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http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/...re_gr.html

That was a great article. McGee didn't sugar coat the numbers and admitted that winning brings in fans. Can't wait to get home and get ready for next year. Bowl or nothing. No in betweens.

We need to have a HUGE group go to Troy in August for the opener.

It'll be the Sack of Troy, football style!

(12-03-2012 03:46 PM)the Dragon Wrote:  We need to have a HUGE group go to Troy in August for the opener.

It'll be the Sack of Troy, football style!

I wish we would sign a group of HUGE defensive linemen to take with us.

Gonna make the Troy game, Vandy game, & any other away game that is rather close by.
Had a blast at USM.

I should be going to Troy, Vandy, and LSU

vandy for sure

About 4 hours to Troy, 4.5 to Nashville for me. Hope to make both.

I'm glad there are discussions about continuing the home & home series with Troy.

(12-03-2012 03:50 PM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  

(12-03-2012 03:46 PM)the Dragon Wrote:  We need to have a HUGE group go to Troy in August for the opener.

It'll be the Sack of Troy, football style!

I wish we would sign a group of HUGE defensive linemen to take with us.

So we are going to trade freshman/inexperience in the secondary for freshman/inexperience in the DL.

We should be good on defense in another 4-5 years.

Hopefully Troy won't try to put us all in the same seat again.

(12-03-2012 05:10 PM)Uncle BLAZER Wrote:  

(12-03-2012 03:50 PM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  

(12-03-2012 03:46 PM)the Dragon Wrote:  We need to have a HUGE group go to Troy in August for the opener.

It'll be the Sack of Troy, football style!

I wish we would sign a group of HUGE defensive linemen to take with us.

So we are going to trade freshman/inexperience in the secondary for freshman/inexperience in the DL.

We should be good on defense in another 4-5 years.

Why do you say that?

Experienced DL:
Boyett, SR
Byrd, SO
Christian, SR
Grissett, JR
Morris, SO
Scott, SR
Walton, JR
Watkins, JR

Then there are quite a few DLs on the roster that may be able to help next year. We also have a commitment from a 3 star DE from Vestavia. Also, we are going to a 3-4 defense, so we need more LBs and DBs which I think we are addressing.

I expect a defensive improvement next year. Also, there is a rumor of a big DL transfer that might be able to help right away. We'll see.

We (the core group of fans) appreciate him too. So nice to hear a coach acknowledge us.

It is a base. I penned a letter to the sNews on this years and years ago that got printed to this effect.

The sum of it was that we have what we have. We need to stop trying to have who we don't and start appealing to who we can.

There are PLENTY of fans who will turn out to a UAB game when we are winning.

I've seen them.

I've done "THE WAVE" with them.

What are the chances of having bus trips for these shorter distance games next fall?

Very good through the NAS.

I won't say which games I plan on traveling to, because every time I "plan" to do it, something goes wrong or comes up and prevents me from leaving.

So, I'll just wait and see how circumstances pan out (or not)...

(12-03-2012 05:24 PM)the Dragon Wrote:  

(12-03-2012 05:10 PM)Uncle BLAZER Wrote:  

(12-03-2012 03:50 PM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  

(12-03-2012 03:46 PM)the Dragon Wrote:  We need to have a HUGE group go to Troy in August for the opener.

It'll be the Sack of Troy, football style!

I wish we would sign a group of HUGE defensive linemen to take with us.

So we are going to trade freshman/inexperience in the secondary for freshman/inexperience in the DL.

We should be good on defense in another 4-5 years.

Why do you say that?

Experienced DL:
Boyett, SR
Byrd, SO
Christian, SR
Grissett, JR
Morris, SO
Scott, SR
Walton, JR
Watkins, JR

Then there are quite a few DLs on the roster that may be able to help next year. We also have a commitment from a 3 star DE from Vestavia. Also, we are going to a 3-4 defense, so we need more LBs and DBs which I think we are addressing.

I expect a defensive improvement next year. Also, there is a rumor of a big DL transfer that might be able to help right away. We'll see.

I was really just responding to that post with an attempt at sarcasm. I agree with you. While our DL may not have been anything to write home about, I am tired of them being made the scapegoats for our defense overall. I think it's easy to see it that way and there is certainly lots of room to improve but it's not all on them. Most of the regular veteran starters on defense have had 3 different defenses in 3 years. The guys that graded out the highest on their assignments had stats that didn't reflect that, and in some cases, earned them less playing time. Rabb did great at first but once teams figured it out, they ran right at him. Grissett barely saw the field the last several games. Even after Watkins got hurt. Boyett barely saw the field after Watkins got hurt even though he started the previous 2 yrs at DE and finished this year second on sacks, 3rd in TFL on the team. I just don't get some of that.
Our def backfield was barely even there most of time ( and i know there's sone legit reasons why) but the DL takes all the blame.
I don't get why so many point to that position as the weakest link. Put a 325 lb guy at ng. It won't fix all that was wrong on defense this year. And now their gonna learn another defense for next year? One that will probably leave some of those veterans Dragon mentioned to small to be one of the 3 and too big to be one of the 4.
I think the defense never really played the style McGee/Johnson said they would to begin with.

(12-03-2012 05:10 PM)Uncle BLAZER Wrote:  So we are going to trade freshman/inexperience in the secondary for freshman/inexperience in the DL.

We should be good on defense in another 4-5 years.

No. We should trade the guys who are experienced at getting dominated for JUCO DT's that have the size and talent to get the job done.

I remember Coach Bartow saying in a preseason interview, "Well, the good news is we've got everybody back. The bad news is...we've got everybody back". It fits for UAB's defensive line.

Maybe that's the plan. I don't know.

(12-03-2012 03:52 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  Gonna make the Troy game, Vandy game, & any other away game that is rather close by.
Had a blast at USM.

ECU and Marshall again.

(12-03-2012 10:24 PM)Uncle BLAZER Wrote:  Maybe that's the plan. I don't know.

No disrespect meant towards Connor at all, I promise you. I know ya'll have to be frustrated for him. He's a natural DE and shouldn't have to "take one for the team" at DT. UAB's lack of success in recruiting on the interior of the DL is a long running problem and continues to this day. Since the last Steel Shield member graduated, James Malone (03), Elliott Henigan is the only really good DT I can remember playing for UAB. That is almost a decade of terrible recruiting at those positions. I think with Boyett, Watkins, and Walton (not a Grissett fan) we have some quality at DE. Put some muscle between those bookends and we're in business.