Defensive Unit Rankings

Eagle-96 · August 9, 2005

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2005/Pr...gs_Defenses.htm

Defense

57 Troy

100 MTSU

110 UL Monroe

111 NT

112 UL Lafayette

115 Arkansas State

116 Florida Atlantic

119 Florida International

Line

78 Troy

93 MTSU

96 UL Monroe

109 NT

116 UL Lafayette

117 Arkanasas State

118 Florida Atlantic

119 Florida International

Linebackers

41 Troy

84 MTSU

96 NT

109 UL Lafayette

111 Florida Atlantic

112 Florida International

116 Arkansas State

117 UL Monroe

Secondary

53 Troy

100 UL Lafayette

101 Arkansas State

103 Florida Atlantic

109 UL Monroe

112 NT

117 MTSU

119 Florida International

Edited August 9, 2005 by Eagle-96

ntmeangreen11 · August 9, 2005

That LB rating is just ridicoulous!

Got5onIt · August 9, 2005

That LB rating is just ridicoulous!
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Considering the way the LB's performed last year, I say it's around what I expected. I fully expect to see this unit be one of NT's best performers this upcoming season.

Edited August 9, 2005 by Got5onIt

UNTLifer · August 9, 2005

I hope this is posted all over the locker room and passed out in defensive meetings. One thing we have usually been able to count on at North Texas is an effective defense. I hope they take this as an insult and a challenge.

good_ken · August 9, 2005

I hope this is posted all over the locker room and passed out in defensive meetings. One thing we have usually been able to count on at North Texas is an effective defense. I hope they take this as an insult and a challenge.

I hope they don't need the opinion of a writer to motivate them. I hope that they will be motivated by all those displays of offensive prowess that we saw last year (Colorado, USM, Balyor).

CFN is ranking our unit based on turnover, last year's performance, amongst other things. The biggest difference being that we as fans are counting on the potential of unproven players (please keep in mind that potential is the stuff you've never done).

PlummMeanGreen · August 9, 2005

Well lets just see how those top-ranked "D's" in the SBC handle an offensive line that may be one of our best to date; and an offensive line with 2 pretty fair RB's AND for you just visiting or lurking, an offensive line that has a Lombardy Trophy nominee leading the way who you will most assuredly see playing on Sundays in the 2006 NFL season.

Did the ranking-meisters of our linebackers use the UT game of last Fall as their barometer or something?!?!?

Edited August 9, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

H-towngreen · August 9, 2005

Keep in mind how young our linebackers are still, I'm sure that played a factor in the rankings.

ipEAGLE · August 9, 2005

I'm worried about our defense this yr as well.... atleast we got rid of the db coach from last yr. The linebackers still have A LOT to prove.

mad dog · August 9, 2005

Three years worth of experience collectively among the linebackers, one in the secondary (Branch didn't play on defense, so he's a work in progress, too), and none on the d-line. No way we should be ranked any higher at the beginning of the season.

That said, those ratings are going to change. Statistically speaking, it is VERY unlikely that all the talented athletes we're bringing in are going to bust. Several of those guys are going to stick, and at least one or two will be four year starter- impact player types.

Now... just how much that ranking goes up will be a function of how these guys perform. To give you an idea of where we're at right now, if every guy we have "targeted" as a guy with huge upside steps up and plays as good as he's capable, I can say with a straight face that this year's defense will be far beyond any D we've ever fielded. We're talking a lights-out, shut-down type of defense.

But that's pure potential, and everyone knows that's not a sure thing. For my projection on where our ranking will be at the end of the season... picture a bell curve centered around 70, with a low end of a hundred and a high end of around 40.

ntsumck · August 10, 2005

If our defense can stop anyone we will be very competitive team this year. I believe that our coaching staff is wondering how effective this unit will be.

The biggest question mark for this season.

PlummMeanGreen · August 10, 2005

If our defense can stop anyone we will be very competitive team this year. I believe that our coaching staff is wondering how effective this unit will be.
The biggest question mark for this season.

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Of course, if you have a "run-oriented" offense (which we do) with some pretty good running backs (of which we have 4 of those) and become an offensive juggernaut (which many think we'll be this season for some [insert sublimenal PCobbs/JThomas] reason; and we have a Mean Green offense that uses a lot of clock (which we should) THEN......... you don't have to have a "monsters of the midway" type of defense out on the field; although, I think we will have a pretty good defense as the season progresses.

Lets check out the Mean Green Report this evening to see if Willie Ransom will be part of it.

Edited August 10, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen