2014 Depth Chart Predictions

Irish Man3

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I think we have the most athleticism in the secondary then we've had in years. Russell and Luke are really good cover corners. Having Butler, Kinlaw, and Watkins as backups is amazing. That's a really deep rotation of tall and athletic corners.

At safety, Redfield has a lot of learning left to do but he's extremely athletic. Farley will back him up with some solid experience. Opposite them you should have Shumate backed up by Baratti. Again, really active strong safeties that are good in coverage. I think Shumate is very underrated by most.

I honestly think that this is the best secondary we've had in a decade or more. Couple that with the pass rushers on this team and we should be in good shape this year, but especially moving forward.
 
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Irishbounty28

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I think we have the most athleticism in the secondary then we've had in years. Russell and Luke are really good cover corners. Having Butler, Kinlaw, and Watkins as backups is amazing. That's a really deep rotation of tall and athletic corners.

At safety, Redfield has a lot of learning left to do but he's extremely athletic. Farley will back him up with some solid experience. Opposite them you should have Sumatra backed up by Baratti. Again, really active strong safeties that are good in coverage. I think Shumate is very underrated by most.

I honestly think that this is the best secondary we've had in a decade or more. Couple that with the pass rushers on this team and we should be in good shape this year, but especially moving forward.


Lol. I hate autocorrect.
 

dublinirish

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i honestly thought Sumatra was a nickname bestowed on a ND player that somehow I had missed :D
 

Irish YJ

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Liked the article. Especially

Gone also will be the days of passive soft zone defense and telegraphed ineffective blitzes. VanGorder is going to attack and stop the run. He’s going to generate more negative plays, turnovers, and 3-and-outs than we’ve seen in a long time.
 

irishroo

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I think Grace is a really good fit for 3-4 ILB. I think he is way too slow sideline to sideline to play MIKE in a 4-3, especially if the injury slowed him at all.

I think his future is at SAM if anywhere in a 4-3. But I'm not sure he's a better fit than Okwara or Councell or many others for that role.

On Rochelle, he's potentially a SDE in a 4-3. Don't think he's a DT. I don't know who you play in that SDE role right now, Ishaq is clearly the WDE. Someone unproven? Matuska? We'll have to wait and see.

Realize it's a long shot for a true frosh to see starter minutes, but based on measurables and my limited viewing of YouTube highlight tapes, Trumbetti looks like a prototype 4-3 SDE. Don't know that he's explosive enough to come off the edge as a WDE, but certainly athletic and physical enough to play the strong side, set the edge in the running game, and hopefully getting some pressure on the QB when needed.
 

ryno 24

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Am I the only one who like and appreciated the 3-4. It is the defense of the future and our DLine is best suited for the 3-4. It is difficult to find a lot of good DT prospects. This is why Kelly originally wanted the 3-4. I see us playing a lot of the 3-4 this year. We will definitely be a very multiple defense though.
 

ulukinatme

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Am I the only one who like and appreciated the 3-4. It is the defense of the future and our DLine is best suited for the 3-4. It is difficult to find a lot of good DT prospects. This is why Kelly originally wanted the 3-4. I see us playing a lot of the 3-4 this year. We will definitely be a very multiple defense though.

:confused: It's quite the opposite. I think many of us appreciate the 3-4 when we have the players to do it, but we don't have the players. Our DLine is not suited at all for the 3-4 right now actually because the only true NT we have is probably Jarron, and some don't think he fits the mold there as it is. You absolutely need to have a NT in the middle that can eat up a double team and cause disruptions. If you ask any 3-4 experts they will tell you it all starts with the NT, it's the most important position in the scheme, and we've whiffed on recruiting them the last few years.

NT aside, I would argue that we don't have a good number of DE's that fit the parameters of a 3-4 either. Further, it's actually harder to find good NT prospects than it is to find DT prospects, not the other way around. We've got a number of current players and verbaled recruits that fit a DT mold, but not many players that fit the NT qualifications. We will probably still run some 3-4 this season, but remember that we ran it 50/50 as it was last year and we've lost arguably the two guys on the DL that made it really work.
 
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Bogtrotter07

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Does anyone know how bad Grace's breaks is? I have heard that it was compound, both bones, and affected the growth plate or joint surface. These have all been rumors.

Also, I have heard that Councell's knee is much worse than advertised. Any reliable news?

The biggest returning player that no one has accounted for is Nicky Baratti. If he comes back as big and fast we are doing well. He was between six-two and three, over 210lbs, after losing weight, and has laser timed at 4.45 seconds in the forty. His play tracked as that explosive. Healthy he could have a huge affect on everything. Guys like Nicky, and Drue if healthy could allow us much more flexible safety play. In an attacking defense that smells like :

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xdzoIHJBGt0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 

Irish YJ

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The biggest returning player that no one has accounted for is Nicky Baratti. If he comes back as big and fast we are doing well. He was between six-two and three, over 210lbs, after losing weight, and has laser timed at 4.45 seconds in the forty. His play tracked as that explosive. Healthy he could have a huge affect on everything. Guys like Nicky, and Drue if healthy could allow us much more flexible safety play.

I would not be shocked if Baratti moved to LB if we go to a 43
 

Domina Nostra

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Here is my guess from start of the year, to end of the year... barring injuries of course.

QB
Golson/Zaire/Kizer . . . Same

RB
Folston/McDaniel/Bryant . . . Folston/Bryant/McDaniel
(I think we see Folston and McDaniel as alternating--like Wood/Gray, Wood/Riddick--at the beginning of the year, with Bryant coming in on 3rd and short or goal line.. but Kelly won't wait to make a switch if someone isn't getting it done)

WR
Carlise/Prosise/Mahone or Hunter . . . Same

WR1
(1) Daniels/(4) Hunter/ (5) Robinson . . . Daniels stays #1 everything else, is up for grabs
(Robinson will play more situationally)
WR2
(2) Fuller/(3) Brown/ (6) Brent . . . Up for grabs

TE
Koyack/Smythe/Heuerman . . . Hopefully this stays the same, but if an injury occurs I think a freshman could challenge Heuerman, because of his size

OL: For OL, I named who would fill-in if someone went down. So, for example, if Lombard goes down, I think Martin would take his place and Heggarty would take over at center.

LT
Stanley/Elmer/McGlinchy . . . same
LG
Elmer/Martin/ (Hanratty or Heggarty) . . . same, unless McGlinchy can't handle RT
C
Martin/Heggarty/Hanratty . . . I could see this flipping
RG
Lombard/Martin/ (Hanratty or Heggarty) . . . same
RT
McGlinchy/Elmer/Nelson . . .

DT1/NT
Jones/Springman/Utopo . . . same, barring an injury

DT2/DE
Day/Hounsell/(Cage or Mokwuah) . . . same, freshman redshirt if possible

SDE
Rochell/Hayes/Matsuka . . . Blankenship if there is an injury

WDE
I. Williams/Rabasa/Okwara . . . Trumbetti or Blankenship could emerge as depth, even though I see Blankenship as a SDE

(Rush (3-4 OLB))
I. Williams/Okwara/(Trumbetti/J.Williams?) . . . same, freshman redshirt if possible

LB
SAM / OLB
Smith . . . After Smith, no clue. Sykes? Randolph makes sense to me.

MIKE
Deeb/Morgan/(Randolph or Moore or Schmidt) . . . Morgan will eventually start
(I really have no feel for how good Randolph is at ILB. He certainly has the size)

ILB2 in 3-4 looks
Morgan/(Randolph or More or Schmidt) . . . Deeb/(Moore or Schmidt)

WILL (Weak side OLB)
Councell/(Onwualu or Turner Jr. or Sykes) . . . Who can cover a slot (besides Smith). Personally, I think it almost makes more sense to have Smith on the weak side, and Councell on the strong side, based on body types. I think all the jumbo safeties (Onwualu/Turner Jr./Barratti/Tranquil) will get a look, too.

Nickel
Riggs/Onwualu/ (Turner Jr. or Farley) . . . Riggs could play full time CB, Butler could jump in to the #2 here when healthy, I could see Tranquil getting a shot as well

SS
Barratti/Shumate/Collinsworth . . . Tranquil could move into the depth chart

FS
Redfield/Hardy/Collinsworth . . . Collinsworth could force playing time

CB1
(1) Russell/(2) Luke/(5) Farley . . . same
CB2
(2) Riggs/ (4) Watkins/(6) Butler . . . same

ST [3]
KO/FG/PA- Brindza/Daly . . . same
Punts- Brindza/Daly . . . could flip if Daly shows situational prowess


Biggest worries: (1) attitude of DL, (2) inexperience at LB, (3) kind of new OL.

EDIT: I have no idea how LB is going to play out.
 
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Bogtrotter07

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Reps for the effort! Excellent job!

Here is my guess from start of the year, to end of the year... barring injuries of course.

QB
Golson/Zaire/Kizer . . . Same

RB
Folston/McDaniel/Bryant . . . Folston/Bryant/McDaniel
(I think we see Folston and McDaniel as alternating--like Wood/Gray, Wood/Riddick--at the beginning of the year, with Bryant coming in on 3rd and short or goal line.. but Kelly won't wait to make a switch if someone isn't getting it done) Really? I think every indication is Bryant's hands are too good for that.
WR
Carlise/Prosise/Mahone or Hunter . . . Same So far it looks to be CJ then Amir, but I wonder if who we play and situation may not make a difference. Don't know about Hunter at the slot. That kid can fly!

WR1
(1) Daniels/(4) Hunter/ (5) Robinson . . . Daniels stays #1 everything else, is up for grabs
(Robinson will play more situationally)
WR2
(2) Fuller/(3) Brown/ (6) Brent . . . Up for grabs

TE
Koyack/Smythe/Heuerman . . . Hopefully this stays the same, but if an injury occurs I think a freshman could challenge Heuerman, because of his size

OL: For OL, I named who would fill-in if someone went down. So, for example, if Lombard goes down, I think Martin would take his place and Heggarty would take over at center.

LT
Stanley/Elmer/McGlinchy . . . same
LG
Elmer/Martin/ (Hanratty or Heggarty) . . . same, unless McGlinchy can't handle RT
C
Martin/Heggarty/Hanratty . . . I could see this flipping
RG
Lombard/Martin/ (Hanratty or Heggarty) . . . same
RT
McGlinchy/Elmer/Nelson . . .

DT1/NT
Jones/Springman/Utopo . . . same, barring an injury

DT2/DE
Day/Hounsell/(Cage or Mokwuah) . . . same, freshman redshirt if possible

SDE
Rochell/Hayes/Matsuka . . . Blankenship if there is an injury

WDE
I. Williams/Rabasa/Okwara . . . Trumbetti or Blankenship could emerge as depth, even though I see Blankenship as a SDE

(Rush (3-4 OLB))
I. Williams/Okwara/(Trumbetti/J.Williams?) . . . same, freshman redshirt if possible

SAM / OLB Linebacker is going to be Smith, then all packages depending on who can play!
Councell/Randolph/(Martini or J. Williams or Trumbetti or Bonner or Hill) . . . NO IDEA, but
I don't see Randolph staying inside without more veteran depth at Will

MIKE
Deeb/Morgan/(Moore or Schmidt) . . . Morgan/Deeb/(Moore or Schmidt)

ILB2 in 3-4 looks
(More or Schmidt)/Morgan . . . (Morgan or Deeb depending who is not the starting Mike)/ (Moore or Schmidt)

WILL (Weak side OLB)
Smith/(Onwualu or Turner Jr. or Sykes) . . . Smith is the starter. But I think all the jumbo safeties (Onwualu/Turner Jr./Barratti/Tranquil) will get a look

Nickel
Riggs/Onwualu/ (Turner Jr. or Farley) . . . Riggs could play full time CB, Butler could jump in to the #2 here when healthy, I could see Tranquil getting a shot as well

SS
Barratti/Shumate/Collinsworth . . . Tranquil could move into the depth chart

FS
Redfield/Hardy/Collinsworth . . . Collinsworth could force playing time

CB1
(1) Russell/(2) Luke/(5) Farley . . . same
CB2
(2) Riggs/ (4) Watkins/(6) Butler . . . same

ST [3]
KO/FG/PA- Brindza/Daly . . . same
Punts- Brindza/Daly . . . could flip if Daly shows situational prowess


Biggest worries: (1) attitude of DL, (2) inexperience at LB, (3) kind of new OL.

I think the DL will be hungry, hungrier than last year by a far sight!
 

Domina Nostra

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I think the DL will be hungry, hungrier than last year by a far sight!

Great points! A couple replies...

RB: I think Kelly is going to give McDaniel the beneift of the doubt as long as he performs at a high level in practice and in games at the very beginning of the year. He is such a positive force on the team. Bryant, on the other hand, sounds like he was not always 100% acclimated with the team last year. He turned that corner, and will almost certainly prove that he belongs in the two-deep (possibly #1). But where will he get to prove it? IMHO, on 3rd downs and power situations- where Cam faltered a little last year. Fair is fair! Once he shows that he can not be stopped, he'll start stealing playing time.

Slot: The thing I really disliked about the offense last year was how obvious the play calling was based on the personnel. Having such different sized players at slot makes me a little worried that this will continue ("Procise is in, they are going power!"). My hope is that carlisle wears LBs out with his speed and sets up Procise who is not a guy you arm tackle when you are gassed!

Weak-side OLB: Smith plus packages... absolutely right.

DL: I do like the attitude that Elston seems to instill, and I think the presence of Hounshell and Springmann (two Vikings) will add some practice leadership. I like the attitudes of Rochell, Day, and Jones from what I hear (jury is out on I. Williams), but do any of them have the ability to lead by example, like KLM? Tuitt and Nix were never going to get too discouraged since their talent levels were so high. What happens if these guys get pushed around a little?

How do people see the strong side (Sam) shaking out?
 
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Bogtrotter07

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Great points! A couple replies...

RB: I think Kelly is going to give McDaniel the beneift of the doubt as long as he performs at a high level in practice and in games at the very beginning of the year. He is such a positive force on the team. Bryant, on the other hand, sounds like he was not always 100% acclimated with the team last year. He turned that corner, and will almost certainly prove that he belongs in the two-deep (possibly #1). But where will he get to prove it? IMHO, on 3rd downs and power situations- where Cam faltered a little last year. Fair is fair! Once he shows that he can not be stopped, he'll start stealing playing time.

Slot: The thing I really disliked about the offense last year was how obvious the play calling was based on the personnel. Having such different sized players at slot makes me a little worried that this will continue ("Procise is in, they are going power!"). My hope is that carlisle wears LBs out with his speed and sets up Procise who is not a guy you arm tackle when you are gassed!

Weak-side OLB: Smith plus packages... absolutely right.

DL: I do like the attitude that Elston seems to instill, and I think the presence of Hounshell and Springmann (two Vikings) will add some practice leadership. I like the attitudes of Rochell, Day, and Jones from what I hear (jury is out on I. Williams), but do any of them have the ability to lead by example, like KLM? Tuitt and Nix were never going to get too discouraged since their talent levels were so high. What happens if these guys get pushed around a little?

How do people see the strong side (Sam) shaking out?

Oh yeah, I was thinking about Morgan and how he fit in and the other guy Sykes, there is a lot going around about how ready he may be, too. Both guys are sounding freakish.
 

Domina Nostra

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Are we planning on playing Jaylon on the strong side- where the TE lines up? Is that because we want him to be as involved as possible? He is kind of an ideal weak-side LB, but it makes sense to have him in the middle of the action as much as possible, unless you are playing a pure running team like Wisconsin or Alabama. If Jaylon is the SAM, is Councell the weak side starter?
 
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Old Man Mike

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Not exactly a "depth chart prediction" I guess, but some possibly relevant viewpoints following the Spring game:

A). The O-Line WILL contain Stanley, Elmer, NMart, and Lombard as starters, and almost certainly McGlinchey. That will freeze out Hanratty, Hegarty as alternate LG candidates. Bivin, who I think might outcompete the two "H's" anyway, will become the back-up at both tackles. That leaves two spots on depth: McGovern is apparently one of them. Though a guard according to Kelly, he'll probably be back-up tackle so a frosh won't have to be. Again, to preserve the frosh, Montelus will probably be fifth wheel on the #2 line. If not him then Harrell;

B). The wide receivers are where the real interest is right now for me. I don't see how one keeps Robinson off the field. And if you can't, then how do you keep Fuller off the field? Since "slot" is being envisioned as a special position [give it to Prosise], where does that leave Daniels once he gets back? Everyone knows that Davaris is the athlete with the most upside, BUT he's going to have to earn it, in my opinion. There are a BUNCH of really good WRs fighting for time, AND DESERVING IT..If Daniels does any of his previous "I'll play this play, but maybe not so much the next" [as he's been famous for], he might find a bench in his future --- on the other hand, maybe this motivates him;

C). Koyack's good. So are both youngsters --- both catch, one's big enough, and the "little" one catches everything. We're fine.

D). All three RBs are REAL good. The young'uns/young guns are spectacular, and the Old Man catches everything. Kelly says it's his best unit;

E). One game can't possibly capture what a player is like or is going to do. BUT, Zaire DID look like he had something special. IF he demonstrates to Coach that he has Command during the August practice, he's going to be a threat to Everett. Everett, weirdly, was nervous, even forgetting where to hold his hands pre-snap {Kelly lectured him on this on the sideline --- he had one flat muff, and the higher snap wasn't superhigh --- QBs should get that.} If Malik continues to be Cool Hand Luke, and Everett continues to forget details, we've got {horrors} a QB controversy again. I don't look forward to that.

I can't speak to the defense. They were probably fine on the DLine, but with the exception of JSmith, the LBs might not have made a real play, and maybe the safeties didn't either [one might claim Shumate, but to my eye the pass was a floated duck, and he might have even interfered.] Give me Day, Okwara, Smith, Russell, and Luke --- throw in Collinsworth as the only safety who understands the defense, and build from there. I think that the DLine will fill in nicely. {I'm including Ishaq as a DLineman.} I think Redfield and Riggs will firm up the DBackfield in time. We watched a lot of Farley, Atkinson, and non-scholly player X thrashing about behind our great receivers and even Hardy not quite getting there. The season may well be determined on whether Grace comes back and/or whether Morgan can play as rapidly as did Jaylon.


Despite the slim data available, and the foolishness of leaning on a practice scrimmage, and the disappointment in parts of that scrimmage, I'm going to allow myself to drink a little Koolaid anyway. I believe that our offense is incredibly loaded. If McGlinchey can hold up his end, and either Everett settles down or Malik is for real, we should really roll. On Defense I'm counting on an even more irrational glimmer: I just love everything that I'm hearing about Van Gorder. He seems to have the Magic --- just like BK on offense [if the Universe will ever give him a QB], and just like Coach Harry with the OLine. If he can possibly cook chicken soup out of chicken shit, he'll do it.
 
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Bogtrotter07

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Not exactly a "depth chart prediction" I guess, but some possibly relevant viewpoints following the Spring game:

A). The O-Line WILL contain Stanley, Elmer, NMart, and Lombard as starters, and almost certainly McGlinchey. That will freeze out Hanratty, Hegarty as alternate LG candidates. Bivin, who I think might outcompete the two "H's" anyway, will become the back-up at both tackles. That leaves two spots on depth: McGovern is apparently one of them. Though a guard according to Kelly, he'll probably be back-up tackle so a frosh won't have to be. Again, to preserve the frosh, Montelus will probably be fifth wheel on the #2 line. If not him then Harrell;

B). The wide receivers are where the real interest is right now for me. I don't see how one keeps Robinson off the field. And if you can't, then how do you keep Fuller off the field? Since "slot" is being envisioned as a special position [give it to Prosise], where does that leave Daniels once he gets back? Everyone knows that Davaris is the athlete with the most upside, BUT he's going to have to earn it, in my opinion. There are a BUNCH of really good WRs fighting for time, AND DESERVING IT..If Daniels does any of his previous "I'll play this play, but maybe not so much the next" [as he's been famous for], he might find a bench in his future --- on the other hand, maybe this motivates him;

C). Koyack's good. So are both youngsters --- both catch, one's big enough, and the "little" one catches everything. We're fine.

D). All three RBs are REAL good. The young'uns/young guns are spectacular, and the Old Man catches everything. Kelly says it's his best unit;

E). One game can't possibly capture what a player is like or is going to do. BUT, Zaire DID look like he had something special. IF he demonstrates to Coach that he has Command during the August practice, he's going to be a threat to Everett. Everett, weirdly, was nervous, even forgetting where to hold his hands pre-snap {Kelly lectured him on this on the sideline --- he had one flat muff, and the higher snap wasn't superhigh --- QBs should get that.} If Malik continues to be Cool Hand Luke, and Everett continues to forget details, we've got {horrors} a QB controversy again. I don't look forward to that.

I can't speak to the defense. They were probably fine on the DLine, but with the exception of JSmith, the LBs might not have made a real play, and maybe the safeties didn't either [one might claim Shumate, but to my eye the pass was a floated duck, and he might have even interfered.] Give me Day, Okwara, Smith, Russell, and Luke --- throw in Collinsworth as the only safety who understands the defense, and build from there. I think that the DLine will fill in nicely. {I'm including Ishaq as a DLineman.} I think Redfield and Riggs will firm up the DBackfield in time. We watched a lot of Farley, Atkinson, and non-scholly player X thrashing about behind our great receivers and even Hardy not quite getting there. The season may well be determined on whether Grace comes back and/or whether Morgan can play as rapidly as did Jaylon.


Despite the slim data available, and the foolishness of leaning on a practice scrimmage, and the disappointment in parts of that scrimmage, I'm going to allow myself to drink a little Koolaid anyway. I believe that our offense is incredibly loaded. If McGlinchey can hold up his end, and either Everett settles down or Malik is for real, we should really roll. On Defense I'm counting on an even more irrational glimmer: I just love everything that I'm hearing about Van Gorder. He seems to have the Magic --- just like BK on offense [if the Universe will ever give him a QB], and just like Coach Harry with the OLine. If he can possibly cook chicken soup out of chicken shit, he'll do it.

Somebody used chicken salad out of chicken shit with me today. It was the first time I heard that one in a while, one of my grandpa's favorites!

Hiestand got acknowledged on the sideline by Kelly for the offensive line selling the screen so well. That says a lot about this years offense.

What about Williams? He rocked with Okwara and Day. Day was really good. And Hounshell had some really good time in there, too!

I believe BVG dialed it up just a bit in the second to tell the quarterbacks how much he loves 'em! Seeing him smiling on the sideline and not having to go over "everything with everybody," tells me the defense will be okay this year.
 

Riddickulous

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Linebacker will be interesting this year. We know Jaylon is set, but who will the other two be?
 

IrishLax

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Did Deeb make any plays today? I wasn't watching game that close but can't remember his name ever getting called.
 

Riddickulous

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Did Deeb make any plays today? I wasn't watching game that close but can't remember his name ever getting called.

Didn't hear his name called.

Then again, Romeo Okwara had 3 sacks today and I didn't even notice.
 
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Bogtrotter07

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Didn't hear his name called.

Then again, Romeo Okwara had 3 sacks today and I didn't even notice.

Voilà! Romeo is the instant new pass rush. If you watched, not only did Romeo do everything well, but both Romeo and Ishaq were excellent at crashing from defensive end to disguise a blitzer as a trailer off their outside flan.
 

WestCoast

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Voilà! Romeo is the instant new ... flan.

flan.jpg
 
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