Which DL player(s) emerge to push starters?

[Telx1]

So many things to talk about beyond number of posts and conspiracy theories, etc... Who besides Day and Jones are likely to develop into impact players on the DL this year? Will Cage become a force against the run? Can Williams be an impact rush DE? How much upside can we expect from Trumbetti who was a nice surprise as a true freshman? Hope we can talk Irish football instead of posters.

 

[bizzybecknd]

Think Rochelle has a chance to be the best DL on the team this year, Day will be tough to out do but Rochelle improvement was immense this past season. We need that athletic rush DE, think Okwara is ND's best hope, at least for 2015.

 

[stu4don]

I. Williams will be a man amongst boys this year... Hope he gets his house in order and can return.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

I hope IW gets to come back but if he doesn't Rochell and Trumbetti hopefully continue on their development path. Hays and Cage should be a nice inside tandem to spell Jones and Day but if those two stay healthy they will be getting the majority of the snaps and it will be another year until Hays and Cage start to see the majority of the playing time.

 

[mytymouse3]

DAY, JONES, ROCHELL, TRUMBETI, WILLIAMS, OKWARA and you know a RS(frosh)/Soph will emerge(I like Hill)

IMO this has the chance to be one of the best defensive lines we've ever had...And by the way SMITH, SCHMIDTT, MORGAN, CONEY, GRACE ain't to shabby either

 

[continuallyirish]

BB

If Rochelle ends up being better than Day it will be one top 10 defenses in the country vs the run .It was pretty damn good before the injuries .

I hope in the off season Blank and trumbetti worked on their pass rushing -- needs to improve if not J Williams, Bonner and or Hill needs to surface as a edge rusher .

Interior defense will be stout - way

Just hope we can finish the season w Schmidt - Day - JJones and not 2 19 yr old 3 star kids out of H.S. - see USC game


I was mocked earlier when I suggested that their were 8 - 10 guys on defense that will end up in NFL camps -- personally I think that is spot on



DayJonesRochelleSchmidtSmith MorganRussellRedfiledLuke Hayes

 

[Montana1977]

Who knows the extent of Jones foot injury. I thought I read some time ago that it was serious & that he would
miss an extended period of time because of the surgery & he was not to have any type of weight bearing exercise
for a long period of time. My concern is that he may not be the same player because of the foot injury.

 

[Telx1]

Continually, just my opinion, but your list is not out of the question. Redfield has all the physical tools but needs to show he can master the mental part of the game. Schmidt excels at the mental part, but not sure he has the physical tools to make it in the NFL. But as for this next season, I am really excited over the potential of this defensive unit being very good. Hope like hell the back seven have learned to play Van Gorder's scheme.

Sal, you're probably right about Cage and Hayes, but it seems to me that Day and Jones need to be substituted for more than last year, and I'm hoping Cage and Hayes give us that opportunity without a big drop off.

It will be interesting to read the weights of guys like Hill and Williams to see who might emerge with the physical size and speed and motor to be our rush DE, assuming Ishaq does not return.

 

[jr97]

I think the surprise player of the year (not just DL) will be Jhonny Williams the RS frosh. IMO I Williams does not return. Trumbetti will be terrific and will start with Rochelle. Rochelle will also move inside a lot and by mid season Williams will be starting and playing a lot.

 

[continuallyirish]

Tex--


We were 8-0 ( yes I count FlSt as a win ) w Jones - Day + Schmidt healthy + shut down Fl St , Mich , Stanford's running game

then due to injuries we went H.S. w Martini and Matuska and the board decided it was Kelly's offensive scheming that did us in down the stretch -- bunch of nit wits ( not you Tex )

sorry Tex -- no tolerance or patience for pure ignorance and lack of understanding of something as simple as football.


With all the boys back and healthy let's have some fun and be in the playoff conversation Nov1 st just like last yr and 2012

 

[Telx1]

Continually, we were very good against the run until injuries decimated us. We were not very good against the pass, especially against a mobile QB. In hindsight, we played some pretty weak offensive teams in the first six weeks or so. Kelly's offense put a lot of points on the board and won these games, not the defense. We should have a great offense and if the defense comes together, and the defensive backs prove they can play instinctively rather than having to pause and think too much, we may in fact be in the NC conversation late in the season. Haven't seen a post on this thread that was anything but responsive to the OP, and that's a good thing.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

5 of the first 6 offenses ND played were ranked 68th or worse

 

[57Patrick]

North Carolina found our weakness and exploited it. As of yet, I'm not comfortable BVG has the tools he needs to play his brand of defense. Hopefully it all comes together next year.

 

[Yooper Irishfan]

Originally posted by SALittleGiant513:
5 of the first 6 offenses ND played were ranked 68th or worse

Not disagreeing with you, but what was Northwestern ranked? That game showed how far our defense had fallen compared to earlier in the year.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

107, last year the only team in the country that was affected by injuries on level close to ND was probably NW.

 

[Bodizephax]

I think the surprise player of the year (not just DL) will be Jhonny Williams the RS frosh. IMO I Williams does not return. Trumbetti will be terrific and will start with Rochelle. Rochelle will also move inside a lot and by mid season Williams will be starting and playing a lot.

It could be but for another team in 2016.