Finally had a chance to rewatch the game and focus on the defense. Specifically the LB's. Really, all 4 of the the 2-deep have a tendency to get sucked into blocks on play-action and zone read. Sullivan and Kirby show the most ability to shed those blocks once engaged. Both play with speed if not with some reckless abandon. They occasionally take themselves out of a play because of their aggression. Tanking rarely takes himself out of a play, but his lack of burst is his downfall once a play is bounced to the outside. Kirby may be our best option for QB pressure out of the front 7. He gets there in a hurry. However, him and Sullivan get taken down at the legs a lot. The couple times I saw Tanking rush the passer he appeared to take bad angles/routes. I will say there is definitely a rise in aggression and speed when 3 and 7 are on the field. It's clear. I Wasn't able to get a good look at Hughes or sizelove. Other notes. I saw very little, if any stunting on the d-line. Reggie was often double teamed. Eli Walker is a difference maker especially against the run (A poor mans Eric Berry), but Goolsby is better in coverage. If they played in the B1G or SEC, I think you might see 7 out there starting. Being in the Big 12 however, it'll be a harder tradeout. They'll eventually have to find a way to get him on the field though. And lastly, outside of 1 or 2 plays, AJ filled in nicely for Duke. Makes me feel better about our CB depth. Sorry for the choppiness of this. I was basically spitting out thoughts as they came back to me. With the rise in competition this week we'll get a much better read on this team.
