Originally Posted by
nicfre2011
Hey guys...newbie here.
I think alot depends on what we do for free agency first and foremost. I would like to see us re-sign a healthy Jared Gaither to play right tackle and re-sign Barry Richardson to serve as a swing-tackle role.
As for nose tackle, Paul Soliai might be available on the free agent market and if we still go with Crennel's "bend-but-don't-break" Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4 scheme, Soliai could be that run stuffer that we need in the middle of our defense. Kelly Gregg is a stop-gap and Jerrell Powe can't be counted as a known quantity.
Honestly, I would prefer to transition to a hybrid one and two gap scheme. I think the Fairbanks-Bullough base system is becoming antiquated to an extent as defenses look to field more versatile fronts and secondaries...while the F-B system really uses the defensive ends for a specific role of gap control. As it stands now, we don't get any semblence of a pass rush at all from Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey....and I think this current role especially for Dorsey doesn't play to his strengths as a quick, penetrating interior defender.
A guy I like who I think can play in multiple schemes and packages is Purdue junior Kawann Short. With the overall lack of top-tier defensive tackles projected to be availabel in the 2012 draft, I think he could end up really moving up draft boards should he declare. He has good size at 6'-3", 310 lbs., with a strong base...and I think he could add some weight to get even stronger in the middle of the defense if he were used more in a two gap system. As I said, I think he could end up really moving up boards...and if we are sitting inside of the top 10, if we could trade down a couple of spots and still have a shot at Short while picking up an additional draft pick that would be a potential win-win situation.
So far in 11 games as a junior he has :
Solo tackles : 28
Assisted tackles : 23
Total tackles : 51
Tackles for loss : 17
Tackles for loss yardage : 53
Sacks : 6.5
Sack loss yardage : 31
Passes broken up : 1
Forced fumbles : 1
2010 sophomore season :
12 games
Solo tackles : 30
Assisted tackles : 11
Total tackles : 41
Tackles for loss : 12.5
Tackles for loss yardage : 40
Sacks : 4.5
Sack loss yardage : 21
Passes broken up : 8
Kicks blocked : 2
stats courtesy of cfbstats.com
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