2012 JUCO DE Denico Autry

So if we get the guys we're supposed to, how good will our defense actually be next year? It seems like it could be a good front 7.

 

Seems like it would be in the upper third or fourth of the SEC, in my ignorant opinion.

 

Well, if we get those guys our DL we'll be pretty stout and have some depth for once. Sentimore and Autry are DE's and Jacobs is a DT. IMHO they would all start from day 1. If Couch would get his conditioning under control he has the potential to to just as good. So...the DL would be upgraded in a major way.

The LB's should be pretty solid next year too. AJ and Curt will be in their second year and hopefully Lathers will get cleared for another year. I'm interested to see what happens with Santos/Peters/Henderson. I'm sure at least one of them will RS, but the other two may be good enough to add depth. I'll call this an upgrade because I think Austin Johnson sucks.

The secondary is the probably the biggest question mark for me. Coleman and Randolph will have a year under their belts and Moore and Lanier will hopefully have grown into their own. Waggner isn't having an all world year so I would expect him to return. Again, I'm interested to see what happens with McNeil and Crawley. Both are extremely good players and may be able to contribute early. Probably an upgrade because we aren't losing anybody and gaining experience.


In short, I think our defense will be solid (if we get those players of course). You're always going to have those phenom recruits that can contribute, however next year we will finally be able to stop relying on the young players to come in a make something happen from day one. It's one thing to have a few of those players starting because they're that good, it's an entirely different thing to have to have them starting because they're the best available. That's the way I see it anyway...

 

I'm looking forward to when freshman playing is a luxury and not a necessity.

 

Well that would be great, because having a top 3 defense in the conference next year would make Tennessee a legit SEC title contender.

 

That's the point I was trying to make in my post. Next year will be the first year under Dooley's tenure that he's not having to rely squarely on the new guys. That's why his assessment as a HC should start then in my opinion.

 

Unless the staff messes this one up Autry is ours. Jaccobs is doing work.

 

Sweet. What's the truth behind him announcing something soon?

 

Depends on how you define soon. I've been told he will announce after his season is over.

 

Gotcha. I wouldn't define that as soon but either way if he's ours to lose than I'm happy.

 

I was thinking more on the lines of 4th or 5th in the conference, out of 14 teams.

 

I have said it time and time again (of course this is just my opinion), but I feel that the D-Line is the most important unit in football. If you can get a solid pass rush and stop the run, it gives you chance to win every game because the opposing offense cannot do anything. (See '08 Titans, this years Bama and LSU.)

If we can land Sentimore and Autry to go along with O'Brien and Jacobs, this D-Line has the chance to be awesome.
Add these four in the mix with Mo Couch, Jacques Smith, Corey Miller, Willie Bohanon, Marlon Walls and Daniel Hood.
Not to mention Ayres, Jeffrey, Clark we will have talent depth and experience not seen across our d-line in years.

 

You're leaving out Saulsberry and Jordan Williams macon.

 

Would be a great get. Agree that this should give us enough talent to not have to wear bags on our heads to SEC games. I won't anoint a group as awesome until they play against top-flight competition.

 

Thanks for pointing that out Groves. I did overlook them.

 

Doesn't Autry announce his commitment tomorrow?

 

Haven't heard that. I think he's supposed to visit Florida this weekend and maybe Tejas at some point.

 

If we get who it looks like we will. We could be bringing in 3 of our 4 starters on the DL next year. All JUCOs