[97fan]

So long as we have Skov, Howell, Thomas^2, and Masifilo, I like to think we'll be at least adequate on defense.  Coaching is certainly a question mark.

We don't have a lot of returning starters, but they're all rock-solid.  I can only count one player (Bademosi) who didn't receive all-Pac 10 accolades:

Martin
DeCastro
Fleener
Taylor (+the stable)
Luck

Masifilo
Skov
Thomas
Thomas III
Howell
Bademosi

Great point. Other than the coaching questions, I feel good about the defense.

We lose five defensive starters, but I think that we can replace the production we got from three of them. Does anyone here believe that trading Bulcke for Gardner will be a downgrade? Or that trading Marecic for the winner of the Bergen/Debniak/Tarpley fight at MLB will be a downgrade? Keiser was a very good pash-rushing DE in the 4-3, but he was an average OLB in the 3-4. In fact, between Murphy, Vaughters, and Lueders, we could have an upgrade at OLB by the end of the season.

That leaves two positions where I see a likely drop-off. Fua was not a dominant college DT, a la Nick Fairley, but we should expect a downgrade with Stephens. Sherman for Browning will probably be a downgrade as well.

But then you have to account for two other factors. One is that we will have much better defensive depth this year. I think a lot more guys will be in the rotation, which means that everyone will be fresher in the fourth quarter. In my view this is the biggest reason for optimism about the Oregon game this season. You need defensive depth against the Ducks.  The other factor is that some of our returning starters may improve. In particular, I think Skov is still getting better. But we could see improvement from some of the other returning starters as well.

[97fan]

So long as we have Skov, Howell, Thomas^2, and Masifilo, I like to think we'll be at least adequate on defense.  Coaching is certainly a question mark.

We don't have a lot of returning starters, but they're all rock-solid.  I can only count one player (Bademosi) who didn't receive all-Pac 10 accolades:

Martin
DeCastro
Fleener
Taylor (+the stable)
Luck

Masifilo
Skov
Thomas
Thomas III
Howell
Bademosi

Great point. Other than the coaching questions, I feel good about the defense.

We lose five defensive starters, but I think that we can replace the production we got from three of them. Does anyone here believe that trading Bulcke for Gardner will be a downgrade? Or that trading Marecic for the winner of the Bergen/Debniak/Tarpley fight at MLB will be a downgrade? Keiser was a very good pash-rushing DE in the 4-3, but he was an average OLB in the 3-4. In fact, between Murphy, Vaughters, and Lueders, we could have an upgrade at OLB by the end of the season.

That leaves two positions where I see a likely drop-off. Fua was not a dominant college DT, a la Nick Fairley, but we should expect a downgrade with Stephens. Sherman for Browning will probably be a downgrade as well.

But then you have to account for two other factors. One is that we will have much better defensive depth this year. I think a lot more guys will be in the rotation, which means that everyone will be fresher in the fourth quarter. In my view this is the biggest reason for optimism about the Oregon game this season. You need defensive depth against the Ducks.  The other factor is that some of our returning starters may improve. In particular, I think Skov is still getting better. But we could see improvement from some of the other returning starters as well.