'20 IL SDE Rylie Mills (Notre Dame Signee)

[stpeteirish]

So the front 4 will be as good as last year, probably better because everyone is a year older. The linebackers lose some veteran savvy but have more upside in the young bucks + flexibility/leadership in Kiser. Secondary loses Cam Hart -- who kicks ass -- but luckily we have a ton of other good young corners.

Hard to see this group not being elite as long as we keep Golden.

Including a nickel and rover we 're looking at 6 of 12 starters back if Watts and Bothelo return and Bertrand doesn't. That's a pretty low total to expect improvement. But most of the "next men in" are pretty impressive. Its a reach, to me anyway, to think guys like Bowen and Gray will be better than Bertrand and Hart right away. So I'm not buying next year will be better yet.

 

[NDohio]

This is another huge victory for this defense.

 

[Luckylucci]

Including another off-season of growth for Onye and Rubio. It’s a beastly group of upperclassmen on the DL. Stack up against anybody in the country.

If Washington could develop a single pass rusher, just one, it’ll be an elite group. Between Ford, Burnham, Traore, Bryant, Vernon, etc. there has to be a 5 sack guy in there. It was pretty common prior to Washington’s arrival.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Including another off-season of growth for Onye and Rubio. It’s a beastly group of upperclassmen on the DL. Stack up against anybody in the country.

If Washington could develop a single pass rusher, just one, it’ll be an elite group. Between Ford, Burnham, Traore, Bryant, Vernon, etc. there has to be a 5 sack guy in there. It was pretty common prior to Washington’s arrival.

I think Burnhan, Traore, Bryant and Vernon can all get 4-5 sacks next year Devan Houston should be depth inside too and Hinish.

 

[RipWheeler]

Don’t forget Oben, DL is going to be 🔥

 

[PolishDomer]

He's back for next year via his Gram

 

[Irish#1]

Including a nickel and rover we 're looking at 6 of 12 starters back if Watts and Bothelo return and Bertrand doesn't. That's a pretty low total to expect improvement. But most of the "next men in" are pretty impressive. Its a reach, to me anyway, to think guys like Bowen and Gray will be better than Bertrand and Hart right away. So I'm not buying next year will be better yet.

Maybe, but it all starts on the D-line and given what's going to line up on the line, it's going to be pretty good.

 

[BobbyMac]

1% chance he's a Sox fan being from Lake Forest.

 

[MacIrish75]

1% chance he's a Sox fan being from Lake Forest.

Is he one of the Sox NIL kids this year?

 

[BobbyMac]

Is he one of the Sox NIL kids this year?

Is there anything more Soxy than giving an NIL contract to a Cubs fan?

F it Jerry... you can move to Nashville anytime you want.

 

[dublinirish]

dont think this guy ever got better at ND. He's a grown man getting pushed around by boys

 

[IRISHDODGER]

dont think this guy ever got better at ND. He's a grown man getting pushed around by boys

Same goes for Cross. They were so hyped when they both announced their return & they did seem to play well last year (Mills in the latter half of the season) but they’re lucky to be UDFA at this point.

 

[NDPhilly]

If Mills didnt have a C on his chest and wasnt a 5th year senior, you have to wonder if Onye wouldnt be stealing more of his snaps at this point.

 

[NDFAN2008]

If Mills didnt have a C on his chest and wasnt a 5th year senior, you have to wonder if Onye wouldnt be stealing more of his snaps at this point.

Agree I think even Hinish is more productive. I think Boubcar is also better than Bothelo, I think the defenisve line might actually be better next year with Boubcar and Young at DE with JT and Burnham backing up and THomas, then DT you will have Onye and Hinish along with maybe Houston and Armel. I still think they bring in 1-2 DT's as transfers

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Agree I think even Hinish is more productive. I think Boubcar is also better than Bothelo, I think the defenisve line might actually be better next year with Boubcar and Young at DE with JT and Burnham backing up and THomas, then DT you will have Onye and Hinish along with maybe Houston and Armel. I still think they bring in 1-2 DT's as transfers

Hinish gets washed out of run plays but he’s good at getting after the QB. Needs to put on some weight or he’ll be a non-factor in the run game. Junior T seems to excel in space but struggles otherwise & hasn’t shown a propensity to get to the QB.

 

[NDPhilly]

Agree I think even Hinish is more productive. I think Boubcar is also better than Bothelo, I think the defenisve line might actually be better next year with Boubcar and Young at DE with JT and Burnham backing up and THomas, then DT you will have Onye and Hinish along with maybe Houston and Armel. I still think they bring in 1-2 DT's as transfers

Agree, should really just need one starting quality DT transfer on defense. Maybe a safety where Watts is. I think Onye is likely going to be a mid to late round draft pick if he continues to improve as he has. Should be an athletic group next year.

 

[IrishSpartan]

Mills just feels like a body they throw in there and he seems to really struggle when it comes to going against the run. He doesnt use his hands as well as he should and is not very explosive which is weird because he is on the Freaks list yearly. Everyone always gets so high on him but he only plays decent when he can bully a smaller lineman. He looks so much like JJ Watt physically that people tend to think he is more athletic than he really is. Maybe you start to pressure him by giving Onye more reps.

 

[Free Manera]

Agree I think even Hinish is more productive. I think Boubcar is also better than Bothelo, I think the defenisve line might actually be better next year with Boubcar and Young at DE with JT and Burnham backing up and THomas, then DT you will have Onye and Hinish along with maybe Houston and Armel. I still think they bring in 1-2 DT's as transfers

Boubacar is the best D lineman period.

 

[IAIrish]

Probably gonna get some heat for this take, but watching the um/usc game right after the ND win, I would trade Mills/Cross for Graham/Grant without a bit of hesitation. Mills seems to lack the desire to dominate. Then he'll turn it on for 3-4 games in the back half of the season and get our hopes up.

Graham and Grant just own the inside in a way that every d-coordinator dreams. Hope they go pro after this season.

Now I gotta go gargle with whisky to get this shitty taste outta my mouth for complimenting michigan.

 

[zelezo vlk]

You would trade the best tackle duo in all of CFB for Rylie Mills? That's not anything worthy of heat. It's like saying you'd trade Christian Gray or Mickey for Will Johnson lol. Now if you said you wanted to trade our QB situation for theirs...

 

[Wild Bill]

Probably gonna get some heat for this take, but watching the um/usc game right after the ND win, I would trade Mills/Cross for Graham/Grant without a bit of hesitation. Mills seems to lack the desire to dominate. Then he'll turn it on for 3-4 games in the back half of the season and get our hopes up.

Graham and Grant just own the inside in a way that every d-coordinator dreams. Hope they go pro after this season.

Now I gotta go gargle with whisky to get this shitty taste outta my mouth for complimenting michigan.

Grant is an Indiana kid who played high school ball an hour away from ND. I don't think ND offered him, but maybe I'm wrong.

I don't think this is a controversial take at all. Grant is a freak and Graham is a good player too.

 

[IAIrish]

You would trade the best tackle duo in all of CFB for Rylie Mills? That's not anything worthy of heat. It's like saying you'd trade Christian Gray or Mickey for Will Johnson lol. Now if you said you wanted to trade our QB situation for theirs...

And Cross.

 

[stlnd01]

Agree I think even Hinish is more productive. I think Boubcar is also better than Bothelo, I think the defenisve line might actually be better next year with Boubcar and Young at DE with JT and Burnham backing up and THomas, then DT you will have Onye and Hinish along with maybe Houston and Armel. I still think they bring in 1-2 DT's as transfers

Boubacar and Young coming around the ends is amazing. Thomas looks like a hell of an athlete (he nearly blocked two punts coming around the end in the Purdue game, and has flashed on kickoffs too). I'd worry a little about the middle but Rubio's coming back at some point as well right?

 

[dublinirish]

Mills just plays dumb to me, never uses his hands well and once he gets stoned he never has a counter.

 

[JamIrish]

With guys like Traore, Young, Thomas, and Burgess...our end position has upgraded and the future looks bright. But the D-line still needs to improve on the interior. At this point, Rubio might be an upgrade to Mills and Onye looks to be coming on strong. But behind them, there's a bit of concern from me going forward. Hinish is too small and is already a junior at 278, so he's not gonna be a guy who can carry 295 or 300 like his brother. Mukam needs to get more reps cause he has the size but needs more experience playing football.

 

[RipWheeler]

Is Rubio going to be part of the rotation next year?

 

[stpeteirish]

Yeah we are not getting the DT play I expected. Rubio is expected back sometime this season and he might be an upgrade. Hinish gets overpowered on runs one o one, not good. Mills hasn't lived up to his ratings.

 

[NDFAN2008]

With guys like Traore, Young, Thomas, and Burgess...our end position has upgraded and the future looks bright. But the D-line still needs to improve on the interior. At this point, Rubio might be an upgrade to Mills and Onye looks to be coming on strong. But behind them, there's a bit of concern from me going forward. Hinish is too small and is already a junior at 278, so he's not gonna be a guy who can carry 295 or 300 like his brother. Mukam needs to get more reps cause he has the size but needs more experience playing football.

Suprised Houston hasn't gotten any time didn't he win scout player of the year for defense.

 

[Giddyup]

I think the interior has played fairly well, it’s harder to get up for MAC games. We’re 16th in total defense and 55th in total offense currently. 52nd in rushing defense through 4 games.

 

[pumpdog20]

Should help getting Rubio back in the fold, I hope.