Is the Defensive Secondary going to be better next season?

[Jack Lambert]

I hated watching all those long passes get completed on them.

[ShotgunDawg]

I hated watching all those long passes get completed on them.

The secondary will be more talented. We will find out if that translates to it being better. Some young, talented players will have to step up.

That being said, it's hard to imagine that by adding talent back there, it could be any worse.

[msstate7]

I think our secondary will get more TO's, but we'll give up some big plays too. Just gotta hope our big plays on defense outweigh the big plays for opposing offenses

[Coach34]

Our starting Secondary will be fine. Where we have to really wonder is the nickel packages and 1B's

[engie]

It'll be better because Diaz will place alot more over the top help. There's an article out there with Deshea talking about this....

[tcdog70]

It might be better because the 1Bs are on the bench and our best players are on the field

[West Houston Dog]

He was out all last season I believe. Didn't he play pretty well the season before? I guess he and Cleveland would be 1B.?? Will be interesting to see if either of the 2 incoming true freshmen play because this is Redmond (should be a junior!)/ Calhoun's senior season and they certainly will be needed in the 2016 season....

[Ifyouonlyknew]

He was out all last season I believe. Didn't he play pretty well the season before? I guess he and Cleveland would be 1B.?? Will be interesting to see if either of the 2 incoming true freshmen play because this is Redmond (should be a junior!)/ Calhoun's senior season and they certainly will be needed in the 2016 season....

With Smokey moving to CB I think that lowers the probability of either of the freshmen playing. I hope they don't have to. Stamps need to live in the weight room & Smitherman just has to get used to playing against larger WR's on a consistent basis.

[engie]

He was out all last season I believe. Didn't he play pretty well the season before? I guess he and Cleveland would be 1B.?? Will be interesting to see if either of the 2 incoming true freshmen play because this is Redmond (should be a junior!)/ Calhoun's senior season and they certainly will be needed in the 2016 season....

We'll see one of of them in nickel. I expect to see Jiles and Cleveland 25% of overall snaps or so...

We're more than fine at 1B at CB IMO... If the defense is set up how it has been in the past, I'll be screaming for the 1Bs(Bryant and Peters) at S...

Let's not forget that Irvin-Sills and Rayford are still over there as well...

[maroonmania]

I hated watching all those long passes get completed on them.

If we play the same scheme then yes, we will still have a lot of long passes completed on us. Hopefully we won't. Last year we left guys covering long passes one on one MOST of the time. Very seldom did we have deep help and a lot of time we had a safety trying to cover deep one on one. Part of our issue last year was personnel because we don't have many guys that are lock down cover guys but a big part also was we sold out to stop the run and shorter passes and left people on an island on the downfield passes.

[engie]

If we play the same scheme then yes, we would still have a lot of long passes completed on us. Hopefully we won't. Last year we left guys covering long passes one on one MOST of the time. Very seldom did we have deep help and a lot of time we had a safety trying to cover deep one on one. Part of our issue last year was personnel but a big part also was we sold out to stop the run and shorter passes and left people on an island on the downfield passes.

Good post...

Watch Diaz's scheme at La Tech and back at MSU -- he almost always has a single high S... Even when he blitzes the FS, he rotates the SS or a corner back over the top...

[starkvegasdawg]

Should we have any realisitc expectations that the 1B experiment will have been drug out in the back alley and a bullet put in its brain stem before next season or are we all doomed once again to have our best defenders spending half the game on the bench while the backups get violated like a new guy in the prison shower?

[engie]

Should we have any realisitc expectations that the 1B experiment will have been drug out in the back alley and a bullet put in its brain stem before next season or are we all doomed once again to have our best defenders spending half the game on the bench while the backups get violated like a new guy in the prison shower?

Diaz has never been a big rotation guy. Most of the info says we won't see as much of it. That said, he's never had a defense with this kind of depth either -- and getting guys meaningful experience is part of our model for sustaining success. The talent of the "1Bs" just needs to get better, and IMO next year it will...

[Political Hack]

Good post...

Watch Diaz's scheme at La Tech and back at MSU -- he almost always has a single high S... Even when he blitzes the FS, he rotates the SS or a corner back over the top...

which means our DBs are going to feel free to go after the ball and not worry as much about giving up 6. I think we're going to be vastly improved in the back 4. Our LBs are going to be better in coverage too IMO.

[engie]

which means our DBs are going to feel free to go after the ball and not worry as much about giving up 6. I think we're going to be vastly improved in the back 4. Our LBs are going to be better in coverage too IMO.

I believe the actual DBs are, for sure...

LB is wait and see with me -- because I know we don't have anyone capable of immediately filling Wells' shoes in that regard...

[Political Hack]

I believe the actual DBs are, for sure...

LB is wait and see with me -- because I know we don't have anyone capable of immediately filling Wells' shoes in that regard...

we won't fill his shoes, but our first 3 should be better than the first 3 last year in coverage IMO, especially when you consider that we're going to force the QBs to make quick decisions. I'd expect a few more INTs for Richie B this season.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I believe the actual DBs are, for sure...

LB is wait and see with me -- because I know we don't have anyone capable of immediately filling Wells' shoes in that regard...

You're right about not having a guy fill Wells' spot although I think Jung is a close replacement. However they won't have to run 4.4's if there is a safety help over the top. Being a step or 2 behind a guy is ok if you have a safety over the top making a play on the ball or at worst trying to make a tackle to dislodge the ball.