Corner is going to be a real concern on the d

I think losing trammel was a big deal.



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it looks like we are looking over the scraps right now to bring more talent it. doesn't say much about those guys we have there right now.

I think either Sam Lee or Cameron Comer will start at Boundary, unless they can get a bigger kid signed to play. Comer is slotted as JJ's back-up at field right now, but they might have to move him over. Reports are that he has been getting the #1 reps. And Sam Lee wont be here until Fall, so not sure what they have with him yet. Reports are that Hague has played safety only with Bills out, not corner. Not sure they want a converted FB playing corner, ya know. Not hearing much about PoVey.

It will be exacerbated by the fact that we won't have the same pass rush from the front seven that we did last year.

snoscythe wrote:
It will be exacerbated by the fact that we won't have the same pass rush from the front seven that we did last year.

Good point. I think it is likely that our d takes a step back this year. Hopefully our offense takes a step or two up to make up for it.

The defense will take a step back. But, with a top 3 finish in 2012, a step back won't be devastating. And KVN by himself almost guarantees us a top-25 defense. But still, the defense will be key to the Cougar's 2013 success.



So far, I don't see anyone who can even begin to reload what we lose in Fuga and Ansah on the dline. This will hurt. Kaufusi will make some noise, but Kanuch at NT hasn't proven anything yet. Fuga was excellent at clogging the middle; both to stop the inside run game and to provide the linebackers opportunities to make plays. That will be missed.



Luckily, linebacker is the position group at which BYU genuinely reloads. Solid linebacking corps in 2013. KVN will again be a beast. I look forward to seeing Unga and Pikula in the middle. Expect FUA and Leuta-Douyere to contribute as well. They just need some experience.



Sorenson and Bills are legit safeties. And plenty of experience and key cogs of Bronco's secondary. I actually think Hague will be a quality safety as well. Jordan Johnson is an above-average BYU corner, but not invincible. That boundary corner spot could be a difference maker. With a less effective dline, this will put more pressure on the secondary. It only takes 2 or 3 bad plays by an under-performing boundary corner to turn a good defensive performance into a dud. This could be a real weak spot in the defense.



Way too early pre-season grades:



Overall: B-

dline: C

'backers: A-

secondary: C

The difference is experience. we will reload at tackle and inside linebacker but the experience of fuga, ogletree, and uona will be sorely missed. they knew the defense in and out and had great chemistry. they didn't have to think, the just played hard and smart.



I think that pikula and unga are upgrades in terms of talent but it will take time fore them to get the scheme and be as effective as tree and uona.



we are also thin at outside backer. lets hope for no injuries there.



bills should be a lot better as well. hague coming back as nickel is a big deal as well.

Gotta be strong up the middle in the 3-4 and we lost all three center players (DT, ILB, ILB). Defense has a lot of question marks.

UNga played enough for me to not worry at all. He usually was given 3rd down duties in many games, so I know he can play and knowsthe scheme. Pikula is more of an X-factor for me. He is strong and physical, but I am not sure he is an instinctual as Tree. Tree was a run stopping beast, and tackling machine. Yes, he got exposed in space, but so do most ILBs, See Ray Lewis in the playoffs. Issue with ILBs is can they tackle in tight areas. TRee did really well. Hope Pikula can as well.



And as mentioned, need that NT to play up to Fuga ability. He was the most underrated player on our D. Someone has to fill that void. If so, we can be top-20 good again, which is a realistic goal for the D.

YNot wrote:
The defense will take a step back. But, with a top 3 finish in 2012, a step back won't be devastating. And KVN by himself almost guarantees us a top-25 defense. But still, the defense will be key to the Cougar's 2013 success.



So far, I don't see anyone who can even begin to reload what we lose in Fuga and Ansah on the dline. This will hurt. Kaufusi will make some noise, but Kanuch at NT hasn't proven anything yet. Fuga was excellent at clogging the middle; both to stop the inside run game and to provide the linebackers opportunities to make plays. That will be missed.



Luckily, linebacker is the position group at which BYU genuinely reloads. Solid linebacking corps in 2013. KVN will again be a beast. I look forward to seeing Unga and Pikula in the middle. Expect FUA and Leuta-Douyere to contribute as well. They just need some experience.



Sorenson and Bills are legit safeties. And plenty of experience and key cogs of Bronco's secondary. I actually think Hague will be a quality safety as well. Jordan Johnson is an above-average BYU corner, but not invincible. That boundary corner spot could be a difference maker. With a less effective dline, this will put more pressure on the secondary. It only takes 2 or 3 bad plays by an under-performing boundary corner to turn a good defensive performance into a dud. This could be a real weak spot in the defense.



Way too early pre-season grades:



Overall: B-

dline: C

'backers: A-

secondary: C

Let me get this straight. Guaranteed to be a Top 25 Defense. Overall grade B-.



A Top 25 Defense deserves much better than B-. So what will ut be.



2012 A+

Top 15 A

Top 20A-

Top 25 B+ or A-



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Cougarbib wrote:
Let me get this straight. Guaranteed to be a Top 25 Defense. Overall grade B-.



A Top 25 Defense deserves much better than B-. So what will ut be.



2012 A+

Top 15 A

Top 20A-

Top 25 B+ or A-

You're right. Either we won't have a top 25 defense, or I've incorrectly graded or weighted the various position groups.



I do think we will have a top 25 defense, so either the linebackers' corps will hide the deficiencies in the dline and secondary or I am not giving the dline and secondary enough credit. I hope it's both.

Lawboy wrote:
He [Fuga] was the most underrated player on our D. Someone has to fill that void. .

I would say that was preston hadley. he was the most underrated player on our d in my opinion. i also think it will be easier for us to fill fuga's void than hadleys.

jonnylingo wrote:

He [Fuga] was the most underrated player on our D. Someone has to fill that void. .

I would say that was preston hadley. he was the most underrated player on our d in my opinion. i also think it will be easier for us to fill fuga's void than hadleys.

We had some very good players. Fuga was the most under-rated.



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Isn't the secondary usually a concern at BYU? I would love to have SEC-type corners but it'll always be our weakness. Even last year with our awesome D the secondary got torn to shreds against teams with a good QB and a little bit of composure. Why more teams did not attack the secondary I'll never know.

mizzoucoug wrote:
Isn't the secondary usually a concern at BYU? I would love to have SEC-type corners but it'll always be our weakness. Even last year with our awesome D the secondary got torn to shreds against teams with a good QB and a little bit of composure. Why more teams did not attack the secondary I'll never know.

Our secondary only got torn to shreads 2x. Oregon State, and half 1 vs. SJSU. Both times it was because Bronco chose to sit back and zone them, and not bring pressure. In the SJSU game, he brought pressure half 2 and we shut them down. Wish he had tried more in the Oregon State game. So I blame that more on scheme than the corners.



We had a top-5 defense, which means we really didn't get torn to shreds too much really. Defenisve stats were too good for that to have happened much.

mizzoucoug wrote:
Isn't the secondary usually a concern at BYU? I would love to have SEC-type corners but it'll always be our weakness. Even last year with our awesome D the secondary got torn to shreds against teams with a good QB and a little bit of composure. Why more teams did not attack the secondary I'll never know.

did you notice though that it was rarely hadley that was getting 'shredded'. They always went to jj's side. Rarely did I see hadley get beat. You are making my point, byu has never been known for having great dbacks. hadley was an exception. I really think we will miss him. the coaches and players really thought trammel would be just as good or better. we needed him.



I am getting worried about this year. I am afraid our offense will be a mess and that our defense will take a few steps back. hopefully things come together and the youth step it up. hopefully anae realizes that implementing a go hard go fast takes time as well and compensates for that.

jonnylingo wrote:

Isn't the secondary usually a concern at BYU? I would love to have SEC-type corners but it'll always be our weakness. Even last year with our awesome D the secondary got torn to shreds against teams with a good QB and a little bit of composure. Why more teams did not attack the secondary I'll never know.

did you notice though that it was rarely hadley that was getting 'shredded'. They always went to jj's side. Rarely did I see hadley get beat. You are making my point, byu has never been known for having great dbacks. hadley was an exception. I really think we will miss him. the coaches and players really thought trammel would be just as good or better. we needed him.



I am getting worried about this year. I am afraid our offense will be a mess and that our defense will take a few steps back. hopefully things come together and the youth step it up. hopefully anae realizes that implementing a go hard go fast takes time as well and compensates for that.

Hadley was pretty good, and I liked him, but he seemed to get beat a lot, especially when he had to follow his man across the middle.

hawkwing wrote:

mizzoucoug wrote:
Isn't the secondary usually a concern at BYU? I would love to have SEC-type corners but it'll always be our weakness. Even last year with our awesome D the secondary got torn to shreds against teams with a good QB and a little bit of composure. Why more teams did not attack the secondary I'll never know.

did you notice though that it was rarely hadley that was getting 'shredded'. They always went to jj's side. Rarely did I see hadley get beat. You are making my point, byu has never been known for having great dbacks. hadley was an exception. I really think we will miss him. the coaches and players really thought trammel would be just as good or better. we needed him.



I am getting worried about this year. I am afraid our offense will be a mess and that our defense will take a few steps back. hopefully things come together and the youth step it up. hopefully anae realizes that implementing a go hard go fast takes time as well and compensates for that.

Hadley was pretty good, and I liked him, but he seemed to get beat a lot, especially when he had to follow his man across the middle.

i don't remember him getting beat "alot". certainly he did but there was a reason that the ball was usually thrown to jj's side and not hadleys.

Hadley didn't get beat, a lot. He was a good defender. He made a lot of tackles, even at the corner position. Maybe that is what you are thinking of.



Also, Spencer Hadley (inside line backer) covered some passing plays (instead of Tree - he rotated in) and he got beat in passing coverage from time to time.



P. Hadley rarely got beat, and certainly not for a lot of yards.

I'm sorry that you're memories are off on this. Preston Hadley was good to get beat long about once a game, more in our losses. He was good, he just couldn't keep up with his man across the middle.

As I recall JJ got beat plenty more than Hadley. Granted he was FC which gets a lot more action. I'm interested to see if Comer gets any time at BC. He's a big corner and was heavily recruited out of HS