Probably one of the main areas of change this year. New defensive coordinator Neal Neathery has switched from a 3-4 to a 4-2-5 scheme which I believe will lead to the defense reacted faster. New defensive line coach Chuck Bullough has a long and distinguished coaching career in college and the NFL and should benefit the players with his knowledge. EMU lost its main impact players Pat O Conner last year to injury. A healthy POC means additional pass pressure on opposing QBs. Pat is 6'4, 270 and a senior. Mike Brown hit the weight room and went from 6'2, 274 to 6'2, 297 for his senior year. With the additional strength Mike may be a pleasant surprise this year. The senior class is also joined by 5th year senior Joe Keels from the Cornhuskers who comes in at 6'3, 273.

Soph Lion King had a nice spring game and this junior added 20 pounds in the offseason and is now at 6'4, 245. Jeremiah Harris was hurt for most of last year and is also a soph and added 15 pounds to his 6'5 frame and is now pushing 260. Soph Chris Hendricks moved over from the defensive line and added over 25 pounds in the process and is at 6'5, 307. Kwani Figueroa was a pleasant surprise as a true frosh last year and returns for his soph year at 6'2, 285.

Junior Derrick Dunlop is now at 6'0, 292, a huge increase in size from last year. Junior Luke Maclean was at 6'5, 260 and is now at 6'5, 285 and can move from the outside to the inside. He was impressive last year as a soph transfer.

R-Fr Maxx Crosby went from 6'5, 225 to 6'5, 265! His R-Fr teammate Hunter Andrews went from 6'4, 235 to 6'4, 252. Crosby won alot of scout player of the week awards last year.

We have two true freshmen highly rated Mike Smith Jr. who was ranked as one of the top 100 OG last year at 6'3, 297 who is being switched to defense. Justice Williams came in 20 pounds heavier than signing day at 6'4, 229 and probably will be redshirted this season.

Two late junior college players from Dodge CC are Oddie Granger at 6'3, 325 and Dion Dawson at 6'0, 351. The stadium will quake when both are on the field at the same time.

The whole DL seems to have a good work ethic, our two walks ons Chad Lynch add 40 pounds since signing day at 6'4, 248, and Clayton Dreyfuse added 15 pounds since signing day to 6'4, 251.

We should have a decent two deep rotation this year. It will interesting to see how the run defense improves.

Dear emu79,
Great information! I think the defense will be improved against the run, and may put a lot of pressure on our opponents passing game. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens.

Expect to be disappointed when at least 1 or 2 of these guys doesn't suit up.

(08-05-2016 06:01 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Expect to be disappointed when at least 1 or 2 of these guys doesn't suit up.

This is is what I'm not a fan of.
If you're a parent of a player and you're publicly dropping clues to stuff like this when the team isn't making any announcements on it, that's not cool to me.

Just my take.

(08-05-2016 06:15 PM)KPJ Wrote:  

(08-05-2016 06:01 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Expect to be disappointed when at least 1 or 2 of these guys doesn't suit up.

This is is what I'm not a fan of.
If you're a parent of a player and you're publicly dropping clues to stuff like this when the team isn't making any announcements on it, that's not cool to me.

Just my take.

So you'd just prefer to wait for the team to make an announcement?

(Kind of like they did for our 2 likely starting receivers that disappeared into thin air, with no explanation.)

(08-05-2016 06:01 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Expect to be disappointed when at least 1 or 2 of these guys doesn't suit up.

Even without one or two guys this area should be improved over last year.

(08-05-2016 07:46 PM)emu79 Wrote:  

(08-05-2016 06:01 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Expect to be disappointed when at least 1 or 2 of these guys doesn't suit up.

Even without one or two guys this area should be improved over last year.

Agree