I remember Crouch making a couple plays here and there this season but he was not really good - he was pretty average at best. And if this coaching staff thinks LB was a bigger problem than d-back, we're likely to learn sooner rather than later that $95mm contract was premature. I'm not saying the LB squad was great but we weren't dead last in pass defense because of them. They were pretty lousy in pass coverage too but they wren't the reason literally everyone blew the top off our defense.
I'm also not sure why horst is key for the OL next season, he probably had more holds and personal fouls than the next 2 most penalized lineman combined this year. I hope he gets whatever mental health issues sorted out - that's more important than football, obviously but I don't think we'll be much worse off if he doesn't come back.
Crouch got better as the season went on, he was out leading tackler in the last couple games before he got hurt and was really starting to become an enforcer in the middle. Adding 2 LBs though tells me the staff didn't think he was getting it done.
Also, I know everyone loves Cal Haladay, but he was a little overrated IMO. He's more consistent, but has some physical limitations, I think he's best in a support role as a depth piece.
The staff 100% will be adding a DB or 2 from the portal. When Williams was healthy he was decent. Kimbrough to me was the worst DB. And our safeties were bad in coverage, as much of a fan favorite as Grose is, I think an upgrade is needed. Lowry showed potential when healthy, and I think Brantley is going to be a plus player in 2022. I also think 1 of the freshman will could start in 2022, Caleb Coley would be my pick, we legit had to fend off Georgia and Clemson for him. He'll be picking MSU tomorrow. I'd hope 1 or more of the freshman safeties gets on the field too. Perhaps Spencer or Tatum at Nickel.
Interesting enough, Xavier Henderson didn't participate in senior day activities, and he's still undecided on going pro or returning, he would help if he came back, although he is also not great in coverage.
To me, the DBs have enough talent, they just don't know the system yet, it was obvious to me they were reacting slowly and getting lost in space too often. The 4-2-5 is being used all across the country, the scheme can work and our DC has had it work well for him.
DE is a position of need, Bogle from Flordia was thought to be locked up from the portal, but Kentucky made a late push, we'll find out soon though, he'd be an instant starter. I'd want to add 2 DEs. Tank Brown, Fletcher, and Pietrowski are not a good enough DE rotation to have a decent defense. I do think you'll see one of Windom or Brule lined up as a stand up DE on a lot of 3rd downs, Brule actually led the NCAA in QB pressures in 2020.
DT is flat out loaded. At least we've got that going for us.
