My #1 reason I think our 2014 football season is going to be special....

[Coach34]

We finished 18th in the country and 4th in the SEC in Total Defense- we return 19 of our 22 on the 2 Deep defensively. Bennie Brown, Chris Jones, Will Redmond, AJ Jefferson- guys that played their 1st snaps of college ball this year and played well.

Last 4 games after everyone got healthy and Bennie Brown took over at LB:

Held Bama to 20 points- their lowest output in 2013
Held UPig to 17 points at their place after they had 2 weeks to get ready for us
Held the best offense in Ole Miss history to 3 points
Held 10 win Rice to less than 200 yards of offense

Defense really has a chance to be special in 2014.

[Political Hack]

and #DakAttack

[FISHDAWG]

I say put special teams under G Collins

[justwin]

2014 post of year thus far....well played

I say put special teams under G Collins

[Coach34]

and #DakAttack

that's my #2 reason

[justwin]

U think jay Hughes comes back strong?

We finished 18th in the country and 4th in the SEC in Total Defense- we return 19 of our 22 on the 2 Deep defensively. Bennie Brown, Chris Jones, Will Redmond, AJ Jefferson- guys that played their 1st snaps of college ball this year and played well.

Last 4 games after everyone got healthy and Bennie Brown took over at LB:

Held Bama to 20 points- their lowest output in 2013
Held UPig to 17 points at their place after they had 2 weeks to get ready for us
Held the best offense in Ole Miss history to 3 points
Held 10 win Rice to less than 200 yards of offense

Defense really has a chance to be special in 2014.

[DownwardDawg]

I say put special teams under G Collins

I want Geoff Collins focusing on defense alone. We need to hire a good ST coach.

[DownwardDawg]

U think jay Hughes comes back strong?

I certainly hope so. I had picked Jay as my defensive breakout player before the season. It sucked he got hurt in the 1st game.

[smootness]

In college football today, you need 3 things to compete at a high level:

1) QB
2) Offensive play-calling
3) Defense

That is really it. Sure, it helps to have other things, and things like OL will play into how well your QB plays, for example. But when all is said and done, the top teams will have those things working for them.

Auburn didn't have a great defense, but we saw last night it was better than previously thought and could step up when it needed to. They had a QB who was incredible in that offense and they had Malzahn.

We will have the QB, we should have the offensive play-calling to allow that QB to thrive, and all indications are that we will have the defense.

[thedawg]

I think Jay will be decent and mostly back to full speed by the end of the season. Its a full twelve month rehab and even then its probably like 18 months until your all the way back from an Achilles. The difference between him and Nickoe's situation is the depth we now have. Deonte played well down the stretch. Kendrick Market can play. Cox will continue to develop there through spring. Kivon has played... Then you have Dee who is kind of floating around and will be on the field somewhere. These are all guys who have played alot so Jay should be able to ease back in.

[smootness]

U think jay Hughes comes back strong?

Lose Whitley, add Hughes...I love Whitley, but because of the way he was held back due to the ACL, this may be a net gain (Whitley did come up absolutely huge at the end of the year, so that's hard to say).

Lose Skinner, add B. Brown, who had overtaken him at the end of the year anyway.

Lose Autry, add....??? Ryan Brown? AJ Jefferson? Will Coleman? We have some options, but that's really the only spot on defense where we have to find a replacement.

Pretty crazy.

[maroonmania]

U think jay Hughes comes back strong?

I know everyone is different but after seeing how long it took Whitley to recover from his achilles injury its hard to count on Hughes being full strength next season. He will certainly play though.

[FISHDAWG]

it was just a compliment to Collins ...I was only being facetious

[FISHDAWG]

I can't remember - did they allow Hughes a med red shirt for this year ?

[smootness]

I can't remember - did they allow Hughes a med red shirt for this year ?

That's not decided until a player applies for one after his senior year, but he'll certainly get one.

[Bo Darville]

That's not decided until a player applies for one after his senior year, but he'll certainly get one.

I think that is correct. I think you can get a medical immediately if you haven't already redshirted. An example is Jiles played last year, got hurt, we applied for a medical and got it, and he is still a freshman this year. However, if you have already redshirted (Hughes redshirted his first year), and are actually requesting a 6th year, then you must wait until they exhaust all eligibility. Therefore, Jay Hughes, Justin Malone, etc. will have to finish their 5 years before we apply and are granted the 6th year. I think that is how it works. Both Hughes and Malone would probably easily get the 6th year if requested.

Therefore Hughes should be listed as a senior next year on the roster.

[engie]

Mullen/Collins consider strong and free safety two very different positions -- and are used very differently in our defense. Hughes will back up Market at Strong Safety until he gets back to full speed and/or is good enough to overtake him, which is largely a run support/assignment position for us. Almost a linebacker from an assignment perspective. Free Safety will be between Cox, Evans, and Antoine as of today -- and it's the centerfield/help position that can bump up into coverage occasionally as well.

Free safety is the position that needs the microscope IMO given Cox's blown coverages early in his career -- and the fact that we haven't seen much of Evans or Antoine yet. You blow those coverages from the safety position, it makes your corners look stupid getting burned deep, and breeds a ton of mistrust on the whole defense. We REALLY need someone to step up and control that position next year...

[codeDawg]

I want Geoff Collins focusing on defense alone. We need to hire a good ST coach.

I agree on Collins, but who do you replace on the current staff with said ST coach, and what else do they coach? Replace Sallach with more ST focused coach and share TE with Gonzales?

[Goat Holder]

Better keep the coaching staff intact then. For on the field results AND recrootin. I think they will, they all know big paydays are coming their way next season (Mullen included).

[FISHDAWG]

are there any incoming Freshman this year that might be talented enough to get some PT @ free safety ?