OK folks, its that endless wait until TU FB starts next season so I guess I will pass the time with a little needless information like the following:

We won two games last year - Tulane and SMU. Thats not a lot of positive news for next year, but I thought I'd list the returning starters from those wins. Lets start with the defense against Tulane.

DE - Derrick Alexander
DT - Derrick Luetjen
DT - Jerry Uwaezuoke
DE - None
OLB - Craig Suits
MLB - Trent Martin
OLB - None
SS - Michael Mudoh
FS - None
CB - None
CB - Will Barrow

So from the Tulane game (an overtime win) we lost 4 starters and return 7.

Now the SMU game, a comfortable win.

DE - Derrick Alexander
DT - Derrick Luetjen
DT - Jerry Uwaezuoke
DE - None
OLB - Craig Suits
MLB - Trent Martin
OLB - None
SS - Michael Mudoh
FS - None
CB - None
CB - Will Barrow

Same starting lineup from the Tulane win. So IMO we should have 4 starting spots to fill - one DE, one OLB, one safety and one CB.

I'd like to use this template for any discussions to come on our defensive personel. One of the discussion points will probably concern "who" fills those open spots next year. BTW, we play both Tulane and SMU away from home next year.

*I took both starting lineups from the official game programs.

I'd like to project the "open" positions on our defense for 2015. There seem to be 4 of them - one DL, a OLB and two in the secondary. Now I usually watch the DL and LOS more than the secondary since I was a lineman during my playing days. We just have one spot on that vacancy list. IMO we will have several players who could step up and play for the legendary coach Bill Young come fall ball. Let me list my favotites for that spot.

1. Jeremy Smith 6-5 250 So
2. Jesse Brubaker 6-4 285 So
3. Suleiman Masembuko 6-3 285 (transfer from Baylor) Sr
4. Lionell Phillips 6-2 285 Jr
5. Kolton Shindelar 6-6 255 So

IMO those are the suspects for that open spot and I very well could be leaving someone out. I included those kids (except the Baylor transfer) because I have focused on them at some point in the past and they showed me something.

Now we only have the one spot open on the DL and there should be some good competition for it. I'm sure all those players and even another unnamed player or two will see action, but i am pretty impressed with the ability we have in this area. Bill Young stated that Jeremy Smith was a great kid and a great college prospect - I agree. He is long - he is mobile/fast - he is agressive and he is now a year older. I think he will not only be the starter, but a stud up front - but at worst will be a great pass rusher. We also have Brubaker who was an impressvie player as a true freshman before his MR season a year ago. Brubaker was a TE in HS and can play DT or DE and that may be the plan.

Now I don't know much about the Baylor transfer Masembuko, but he evidently played quite a bit (at times for the Bears). I think that was more at DT than DE, so he should solidify the interior IMO. Can he play DE? I'll have to wait on that. Phillips has always been a bit of a utility player (mostly at DT) so I assume he will do that in the future. Shindelar is a very intriguing player. He is huge and fast and was a hurdler and track star in HS, but is new to FB. It would really be nice to see him progress to the point that he becomes a backup DE or pass rush specialist. A 6-6 265lb kid that runs like a RB can be a scary player to that 6-2 195lb dropback passer.

So as i see it now, our one spot to fill in the DL will be filled by Smith and those other kids will still play a lot of FB. 4 of the 5 are also young with more time to develope.

DL has a huge upside, especially with Bill Young closely watching their developement.

The grade for this positition group would be a B or possibly a B+.

We also need an OLB who is a hybrid. This guy must be a bigger version of a strong safety - a run first kinda secondary player. I believe he was called "The Cane" last year. Ideally the middle backer is the one who is always run first. That will probably be Trent Martin. We have a very good OLB away from the Cane who received some freshman AA mention - Craig Suits. But that Cane spot will be a position of interest next fall. I think there are three or even four possibilities right now according to reports. One is the transfer, Khari Harding who may or may not be with us and was the player who transferred from Auburn to be closer to his sick parent. We should hear more about his status in August - whether he's at TU, back at Auburn or somewhere else. Harding is listed at 6-1 245 which is hefty for an OLB. He does have an upside the others may not possess after playing in the SEC for two years.

The coaches were very high on Petera Wilson who played DE as a pass rusher last year. He's a former 4 star player from Memphis with a lot of big time offers and a very good athlete with limited LBer experience. CJ Gooden was a player the former staff really liked and has had some experieince at this vital postition. He may be the most comfortable at the spot having the most experience playing it at TU.

I've heard that Matt Linscott is a player that the staff really likes. But as far as him being the go to guy, I have doubts because of the competition and my lack of seeing him on the field.

IMO, if Harding is with us, he'll get the lions share of minutes, but there'll be a lot of "LBer by committee" with all those mentioned getting their chance. I think the winner of this battle will be a major impact player who will improve our porous defense from last year.

Grade is B-/C+.

I have to admit I don't watch the secondary very often so whatever I predict about it is complete speculation. But i think I understand the factoids concerning it and here they are: Our secondary was very bad last year and one of the main reasons we had a two win season. The worst part of our secondary was the obvious mismatches of our corners on the opponent WRs. On top of that, I can't see much change unless the system installed by the new staff compensates. But here is my observation on who will start and play well.

According to my above template, we need to find one safety (to replace Marco) and one corner (to replace Dobbins/McDaniel). I know that Johnell Celistan has played and started and actually did some nice things, but with the new staff I'm not sure if it will be at corner or safety both of which he's played in the past. JC has the height/size (6-2 190 Jr) to play safety so I think thats where he will end up - a guess on my part. That leaves the corner. We actually have a couple of corners that have played that spot but again noone looked like an adequate replacement, so unless Kerwin Thomas (5-10 170 So) or Darrell Williams (5-10 195 Sr) can cut the mustard, I think it may end up being a committee of players trying to man a position of weakness. Once again, the secondary is an area of concern IMO.

The grade for our "potential" secondary's performance is a C-/D at this point.