Defense questions

[msstate7]

I assume James will be 1st string at Ng in our 3-4, but who backs him up here? Can James consistently eat 2 blocks to allow our LBs to make plays?

CB looks to be our weakest link right now. Do you guys feel Morgan-walker, durr, and smitherman will be ready to take over the older guys this year?

These are probably my biggest question marks on our defense.

[Reason2succeed]

I think Jeffrey Simmons will be the backup NG behind Nick James. From what I read he is strong as a bull and is up above 300 lbs.

I think corner will be okay. Durr is ready. Smitherman has talent but is just small. I think Tolando will stay at nickel but will more often be replaced by an additional safety.

[Covercorner2]

I think Tre Brown and Nelson Adams are in the mix at NG, too.

Cedric Jiles may be our best corner when healthy.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Like others have said Nelson Adams & Tre Brown & Hoyette will get NG reps. No way I'm putting Simmons at NG. No one would ever put Chris Jones or Fletcher Cox on the nose & that's the type of talent we're dealing with.

Morgan-Walker is a safety. Durr, Jiles, Cleveland, & Smitherman/Graham won't remind anyone of Slay & Banks but I think they'll be better than some think.

[Dawgfan77]

I have heard Durr is in that banks Redmond mold. Already our best corner.

[Jarius]

IYOK, how long do you think it will be before Simmons takes over a starting role? I know he probably will be announced as the backup every game (like CJ was), but will probably get starter reps. I say by game 3 at LSU. Do you expect him to be dominant by the end of the year? From watching his film and just listening to "experts" he may be the best dlineman we've had since Fletcher Cox. Also, how is Fletcher Adams coming along? I've been excited to see what he can do since he was so highly recruited. I wasn't sure this new 3-4 scheme was going to fit him though. He's a bit of a "tweener" right? What about Corey Thomas? He showed flashes last year and I think he is poised for a breakout year. Has he added some weight?

[Reason2succeed]

I would love to see Simmons as DE. I guess it should be easier to get younger guys on the field at DL since they won't necessarily be expected to cover the flat anymore. I'd love to see AJ, NJ, and Jeffrey Simmons on the field at the same time. That would be nasty.

[spiral]

I think we have enough talent at corner but I worry about communication and assignments. I know it will be different coaching this year but last year at times we really blew some coverage's and you could see the defensive backs arguing. That's not a good recipe against any decent passing team.

[mcain31]

I think we have enough talent at corner but I worry about communication and assignments. I know it will be different coaching this year but last year at times we really blew some coverage's and you could see the defensive backs arguing. That's not a good recipe against any decent passing team.

Having more experience for our young safeties will help communication.

[Tbonewannabe]

I think we have enough talent at corner but I worry about communication and assignments. I know it will be different coaching this year but last year at times we really blew some coverage's and you could see the defensive backs arguing. That's not a good recipe against any decent passing team.

Replace the word corner with Oline. I don't think it was a talent issue as much as communication and knowing the correct assignment. I saw too many blocks on the same guy with someone running free through the line. Anyone but Dak behind that line last year and we don't go bowling.

[Jarius]

Also, what about Jamal Peters? Is he going to live up to the hype? Will he stay at safety or move to linebacker? Or receiver? I hope he stays on defense.

[biggun]

If Jiles and Cleveland are our starting CB's then we are screwed. Neither are SEC starting CB's and showed it last season. We need Durr, Smitherman, & Stamps to step up and hopefully Graham, who is an excellent athlete, ready to be a key contributor.

After Redmond got hurt our secondary was consistently shredded and that was with Calhoun, now graduated. Arkansas and Ole Miss had WR's & TE's running wide open the entire game, not sure what the problem was but our secondary was butt awful last season.

[Dallas_Dawg]

Also, what about Jamal Peters? Is he going to live up to the hype? Will he stay at safety or move to linebacker? Or receiver? I hope he stays on defense.
In what little of the spring game where I saw him, he looked lost and uninterested. Hope that I am wrong

[DanDority]

It worries me when I hear coaches say that #7 is our starting cb.

[JDog13]

I think Jeffrey Simmons will be the backup NG behind Nick James.

WOT

[mcain31]

I'm optimistic about the defense this year. I think we have a playmaker at each level this year.

[HancockCountyDog]

In what little of the spring game where I saw him, he looked lost and uninterested. Hope that I am wrong

How much of that was him being moved to WR.

I'm assuming that is over. They need to find a place on the field for him. Bryant is going to play one safety spot, the question is who plays the other. Most think McLaurin, which leaves peters on the bench.

We can't have that happen. He is one of our more talented players.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Jamal has been full time defense this summer. I expect he stays there in the fall. I wish we would use Jamal in that Tony Conner role. He should always be no further than 12-15yd from the LOS. He's just not a center field type safety he doesn't take good angles but he's a bear in the box & loves contact. If Jung stays at the Viper then Jamal & JT would be my "Star" backs.

[Jarius]

Jamal has been full time defense this summer. I expect he stays there in the fall. I wish we would use Jamal in that Tony Conner role. He should always be no further than 12-15yd from the LOS. He's just not a center field type safety he doesn't take good angles but he's a bear in the box & loves contact. If Jung stays at the Viper then Jamal & JT would be my "Star" backs.

Thanks. You heard anything on Fletcher Adams? Will he get any real PT this fall? I know he needed to get bigger.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Thanks. You heard anything on Fletcher Adams? Will he get any real PT this fall? I know he needed to get bigger.

Fletcher will definitely get his feet wet this year. He's up to about 270lbs which is around the same size as Johnathan Calvin. I think he'll get p/t at DE. His 1st step is still really good. If we play the majority of 3-4 it's going to be a dog fight for p/t at the DE spots because we have a lot of bodies but everybody can't get a lot of snaps. You know AJ & Calvin are the main guys then Simmons will make his presence known at some point this year. Then guys like Dale, Cory Thomas, Fletcher Adams, etc. It should keep practice intense & guys focused on Saturdays because there's a guy right behind ready to take your place when you mess up or half ass.

[Goldendawg]

I want to see the best on the field no matter whether a true Freshman or a 5th year Senior. I'm not a coach by any means, just a true fan and season ticket holder since the seventies. Loyalty to less talented players hurts us on the field and is used against us in recruiting.

[djaymsu5]

Jamal has been full time defense this summer. I expect he stays there in the fall. I wish we would use Jamal in that Tony Conner role. He should always be no further than 12-15yd from the LOS. He's just not a center field type safety he doesn't take good angles but he's a bear in the box & loves contact. If Jung stays at the Viper then Jamal & JT would be my "Star" backs.


If Peters doesn't improve I'll be very disappointed. I was really hoping he would be special. I know he's young but I just didn't see anything from him last year that made me think he was that highly rated out of highschool. I know college is different but he seemed scared or skiddish last year. In his high school film he was constantly blowing people up. I didn't see that last year. Now McLaurin on the other hand is a different story. I've seen him hit some folks. Peters needs to show that mean streak this year and we could have a nasty safety group. I think Morgan-Walker is going to be good. He's an athlete. We already know Bryant is good and I've seen some good things from McLaurin even though him and Peters both took some bad angles last year. We will see if they progress from year 1 to 2.