It goes without saying we’re all excited for this new offense. What are you most excited about for our defense? What players are you anxious see tear it up (Ed Oliver is a given)?
1 Like
This is going to sound like I’m a P5 or recruiting snob. lol. But I’m interested in seeing how Chambers, Anderson and Watkins (the three transfers from major P5 programs) perform.
Plus all the young linebackers we have, which I’ll get into more in my season preview article next week on the linebacking core. We’re going to have speed on every level. How D’Onofrio chooses to use it still kinda worries me tbh.
5 Likes
oliver’s last season
chambers
Isiah Johnson’s 2nd season playing cb
deontay Anderson
is what I’m excited for. we have plenty of talent on defense and coach d’onofrio better not screw this up.
2 Likes
Agreed. We will have a lot of speed at linebacker. Some of them need to be let lose like we did with Orlando! I don’t think any of them came here to play Cover 2 for 4 quarters. lol
This guy in particular. I think he’s going to be our best corner.
3 Likes
I think our secondary has the personnel to get a lot of interceptions. So I’m looking for that. I think Gerard Carter has a bigger impact than people think. When he was healthy last year he showed he can really penetrate. Owens, the LB from Miami, is as big an LB as we’ve had in some time. I’m looking forward to seeing if he’s the same heat-seeking missile type of backer as Roberts, Taylor, Adams, Hines, of the last few years.
2 Likes
If the secondary can bring back the swagger/playmaking/ballhawking that these boys brought from 2013 to 2015…Look Out! I just hope the schemes and packages allow them to do so. No more giving receivers cushion! Punch em in the mouth at the LOS and let em know you’re there!
5 Likes
The whole unit really. There is so much talent on defense that we should be scary good on that side of the ball. I’m hoping to see more aggressiveness with more experienced CBs and hopefully some of the talent at LB steps up and performs.
4 Likes
I think Johnson is going to tear it up. That pass rush is going to help a lot.
2 Likes
P6 Jimmy!
2 Likes
I’ll add.
I’m most excited about the defense getting back to blitzing since last year coaches didn’t feel confident in leaving our corners on islands.
The player I think will tear it up this year is David Anenih.
1 Like
An aggressive arse kicking defense. I can’t stand any type of defensive wussification.
i have to wait and see that. when he was at Miami he wasn’t aggressive either.
As a former safety, I’m always highly interested in the secondary. We have the talent and experience back there now to really be a turnover machine. Talent/experience + devastating pass rush could make this an exceptionally special year. One of those where you’re just as excited to see the defense as you are the offense.
1 Like
I’m looking forward to seeing how Stuard, Godfrey, and Egbule do this fall. I am expecting them to have good seasons for us.
2 Likes
You know tons more about UH football so thought I would ask: which past P5 transfers have had bigger impacts in a season than their UH counterparts on the same team? Catalon maybe? Chevis and Allen didn’t seem too. There was the Tennessee transfer back in the Briles era [I think] that seemed better than the others on the DL. I want these transfers to be HUGE factors in a successful season but trying to find reasons not to temper my expectations.
Don’t hold your breath on the blitzing. CMD said during our media day that his goal is to not give up big plays. Blitzing leaves a defense vulnerable when it’s picked up or an audible is called to take advantage.
But, it can also pay huge dividends which is why I like that style especially when you have the guys to do it well like we do.
1 Like
I don’t know anything about him in Miami. I just know that if he is to start bringing heat from the second level, it needs to be this year. We only get younger in the secondary in 2019. 
I understand the concern. My problem with CMD is leaving the safeties in high coverage for 95% (pulled this number out of thin air lol) of the game. If we are going to corner blitz or bring pressure from the outside backers then we are in better shape to do so this year. Both Davis and Anderson have the range to cover down. They should be a really good duo this year. But leaving them in high coverage is wasting their talents. Heck you could put a linebacker back there and have the same results of over the top help. lol I say unleash the dogs of war!!!
1 Like
Yes the transfers, which are mostly on defense. What impact will they make? How quickly and how much they can contribute will be a testament to coaching, upperclassmen leadership, maturity, and the overall locker room environment. There’s a lot of long-term program variables that come into play to make this transfer plan successful. We’ll see if our program is mature enough to pull it off.
Can someone remind me who coached the secondary last year? I know this year we have Lamar Morgan working specifically with safeties and Paul Williams working specifically with CBs. I think I remember them being added because we were allowed more assistant coaches this year. Does that mean CMD was responsible for the secondary last year in addition to his other duties? If so, we should be dramatically better in the secondary this year just because they are getting more one on one attention. I never played at a high enough level to understand the nuances between different defensive schemes, but I would think the skill set would transfer well for the transfers coming in. With more direct attention from specialized coaches, unless they are terrible coaches, we should way better in the secondary this year than last year.
secondary coach was clay Jennings. he went to texas tech.
1 Like