Corner play

[BB30]

What do yall expect out of our corners this year? Are we going to be better at the position than we have been the last few years. FWIW, I don't think they were terrible last year but they certainly weren't great especially with the help up front they had getting pressure.

I hope this group can take the next step and one of those guys develop into a true lock down guy.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I think Dantzler can be our best cover guy at corner. Peters needs to use his size, length, athleticism, and physicality to make up for his coverage deficiencies. Depth is going to be a question. Smitherman, Rayford, and the redshirt freshman from Oxford area will help (his name is escaping me). We need to keep our corners, safeties, and linebackers healthy. Those positions don't have the depth that the defensive line has.

I think we will basically play 5 DB's in our base set (2 corners, 2 safeties, and 1 nickel). Defense is a 4-2-5. I figure starters will be Dantzler and Peters at corner, Abram and McLaurin at safety, Cole at nickle.

[SmokeyDawg]

I think Dantzler will step up with another year of experience under him. Hope we can get some valuable snaps from Rayford and Tyler Williams but really excited to see what Cole can do in the nickel. Didn't realize he was rated #72 overall out of high school (of course a .86 3* out of JUCO)

[thf24]

I really don't think we've been that bad at all at corner the past few years. I think the complaints stem from the fact that we haven't had any true playmakers in a while, so the guys we have only stand out for negatives, even if those negatives come at a normal rate. Hopefully Dantzler can step up into that playmaker status this year.

[Cooterpoot]

Our safeties are who killed us in coverage last year. And LB. Corner was adequate. Peters is a top 25 CB. Dantzler should be improved. Buck loves Williams. Rayford is going to play multiple positions. We'll be good, not great at corner. Our scheme will help too.

[Homedawg]

Going to play a lot more zone than last year. More like Collins in 14 in that regard

[TrapGame]

Going to play a lot more zone than last year. More like Collins in 14 in that regard

I think you hit it. Shoop's defense is more of a Collins style defense but Shoop is also a secondary guru. Shoop doesn't blitz like Graham which won't leave some guys alone on an island.

[jumbo]

Our safeties are who killed us in coverage last year. And LB. Corner was adequate. Peters is a top 25 CB. Dantzler should be improved. Buck loves Williams. Rayford is going to play multiple positions. We'll be good, not great at corner. Our scheme will help too.


Grantham sure loved blitzing the safties.

I think they will be serviceable. Not absolute lock downs but not liabilities either. Our DL should help.

[Prediction? Pain.]

I think you hit it. Shoop's defense is more of a Collins style defense but Shoop is also a secondary guru. Shoop doesn't blitz like Graham which won't leave some guys alone on an island.

Grantham loved him some blitzes, but Shoop's style is by no means passive (https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2016/apr/15/shoop-vols-going-be-aggressive-defense/360253/):


"I've never met a blitz I didn't like," Shoop said before Thursday's practice. "We like to come after you. We're going to be aggressive. We're going to be in your face in all situations. We like to challenge every route.

For more on what he likes to do, here's a good read on Shoop's philosophy and tendencies from when Tennessee hired him:

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/7/13/12117134/bob-shoop-tennessee-defensive-coordinator

[TrapGame]

Grantham loved him some blitzes, but Shoop's style is by no means passive (https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2016/apr/15/shoop-vols-going-be-aggressive-defense/360253/):



For more on what he likes to do, here's a good read on Shoop's philosophy and tendencies from when Tennessee hired him:

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/7/13/12117134/bob-shoop-tennessee-defensive-coordinator

Very interesting.

[HoopsDawg]

Going to play a lot more zone than last year. More like Collins in 14 in that regard

I think zone fits our talent at corner better than man. Peters is a good zone corner. Cam should be pretty good too. Depth is untested.

Please don't screw up this talent Shoop. Let the guys play with emotion and aggression. I worry that Shoop is a little too old school.

[Todd4State]

I like the talent that we have. Peters and Dantzler are long and athletic and I think both play in the NFL. I've heard that Rayford is playing corner and safety some- which I think is a good move. I wonder if we're going to use him as sort of a dimeback in certain packages? Cole is going to surprise people and I think he is a big key at the nickel position. We have two safeties who are seniors and are proven in Abram and McLaurin. I think it's a very solid unit and I think that while our depth is young- I like their potential. Especially Marcus Murphy, Tyler Williams, and Jaylon Reed.

[Bothrops]

Let's not forget that McLaurin is one of the best safeties in the league, if not the country.

[Homedawg]

I like the talent that we have. Peters and Dantzler are long and athletic and I think both play in the NFL. I've heard that Rayford is playing corner and safety some- which I think is a good move. I wonder if we're going to use him as sort of a dimeback in certain packages? Cole is going to surprise people and I think he is a big key at the nickel position. We have two safeties who are seniors and are proven in Abram and McLaurin. I think it's a very solid unit and I think that while our depth is young- I like their potential. Especially Marcus Murphy, Tyler Williams, and Jaylon Reed.
Peter isn't going to play in the nfl as a corner. And he couldn't play safety here so no, he won't play in the nfl. I'd love to be wrong. But won't be on this one.

[Todd4State]

Peter isn't going to play in the nfl as a corner. And he couldn't play safety here so no, he won't play in the nfl. I'd love to be wrong. But won't be on this one.

We'll see. Most people that "can't play safety" usually aren't moved to corner in college. I think he'll be a hybrid defender in the NFL.

[Cooterpoot]

Peter isn't going to play in the nfl as a corner. And he couldn't play safety here so no, he won't play in the nfl. I'd love to be wrong. But won't be on this one.

Want to bet? He’s rated high enough to be drafted and will kill the combine. They’re looking for long guys to put on big WRs. He’s better than you think. Mullen 17d him bouncing him around. He had never played DB in HS.
Our depth at CB is the biggest concern.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Shoop and Granthams schemes are a lot alike. Only difference is Grantham is base odd front and Shoop is even.

We did a lot of zone blitzes last year and will do much of the same this year. I am not sold on Shoop but Moorhead did a good job hiring a guy who is not much different than the previous year to help the players out.

If our DL lives up to the hype it wont matter what we do on defense

[BuckyIsAB****]

Want to bet? He’s rated high enough to be drafted and will kill the combine. They’re looking for long guys to put on big WRs. He’s better than you think. Mullen 17d him bouncing him around. He had never played DB in HS.
Our depth at CB is the biggest concern.

Yeah Peters is getting drafted. He is going to be good against bigger WRs and have problems against smaller quicker ones. Like Calvin Ridley.

[Todd4State]

Yeah Peters is getting drafted. He is going to be good against bigger WRs and have problems against smaller quicker ones. Like Calvin Ridley.

I think Shoop will be better at matching up guys than Grantham was. At least I hope so. I agree about Peters being better against bigger WR's or at least outside WR's. I would think being on an outside WR would give him a little more margin for error with his athleticism.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

In the NFL, you have wideouts that are 5'-10" and you have wideouts that are 6'-5". You have wideouts that weigh 180 and wideouts that weigh 230. So you need different type corners also. To succeed in the NFL, Peters needs to be a guy that can use his length and athleticism to match up with the bigger wideouts. I will be surprised if he is not drafted. I do think his production has fallen short of his hype and his measurables, but I'm hoping that changes this year.

[HoopsDawg]

Shoop and Granthams schemes are a lot alike. Only difference is Grantham is base odd front and Shoop is even.

We did a lot of zone blitzes last year and will do much of the same this year. I am not sold on Shoop but Moorhead did a good job hiring a guy who is not much different than the previous year to help the players out.

If our DL lives up to the hype it wont matter what we do on defense

I disagree. Their defenses are vastly different.

[bulldawg28]

Grantham loved him some blitzes, but Shoop's style is by no means passive (https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2016/apr/15/shoop-vols-going-be-aggressive-defense/360253/):



For more on what he likes to do, here's a good read on Shoop's philosophy and tendencies from when Tennessee hired him:

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/7/13/12117134/bob-shoop-tennessee-defensive-coordinator

This is the same foundation bama uses on defense.

[BuckyIsAB****]

I disagree. Their defenses are vastly different.

If anything Shoops is easier to learn.

[HoopsDawg]

If anything Shoops is easier to learn.

That I can agree with.