Question about Defensive Line

[Seminole Indian]

I got a copy of Phil Steele’s magazine, the only one I every buy, and noticed that while he rated UNT’s OL #2, he has the DL at #7 in the Belt. UNT as won the war in the trenches, on both sides of the ball, since day one. I have always felt that was the reason they have dominated. Is he missing the boat here?

Also, he rates FIU OL #1 and DL #2. Man, if that is the case they may move up the Belt ladder faster than I thought.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I got a copy of Phil Steele’s magazine, the only one I every buy, and noticed that while he rated UNT’s OL #2, he has the DL at #7 in the Belt. UNT as won the war in the trenches, on both sides of the ball, since day one. I have always felt that was the reason they have dominated.   Is he missing the boat here?

Also, he rates FIU OL #1 and DL #2. Man, if that is the case they may move up the Belt ladder faster than I thought.

No disrespect to Phil Steele who has a good magazine, but he did leave off who I think is the Sun Belt's only Lombardy Trophy Award nominee, ie, NT offensive lineman Dylan Lineberry, off his Sun Belt All Conference 1'st team.

I don't think some of these magazines really do much serious research on the SBC at this time, but probably will once the 5 year old football portion of the SBC continues to grow in stature.

As far as FIU, I don't know what Phil Steele's staff is up to unless they're all FIU alums?

Edited July 15, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

[MeanGreen61]

I got a copy of Phil Steele’s magazine, the only one I every buy, and noticed that while he rated UNT’s OL #2, he has the DL at #7 in the Belt. UNT as won the war in the trenches, on both sides of the ball, since day one. I have always felt that was the reason they have dominated.  Is he missing the boat here?

Also, he rates FIU OL #1 and DL #2. Man, if that is the case they may move up the Belt ladder faster than I thought.

Different folks have different opinions; especially in pre-season. Here's how College Football News sees the conference O & D lines.

Offensive Line

1. North Texas

2. UL Monroe

3. FIU

4. UL Lafayette

5. Troy

6. MTSU

7. Arkansas State

8. Florida Atlantic

Defensive Line

1. Troy

2. MTSU

3. UL Monroe

4. North Texas

5. UL Lafayette

6. Arkansas State

7. FIU

8. Florida Atlantic

[NCMeanGreen]

No disrespect to Phil Steele who has a good magazine, but he did leave off who I think is the Sun Belt's only Lombardy Trophy Award nominee, ie, NT offensive lineman Dylan Lineberry, off his Sun Belt All Conference 1'st team.

I don't think some of these magazines really do much serious research on the SBC at this time, but probably will once the 5 year old football portion of the SBC continues to grow in stature.

As far as FIU, I don't know what Phil Steele's staff is up to unless they're all FIU alums?

My sentiments exactly. I mean, how disrespectful is that????

I believe Dylan was the only SB player listed and one of the only few (if only) non-BCS player listed. Disappointing...

Also, it seems like Phil Steele is really hedging is bets on that NT-MTSU game. If we win...we win the SB. If they win...they win the SB.

[MeanGreen61]

Also, it seems like Phil Steele is really hedging is bets on that NT-MTSU game.  If we win...we win the SB.  If they win...they win the SB.

Disagree. Muts can win and we can still take the conference title with a 6-1 record. Muts will lose at least two

[greenminer]

Phil Steele crams so much info onto their pages (nvm the small type), that I wonder how long it takes for him to cycle through all 119 (? is that the correct #?) D-1 teams before he gets back to #1. Who's to say how long ago it was that he last evaluated UNT?

He's got some kind of formula that helps him predict titles/championships on conference and national levels at an admirable success rate, but sometimes I question if there are holes in it that make for these "interesting" evaluations. I got the mag this year, and I think this may be the last.

-gm

[Seminole Indian]

The PS seems to show that most of the players are pretty close based on how recruited they were. However, I always assumed that a player without a PS number was not highly recruited and probably not a good prospect. While a few might pan out a team with a lot of NA’s were probably pretty bad. I also thought that the PS number drove Phil’s rankings (he normally projected players with the best PS numbers as starters). I did a spreadsheet (see below) the projected starters on the OL and DL and my thoughts were not supported by the numbers.

OL UNT TROY ULM MTSU ASU ULL FAU FIU

C 365 371 577 NA 279 NA NA 301

RG 497 NA 255 226 93 465 NA NA

LG 267 NA 510 185 370 426 546 NA

RT 198 491 574 NA 374 619 NA NA

LT NA NA 478 NA 453 460 NA 337

AVG 332 431 479 206 314 493 546 319

DL UNT TROY ULM MTSU ASU ULL FAU FIU

DE 55 NA NA 112 166 NA NA 249

NT/DT 269 NA NA 14 NA 375 131 NA

DT NA NA NA NA* NA NA NA NA

DE 344 84 NA 99 216 114 NA 155

AVG 223 84 NA 75 191 245 131 202

FIU’s OL has three players without as PS numbers, which I thought, meant that they were not very highly thought of prospects (although some players on the second or third team did have PS numbers). I have still found the PS number it to be a good way of comparing how schools compare as far as recruiting known talent.

Based on this spreadsheet UNT’s DL (with only on NA) looks 2nd to MTSU (which does have a player with a PS of 20 at the 2nd team DT position).

Probably the only things that the spreadsheet shows is that the teams in the Belt have a lot of players that were not very well thought of in the recruiting process.

[Seminole Indian]

Perhaps a slightly better look at the relative talent in the Belt is the spreadsheet below. If a starter did not have a PS number I posted the PS number of a player listed below them on the depth chart. We can assume that the starter is better than that player he is ahead of at the position is and this probably gives a better indication of the level of available talent. As you can be seen most teams have a ‘recruited’ player available at most positions.

OL UNT TROY ULM MTSU ASU ULL FAU FIU

C 365 371 577 NA 279 NA 397 301

RG 497 177 255 226 93 465 NA 217

LG 267 640 510 185 370 426 546 176

RT 198 491 574 NA 374 619 389 NA

LT 359 641 478 NA 453 460 358 337

AVG 337 464 479 206 314 493 423 258

DL UNT TROY ULM MTSU ASU ULL FAU FIU

DE 55 395 476 112 166 279 NA 249

NT 269 161 372 14 NA 375 131 292

DT 258 NA 303 20 490 384 480 NA

DE 344 84 NA 99 216 114 274 155

AVG 232 213 384 61 291 288 295 232

FIU looks a little better on the OL and the MTSU looks dominant on the DL. The different colors show what position the PS number was earned at or if they are JC’s. Remember the lower the PS # the better the player.

Edited July 15, 2005 by Seminole Indian