Number four, with a bullet

Some random dude on Dawgs247 posts about the toughest defenses Florida will face this season, and the team ranked sixth nationally last season in total defense ranks fourth on the totem pole.

Georgia lost a lot to the NFL on the defensive side of the ball, but they are talented. The best unit on defense, at least early in the year, should be the defensive line with starters Jonathan Ledbetter (SR) and Tyler Clark (JR) returning from a year ago. Julian Rochester (JR) in the middle is another with experience. Like the Noles, the Bulldogs will have to replace all four starting linebackers, and that was a very talented group past year for the Bulldogs. But, recruiting has been great and familiar names like Walter Grant (SO), Natrez Patrick (SR), Monty Rice (SO), and D’Andre Walker (SR) are the guys that have to step in and fill the roles now with high profile newly signed players waiting in the wings. Corner Deandre Baker (SR) and safety J.R. Reed (JR) are talented returning starters in the back end, but the other spots are going to be occupied by players with very little experience. Tyrique McGhee (JR) may get the nod at the other corner spot while super talented safety Richard LeCounte (SO) will have to grow up pretty quick from the limited experience he garnered a year ago.

Bottom Line: If this defense is going to be the fourth best defense or better that the Gators face in 2018, they are going to have to rely on a lot of the young guys they have recruited over the last two years that haven’t seen the field much if any so far. But, that is the kind of talent they have recruited and that is expected at this point. The Bulldog defense should take some lumps early on, and getting better will rely on those young guys panning out.

I could pick a few holes in his analysis, but suffice to say that if this defense is only the fourth-best the Gators face in 2018, it’s going to be a long season for Florida’s offense.

7 Comments

Filed under Gators Gators, Georgia Football

7 responses to “Number four, with a bullet

  1. Well it’s a Gator writing the analysis, putting Mullen’s old team first, then LSU, then FSU, then UGA. I think this was written more with his heart than his brain. With that said, I expect the Gators to lose to FSU, MSU and UGA and possibly LSU. What’s not factored into this is the offense of these teams, which will play a big part in how long the defense is on the field. I fully expect UGA to be one of the best offenses in the country and should really be clicking by the time they make the trip down to Jax.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. TXBaller

    I love our defense. I love the youth. I love the depth.

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    • Russ

      Yep, our defense won’t miss many beats. I expect them to be nearly as good, if not as good as last year, especially by the time we roll into Jacksonville.

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  3. 3rdandGrantham

    What makes this especially absurd is 2 of the 3 defenses he has ranked above us return less starters than we do. So good luck explaining that one. Perhaps he’s implying that their recent recruiting class(es) were better than ours, hence their new talent will be better than ours. Again good luck explaining that one.

    The fact that he has MSU’s D ranked above ours alone is absurd. Same for a 6 loss FSU team that has an entirely new coaching staff, who is facing a talent deficit thanks to Jimbo obviously not recruiting a lick in his final year there.

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  4. Argondawg

    Nice to see us ranked just ahead of Kentucky on D. That was a ridiculous article.

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    • Cojones

      Waited to post that. Struck me the same way, but then I remembered their D is the best part of their team and they should be third behind UGA and MSU. Ridiculous doesn’t even begin to describe the rational. Can’t wait for this blind squirrel to find the numbnut coach after the game.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Will Adams

        The best part of the Kentucky team is their defense that ranked 91st in total D last year? That might be true but isn’t saying much. They’re returning a 8 starters on a defensive that was RANKED 91 LAST YEAR! Ok, so they should improve some, but it’s not like they were a group of freshmen and sophomores last year because the 8 returning starters are all seniors. I know the writer has our D being better than UK’s but, for him to put them in over a Muschamp lead USCe defense, makes me question his rationale. I’d take a UGA defense made up of only incoming freshman and sophomores before the Kentucky D.

        Also, his post on the MSU D casually mentioned that they are changing their scheme with this new coaching staff. Returning experience can be nullified by scheme changes, especially early in the season. MSU does have some damn good football players returning on their defense that ranked 10th overall last year so, I can understand why he has them on the list, but give me our boys, CMT, and CKS any day over MSU with a new coaching staff and scheme. I am wearing my UGA glasses while looking at this “article” so there may be some bias on my end but if I were a betting man then I’d put all my $ on our boys being the best D of the ones this gaytard has listed.

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