CB depth is still questionable until proven otherwise.

I am happy with the progress, but there are still MAJOR talent and depth upgrades to be made.
 
Well, you're a sunshine umbrella right now Duff. ;)

D will be the strength of this team next year...and when I am right that's one more beer to add to that 6 pack.
 
JMBuffs said:
Well, you're a sunshine umbrella right now Duff. ;)

D will be the strength of this team next year...and when I am right that's one more beer to add to that 6 pack.
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Heh. I want to believe in the CBs especially, but Miller has not finished either season he has played. No one really knows about Bethel. If Miller stays healthy and Bethel is solid? Yeah, we are in good shape. If not (which is a very real scenario), we will be riding the edge all year again with injuries.
 
JMBuffs said:
LB: Landman, Jones, Wells, Montgomery, JVD, Allen, Q Perry, Ham, Pell, Gustav, and Robinson

CB: Blackmon, Miller, Trujillo, Luckett, Oats and Thomas add Transfer from Miami
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A few scholarship eaters on that list. Right now Landman is the only LB that is a proven P5 starter at LB and Blackmon and Trujillo are looking solid at CB.

Every LB after Wells should be on notice with some latitude for the true freshmen. Some of these guys should move on to open spots for guys that can provide more than ST depth.
 
DL - If Alfano is immediately eligible, that changes my outlook on the defense substantially. A rotation of Alfano, Lang, Sami, and Mustafa looks nice, particularly along with the young guys who have seen a ton of PT this year in Rodman, Murray and Williams.

OLB - Guy Thomas also changes the outlook for me if he can come in and be a dude. He and Wells should be solid and I’m intrigued by Pell, but depth is thin. Need Harris to commit

ILB - Landman, Jones, JVD, Allen and Ham should create a ton of experience, athleticism and competition.

CB - Miller, Blackmon, Bethel, Trujillo and Luckett create some solid depth, but also a lot of unknowns on the injury front. IF miller and Blackmon can return to 100% and stay healthy, it’s a pretty formidable group that can go 5 deep. That doesn’t include JC transfer Striker, who should be expected to be in the mix as well.

S - Rakestraw looks like a dude going forward to me. Outside of him, though, it’s pretty scary. Hopefully another grad transfer is added and Gonzalez is that guy from day one. Depth is scary thin regardless.

Edit: Forgot about Star... Perry seems to be a shoe-in for the role next year. Not sure about depth, but Perry looks pretty good to me.

Overall, I think this can be the deepest and most talented defense CU has had since 2016, but it all relies on guys returning from injury, staying healthy, Alfano getting the waiver, and some talented unknowns living up to expectations.
 
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Star question- Mark Perry is listed as a star, but seems like he is in there a lot while Taylor is also playing. This is just formation based I’m assuming?
Regardless, we need guys that can make up for Taylor moving on. I wonder how Dylan Thomas is progressing there and if this is another grad transfer or JUCO spit we look to add?
 
wyomingBUFF said:
Star question- Mark Perry is listed as a star, but seems like he is in there a lot while Taylor is also playing. This is just formation based I’m assuming?
Regardless, we need guys that can make up for Taylor moving on. I wonder how Dylan Thomas is progressing there and if this is another grad transfer or JUCO spit we look to add?
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There’s a defensive package that requires both a hybrid LB/CB, and a Safety/LB used when we need more speed and coverage skills.
 
I'm so impressed with Rakestraw. Not an elite athlete, sees his future is limited at WR, keeps a good attitude and goes to work at becoming a safety. Now we're calling him "a dude". When things went cold at WR, he could have gone the other way and pouted about not getting his touches.

"I discovered that I always have choices and sometimes it's only a choice of attitude." - Judith Knowlton (author)
 
Duck Dog said:
I'm so impressed with Rakestraw. Not an elite athlete, sees his future is limited at WR, keeps a good attitude and goes to work at becoming a safety. Now we're calling him "a dude". When things went cold at WR, he could have gone the other way and pouted about not getting his touches.

"I discovered that I always have choices and sometimes it's only a choice of attitude." - Judith Knowlton (author)
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Was DR brought in at WR? I thought he was always a CB?
 
wyomingBUFF said:
Star question- Mark Perry is listed as a star, but seems like he is in there a lot while Taylor is also playing. This is just formation based I’m assuming?
Regardless, we need guys that can make up for Taylor moving on. I wonder how Dylan Thomas is progressing there and if this is another grad transfer or JUCO spit we look to add?
Click to expand...
That’s the Dime Money. Taylor moves inside, Perry plays star.

Sometimes Wells moves inside as Money and Taylor goes to rush OLB.

Both packages use overload blitz formation as seen last night.
 
I think CB is a much bigger question mark than some are saying here. After Abrams we've had mostly a revolving door and the two injured guys didn't do a ton when they did play. I like Trujillo the most coming back, I think he could make a big jump with some gains in the weight room.
 
Duff Man said:
Some guys with some moments here and there, but this team is basically two guys at ILB right now. Outside, we have several guys who are pretty inconsistent week to week.

CB depth is still questionable until proven otherwise.

I am happy with the progress, but there are still MAJOR talent and depth upgrades to be made.
Click to expand...
I think you guys are both right.

On paper we have more physical talent (especially adding in the expected upcoming recruiting class) than we have had for years. I'm not seeing us starting and/or playing a lot with MWC level athletes. We are starting to build a roster of P5 level athletes. We are going to actually have more than 3 defensive linemen who belong in a PAC12 game, we aren't going to have a Gamboa type out there just begging offensive coordinators to attack him.

Trouble is that it is potential. Potential means you haven't done it yet, and you may never.

We can project this RS-Freshman from last year or that incoming HS or JC player but history has clearly shown that a certain number of incoming players never do turn out to be what they were projected to be. Not talking about the guys who don't make it on academics or legal issues or other off field stuff. Just dealing with the reality that no matter how good a recruit looks on paper that is no guarantee of actual results.
 
wyomingBUFF said:
Star question- Mark Perry is listed as a star, but seems like he is in there a lot while Taylor is also playing. This is just formation based I’m assuming?
Regardless, we need guys that can make up for Taylor moving on. I wonder how Dylan Thomas is progressing there and if this is another grad transfer or JUCO spit we look to add?
Click to expand...
I've heard DT is coming along nicely, hope it's true. What can't be said anymore is that these coaches don't develop players. Proof is in the pudding
 
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