Season Preview - Georgia Tech

Wahooze's Pre-Season Full-Season Preview of the Season continues with our look at Week 3's opponent: Al Groh.

Saturday, September 15th

Led by masterminds Paul Johnson and Al Groh, Georgia Tech's gimmicky offense and NFL-styled defense should no longer be new to college football fans. Both systems have taken root for the ACC Coastal team and have led to mixed results in recent years. In 2009, they won the conference championship (though it was later vacated due to being dirty cheating scumbags), only to follow it up with Johnson's only losing record at GT in 2010. Last year, the Jackets beat the hell out of Clemson, but lost in a big way to Miami - go figure. Basically, they run a "flexbone" option based on deception and persistence. Prepared teams are able to handle them, but others can fall behind quickly and seemingly never get the ball back.

The Yellow Jackets return their most recent starting running-back-playing-quarterback, Tevin Washington, as well as A/B backs Orwin Smith and David Sims. However, not a single wideout with a catch last year returns, which would be a big issue if the Jackets ever attempted to throw the ball. Truly though, that is the issue, because when Johnson's teams have been forced to throw the ball, they've been horrid. While the flexbone is difficult to stop consistently, if you're able to, forcing Tech to throw usually leads to disastrous results for their offense. The outlook should look similar this year, barring a shakeup at QB, for which there is certainly potential. Some teams will be able to handle the option, but most won't do it well enough.

On defense, Al Groh's 3-4 scheme is entering its third year on the team. By this point, the players should be well versed in the system and the majority will have been recruited specifically for such. Does this mean it will work? Last year's defense was slightly better than the prior year's but it still wasn't very good. Rolling with 3 defensive linemen requires that they be strong and disruptive enough to not get thrown around by opposing OLines - and that hasn't been the case for the Jackets. The unique defensive scheme is good enough to usually win, but that's due largely to the successful offense.

Be sure to catch their season-opening game against the Hokies over Labor Day weekend, as it will probably play a large role in determining who wins the Coastal, as well as show us how much of a contender this year's Rambling Wreck is. Really, if they hold steady on offense and show a little improvement on defense, they should challenge for the ACC - but frankly, I never look at this team and see anything impressive. I think the option is getting more and more familiar to conference foes and their defensive coordinators. I think enough teams will shut it down enough times to keep the Jackets at 6-8 wins for the near future. Lord knows I'm not as down on the 3-4 as Kendall, but I do agree that it takes a monumental stroke of preparation, talent, and luck to pull off in college. That all being said, I'd be pretty surprised in the Hoos pulled it off down in Atlanta.

Early Prediction: Jackets 31 Hoos 21

Bowling & Burgers, 7th Frame: The Receivers

The receivers tweet for Nathan:

Our best WRs are small/quick, but lack size. The TEs are mostly blockers. The possession-type WRs are young. McGee is our secret weapon.

Rolling...

Strikes

• The spotlight - and all the associated pressure - is on Tim Smith now.  After a couple of seasons of providing good moments interrupted by drops and injuries, is he ready to step up and emerge as a consistent go-to #1-type of receiver?  I think he is, but it's not a slam dunk.  He won't be the sure-handed over-the-middle guy that Kris Burd was, but Smith is a good downfield receiver who could flash some gamebreaking ability if he's able to turn short and intermediate receptions into long touchdowns via yards-after-catch (YAC) ability.
• Speaking of YAC, that's the name of the game with this year's receiving corps; it is absolutely key.  There are big possession guys, but those guys are young (Canaan Severin, Mario Nixon) or marginally talented (Miles Gooch, Bobby Smith).  Our best / most experienced receivers are all smaller guys with great open field wiggle.  Super sophs Darius Jennings and Dominique Terrell are going to be on the field a lot, and are going to see lots of balls thrown their way... can the two youngsters take advantage of the opportunities to snare those quick passes and turn them upfield?  Mike Rocco's rapid, compact release coupled with these guys' ability to make cuts on a dime and flash open could be a beautiful thing if they come together in concert.  However, I stop short of saying that the QB/WRs combo could make the offense explosive -- these guys aren't burning DBs to a crisp with deep speed, and Rock isn't hitting them in stride 40 yards downfield.  We'll throw more bombs, sure... but the real damage figures to be done with #20, #6, and #2 catching quick flares, crosses, and slants and then weaving through traffic to get downfield.  (Don't think this damns them with faint praise, but I think our passing game could look a lot like the effective Duke passing offense of recent seasons.)
• We've got some experienced tight ends in Colter Phillips, Paul Freedman, and Jay Mathis.  The trio are decent receivers, and also offer enough blocking presence to keep the run game revved at full throttle.
• Those three TEs are solid, but the guy I'm really excited about is Jake McGee.  He's the "move" tight end, and the guy who can split the seam wide open and burn some linebackers and safeties deep over the middle.  I think McGee easily has Tom Santi potential, and may even be able to press for Heath Miller status.  I was that impressed with him at the Spring Game.  So on a team where the possession receivers are a bit questionable, McGee has a chance to emerge as THE GUY for those clutch short yardage, chain-moving catches, along with the occasional deep shot to split and slip the safeties.  He's an interesting player to say the least, which is why I call him our secret weapon.

Gutters

• Here's the receiving production we lost from last year: 113 catches for 1,472 yards and 5 touchdowns.
• Here's what we return: 81 catches for 1,014 yards and 7 touchdowns.  That's 42% of the receptions, 41% of the yardage, and 58% of the TDs.  So essentially, we're trying to replace 60% of our production among the wide receivers and tight ends.  Yikes.
• Everyone is really excited about Dominique Terrell in the slot, and looking for him to have a big season in that role this year.  But considering the fact that he only managed 8 catches for 59 yards and one TD last season, I think it's important to temper expectations.  He'll see more snaps this fall, but that's not great production to build from.
• We have been recruiting the wide receiver position like gangbusters under Mike London, bringing in three wideouts in 2010, three in 2011, SIX in 2012, and currently sitting at three for the 2013 class.  We currently have 15 wide receivers on the roster, 12 of which are under scholarship.
• Compare the above to the tight end position, for which we have just one recruit during that same timeframe.  Think the TE position is being marginalized in the UVA offense?  This is not really a "gutter" per se, but it's an interesting observation, right?  To me, that looks like a program recruiting to run a future Air Raid-style spread, not a typical pro-style power offense.  The smaller scatback types we're recruiting at running back only serves to further that theory.  Stay tuned.
• Here's a real "gutter": In terms of big, possession receivers emerging as legit players this fall, I have hopes for just two, and those hopes are faint: True freshman Canaan Severin and converted quarterback Miles Gooch.  Severin looks the part and had a great first practice, but the receiver position can be a difficult one to learn as a first-year player.  Meanwhile, Goocher still looks a little bit like a broken robot to me -- fits and starts, nothing very fluid.  Both guys are big (Severin: 6-2, 210 / Gooch: 6-3, 220), both can run, and both can catch, but they face a serious uphill battle and have a lot to prove before they emerge as reliable weapons this fall.
• I love the potential of the Smith/Jennings/Terrell trio, but I'm not in love with the redundant skill sets and limited production to date.  I felt much better about the receivers last year, when Kris Burd was back as a senior along with Matt Snyder, with these three guys set to provide speed and slipperiness as complementary weapons.  I'm just not totally confident that this troika of receivers can carry the passing game as the centerpiece receivers.
• It's time for E.J. Scott to show us something.  Is he a player, or is he depth chart fodder?  He figures to be one of the first WRs off the bench, so we'll see what he can do.
• I have written off Bobby Smith.  When he committed to come play at UVA, I was in love with his size (6-5, 200).  But the poor guy can't stay healthy, and he's failed to put a dent in the depth chart.
• We have a lot of really talented young receivers in the program right now, but not many figure to have a role this season beyond redshirting and learning the system.  Severin might play, and if there's another frosh who sees action, my guess is Adrian Gamble, who has had a year of prep to help him develop physically.  The great talents of Mario Nixon, Jamall Brown, Kyle Dockins, and Anthony Cooper will - and should - be cultivated carefully via redshirting.  That's a good plan, but it's a little bit frustrating to see a fairly one-dimensional receiving corps not being able to take advantage of the talent pipeline that is suddenly flowing at this position for the UVA program.  If Smith/Jennings/Terrell struggle at all, it could be difficult to keep the kids off the field, and/or it could be very frustrating to know the caliber of players we have waiting idly in the wings.  We could be stuck burning redshirts that shouldn't be burned by rushing players onto the field when they aren't ready to play... OR... living with whatever we're getting from the trio of starters, even if that's subpar production.
• If Tim Smith goes down or fails to step up, I think we're screwed.  No other receiver is even potentially ready to take over #1 duties.  Maybe Darius Jennings, but I don't see it.  Not yet.
• Phillips/Freedman/Mathis will play, and play a lot.  I'm just worried that these guys with their low glass ceilings will block Jake McGee from seeing the field.  I'd rather see him take his lumps and learn on the job than to see those three guys deliver predictably mediocre results.  In other words, I'd rather ride the roller coaster than the merry-go-round.

Projected Depth Chart
Flanker) #20 Tim Smith (Jr.), #17 Miles Gooch (So.), #84 Canaan Severin (Fr.)
Split End) #6 Darius Jennings (So.), #19 E.J. Scott (So.), #80 Adrian Gamble (Fr.)
Slot) #2 Dominique Terrell (So.), #17 Miles Gooch (So.), #84 Canaan Severin (Fr.)
TE / H-Back) #89 Colter Phillips (Sr.), #88 Paul Freedman (Sr.), #83 Jake McGee (So.), #81 Jeremiah Mathis (Jr.)

Burgers...

Pierce: The wide receivers and tight ends are plentiful and talented. If they were burgers, they'd be a place with great selection without sacrificing quality - I can't think of any chains that do this group justice, so whichever local burger expert you prefer. For Cville, I'd look to the new burger bar downtown -- Citizen Burger Bar. Tim Smith and Darius Jennings should both have a huge year, but as you'll continue to see on Wahooze, we're pretty high on Jake McGee going into the year as well.

Mike: The receivers are a a sack of Krystal burgers. We have a ton of them and they are all good. I'm really excited to unleash this arsenal on the ACC this season. Weapons galore. We have talent for the slot, speed on the edge, and huge guys for the red zone. Should be a great complement to the ground game.

Kendall: To me, the receivers are like the big, fat, homemade, hand-patted cheeseburger your drunk friend peels off the grill about three-and-a-half minutes too early.  Slightly pink in the middle, no nice char marks, a little bit dicey to eat.  Sure, it probably tastes okay, and it's gussied up with all the best fixins, but can you be 100% sure it's not going to make you sick?


Score for the Frame:
I like what we have at the receiving positions, but I can't get over what we lack -- experienced possession receivers, top-flight tight ends, and abundance of starting experience.  This unit has to be considered a question mark, not an exclamation point.  However, the ability levels are high, the talent is palatable, and the upside is tangible.  This is like a blindfolded roll during cosmic bowl under the blacklights to me.  Eight pins on the first roll, thanks to what we DO have, but a missed spare on the second roll due to what we lack.

Score Thru 7 Frames: 96


The Game So Far:

| 7/ | 7- | 33 | 8/ | X | 9/ | 8- |   |   |   | 96

Bowling & Burgers, 6th Frame: The Linebackers

The LBs tweet for Nathan:

At LB, we have a nice blend of experience and ability, but the numbers are a little thin. Should be a good unit, barring injury/attrition.

Meanwhile, it has come to my attention that the "Bowling & Burgers" format isn't the most popular among some of our readers.  Sorry about that, but I don't really give a shit.  Using these nutty, ill-fitting, clumsily-conceived metaphors is what keeps the season preview fun to write and helps it avoid falling into the trap of the blah blah blah quarterback competition blah blah blah pass rush blah blah blah impact freshmen blah blah blah concerns in the secondary pulp diatribe you'll read elsewhere.  In closing, if you dislike the Bowling & Burgers, please just order another pitcher of beer and sit tight until we've bowled the 10th frame.  Thanks.

Anyway, on to the linebackers...


Strikes

• In Steve Greer and LaRoy Reynolds, we have two senior starters who have enjoyed extensive playing time since Mike London was hired and installed the 4-3 defense.  Greer is a rugged tackle machine at middle linebacker who has played a role in a whopping 254 tackles to this point in his career.  He's not especially big or strong, but he's quietly effective and extremely productive.  Reynolds is an active, athletic outside linebacker who has notched 15 tackles-for-loss over the course of the last two seasons.  He'll gamble at times and get burned, but he's also able to make some huge plays with that penchant for risk-taking and over-pursuit (see also: the 2011 Miami game.)  Both guys are impact starters, both will provide leadership and fire for the young defense, and both will be productive when it comes to stopping the opposition.  No worries with either one, both are "plus" players for the defense when they are on the field.
• At the other starting spot, we will probably be seeing Daquan Romero this fall.  Da-Da is a converted defensive end that will likely be sent on blitzes on the reg in an effort to take advantage of his pass rush skills and to bolster the team's pass rush -- an area of generalized concern for many followers of the program (including me.)  Can Da-Da play well in space, covering tight ends and backs?  That's the big question, but the coaches seem to really be excited about his ability level.  If he has to learn a little bit on the job while being able to assist the pass rush, then I'm happy with the trade-off at Sam.
• I'm going to go ahead and say we're loaded at Mike this fall.  Greer is a beast and Henry Coley is a nice talent who might be a bit of a swingman between the middle and the strongside positions in his reserve role.  This is his third year in the program, his physical development should be pretty far along, and his comfort level in the defense should be high.  I think we'll be seeing a pretty nice player in our #4 linebacker.  Note: Coley has opened training camp as the starter at Sam.  Interesting.  We'll have to see how this plays out...
• Adding to the "loaded"ness at Mike, we have true freshman super-recruit Kwontie Moore, who might be asked to redshirt, or he might be asked to suit up and get his dick wet this fall.  My guess is that he'll play in 2012, with Coley bouncing out to the strongside more often than not.  Moore has the size (6-2, 245), pedigree, athletic ability, instincts, and reputation you love to see added to your defense.  Back when he committed to UVA in May 2011, I said: I don't want to overstate it, but imagine the day the Baltimore Ravens drafted Ray Lewis.  I stand by that assessment, and I stand by the assertion that a middle linebacker of Kwontie Moore's ilk is very likely to be the defensive centerpiece of what Coach London is building on that side of the ball.  I think Moore will play this fall, and I think we'll love the flashes he shows us.  One more Kwontie Moore prediction: He passes Coley and starts at Mike in 2013 and 2014 before leaving early for the NFL.  I'm pretty high on this kid.

Gutters

• I'm not sure what we have in Tucker Windle, and I'm not sure anyone is really sure what we have in him.  He's a senior, and has yet to really make a push for playing time, which tells me that he's "just a guy."  That's why I think we're seeing Coley kicking out to Sam -- as Romero insurance, to clear the path for Kwontie Moore to play at Mike, and to push Windle further down the pine.
• D.J. Hill and Darius Lee are both athletic young guys who haven't tasted action yet.  Both are unknowns, but both should get on the field - at least a little bit - this fall.  Hopefully one of them emerges as a potential impact player down the line and as the heir apparent to LaRoy Reynolds on the weakside.  But for this season, expect Roy to play a ironman role, rarely leaving the field.  These guys just aren't ready.
• If none of Windle, Hill, or Lee distinguish themselves, it might be tempting to burn some redshirts on some true freshmen.  Demeitre Brim is an athletically-gifted safety prospect who was a darkhorse star recruit who could quickly grow into an effective Will linebacker --- In fact, he's already practicing at linebacker.  Trent Corney could get his start at fullback, but he's currently listed as a linebacker on the roster.  He's an intriguing size/speed specimen who is very raw in terms of football skill.  But as a seek and destroy linebacker?  That could click for him early and without much seasoning.  Mark Hall is a very good talent who could be physically ready for some snaps on defense already, but could probably use some seasoning from a redshirt season.  Ideally, none of these three guys will play this season, but they are on the roster and could suit up if needed.
• Finally, to appease Mike, I'll mention Eli Harold with the linebackers.  He's an option at Sam, I suppose, but if he's on the field in a linebacking position, we are either stupidly flirting with a 3-4 (read: 5-2) defense again, or something has gone horribly, terribly wrong... or both.  Eli needs to focus on playing defensive end and beating college-level protection to rush the passer this season, not trying to learn drops and coverages as a linebacker.
• I like that Coach London allows the guys to choose their own numbers with a whole lot of freedom, but a starting linebacker wearing #9 and another wearing #13, with a reserve wearing #29?  That's just weird.  Kind of off-putting if you ask me.  I like my linebackers in the 30s, 40s, and 50s only.  That's a pretty big list of options, why you gotta dip into the teens and single-digits?

Projected Depth Chart
Sam) #13 Daquan Romero (So.), #44 Henry Coley (So.), #39 Tucker Windle (Sr.)
Mike) #53 Steve Greer (Sr.), #44 Henry Coley (So.), #34 Kwontie Moore (Fr.)
Will) #9 LaRoy Reynolds (Sr.), #29 D.J. Hill (So.), #40 Darius Lee (RS Fr.)

Burgers...

Pierce: LBs. These guys are a (hopefully) reliable and often impressive burger like the kind you get at Five Guys. Probably not an A+ group, but the potential is there for a great season.

Mike: Linebackers are your typical summer barbeque burger. You pretty much know what you're going to get and it's going to be tasty (Greer and Reynolds). However there is always the chance that someone will try something crazy in their burgers and it will either be awesome, or taste like a chalkboard (Coley). I'm thinking based on the raw ingredients we have that something delicious is about to come off the grill at Sam, but you never know, someone might think tofu would be a good addition.

Kendall: The linebacking burger has three main components: the steady and reliably good high-quality beef in the middle (Greer), an interesting new flavor you've never tasted before in the form of a jellied garden vegetable chutney (Da-Da / Coley), and a zingy, tangy, spicy hot sauce (Roy).  All together, it can get a little bit sloppy at times, but overall it's a tasty burger.


Score for the Frame:
I like this linebacking unit.  The presence of Greer and Reynolds ensures that this is a solid first roll... call it a nice 9-pin hit.  But with the relative lack of (reliable / proven) depth and somewhat limited upside on the depth chart, I think the second roll appears to be missing the remaining pin... but thanks to the presence of Henry Coley and Kwontie Moore, two players I really like in reserve, the pin is grazed, it wobbles, pirouettes, and eventually falls.  SPARE!

Score Thru 6 Frames: 80

The Game So Far:

| 7/ | 7- | 33 | 8/ | X | 9/ |   |   |   |   | 80

Bowling & Burgers, 5th Frame: The Running Backs

The RBs tweet for Nathan:

We're loaded at running back. PJ is the swiss army knife, KP for deceptive power, Richardson oozes talent, Shepherd in support. Fullback...?

The name for our new bowling team has been successfully brainstormed.  It is "Bowlkkake."  Anyway, on to the backs...

Strikes

• I describe him as a "swiss army knife" kind of back, but you already know Perry Jones can do it all.  915 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, 506 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.  If anything, I'd like to see him get into the end zone a bit more often, but that's picking nits (and invading KP's role.)  At 5-8, 185, he's diminutive, and I don't know if he has the pure speed to make it in the NFL at that size, but as a college back he's damn near perfection.  I'm as excited to see his senior season as I have been for any runner since Thomas Jones.  If Superman can crack the 1K barrier this season, he'll finish up #8 in the school's rushing record book, ahead of guys like Jim Bakhtiar, Alvin Pearman, and Barry Word and hot on the heels of Frank Quayle and Wali Lundy.
• Meanwhile, I continue to be crazily high on Kevin Parks.  In his redshirt freshman season, the guy was able to rack up 709 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns with a mesmerizing blend of speed, burst, and unexpected power.  He was wildly productive in high school (10,895 yards and 158 touchdowns, that's over TEN THOUSAND yards and ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FREAKING EIGHT touchdowns -- I never, ever, ever get tired of bringing that up), and is proving to be wildly productive in college, despite the lack of eye-popping measurables of any particular variety.  I just love this kid and am unbelievably delighted to have the chance to watch him play for UVA for another three seasons.
• KP is amazing, but he'll be facing a career-long battle for carries against uber-talent Clifton Richardson.  Unlike either PJ or KP, C-Rich brings a little bit of size (6-0, 215) to the table, and he best passes the eyeball test as a bellcow type of running back.  I expect to see him settle into a change-of-pace role this season, with a lion's share of the work in real power situations.  But Richardson isn't just a power back, he's explosive in the open field and really good at weaving through traffic.  The fact that he's our #3 running back is a real testament to the ability of this group.
• The tragedy here is that a talented young runner like Khalek Shepherd has to toil as the #4 running back and will likely struggle to see many touches at all, beyond his special teams work.  This is the kid that looked like a bonafide star in the spring game, in ripping off a 75-yard sideline scamper.  Shepherd has good straight-line speed, good hands, and though he lacks a workhorse frame at 5-8, 185, he runs with workhorse skills.  If any of the three guys ahead of him in the pecking order go down, I am not worried at all about Shepherd taking on an increased role in the offense.  I think on a lesser team he'd be a legit #1 tailback who could be extremely productive.  It's a great luxury to have him waiting in the wings, but a total shame he probably won't get much work to show what he can do.

Gutters

• The fullback position is minimalized in Lazor's offense, but it's still kind of a mess personnel-wise.  We have a high-slung ex-tight end in Zach Swanson, a converted defensive back / linebacker 'tweener in LoVante' Battle, and a walk-on in Billy Skrobacz.  I have no idea which of the three will bubble to the surface this season, but Max Milien left behind 22 catches, 264 yards, and 2 touchdowns as a dumpoff receiving option in the flat.
• Swanson seems to be a good fit as the Milien-style receiving option, being a former tight end and all. But at 6-6, 230, I have a hard time seeing the guy lay much of a devastating lead block.  He's more power forward than fullback.
• Meanwhile, I am excited to see what Battle can do.  He plays with violence... and I like that.  But can he block?  Can he catch?  How is he with the ball in his hands?
• The best fullback on the roster might be a guy who's not even listed at the position yet.  Incoming freshman Trent Corney might end up at fullback (or linebacker or tight end or defensive end), and he offers an intoxicating size/speed specimen.

Projected Depth Chart
RB) #33 Perry Jones (Sr.), #25 Kevin Parks (So.), #10 Clifton Richardson (So.), #23 Khalek Shepherd (So.)
FB) #49 Zachary Swanson (So.), #4 LoVante' Battle (Sr.), #37 Billy Skrobacz (Jr.)


Burgers...

Pierce: The running backs are a the top burger in town. Cooked perfectly, high quality ingredients, loaded with toppings, yet perfectly balanced. Every part is complementary to the others, resulting in a 5-star culmination of taste and texture. Shazam.

Mike: The running backs are the Squeeze Inn burger. Delicious to the point of excess. Think of a great cheeseburger with awesome cheese, and adding even more cheese to the point where it becomes this:

SO MUCH GOOEY DELICIOUS CHEESE. We have an embarrassment of riches at running back. AND our top three guys would probably start at Tech this year. AND Shepherd is no slouch as a 4th string guy. It's too much. Richardson has the size and speed to be a feature back in this offense, and he is running 3rd. That is insane to think about.

Kendall: This year's running back position is like the burger they sell at a gourmet steakhouse. Big, thick, meaty, delicious.  Carmelized onions, bacon, and plenty of steak sauce for zip.  18 bucks, and worth every freaking penny.


Score for the Frame:
This one's easy.  (And frankly, with a middling score so far, we needed it.)  Despite prototypical grind-it-out size in our backs and not a whole lot of proven substance at fullback, this roll is confident and on target -- powerful, fast, and decisive.  The ball rumbles down the lane, the pins crash, heads turn, and you feel the sparkly tingle of satisfaction in the base of your ballsack.  Of course, I have just described a STRIKE.

Kaboom.

Score Thru 5 Frames: 60

Shameless Plug

A little less than a year ago, my friend Nathan and I talked about working together to start a blog -- a fantasy football news, opinions, and advice blog.

Add/Drop/Trade/Kill/Destroy*

We never really found the time to get it off the ground beyond the initial set-up, and Add/Drop/Trade/Kill/Destroy* just kind of sat there, dying a slow death.

Until last week, when I had an idea: make A/D/T/K/D* the official unofficial blog of the Cavalier Keeper League -- my super-involved decade-old fantasy football league. The concept: Use the blog to house all of our weekly recurring articles, the stuff we would usually post on the CKL message board to enjoy for a season and then lose forever. Stuff like the Wednesday FAABnalysis, the Weekly Preview, etc. Not the smack talk or the roiling conversational machinations of rules change threads, but the big set pieces that could potentially have an audience beyond just the 14 of us in the fantasy football league.

Additionally, we - all 14 of us - will use this blog for what it was originally intended: Opinion columns on fantasy football. Profane, perverse... just relaxed, informal, fun writing about fantasy football.

Along with that, we will expand our realm of CKL set pieces. Maybe we'll have a post-draft Q&A with each coach -- Why did you make that pick? Which pick was your favorite? Which player you had targeted sadly slipped away? Et cetera.  These posts will unearth information specific to our league, but applicable to other leagues.

Many people know we have the best fantasy football league on the planet. And I think there's an audience for those people to take a look at what we're doing and maybe use some of that wisdom to build their own leagues or run their own teams.

Anyway, long story short, I'm the architect of a second blog, one about fantasy football.  Click on the above link to check it out.  Who knows?  Maybe you'll enjoy it.

Bowling & Burgers, 4th Frame: The D-Line

Fourth frame... 4-3 defense... four-man defensive line.  Okay, I know I'm stretching now.  BACK UP OFFA ME.

The d-line tweet for Nathan:

Stockpiling talent on the d-line, 2012 might be a transition year as the young guys get battle-tested. Pass rush is my biggest concern.

Time to Parker Bohn this bitch...

Strikes

• I believe that the key to winning championships in college football is to build a formidable defensive line.  Mike London appears to agree with me, having brought in a whopping 13 defensive line recruits in his first three recruiting classes, including five 4- or 5-star guys.  Easily, the d-line has been London's most successful recruiting area, headlined by perhaps his best overall recruit since he assumed the Big Whistle at UVA -- Eli Harold.  With three 2011 starters graduated, now is the time for us to start seeing the fruits of that recruiting labor, and I believe the rising tide of that talent influx is going to raise all boats on the defense... despite the relative inexperience of the players on said defensive line.
• But not all of the players are inexperienced.  Jake Snyder is a returning starter, and Will Hill played starter's minutes in 2011.  Snyder is a gritty, blood and guts strongside end who isn't a pass rush threat but is a good enough run-stopper.  Hill is a great penetrator from his tackle spot, and is poised for a big campaign in 2012.  Both guys should be able to provide requisite leadership along the defensive front.
• Leadership presence doesn't end with Snyder and Hill, however.  Bill Schautz was coming on like gangbusters last year before the broken leg he sustained against Florida State.  The way he has rehabbed that horrific injury has been inspiring his teammates, and as a senior I think he's incredibly driven to be a force for the team, especially as a pass rusher as the starting weakside end.  I like the pass rush he generates, and it might be the single most important contribution any individual player is going to make for this defense in 2012.
• The pass rush potential doesn't end with Schautz, as Eli Harold should get on the field plenty as a true freshman this fall (look for him to start out as a nickel pass rush specialist).  Along with those two, I think safety-turned linebacker-turned defensive end Ausar Walcott has the potential to display some decent chops on the edge.  Remember, that path to playing time is the same one Cam Johnson walked during his time with the Hoos.  That's fairly heady company for Walcott.
• My - and many others' - biggest sleeper along the defensive line is sophomore Chris Brathwaite, who is finally healthy and ready to make an impact.  He plays angry, and I love that in my interior linemen.  Brath's brute power should be a nice complement to Hill's nifty moves.
• If you haven't noticed yet, you will once he's on the field in a greatly expanded role this fall: Justin Renfrow is one massive man.  Every good DL has at least one baby huey like this, and Renfrow could be the beached whale-type run plugger we'll need against teams that like to George Welsh it up the gut.
• I also really like David Dean and Vincent Croce at tackle.  Both are really nice talents who have been somewhat forgotten in the mix of sexy young talent being added to the program, but both will have chances to sparkle this fall and earn expanded roles for the remainder of their college careers.
• Overall, depth at defensive tackle looks really good right now.  We run a legit six deep at the two spots, with Buddy Ruff ready to fill in where needed as a junior who has been kicked around the block.  Not many of these guys have much experience on the field, but all six offer good potential for impact.
• Brent Urban is listed as an end, but many think he'll transition to tackle this season.  In either case, he's another big, strong body we'll be able to throw on the defensive front.

Gutters

• There's Schautz, coming back from a gruesome broken leg.  There's Walcott, trying to learn another new position.  And then there's true freshman Eli Harold, who might not be physically or mentally ready for extended playing time this fall.  Beyond those three, there's not much potential for game-changing pass rushers in 2012.  If this troika can't get the job done, opposing quarterbacks will be able to stand strong in the pocket and slice our woefully young secondary to ribbons.  Mediocre pass rush + shaky secondary = 400+ yard passing performances against us and lots of shootouts.  My head is not in the sand on this one, and I have the games against Duke and Louisiana Tech specifically circled on the calendar as occasions where this formula could really bite us in the ass in contests we should otherwise win.
• I've mentioned it a few times before, but beyond Snyder, Hill, Schautz, and Walcott (at linebacker), none of these guys have really gotten on the field, at all.  That could be a problem, and the coaching staff will have to sort out a depth chart on the fly as they observe game action with lots of mixing and matching along the d-line.
• I worry about a general lack of size up front.  Renfrow and Urban give us some girth, and Buddy Ruff is another big body for the rotation, but no other player tips the scales at more than 275-280.  Projected rotation regulars Schautz (250), Walcott (240), Harold (230), and Brathwaite (270) are all really light for their positions.  I could see us being blown off the ball by big, physical offensive lines this fall.
• There's a lot of potential on this line, but it has to be developed, cultivated, and then demonstrated before it matters.  This figures to be a bit of a trial by fire season, which means sustaining some painful burns along the way.

Projected Depth Chart
RDE) #47 Bill Schautz (Sr.), #26 Ausar Walcott (Sr.), #7 Eli Harold (Fr.), #94 Courtnye Wynn, #58 Diamonte Bailey (RS Fr.)
DT) #93 Will Hill (Sr.), #64 David Dean (RS Fr.), #45 Vincent Croce (RS Fr.), #50 Marco Jones (RS Fr.)
DT) #98 Chris Brathwaite (So.), #54 Justin Renfrow (Jr.), #62 Buddy Ruff (Jr.)
LDE) #90 Jake Snyder (Jr.), #99 Brent Urban (Jr.), #92 Rob Burns (RS Fr.), #57 Stephen Lawe (So.), #32 Mike Moore (Fr.)

Burgers...

Pierce: The D-Line is like a dull middle-of-the-road burger waiting for its toppings - what they hand you at Fuddruckers right before you get to the toppings bar. There's potential there, but as of right now, there's not a whole lot to say but "could be okay, but we're going to have to wait and see." Schautz coming back healthy will be a huge boost, plus the influx of new talent. Could Chris Brathwaite be the grilled onions and hot sauce to take this burger into the realm of super delicious? Maybe, but the group could also be pretty darn mediocre.

Mike: The D-Line is one of those stupidly enormous eating challenge burgers. It only tastes okay, but there is so damn much of it that you just have to love it for the American excess. The team is loaded with d-line talent this year, and is gearing up to get even deeper and stronger in the future. We're already potentially rolling nine deep on the D-Line, which makes this burger quite a larger handful. That being said, those burgers, while huge, usually don't taste all that good. The line is deep, but their ability level as a unit is still an unknown. Hell we could get to a super dry overcooked center.

Kendall: To me, this d-line is like a plate of gourmet sliders.  Some are better than others, all are fairly delicious in their own way, but there's not much meat and they don't all fit together and form a cohesive meal.  Mike says nine deep, I say ELEVEN deep.  And yes, I really do think we'll see all of the following eleven players get some snaps in the base defense: Schautz, Hill, Brath, Snyder, Walcott, Dean, Renfrow, Urban, Harold, Croce, and Ruff.  I like the constant rotation approach, and I like the d-line to stay fresh and come at you in waves like hockey line shifts, but it's never as good as a shorter rotation that plays with a lot of chemistry.  Basically, give me six or seven really focused, super-delicious sliders over a pu-pu platter of a million different flavors.


Score for the Frame:
This frame starts out as a dreaded 7-10 split.  But you know what?  Sometimes in college football you just have to ignore conventional wisdom and a seemingly dire situation "on paper," and go with your gut.  Thanks to sheer numbers and the delightful possibility of superior talent bubbling to the surface, I have a certain conviction about this year's defensive line.  The second roll is one made on that faith, and it is a miraculous SPARE!

Score Thru 4 Frames: 40

O-Line Update!

O, the pitfalls of starting this series so early...

Updating Bowling & Burgers, 1st Frame: The O-Line post from last week:

It sounds like Luke Bowanko, last year's starting right guard, is going to open camp next week as our starting center.  The fallout:

• Not sure what this means for Matt Mihalik, other than he must have failed to impress the coaching staff in the spring after working at center exclusively.  Consensus is currently that Mihalik will get a long look to start at right guard, but I'm hedging my bets against that.  Better to get a young guy with more upside on the field in that role.  Any of Cody Wallace, Conner Davis, Tim Cwalina... or my personal favorite... Kelby Johnson could use the 2012 right guard spot as a springboard to a very nice career of starting along the UVA offensive line.  Mihalik is probably a better fit in a backup role this season.
• I love Luke Bowanko at center, especially starting alongside Sean Cascarano.  That's an extremely mobile pairing, which could open up a very interesting series of pulling options. Our perimeter runs could look very interesting this season, with either - or BOTH! - of those guys surging around to lead block on the right side alongside Mount Moses.
• I love that Luke Bowanko is just a junior.  If he indeed emerges as our starting center this season, that means we return our starting center NEXT season, which is obviously a big boost.