Houston Cougars 2020 position preview: DL
By: Jimmy Schofield
photo courtesy uhcougars.com
The 2019 Houston Cougars defense did not live up to expectations under first year head coach Dana Holgorsen, allowing 34 points-per-game (113th nationally). Second year defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen must get his front seven to do a better job against the run as they allowed 179 yards-per-game rushing (85th), and 5.2 yards-per-carry (117th). The pass defense did not fare much better, allowing 288.4 yards-per-game (124th) and overall, with 467.4 yards-per-game (118th) and 6.8 yards-per-play (127th). Those stats were an improvement however over 2018 in which the Cougars finished near the bottom nationally in nearly every major defensive statistic among the 129 FBS football programs. They finished 118th in points allowed (37.2 PPG), 115th in rushing defense (221.1 ypg) and 127th in total defense (496.8 ypg). They also were 90th in yards allowed per play (5.95). It all starts up front as defensive line coach Brian Early must get his linemen stouter at the point of attack. This means the players can be âcoached upâ and will need to more this upcoming season in order to reach their team goals.
In Cauthenâs 4-2-5 scheme, he employs a defensive tackle and a 3-tech nose guard supplanted by a strong side defensive end and a pass rush specialist termed the âBandit.â For the purposes of this article we will lay out the depth chart at these four positions. As all defensive lines should be built from the inside-out, we will start with the two interior line spots.
Olivier Charles-Pierre (6-feet-2 inches, 345 pounds, Sr.) returns with the most experience at the nose, backing up Aymiel Fleming. Originally out of Quebec, Charles-Pierre committed to play for Arkansas State last season before changing his mind after Early and Cauthen were hired by Holgorsen. Charles-Pierre began his college career at New Mexico Military Institute where he had 30 tackles (including 5.5 for loss) in 2018 after not playing much in 2017. The knock-on Charles-Pierre is he gets winded too easily, but he has nice hands and good feet. He must get stronger though as he rarely commanded a double team last season but did not make as huge an impact as his coaches wanted, with just 13 tackles, 6 solo, 2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. Backing him up could be another JC transfer in Sedrick Williams (6-1, 302, Jr.). Early raved about Williams during Spring Ball, saying Williams is a âtough, tough dude. He plays with a high motor. Heâs going to be a good one for us.â Williams showed off his athleticism for such a huge man lasts season as he had 48 total tackles, including 7 sacks and two blocked kicks in being named first-team Juco All-American and MVP of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference just one season after amassing 60 total tackles, including 4.5 sacks and two blocked kicks as well (something special teams coach Mark Scott probably noticed). UPDATE: Williams decided not to play football this season due to complications of Covid-19, though he says he is doing better now.
The defensive tackle spot could be occupied by Jamykal Neal (6-3, 315, Jr.). After transferring from Hutchinson Community College, Neal played in nine total games, starting the final two games at defensive tackle. For the season, Neal had just eight total tackles (two solo) but had five of them at Tulsa in his first career start. The only other âbig bodyâ on the roster to occupy the middle is walk-on Hakeem Ajijolaiya (6-2, 315). The Katy Tompkins product redshirted last season as a true freshman.
In wanting to get more aggressive in attacking opposing quarterbacks, Cauthen wants to get more athletic in the interior so smaller more âquick twitchâ linemen will be lining up inside, especially on more passing downs. This is where bigger athletes such as Logan Hall (6-6, 241, Jr.), Atlias Bell (6-3, 250, RJr.), Taures Payne (6-4, 260, Sr.), Willie Smith (6-1, 245, RSo.) and Alexander Duke (6-2, 245, RJr.) can excel. Hall particularly stands out to me as heâs played in every game, 25 over his first two seasons, starting four times inside at tackle. The Belton native shows that âquick twitchâ that Cauthen is looking for inside, meaning he can âget skinnyâ and explode through the A or B-gaps going one-on-one against a bigger offensive guard. Of his 28 career tackles, 17 are solo, adding five tackles-for-loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Bell didnât get to show his attributes much last season, playing in only three games before redshirting after injuring a shoulder. The 14th ranked JC defensive tackle, by 247sports, had 47 total tackles (12.5 for loss) in 11 games in 2018 for Iowa Western. Stout at the point of attack, Payne is a strong-side defensive end whoâs stout at the point of attack in the run game as he amassed 64 total tackles, including 12 for loss and 6.5 sacks at Northwest Mississippi Community College in 2017 and 2018. Last season the Hoover, Alabama native only had two tackles in nine total games as he seemed to get lost in the shuffle inside. Both Smith and Duke have the athleticism to play inside, but not the bulk as neither is listed over 245 pounds. Both have played in 11 games over their first three seasons with a combined 17 total tackles (Smith 14, Duke 3) as they both struggle to find their spots along the line.
The most experienced returning defensive linemen is Payton Turner (6-6, 288, Sr.). The Houston-Westside product can make plays whether lined up outside or inside on passing downs. Turner has started the past 23 games at defensive end after contributing in 11 as a true freshman in 2017. Turner will play the pass rushing âBanditâ DE spot as 51 of his career 90 tackles have been solo meaning, he plays the run as well as he plays the pass. For his career Turner has 14.5 TFL and 5 sacks. The senior and team leader has also done the best JJ Watt impersonation in the conference in batting down 10 passes as well. Last season Turner had a career high 8 TFL and 4 sacks.
Joining Turner at the âBanditâ will be David Anenih (6-3, 237, Sr.) and DâAnthony Jones (6-2, 255, RJr.). Anenih is a true speed edge rusher with legit track speed, which explains his 15.5 TFL and 11 sacks over his first three seasons (8 starts in 34 career games), despite getting off to a slow start as you would expect of a true freshman with 2 TFL and sacks each. The Arlington Mansfield-Timberview product has 52 total tackles (29 solo), four passes defensed and two interceptions as he always seems to be around the ball. Jones has a nice combination of both speed and power that will allow him to lineup anywhere along the defensive line. Last season at Long Beach City College, Jones exploded for 62 total tackles, including 10.5 sacks as he was named the National Northern Leagueâs Defensive Player of the Year as well as being ranked the number six OLB by 247 sports. Turner, Anenih and Jones must pressure opposing QBâs more than they did last season as the defense registered just 68 TFL and 22 sacks, good for 92nd and 90th nationally respectively.
Derek Parrish (6-2, 245, RJr.) will probably get a lot of playing time at the strong side DE spot along with Anenih and/or Jones (in order to get more athletes on the field) as heâs a strong run stopper along the edge. After being named the fifth ranked inside linebacker in the state of Texas by Scout, the Pearland native started making a name for himself on special teams early on before transitioning to the strong-side defensive end as heâs had 31 solo tackles (59 total) over the past 25 games including four starts at the Bandit. Nelson Ceaser (6-3, 220, RFr.) can also add a speed element type rush from either side in a sub package as the Mo City Ridge Point product played in just four games last year, but showed off his 4-star ranked ability with a strip-sack at Tulsa. Ceaser finished his career at Ridge Point with 131 career tackles including an amazing 38 for loss, 21 sacks and 7 forced fumbles. True freshmen Chidozie Nwankwo (5-11, 284) is an intriguing prospect as he adds size along the interior. The Richmond Foster product won a state wrestling title this past season.
Earlyâs best combo along the line could be Turner inside along with Hall at DT with Jones and Anenih on the edges. Add in Charles-Pierre, Neal with possibly Bell and Payne inside, added with Parrish and Ceaser outside, and Cauthen looks to have a nifty 11-man rotation up front. Regardless of the starting lineup, ALL will be needed to heavily contribute this season due to the unknown of losing players to the Corona virus.
