Some interesting tidbits on the Sun Belt here:

https://twitter.com/TheErnstReport/statu...4613766144

https://twitter.com/TheErnstReport/statu...5539332096

He doesn't think our run defense has improved. Can't blame him on that one. I'll need to see it for myself too.

Notice who has the strongest Defensive play caller in the Sun Belt and it isn't even close.

Troys Vic Koenning coming in at 80

Troy is putting a lot of resources into getting us a quality defense again.

(08-19-2015 11:48 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  Some interesting tidbits on the Sun Belt here:

https://twitter.com/TheErnstReport/statu...4613766144

https://twitter.com/TheErnstReport/statu...5539332096

GS's rushers and AState's receivers highest rated units (excluding special teams) @85.

(08-19-2015 11:56 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  He doesn't think our run defense has improved. Can't blame him on that one. I'll need to see it for myself too.

He is wrong. The new guys on the DL don't even have to be talented to make the defense better this year. Having 300+ lb guys to hold the point instead of relying on 240 lb DEs and 270 DTs to play inside will make the run defense better, guaranteed. If those guys can move a little then the defense will really be improved. When guys who were starting at DT last year are running 3rd team, you know the DL is going to be better.

Also, I don't know how we will decide which DEs to leave home when we travel. We have 8 or 9 that can help and 2 or 3 that are among the best in the league already.

(08-20-2015 10:07 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(08-19-2015 11:56 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  He doesn't think our run defense has improved. Can't blame him on that one. I'll need to see it for myself too.

He is wrong. The new guys on the DL don't even have to be talented to make the defense better this year. Having 300+ lb guys to hold the point instead of relying on 240 lb DEs and 270 DTs to play inside will make the run defense better, guaranteed. If those guys can move a little then the defense will really be improved. When guys who were starting at DT last year are running 3rd team, you know the DL is going to be better.

Also, I don't know how we will decide which DEs to leave home when we travel. We have 8 or 9 that can help and 2 or 3 that are among the best in the league already.

It doesn't take much to be better than last year. And "better than last year" doesn't substitute for "good".

(08-20-2015 10:09 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(08-20-2015 10:07 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(08-19-2015 11:56 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  He doesn't think our run defense has improved. Can't blame him on that one. I'll need to see it for myself too.

He is wrong. The new guys on the DL don't even have to be talented to make the defense better this year. Having 300+ lb guys to hold the point instead of relying on 240 lb DEs and 270 DTs to play inside will make the run defense better, guaranteed. If those guys can move a little then the defense will really be improved. When guys who were starting at DT last year are running 3rd team, you know the DL is going to be better.

Also, I don't know how we will decide which DEs to leave home when we travel. We have 8 or 9 that can help and 2 or 3 that are among the best in the league already.

It doesn't take much to be better than last year. And "better than last year" doesn't substitute for "good".

That is true and that is fantastic. The defense doesn't have to be much better if we can score points the way we did last year. We didn't lose anyone on offense and we get the soon to be leading WR in SBC history back healthier. If Roberson, Swalley, Hudson and Mondie can just hold their position and require more than a gentle nudge to move, the LBs will be able to make plays for a change.

(08-20-2015 10:09 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(08-20-2015 10:07 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  The new guys on the DL don't even have to be talented to make the defense better this year. Having 300+ lb guys to hold the point instead of relying on 240 lb DEs and 270 DTs to play inside will make the run defense better, guaranteed.

It doesn't take much to be better than last year. And "better than last year" doesn't substitute for "good".

Both your and crump's statement are well intended, but don't jive with reality. Most of the time when your defense is that bad, it takes a herculean effort to get better. Defenses that bad usually have a lot of things wrong with them, not just one or two minor issues.

Troy fans used the phrase "anyone would be better than Jeremy Rowell" to no end. We hired Wayne Bolt and were a full TD worse per game. It can get worse, and often times it does.

As to the notion of just having bigger guys to improve the run defense, it's total nonsense. Tons of FCS teams have 300+ DL and get blown off the ball by FBS teams with better talent. Troy in recent years has had "big beefers" that couldn't move a basket of feathers. Size without talent is a disaster waiting to happen.

(08-20-2015 11:30 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(08-20-2015 10:09 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(08-20-2015 10:07 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  The new guys on the DL don't even have to be talented to make the defense better this year. Having 300+ lb guys to hold the point instead of relying on 240 lb DEs and 270 DTs to play inside will make the run defense better, guaranteed.

It doesn't take much to be better than last year. And "better than last year" doesn't substitute for "good".

Both your and crump's statement are well intended, but don't jive with reality. Most of the time when your defense is that bad, it takes a herculean effort to get better. Defenses that bad usually have a lot of things wrong with them, not just one or two minor issues.

Troy fans used the phrase "anyone would be better than Jeremy Rowell" to no end. We hired Wayne Bolt and were a full TD worse per game. It can get worse, and often times it does.

As to the notion of just having bigger guys to improve the run defense, it's total nonsense. Tons of FCS teams have 300+ DL and get blown off the ball by FBS teams with better talent. Troy in recent years has had "big beefers" that couldn't move a basket of feathers. Size without talent is a disaster waiting to happen.

Yep.

Can't count how many times we've heard about how these massive DL's were gonna stop our running game.

(08-20-2015 11:30 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(08-20-2015 10:09 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(08-20-2015 10:07 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  The new guys on the DL don't even have to be talented to make the defense better this year. Having 300+ lb guys to hold the point instead of relying on 240 lb DEs and 270 DTs to play inside will make the run defense better, guaranteed.

It doesn't take much to be better than last year. And "better than last year" doesn't substitute for "good".

Both your and crump's statement are well intended, but don't jive with reality. Most of the time when your defense is that bad, it takes a herculean effort to get better. Defenses that bad usually have a lot of things wrong with them, not just one or two minor issues.

Troy fans used the phrase "anyone would be better than Jeremy Rowell" to no end. We hired Wayne Bolt and were a full TD worse per game. It can get worse, and often times it does.

As to the notion of just having bigger guys to improve the run defense, it's total nonsense. Tons of FCS teams have 300+ DL and get blown off the ball by FBS teams with better talent. Troy in recent years has had "big beefers" that couldn't move a basket of feathers. Size without talent is a disaster waiting to happen.

Well, we do have one year of really bad run defense. A year where we had an insane amount of injuries and had to shuttle in freshmen and people from other positions. So I'm not quite ready to accept your inference that it is some long-term systemic failure like Troy's just yet.

My point is that I am also not ready to accept assurances that is not that just yet either.

I heard Chris Stone, stAte's senior DE, say that the inside guys were bitching because they weren't getting enough action in the "a-gap" in fall camp because backs are having to bounce outside, implying that the big DL are winning battles inside that weren't being won last year. Obviously won't know until we face real competition if that is because A-State's O-Line sucks or not.

A-State's defense will be above league average. In this league, that's not saying much at this point.

(08-20-2015 11:30 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(08-20-2015 10:09 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(08-20-2015 10:07 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  The new guys on the DL don't even have to be talented to make the defense better this year. Having 300+ lb guys to hold the point instead of relying on 240 lb DEs and 270 DTs to play inside will make the run defense better, guaranteed.

It doesn't take much to be better than last year. And "better than last year" doesn't substitute for "good".

Both your and crump's statement are well intended, but don't jive with reality. Most of the time when your defense is that bad, it takes a herculean effort to get better. Defenses that bad usually have a lot of things wrong with them, not just one or two minor issues.

Troy fans used the phrase "anyone would be better than Jeremy Rowell" to no end. We hired Wayne Bolt and were a full TD worse per game. It can get worse, and often times it does.

As to the notion of just having bigger guys to improve the run defense, it's total nonsense. Tons of FCS teams have 300+ DL and get blown off the ball by FBS teams with better talent. Troy in recent years has had "big beefers" that couldn't move a basket of feathers. Size without talent is a disaster waiting to happen.

Well, yeah, I didn't write a book about the 300 lb guys we added but one had offers from Illinois, Memphis and others, one has played FBS for 3 seasons, one is among the strongest guys on the team and the other was the best of the 4 DTs we signed last year but sat out due to academics. So, yes, having 4 strong 300 lb guys instead of undersized DTs and DEs playing inside will definitely make our defense better. How much better remains to be seen but it will certainly be better and if we can score 40 a game in the SBC we only need a modest improvement to compete for the title.

(08-19-2015 11:48 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  Some interesting tidbits on the Sun Belt here:

https://twitter.com/TheErnstReport/statu...4613766144

https://twitter.com/TheErnstReport/statu...5539332096

Lol these ratings are funny.

Those special teams ratings for us are UGLY. But sadly, accurate.

So a 300 lb transfer for UAB and a 300 lb guy that had Big ten offers won't make a difference okay then

(08-20-2015 05:59 PM)RustonCAT Wrote:  So a 300 lb transfer for UAB and a 300 lb guy that had Big ten offers won't make a difference okay then

We have a transfer from Arkansas who actually played snaps. He started last year at 300+ and Troy still had its worst rushing defense in 24 years. Say what you want, but 300+ is no guarantee of a good run defense. There are lots of factors involved. We're hoping he will be a dominant factor this year with a new defensive coordinator.

An extra 300 pound dude would not have stopped what App did to our run defense last year. It might have made it worse.