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Defensive Line: DEFCON 1 - OutsiderFan - 09-08-2015

Putting aside the offensive ineptitude of the Stanford football team, the Defensive Line situation deserves some serious attention.

In 2015 the DL was expected to look like this:
RE Thomas, Scarlett, Lohn
DT Phillips, Shittu
LE Shittu, Watkins, Lohn

Redshirt DE Jackson and DT Annan

With Phillips out for year in 2015:
RE Thomas, Lohn
DT Shittu, Thomas
LE Scarlett, Watkins

The question is do you play Annan and Jackson as True Frosh?  There are pros and cons, but I say get them some game experience because those guys will be counted on in 2016.  Plus, you need more bodies to spell the starter anyway.  What if injury-prone Scarlett and Shittu go down?  Then there is no choice, so why not just throw them in the fire now?

In 2016 it would project as something like:
RE Thomas, Jackson
NT Phillips, Annan
LE Watkins, Lohn

Given Peek and Williams are bigger DL than anyone Stanford has on the current roster, and Lohn and Watkins haven't shown much,  I don't think these guys can redshirt in 2016 either.  So perhaps Annan, Jackson, Williams, Peek, and/or a remaining 2016 signee will be better options.  It's conceivable that in 2016, Stanford's top six DL will all be RS Sophs, Sophs, RS Frosh, or Frosh.

Thoughts?

Re: Defensive Line: DEFCON 1 - Rally - 09-08-2015

(09-08-2015, 10:48 AM)OutsiderFan link Wrote:Putting aside the offensive ineptitude of the Stanford football team, the Defensive Line situation deserves some serious attention.

In 2015 the DL was expected to look like this:
RE Thomas, Scarlett, Lohn
DT Phillips, Shittu
LE Shittu, Watkins, Lohn

Redshirt DE Jackson and DT Annan

With Phillips out for year in 2015:
RE Thomas, Lohn
DT Shittu, Thomas
LE Scarlett, Watkins

The question is do you play Annan and Jackson as True Frosh?  There are pros and cons, but I say get them some game experience because those guys will be counted on in 2016.

In 2016 it would project as something like:
RE Thomas, Jackson
NT Phillips, Annan
LE Watkins, Lohn

Given Peek and Williams are bigger DL than anyone Stanford has on the current roster, and Lohn and Watkins haven't shown much,  I don't think these guys can redshirt in 2016 either.  So perhaps Annan, Jackson, Williams, Peek, and/or a remaining 2016 signee will be better options.  It's conceivable that in 2016, Stanford's top six DL will all be RS Sophs, Sophs, RS Frosh, or Frosh.

Thoughts?

Play the best players.  Don't stockpile guys to continue the "dynasty" in future years.  The "dynasty" needs preserving now.

Re: Defensive Line: DEFCON 1 - TrumpCard - 09-08-2015

The staff generally plays true freshmen based on their ability, and very little based on need.  For example, the staff played 3 true freshman DBs this year and so far 0 true freshman DLs.  I think Phillips was a bit of a misleading case last year.  People assume that the staff played him purely out of need.  If you look at his performance, however, you see that he was actually ready.  He's clearly already better than Watkins or Lohn. 

Looking at this year's true freshmen, we've heard nothing to indicate that Jackson or Annan would be as good as Watkins or Lohn at this point.  You'd be blowing a redshirt for a guy who is not ready to play yet and who would be the 6th DL at best.  Not worth it. 

I mentioned in another thread that it might make sense, even at this late date, to move Fanaika to DL.  He was not listed on the participation report so he's not contributing much on offense.  May as well move him to DL where he might be in a better position to contribute.  No loss of a redshirt year and he'd get more experience than he would just riding the bench as an OL.

Re: Defensive Line: DEFCON 1 - OutsiderFan - 09-08-2015

Not playing guys who aren't really ready of course makes sense.  However, it also makes sense to make sure the guys who can and do play the most snaps can get some rest.  There are no great options, only bad ones and worse ones.  If playing guys who aren't really ready allows the better players to be productive longer, that seems the better option, especially when it could pay dividends next year by bringing back more guys with game experience.

The idea that Stanford only has two starting quality DL with experience in 2016 (Thomas and Phillips) if Jackson and Annan redshirt, is kind of scary, isn't it?  Maybe Jackson and Annan aren't ready now, but playing this year might make them ready for next year when they otherwise won't be. 

It made oodles of sense to move Fanaika to NT in Spring.  Seems like a day late and a dollar short now.

Again, no great options, but got to make lemonade out of lemons here, right?


Re: Defensive Line: DEFCON 1 - BostonCard - 09-08-2015

Well, Thomas redshirted last year and he is starting this year, so it can be done.  If the linemen are even remotely ready, I think we need to throw them into the fire, if for no other reason than to keep our offensive line from playing virtually every snap.  Thankfully we are playing a lot of nickel, but we will be vulnerable to teams that have a decent running game (USC, UCLA, Oregon).

BC

Re: Defensive Line: DEFCON 1 - OutsiderFan - 09-08-2015

Well, at least for now...
https://twitter.com/LombardiESPN/status/641323643138613252

And to help with bodies...
https://twitter.com/LombardiESPN/status/641319331998121985

Never made sense to move Kuamatule from DE in first place, but what do I know?