Why I feel our defense will be better in 2024

[Gatorbull325]

According to NCAA.com, out of 130 teams here is how we fared last year-

• Total Defense – 115th
• Rushing Defense - 47^th
• Interceptions – 19^th
• 4^th Down Conversions – 64^th
• 3^rd down Conversion Percentage – 22^nd
• Passing Yards Allowed – 129^th
• Defensive TDs – 8^th
• Red Zone Defense – 74^th

Why I feel we will have a better defense in 2024 –

1.      Defensive End – Jason Vaughn is back, Pettus is a BEAST, Benard Gooden is finally eligible, Michael Williams is improving, and my favorite freshman is Ryan Jenkins. I feel he is going to play his first year.

2.      Defensive Tackles – This is the most Depth we have had since the days of Bruce Hector and Deadrin Senat. We probably have more depth. DeCarius Hawthorne was FAU’s sack leader last year. We have 4 legit 300 Ib players, the rest b/w 280-290ish.

3.      Secondary - We eliminated a lot of deadweight in our secondary and replaced them with better talent. Our secondary is the main reason our defense sucked. Well, we trimmed the fat and have better talent. Plus, Ben Knox is back and buddy looks the part this year.  

4.      CAG recruits – This is our highest-rated recruiting class in several years. We are ranked 67^th for the 2024 class. I feel a handful of these freshman defensive players will step up this year. A handful of recruits we want to see from last year’s class will also get to shine.

Our defense as a whole was ranked high, but I attribute that to a bad secondary. This year I feel we will end the year ranked in the '60s.

 

The yellow highlights are the players who either left or just joined the team. 

2024 Defense					2023 Defense
Jason Vaughn	DE	6-5	Gr.		Jason Vaughn	DE	6-5	SR.
D.J. Harris	DE	6-2	Jr.		Tramel Logan	DE	6-4	Jr.
Michael Williams II	DE	6-3	So.		Immanuel Hickman	DE	6-3	Sr.
Jaylen Pettus	DE	6-3	So.		Jonathan Ross	DE	6-3	Sr.
Chad Elder	DE	6-3	So.		D.J. Harris	DE	6-2	So.
Dinellson Exume	DE	6-4	Fr.		Lioyd Summerall	DE	6-5	Jr.
Ryan Jenkins	DE	6-4	Fr.		Michael Williams II	DL	6-3	R-Fr.
Ira Singleton	DE	6-3	Fr.		Keeon Terrell	DL	6-3	So.
Rico WatsonIII	DL	6-0	Gr.		Rico Watson	DL	6-0	Sr.
Bernard Gooden	DL	6-1	Jr.		Chad Elder	DE	6-3	R-Fr.
Rashad Cheney	DT	6-2	Gr.		Stantavious Smith	DT	6-1	Fr.
Immanuel Hickman	DT	6-3	Gr.		De'Juan Sease	DT	6-2	Gr.
Doug Blue-Eli	DT	6-2	Jr.		Danny Gonzalez	DT	6-1	R-Fr.
DeCarius Hawthorne	DT	6'2	SR.		Doug Blue-Eli	DT	6-2	So.
Jacquez Williams	DT	6-2	So.		Jacquez Williams	DT	6-2	R-Fr.
Chenellson Exume	DT	6-4	Fr.		Rashad Cheney	DT	6-2	Jr.
Danny Gonzalez	DT	6-1	So.
Jahari Grant	DT	6-0	Fr.
Jhalyn Shuler	LB	6-3	Gr.		Jhalyn Shuler	LB	6-3	Sr.
DJ Gordon IV	LB	6-1	Gr.		Jamie Pettway	LB	6-2	Jr.
Jamie Pettway	LB	6-2	Sr.		Mac Harris	LB	6-0	So.
Mac Harris	LB	6-0	Sr.		Brian Norris	LB	6-2	Gr.
Amer Amer	LB	6-1	Jr.		CJ Ross	LB	5-11	Jr.
Reggie Johnson II	LB	6-0	Jr.		Dylan Ridolph	LB	6-0	So.
Langston "Lex" Long	LB	6-3	So.		Amer Amer	LB	6-1	So.
Greg Otten	LB	6-1	R-Fr.		Andrew Mata'afa	LB	6-3	Sr.
Rodney Hill	LB	5-10	Fr.		Reggie Johnson II	LB	6-0	Jr.
Ashton Mosley	LB	6-3	Fr.		Greg Otten	LB	6-1	Fr.
Eli Hiscock	LB	6-2	Fr.		Evan Dangler	LB	6-3	R-Fr.
Zavier Hamilton	LB	6-2	Fr.
Devon Byrd	LB	6-2	Fr.
Ben Knox	CB	6-2	Gr.		Braxton Clark	CB	6-4	Gr.
Brent Austin	CB	5-11	Jr.		Ben Knox	CB	6-2	Jr.
De'Shawn Rucker	CB	6-0	Jr.		Kendall Dennis	CB	5-10	So.
Jarvis Lee	CB	5-11	So.		Jarvis Lee	CB	5-11	Fr.
Aamaris Brown	DB	5-10	Sr.		JaBari Roberson	CB	5-11	Sr.
Kajuan Banks	DB	5-10	Jr.		Preston Shemansky	CB	-	Fr.
Jaelen Stokes	DB	6-1	Jr.		Daquan Evans	DB	5-11	Sr.
Tavin Ward	DB	6-1	So.		Aamaris Brown	DB	5-10	Jr.
Camren Campbell	DB	6-1	Fr.		Jayden Curry	DB	5-11	Jr.
James Chenault	DB	6-0	Fr.		Jameel Sanders	DB	6-1	Jr.
Jermaine Dalias	DB	6-0	Fr.		Jaelen Stokes	DB	6-1	So.
Fred Gaskin	DB	5-10	Fr.		Christopher Townsel	DB	6-2	Jr.
Deylen Platt	DB	6-3	Fr.		Tavin Ward	DB	6-1	R-Fr.
Cole Dillon	S	5-11	R-Fr.		Timarcus Simpson	S	5-11	Sr.
Tawfiq Byard	S	6-1	R-Fr.		Chris Thomas	S	6-0	R-Fr.
Logan Berryhill	S	6-4	Gr.		Logan Berryhill	S	6-4	Jr.
Lewai Mitchell	S	6-1	Jr.		Lewai Mitchell	S	6-1	So.
D'Marco Augustin	S	6-1	Fr.		Edmund Ghent	S	5-10	Fr.
					Joshua Poleon	S	6-0	Fr.
					Will Jones II	S	5-9

[NinjaPenguin777]

If we can get into the 70 or 80s overall with a lot of turnovers created I'll be happy. I just want to get back to the Tom Allen days at the very least. Bend but don't break. Don't constantly give up huge chunk plays. Get turnovers like crazy. Let the offense work 

[Gatorbull325]

4 minutes ago, NinjaPenguin777 said:

If we can get into the 70 or 80s overall with a lot of turnovers created I'll be happy. I just want to get back to the Tom Allen days at the very least. Bend but don't break. Don't constantly give up huge chunk plays. Get turnovers like crazy. Let the offense work 

But what i liked last year, unlike previous year, there weren't as many running "chunk plays". We finally have a good run defense. We were ranked 7th for TFLs last year.

[USF_Bullsharks]

I don't like bend but don't break - I'd rather get 3rd and 4th down stops but give up a deep ball over the middle once a game. The lengthy drives because we can't stop people on short to go, especially in the second half, are back breaking for a team. And if I see us playing 7-10 yards off the receivers on 3rd/4th down with less than 5 to go - I'm going to blow a gasket. 

USF football pet peeves from poor coaching over the last few head coaches: 

1. Halfback dive 

2. Receivers playing off ball in short yardage to gain situations

3. Wide receiver screens (although can be really effective when run properly, was it Skip that called them over and over with undersized and ineffective blocking receivers?)

4. ******* losing

Edited June 27 by USF_Bullsharks

[jchem1995]

For me it was the open middle field. Any team that was facing a 3rd and long simply called a play over the middle of the field for another first down. 

[Peatearpan]

1 minute ago, jchem1995 said:

For me it was the open middle field. Any team that was facing a 3rd and long simply called a play over the middle of the field for another first down. 

3rd and 14 against Houston

[USFBULL_08]

Gonna be a viscous cycle.

Defense wont get fixed until we have some legit D line players. Will probably be another year before we process the rest of the baggage out. At that point BB will be gone and we'll have to pray Goach has a guy ready.

[NinjaPenguin777]

3 hours ago, USF_Bullsharks said:

I don't like bend but don't break - I'd rather get 3rd and 4th down stops but give up a deep ball over the middle once a game. The lengthy drives because we can't stop people on short to go, especially in the second half, are back breaking for a team. And if I see us playing 7-10 yards off the receivers on 3rd/4th down with less than 5 to go - I'm going to blow a gasket. 

USF football pet peeves from poor coaching over the last few head coaches: 

1. Halfback dive 

2. Receivers playing off ball in short yardage to gain situations

3. Wide receiver screens (although can be really effective when run properly, was it Skip that called them over and over with undersized and ineffective blocking receivers?)

4. ******* losing

I mean last year we got absolutely shredded for long plays all year on passing plays. I'll take lengthy drives with the potential to create turnovers over teams setting career high in passing yards against us all year. 

Edited June 28 by NinjaPenguin777

[Sk00b]

3 hours ago, Peatearpan said:

3rd and 14 against Houston

4th and 24...

Edited June 28 by Sk00b
Woops not 3rd

[Sk00b]

4 minutes ago, NinjaPenguin777 said:

I mean last year we got absolutely shredded for long plays all year on passing plays. I'll take lengthy drives with the potential to create turnovers over teams setting career high in passing yards against us all year. 

Yea. Problem is i don't see us turning that around in one season. I say that's looking much better in 25 once CAG has a couple classes that have developed.