re: Is a boost in offense a necessity to overcome a lack in the secondary?

I see our only issues being health and depth. Simon is the real deal. Our defense may be better than last year. Our pass rush will help the secondary A LOT.

I think there will be a slight drop off in defense, but that's only to be expected. Considering we played 7 top 25 teams and barely gave up double digits (11 PPG), it would be hard to expect this year's defense to do better.

At the same time, though, our offense is going to be much more dynamic and capable of quick strikes.

So yes, I think we need the boost in offense. Our defense dropped from very, very elite to *just* really, really good.

Here's the obvious..

With TM7 moving to a full time position at corner, he will have more defined responsibilities.

He will not have the type of year he had last year as afar as causing turnovers and game changing plays. By nature of the position, he will be preoccupied with the receivers and won't be able to "roam" the field causing as much havoc as he did last year.

If the defense struggles somehow being effective, I would not be surprised to see them give someone a shot at becoming the corner (at least in many sets) so TM can be freed up to cause headaches for opposing offenses.

That being said, there is no reason to think our corners won't do well with the over the top help from our terrific safeties. There will be moments though cause a good OC will find ways to isolate a corner he thinks is weak.

I personally think the D will be over better and more balanced with solid LB play and without Hatcher's slow arse coming in..Our speed is still there (maybe better) all around.

You definitely bring up some good points. The D was unbelievable last year at creating turnovers and putting the O in good position.

The only time we lost the turnover battle last year, we lost the game. +20 margin for the year. And even though we lost 2 quality starters in the secondary, I look for Craig Loston to be an instinctive/ball skill type safety.

At cornerback, the question is Jalen Collins & one of the freshmen. At this point it looks like it might be Jalen Mills. I just haven't seen enough of them to make a fair assessment. Btw, I really like Simon, but he has some lapses from time to time, and he could have led the team in picks last year. He's already good, but hopefully he is more consistent this year.

The pass rush will make it easier on these guys & force wild/rushed throws, so opportunities for TOs will probably be there.

Gotta believe Washington is going to attack these corners pretty hard, especially whichever new guys are back there. That will be an interesting game.

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The only time we lost the turnover battle last year, we lost the game. +20 margin for the year

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Yeah, but we also killed teams in points scored in the 4th quarter. I think we have a great football team.

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Who was it in the Spring Game that got burnt a couple of times?

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That was to make Mett look like a rock star!! Did you really look close at the plays? Looked like 50% effort......

i actually think our defensive statistics will be better this year because we play a shite schedule...west virginia put up some pretty big numbers on us as far as yards goes and oregon put up decent numbers too

I think it's a solid question, as its hard to imagine a defense being "better" than ours was last year.

That said, I do think that, at least to some degree, the increased experience on the line, and maturing of Mingo, etc., will help cover the lack of lb experience/some new guys in the def backfield.

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Book it bro. The Secondary & the Defense are going to be way, way better. With our without the offense coming along.

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Damn, page and a half and no one mentions Ron Brooks???

Dude was a 4th round NFL pick, and played with a senior's experience. Add in top 10 pick in Mo and 3rd round senior Brandon Taylor, and I think it is going to be very difficult for secondary play to be better.

I love Reid, TM, and Tharold, and I agree with you that they all can and will improve even beyond their superb 2011 play.

The pass numbers may even in fact be better because of an improvement in LB play, though more likely it will be because we don't play strong passing teams like Oregon, WVU, and Tennesse.

But saying that our secondary is going to be a better unit as a whole than last year is almost as silly as saying our DL has been "improved big-time".

LSU had 39 sacks last year which is tied with 2006 for the most an LSU D has had since 2003 when they had 44.

Again, saying we "improved big time" on the DL after losing a top 10 talent like Brockers and another very solid senior starter in Adams is kind of ridiculous. I love all of our talent on the DL, and am anxious to see Freak and Ego get more snaps, but why the need to knock on one of the all time great LSU D's last year, setting unrealistic expectations for this young D at the same time??

Seriously, not saying it doesn't have a ton of potential, but based on what you're saying, it sounds like anything less than the 2003 D will be a disappointment or failure to you.