The 2010 Defense for the Cats lost a ton of talent (C Harrison, T Lindley, M Johnson, S Maxwell, and C Peters, as well as top reserve A Cobb).
Here is a quick Pre-spring Practice breakdown of the Top Returning Players which could breakout the upcoming season.
The Likely Superstars
D Evans--38 Total Tackles, 6 Sacks for 40 yards, 12.5 Tackles for Loss for 48 yards (should greatly improve now that he has a year in the system. He had some flashes in his 1st yr as a Cat)
Winston Guy--60 Total Tackles, 1 Sack for 7 yards, 2 Tackles for Loss for 10 yards, Passes Defensed 5, and 5 Pass Break Ups (Could he be our Ed Reed?)
Danny Trevathan--82 Total Tackles, 5 Tackles for Loss for 15 yards, 2 Forced Fumbles and 2 Fumble Recoveries (Looks like he should be the best LB for the '10 season)
Paul Warford--32 Total Tackles, 6 Passes Defensed, 6 Pass Breakups (He should take over as the #1 CB)
The Need to Play Well or We could be Hurting
Mark Crawford--16 Total Tackles, 2 Passes Defensed, 2 Breakups (should greatly improve with another year in the system. If he improves greatly, the D-Line might begin to dictate some games.)
Ricky Lumpkins--26 Total Tackles (He should improve some, if he improves a lot, the Defense could step up Big Time)
(Someone must step up at DT or the CATS could be exploited via the run again)
The Wildcard
Taylor Wyndham--28 Total Tackles, 6.5 Tackles for Loss for 19 yards, 2 Sacks for 9 yards, 2 QB Hurries, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Fumble Recovery, 2 Passes Defensed, 2 Pass Breakups (If Taylor improves, the DEs could literally dominate almost anyone. He had some very good flashes last year)
Here is a quick Pre-spring Practice breakdown of the Top Returning Players which could breakout the upcoming season.
The Likely Superstars
D Evans--38 Total Tackles, 6 Sacks for 40 yards, 12.5 Tackles for Loss for 48 yards (should greatly improve now that he has a year in the system. He had some flashes in his 1st yr as a Cat)
Winston Guy--60 Total Tackles, 1 Sack for 7 yards, 2 Tackles for Loss for 10 yards, Passes Defensed 5, and 5 Pass Break Ups (Could he be our Ed Reed?)
Danny Trevathan--82 Total Tackles, 5 Tackles for Loss for 15 yards, 2 Forced Fumbles and 2 Fumble Recoveries (Looks like he should be the best LB for the '10 season)
Paul Warford--32 Total Tackles, 6 Passes Defensed, 6 Pass Breakups (He should take over as the #1 CB)
The Need to Play Well or We could be Hurting
Mark Crawford--16 Total Tackles, 2 Passes Defensed, 2 Breakups (should greatly improve with another year in the system. If he improves greatly, the D-Line might begin to dictate some games.)
Ricky Lumpkins--26 Total Tackles (He should improve some, if he improves a lot, the Defense could step up Big Time)
(Someone must step up at DT or the CATS could be exploited via the run again)
The Wildcard
Taylor Wyndham--28 Total Tackles, 6.5 Tackles for Loss for 19 yards, 2 Sacks for 9 yards, 2 QB Hurries, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Fumble Recovery, 2 Passes Defensed, 2 Pass Breakups (If Taylor improves, the DEs could literally dominate almost anyone. He had some very good flashes last year)
Warford is awesome. He was my favorite player last year. He and Moncell. Fear the turtle, yall.
ReplyDeleteThe competition at CB is good for this team. We have more quality depth at this position than we have ever had in my lifetime (of course that can be said about almost any position on the team)
ReplyDeleteBill, I agree with much of what you have said.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to understand the progression that has taken place with the defensive unit in the last decade. Going back two decades, UK's defenses have usually been among the SEC's worst. To win in the SEC, you must stop the run. Rich Brooks understood that, and Joker understands it.
UK's 2008 defensive unit was the best edition this football program has produced since at least 2002. But, generally-speaking, weak defenses were Brooks' "kryptonite".
In 2010, UK's three best returning defensive players are Paul Warford, Winston Guy, and Danny Trevathan in no particular order. Fellow starters Ricky Lumpkin, Dequin Evans, and Taylor Wyndham also return, and I posit that the extent to which Lumpkin, Evans, and Wyndham improve is the litmus test for UK's 2010 defensive unit.
Retooling of UK's DL and LB rotations is the immediate concern. Veteran SEC position coach David Turner has been brought in from Mississippi State to oversee the DL. Incumbent LB coach Chuck Smith is a better teacher than people appreciate.
DEs are Turner's specialty. Overall, look for UK's DEs to improve significantly under Turner's tutelage in 2010. The 2009 DEs never got over the sudden loss of Jeremy Jarmon, and there was a devastating impact due to overall inexperience in the rotation. Keep in mind that the 2009 two-deep DE rotation included two redshirt freshmen, a true sophomore who was playing out of position, and a JUCO transfer who had never played D-1 football before. Experience and numbers will be better in 2010. All these players have an SEC season under their belts now. Chandler Burden will be moved, but Dequin Evans, Taylor Wyndham, and Collins Ukwu will be bigger, stronger, and better. Wyndham (not Evans) has the highest performance upside in this group. In 2009, Wyndham played at 220-230#. In 2010, Taylor will play at 240-250#. Freshman Justin Henderson enrolled in January. Henderson is a better prospect than people think. Redshirt freshman Pat Ligon may stick in the DE rotation, and several other freshmen could help. So numbers are better this time around.
Numbers are also better at DT, where returners Mark Crawford, Shane McCord, and Lumpkin are joined by a list of talented true and redshirt freshmen.
So I think the DL will be a work in progress, but might improve fast as the season transpires because of the young, incoming talent.
WLB Danny Trevathan is a veteran. But Chuck Smith must piece together the MLB and SLB positional rotations from among returning back-ups and talented freshmen. The LB rotations are the true key to UK's 2010 defensive unit, and I will be watching Qua Huzzie and Avery Williamson in August.
If the DL and LBs play well, the secondary will be alright. In addition to Warford and Guy, UK returns other experienced defensive backs. Redshirt freshman Jarvis Walker is a potential all-SEC players in the future. Several true freshmen will have shots to play next fall. Joker also imported two JUCO safeties.
My two cents....
Likely superstars: None
Potential superstars: Jarvis Walker, Avery Williamson, Brice Laughlin
Likely 2010 defensive leaders: Paul Warford, Winston Guy, Danny Trevathan, Taylor Wyndham
Need to play better or else: Dequin Evans, Collins Ukwu, Ricky Lumpkin, Mark Crawford, Randall Burden, Martavius Neloms, Taiedo Smith
Wildcards (all are freshmen): Donte Rumph, Brice Laughlin, Mister Cobble, Justin Henderson, Qua Huzzie, Avery Williamson, Jabari Johnson, Dale Trimble, Eric Simmons, Jarvis Walker
A handful of these freshmen will be starters by November, and one or two could easily start in September.