Athlon Sports op 50 Defensive Lines-A-State #31

[Seminole Indian]

Found link to this on Howlyes:

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-top-50-defensive-lines-2017

[holeinthewall]

4 of the top 6 out of the ACC and Arkansas St ahead of UA.

[Seminole Indian]

If their safety's can get up to speed, and they have the most talented "group" of players they have ever had there, they are going to be a very good defense, by any standard. Very athletic, very fast, very physical.

Same could be said for their offense, if their OL pans out. Their OL is probably as talented as the DL, and very physical. 

Winning has its rewards at any level, and recruiting is one area that winning really impacts, and they are getting more and better athletes every year.

[holeinthewall]

If their safety's can get up to speed, and they have the most talented "group" of players they have ever had there, they are going to be a very good defense, by any standard. Very athletic, very fast, very physical.

Same could be said for their offense, if their OL pans out. Their OL is probably as talented as the DL, and very physical. 

Winning has its rewards at any level, and recruiting is one area that winning really impacts, and they are getting more and better athletes every year.

Well they better get everyone up to speed considering the first two games.

[Seminole Indian]

Beating either of those teams would be a challenge for any G5, but Anderson has made it clear that he thinks they have the talent to take one of them.

Don't think there is any doubt this is the most talented of the recent run of decent teams, and that "talent" has pretty much been the story line this fall from those that have observed them.

Can't help but notice the difference in talent from any of the recent teams on the OL because there is no comparison, just bigger, stronger, more athletic, tougher, and more of them. Hopefully they can get them heading in the same direction, and finally produce the offense that everyone expected when they hired Anderson, because they have the skill players to be good, again by any standard.

Their defense is going to be good, and it is really just a question of how good, and it starts with their DL.

[Seminole Indian]

They have made note of A-State's DL, and Anderson's comment:



The Arkansas State pass rush could present a formidable test for both the Nebraska offensive line and Tanner Lee in his first start as Husker quarterback.

Quotable: "They're really good, but if we play our best and we don't turn the ball over and give ourselves a chance to win, it's a game that's winnable," Anderson said to The World-Herald in April.

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/blogs/husker-opponent-watch-arkansas-state-should-have-capable-pass-rush/article_ed16b514-8118-11e7-8f2f-db747e77c18d.html

[holeinthewall]

Beating either of those teams would be a challenge for any G5, but Anderson has made it clear that he thinks they have the talent to take one of them.

Lets be honest those are money games. If ASU wants to schedule to get a P5 win they need to schedule Purdue, Kansas, Wake Forest, Indiana and lower P5 teams.  If they want to schedule to get wins and impress higher conferences then beating UCF in the bowl game and beating SMU this year accomplish that.

More home and home with Tulsa, SMU, Southern Miss and Memphis are the way to go.    I would be curious what ASU revenue take per home game is if they can sell out the stadium.  How much less is scheduling a G5 team that is good and having a chance to win over a P5 team and cashing over 1 million for a loss.  I understand this year is different having a P5 team at home but no more than one legit P5 team per year is the best option.

This year 2-2 non con would be a win. Next year 3-1 is a possibility.

[Seminole Indian]

I agree, but most P5's can't afford to pay the price for a non-return game against A-State so it will have to be home and away and they don't want to play A-State at their place, so that limits the opportunities. Iowa State is the only one that fits that bill that is currently scheduled to play in Jonesboro.

While it may change for now they are focusing on games against the better regional G5's like Tulsa, Memphis, and SMU.

Do I think they can beat one of these power P5's, sure they can, and will eventually, and it could be this year.

They have more than enough talent right now to beat either of these teams if they play well, and I would not be shocked at all if they do beat one of them.

Do I expect them to beat one of them, no I don't.

[Seminole Indian]

Their DL may have taken a big hit for the Nebraska game when they carted Dee Liner off the field yesterday.

They have three very capable backups but the 335 lb Liner had started to be the dominant player everyone expected when he signed with Alabama out of HS.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

4 of the top 6 out of the ACC and Arkansas St ahead of UA.

Ole Segrest left a good legacy.

[Seminole Indian]

Dee Line is expected to be out 2-6 weeks with a groin injury, per HC Blake Anderson in today's Jonesboro Sun. Not impossible he could be back for Nebraska, but not likely.



Look for rising 3* So Javier Carbonell (6-3, 297), 3* Jr Christian Howard (6-3, 275), and Sr Clifford Thomas (6-2, 291) to fill in according to their coach Brian Early in the Sun article. They could also move 3* Jr Josh Curry (6-2, 315) over from NG.

Losing Liner is a big loss for sure, because they don't get 4* DT's very often, but even without Liner this is probably the most talented "group" of DT's they have ever had. Injuries and grades in HS are why all but Thomas, who has a couple of starts under his belt, are not on a P5 roster somewhere.