🏈 Who do you think steps up on defense

[Lance]

Just wondering who you think will become the on field leader on defense this year?

I will go with Nico Johnson and and CJ Mosley

 

[BamaCore]

I'll go with Sunseri, DePriest, and Square.

As for the leaders? I'll say Lester and Johnson.

 

[bamaraider]

Sunseri is a definite one. But I'll say one of the incoming freshman Reggie Ragland. Reminds me a lot of Rolondo McClain, 6'4 255 and has good instincts.

 

[doemasters]

Would love to see Harris but didn't he graduate last year?

 

[planomateo]

yeah, he's with the Falcons.

 

[UAgrad93]

I think Stinson has a big season and I'll go with Ha Ha as well.

 

[rammerjammer]

DePriest, is who I expect to have a great sophomore year.

 

[TerryP]

Just like baseball, get your leaders up the middle.

There's some promising players listed in this thread, but if we are expecting them in leadership roles we are in TROUBLE.

We need Nico and Robert to handle those leadership positions.

I feel we'll be talking about the job Lester has done at the end of this season in very glowing terms. Stop for a minute and think about his time at Bama.

He comes in with the 2008 class and the leader of that group is Rashad. (BTW, that's the role I see him having in 2012.) Working alongside Woodall certainly didn't hurt because it gave him a chance to see how Rashad was calling the sets and how Justin was adjusting his positions with the safeties.

Just like Robert, Barron was in that learning mode as well during the 2009 season and assumed that position for a few years. All this time, we've had Robert just sitting there soaking up what these players were seeing on the field, the adjustments made, and more importantly the mistakes.

In essence, we've got a guy in our main safety role who has been through four seasons under Mark and Rashad.

I suspect he is more than ready.

Consider this Tidebit for a second. In 2009 defenses went after Mark Barron and he ended up in the top 10 for defensive backs in passing defense. In 2010, did they go after Mark? No, they went toward Lester. In 2011, did they go after either? No, they went after Milliner.

In the past three years offensive coordinators have chosen to attack a player in our secondary. The next year, they moved away from that guy.

Who do they go after this season? It won't be Lester. And, if history is an indicator like it's been the last three years, they won't be going after Milliner.

 

[UAgrad93]

Terry, I went after those that would make an impact not be leaders. Johnson and Lester will be the leaders that are always needed. As for picking out a secondary guy to pick on, I say that opposing OCs will go after Belue/Dixon/Fulton, who ever becomes the heir to Kirkpatrick. I think they may even try and go after Sunseri/ Ha Ha, which ever assumes Barron's spot.

 

[CrimsonVette]

I'm looking for Nico and CJ to step up the leadership on the D and AJ on the O side, maybe Lacey also.

I think Sunseri will get peoples attention this year.

 

[crimsonpower97]

AJ of course and Lester/Nico combo on D. AJ has that fire like I used to see in Brett Favre, I can see AJ jumping someone a** if they fall outta line.

 

[TerryP]

AJ of course and Lester/Nico combo on D. AJ has that fire like I used to see in Brett Favre, I can see AJ jumping someone a** if they fall outta line.

I've pointed to injuries as one of the reasons I believe 2010 ended with the three regular season losses. I want to bring that into play here, again, with AJ. But, I'm not talking about AJ being hurt, but rather Barrett.

You are spot on with AJ and his fire. I'm still holding on to suspicions he may not be able to control his emotions. But, I like the fact that Barrett could be the suppressant to his fire. That's probably not the best word, suppressant.

I like AJ's fire, but I also like the idea that Barrett could be a calming force in the huddle when things get hot.

 

[jdpas29]

i think DePriest and Mosley have their name called the most this year

 

[TerryP]

i think DePriest and Mosley have their name called the most this year

That's an interesting thought. Why?

I ask that based on this. It's my understanding the guy who'll be in for the most snaps is Nico. IF we were in our traditional 3-4, we'd see DePriest on the outside with CJ and Nico inside. But, in situational downs CJ and DePriest are interchangeable. IE: One on the field, one off.

Who knows how this is going to end up? One thing I feel comfortable saying is we'll have a good amount of personnel packages. It isn't like the old expression about QB's: "if you have two, you don't have one." In our case, we have enough talented guys where it's hard for one to clearly separate himself from the other. Actually, now that I think about it, it's a lot like our RB's. Each has his own little niche.

Which leads to this thought: Play calling is going to be at a premium, but substitution patterns even more so.