Who steps up on Defense?

**BryceC** · 08-23-2007, 03:13 PM

We lost a lot of guys after last year, and we really need some big contributors this year. I'm expecting Parker, Drenard Williams, and James Smith to step into bigger roles and really make stuff happen on defense.

**Drive4cy** · 08-23-2007, 03:15 PM

Caleb Berg can't afford to be as mistake prone has he was a year ago. I still think Steve Johnson has a solid future here and apparently Sandvig might be a wildcard.

**dinger** · 08-23-2007, 03:16 PM

tate and bell will step in big, maybe not for kent state but they will crack the 1s

**cloneu** · 08-23-2007, 03:21 PM

I am excited to see what Kurtis Taylor can do. But hopefully they all step up.

**jdoggivjc** · 08-23-2007, 03:22 PM

You mean besides Ace Bowen? We all know he's bringing it each and every game.

**pcyclonatrist** · 08-23-2007, 03:24 PM

Our middle LB has big shoes to fill. I hope his replacement (Smith?) can step up big time.

**AirWalke** · 08-23-2007, 03:28 PM

Hopefully Kurtis Taylor or Rashawn Parker... maybe even Travis Ferguson. A pass rush last year would have done us wonders.

**hursts** · 08-23-2007, 03:34 PM

Someone on our defensive line really needs to step up that we are not expecting. If we can get pressure on the quarterback it will help our secondary tremendously. One of the reasons the secondary gave up such a high completion rate last year was that we never had any pressure on the quarterback.

**ISU_Alum_2000** · 08-23-2007, 06:22 PM

Amen, hursts. Our D will live and die by our DLine.

I have an awful feeling that good teams will be able to pound our smallish line into submission.

**isugcs** · 08-24-2007, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by ISU_Alum_2000

Amen, hursts. Our D will live and die by our DLine.

I have an awful feeling that good teams will be able to pound our smallish line into submission.

I agree our D-line is going to determine the outcome of a lot of things. But if our O-line is good enough to allow the experience of Meyer and Blythe to pay dividends, teams won't be able to pound our defense with a run game, as that takes time, which if they're behind, they may not have.

I believe Chizik understand strategy. In football you don't have to be good at everything, just understand what you're good at and use it to your advantage and understand and exploit the weaknesses of the opponent. That at least works for me on X-Box...