Bullish or Sheepish?

Just like over/under or buy/sell, are you bullish or sheepish on:



BYU's ability to replace the playmaking of KVN and Sorenson on defense?

SpiffCoug wrote:
Just like over/under or buy/sell, are you bullish or sheepish on:



BYU's ability to replace the playmaking of KVN and Sorenson on defense?

I've been surprised at how little talk there's been of the hole that Sorenson is going to leave. I'm more concerned about him than I am about KVN.

Stirfry wrote:

Just like over/under or buy/sell, are you bullish or sheepish on:



BYU's ability to replace the playmaking of KVN and Sorenson on defense?

I've been surprised at how little talk there's been of the hole that Sorenson is going to leave. I'm more concerned about him than I am about KVN.

I am in this camp as well. The guy was a flat out playmaker. A special teams beast as well. That might possibly be the area the team will feel his loss the most.

I agree with the special teams play for sure. I'm bullish on Craig Bills to fill in the gap in the secondary, as long as he avoids another concussion. I like the thought of Bills and Rob Daniel as the starting safties behind tough as nails cover corners. If they can delay an opening another 1-2 seconds, our front 7 will have time to make plays they couldn't last year.

I'm Bullish, because of 2 words. Bronco Mendenhall. Dude simply knows how to coach a defense.

Baaa. ;)

Moo..?

IowaCougar wrote:
Moo..?

:lol: I don't mean to say Bronco may not still put together a very good defense, but you don't replace a once in a generation line backer like KVN that easily. I believe the question was about replacing the play making ability. Which new player is going to fill out the stat sheet like KVN and almost single handedly win a bowl game? I don't necessarily see any of the current players doing it, but with a very good defense you don't really have to. Bronco creates very good defenses.

The BYU defense lost several key contributors and special teams lost a couple plus Hoffman and Falslev. We have at least 3 good linebackers to replace, at least 2 good defensive linemen, plus Sorensen on defense. They will usually not be replaced by a better player at the same position. A few will be replaced by someone with different strengths and wraknesses, but as good. Some will be replaced by a lesser player. But we will improve quality and depth in the DBs and collectively, the defense will be nearly as good if not as good. Kicking game - not as good. Offense - better.



Overall - same or better with an easier schedule. 9 or more wins unless Hill goes down.



But - no. We will not have an outside linebacker step in and immediately play at the level of KVN. Ditto Sorenson on special teams.



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SpiffCoug wrote:
Just like over/under or buy/sell, are you bullish or sheepish on:



BYU's ability to replace the playmaking of KVN and Sorenson on defense?

I'm very sheepish on the linebackers overall. With Fua the only significant returner, we lose a lot at the most important part of the 3-4 defense. I like Fua, but I want to see how good he is without KVN on the other side. Hopefully, Bronson will turn out to be a gem. Even more concerning are the MLBs. Bronco's defense is predicated on being stout up the middle, and we have nobody that is proven there. Pikula looks lik he may turn out well, I've always like JLD's potential, Stout and Heder sounded promising in spring ball, but we just don't know.



Because the middle is so import, our MLB or safety is usually the coach on the field, ala Unga, Ogletree, or Andrew Rich. We don't have that this, unless Craig Bills can pull it off. Production aside, this on-the-field captain is very important, and it has me worried because we don't know who, if anybody, will fill it.



Aside from the leadership, I feel confident the safeties will work out. Bills is a known. Daniel showed a lot at corner last year, and I like him at safety. I feel good about Leavitt.



Just hope the LBs work out...

I think that we will be able to replace Sorenson and KVN just fine. (Bills and Kaufusi are legit NFL talents.) What I am worried about, however, is the people that replace Bills and Kaufusi at their respective positions.



I think that we are at a big net loss when it comes to overall defensive smartness and playmaking ability, I think that the defense gets a slight downgrade at the linebacker position, a slight downgrade at the safety position, and a big downgrade at the defensive line positions. A much improved secondary could balance everything out, but I frankly don't see a better corners than last year. When and IF everyone in the secondary "gets healthy" that may change, but as of right now we don't finish in the top 5 of defenses, even against the cupcakes we are playing for the majority of our schedule. We are looking to finish top 30, maybe, which is still acceptable.



I don't know that we will have a defense good enough to win us games next year, which is scary when you consider another year with gimmicky Anae at the helm, and that the offense might not be dominant.

I think our upgrades at both corner positions will take a lot of pressure off of the safeties to the point that the Sorenson loss will be evident, if at all, in special teams only, specifically punt coverage.

snoscythe wrote:
I think our upgrades at both corner positions will take a lot of pressure off of the safeties to the point that the Sorenson loss will be evident, if at all, in special teams only, specifically punt coverage.

I have to agree. What corner did we lose? We may move some corners back to natural positions - because we have better ones and more depth.



and note that Blue has already positioned himself to attribute any offensive improvement to cupcakes - which is half true - but only half true.



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Cougarbib wrote:

I think our upgrades at both corner positions will take a lot of pressure off of the safeties to the point that the Sorenson loss will be evident, if at all, in special teams only, specifically punt coverage.

I have to agree. What corner did we lose?

We've lost Skye PoVey, and we've moved Robertson Daniel to safety. Corners should be Jordan Johnson and Trent Trammell. Both enormous upgrades. PoVey was playing through a plantar fascia injury for which he should have sat the season out, but injuries to others made him, in his injured state, our best option next to Robertson Daniel, who is more naturally a safety.

Didn't PoVey participate in spring ball? I thought he left the program but came back?



He's still listed on the roster.

PoVey did play.



I'm definitely Bullish. No weak sauce here, I'm not going to play it safe and "circumspect"

Bronco is proven quantity. He will utilize the players he has.

Whereas last year looked ALOT like a 2-5-4 D, this year it will look more like a 4-3-5, w BK or AF periodically lining up as a fourth Dlineman. These two will pose a unique menace to passing QBs. It will be like the twin towers on the edges.

There should have been a #freeLeBronson campaign to capture the new BYU phenom once fans realize that such a talent had been caged up last year and will be a wrecking machine this year. Bronco knows all too well what he has and cant wait to unleash this beast.

Add another pair of studs at CB--barring injuries to all, and the only thing that will need to happen is to ensure the middle of the D is Stout and stiff and this could be as good if not better than last year.

Cougs_Rule wrote:
PoVey did play.



I'm definitely Bullish. No weak sauce here, I'm not going to play it safe and "circumspect"

Bronco is proven quantity. He will utilize the players he has.

Whereas last year looked ALOT like a 2-5-4 D, this year it will look more like a 4-3-5, w BK or AF periodically lining up as a fourth Dlineman. These two will pose a unique menace to passing QBs. It will be like the twin towers on the edges.

There should have been a #freeLeBronson campaign to capture the new BYU phenom once fans realize that such a talent had been caged up last year and will be a wrecking machine this year. Bronco knows all too well what he has and cant wait to unleash this beast.

Add another pair of studs at CB--barring injuries to all, and the only thing that will need to happen is to ensure the middle of the D is Stout and stiff and this could be as good if not better than last year.

The 4-3-5 will definitely shut more offenses down! ;)

BoiseBYU wrote:

PoVey did play.



I'm definitely Bullish. No weak sauce here, I'm not going to play it safe and "circumspect"

Bronco is proven quantity. He will utilize the players he has.

Whereas last year looked ALOT like a 2-5-4 D, this year it will look more like a 4-3-5, w BK or AF periodically lining up as a fourth Dlineman. These two will pose a unique menace to passing QBs. It will be like the twin towers on the edges.

There should have been a #freeLeBronson campaign to capture the new BYU phenom once fans realize that such a talent had been caged up last year and will be a wrecking machine this year. Bronco knows all too well what he has and cant wait to unleash this beast.

Add another pair of studs at CB--barring injuries to all, and the only thing that will need to happen is to ensure the middle of the D is Stout and stiff and this could be as good if not better than last year.

The 4-3-5 will definitely shut more offenses down! ;)

I'm a little more partial to a 5-7-2 defense. It's stronger on the front edge and backside. ;)

BoiseBYU wrote:

PoVey did play.



I'm definitely Bullish. No weak sauce here, I'm not going to play it safe and "circumspect"

Bronco is proven quantity. He will utilize the players he has.

Whereas last year looked ALOT like a 2-5-4 D, this year it will look more like a 4-3-5, w BK or AF periodically lining up as a fourth Dlineman. These two will pose a unique menace to passing QBs. It will be like the twin towers on the edges.

There should have been a #freeLeBronson campaign to capture the new BYU phenom once fans realize that such a talent had been caged up last year and will be a wrecking machine this year. Bronco knows all too well what he has and cant wait to unleash this beast.

Add another pair of studs at CB--barring injuries to all, and the only thing that will need to happen is to ensure the middle of the D is Stout and stiff and this could be as good if not better than last year.

The 4-3-5 will definitely shut more offenses down! ;)

Not if they counter with trips to the left and right and a full house backfield ;)

Wolverine wrote:

Cougs_Rule wrote:
PoVey did play.



I'm definitely Bullish. No weak sauce here, I'm not going to play it safe and "circumspect"

Bronco is proven quantity. He will utilize the players he has.

Whereas last year looked ALOT like a 2-5-4 D, this year it will look more like a 4-3-5, w BK or AF periodically lining up as a fourth Dlineman. These two will pose a unique menace to passing QBs. It will be like the twin towers on the edges.

There should have been a #freeLeBronson campaign to capture the new BYU phenom once fans realize that such a talent had been caged up last year and will be a wrecking machine this year. Bronco knows all too well what he has and cant wait to unleash this beast.

Add another pair of studs at CB--barring injuries to all, and the only thing that will need to happen is to ensure the middle of the D is Stout and stiff and this could be as good if not better than last year.

The 4-3-5 will definitely shut more offenses down! ;)

Not if they counter with trips to the left and right and a full house backfield ;)

Not to mention 3 QBs, we'll never know which one is going to get the ball hiked to him!!!