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My 2012 DEFENSE pre-season all-conf team (2-deep)

BWahlberg

BWahlberg

Well-known member
DONOR
I have to admit... I'm a little more fuzzy on other team's defensive players, there's usually a select few who stand out but I think this list, additionally outside of raw stats I'm really in the dark on teams coming over from the Great West as I've just not seen a lot of them, if at all.

First Team:

DE: Brad Daly, MSU. Reigning sack leader clearly gets 1st team nod 12.5 sacks last year.
DE: Trevor Pletcher, Weber. 6.5 sacks last season, 9th in 'Sky in TFLs.
DT: Zach Minter, MSU. Probably the best DT in the Big Sky, 7.5 sacks last season, great grades in school, model football player.
DT: Cody Larsen, SUU. 1st team GW, 7 sacks last year. Best DT from the GW that's headed to the 'sky this year.
OLB: Jody Owens, MSU. Led the Big Sky in TFLs, 9th in sacks, 10th in total tackles.
OLB: Jordan Tripp, UM. Back from his shoulder surgery Tripp will be poised to dominate again.
ILB: Clarence Bumpas, UNC. 145 tackles last year, are you kidding me?
ILB: Todd Davis, Sac. Over-shadowed by a bumper-crop of stud Big Sky ILBs last year (McSurdy, Bignell, & Storms). Was 7th in total tackles last year.
CB: TJ Lee, EWU. A poor-man's Trumaine Johnson? No stats to suggest he's 1st team material but landed on 1st team all-Big Sky over Roots last year
CB: Donovan Henley, ISU. Led the Big sky in interceptions and tied 2nd best in passes defended.
S: Joel Fuller, MSU. Made 2nd team Big Sky last year.
S: Matt Hermanson, UM. True Freshman that didn't even get solid playing time 1 month into the system and still split time, wound up tied for 2nd in interceptions (3) and had 64 tackles + a stellar post-season.


Second Team:

DE: Caleb Schreibeis, MSU. Tough pick between Caleb and WSU's Pletcher, MSU's Dline is loaded, Caleb had 7 sacks last year.
DE: Ross Brennemen, UND. 9 sacks last season but low total tackle count in 32.
DT: Sullivan Grosz, CPSLO. 45 tackles and a solid 6 sacks for Sullivan landed him on 2nd team GW last year.
DT: Andrew Benjaman, UCD. 3 sacks, 45 tackles, honorable mention GW.
OLB: JP Kanongata'a, UM. Griz homer pick here, Kanongata'a doesn't have the stats but still made 2nd team Big Sky last year.
OLB: Cameron Friend, UNC. 93 tackles and a sack last season, UNC will give UM and MSU a run for the best linebacker corps in 2012.
ILB: Kennith Jackson, CPSLO. 1 tackle less than Poly's leading tackler, Poly boasts a talented group of 'backers.
ILB: Anthony Morales, Weber. Big numbers, 115 tackles, but only 36 were solo where other ILBs last year went 50/50 on solo vs assisted tackles.
CB: Darious Jones, MSU. 9 defended passes last year and 63 tackles, 2nd team all-conf as I recall one of the better tackling DBs in the Big Sky.
CB: Johnathan Perkins, UCD. Led the GW with 11 defended passes, had 2 picks as well.
S: Daryl Brown, UND. As a freshman was 9th in passes defended with 6, honorable mention GW
S: Jeff Minnerly, EWU. No major PBU/INT stats but 77 tackles as a safety gets my attention.


Side note, special honorable mention to CPLSO OLB Johnny Millard, leading Poly tackler with 81 tackles, 2nd team GW. Just too much talent with other OLBs, it was tough to bump him off this list.

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So, defensive MVP, some interesting arguments here, I see a player or two from a few dangerous and experienced corps that could get the nod.

Zach Minter - There's no other DT in the Big Sky like Minter, and with a talented group around him Olines cannot just focus on him.

Clarence Bumpas - If you've got 145 tackles in 2011 and are the headliner of a very dangerous LB corps you've got to get a look at MVP.

Jordan Tripp - Tough to pull the MVP vote based on expecations to return of prior form, but undeniable amount of talent is a compelling argument.

TJ Lee - Last year Trumaine Johnson showed how important an elite shut-down corner can be for a whole team.

I think the pick for MVP goes to Minter, however Bumpas might get the nod from media voters as an LB is more versatile in run and pass support and his numbers are hard to ignore. Minter is just a freak of a D-lineman and I think he really sets the tone of the MSU defense and because of the attention he gets in the middle it frees up players like Daly and Schreibeis for more 1 on 1 chances to get to the QB.
 
Combining my earlier offense picks my quick count by team goes:

So per my quick player count by team I get:

UM: 7
MSU: 8
EWU: 5
UND: 4
ISU: 2
UNC: 2
Weber: 4
NAU: 3
SUU: 4
PSU: 1
Sac: 1
UCD: 2
CPSLO: 3
 
MSU is going to be very tough defensively. As good of a pass rusher Daly is, I think he is a liability against the run game though. Their OL looks at it is being patched together with baling twine and bubble gum. I expect them to rely on winning games by winning the turnover battle and having their QB make plays outside the pocket.

Nothing against NCU's LBs, but their stats are going to be padded by the fact that their offense can't keep their defense off the field. I really like Bumpas, but I think our LBs overall are much more talented.
 
I agree Highline - didn UNC also get an LB transfer that's supposed to be legit as well?

Granted not a single thing has been proven on the field but one could look at this and say the team with the best Dline is MSU, best LBs is UM or maybe UNC, best secondary... possibly EWU?

I also think Poly could have a good defense as well - they've got some good talent in their group.
 
I'm hoping to see Josh Harris rip up OT's this fall... my sleeper pick for some all-conference attention. If Bienemann displays any of his potential, he might get some noise, too. Whatever happens, if these two D-lineman play well, it'll only make our LB corp that much tougher. :thumb:
 
HighLineGRIZ said:
MSU is going to be very tough defensively. As good of a pass rusher Daly is, I think he is a liability against the run game though. Their OL looks at it is being patched together with baling twine and bubble gum. I expect them to rely on winning games by winning the turnover battle and having their QB make plays outside the pocket.

Nothing against NCU's LBs, but their stats are going to be padded by the fact that their offense can't keep their defense off the field. I really like Bumpas, but I think our LBs overall are much more talented.
Click to expand...

Some other points about MSU's D. I think you will see gale a lot this year too at DE, it he had not gotten injured last year Daly would not have had they year he did.
the transfer of Barnett (UT) will greatly improve our secondary, while he had some minor off field issues I am sure his roommate (DM) and HS teammates (DM, Robinson, Na'a) will motivate him.
We are short at the tackle position right now, it will be interesting to see how this affects Minter and if we play more 3-4 (we have a deep group of LB's)

P.S. The OL has been bolstered by some transfers and with Mac at the helm its not a concern of mine.
 
MSU's "make or break" is probably their Oline which was suuuuuuper thin through spring ball - they've got some transfers and converted their TE to play tackle... the 2010 Griz saw a very talented team with a patchwork OL (and a defense that wasn't very deep) unravel in a hurry.
 
BWahlberg said:
MSU's "make or break" is probably their Oline which was suuuuuuper thin through spring ball - they've got some transfers and converted their TE to play tackle... the 2010 Griz saw a very talented team with a patchwork OL (and a defense that wasn't very deep) unravel in a hurry.
Click to expand...

Yup the OL was thin this spring, same is true of the year before and the year before that.................

in 2010 we converted a DL to OL after spring ball, and moved a TE mid-season, yet had the 3rd rushing offense and top total offense in the league. It seems like a never ending story in Bozeman that the OL is thin, and yet every year they perform admirably and are in the upper echelon of the BSC.

As long as we have Mac, I quit worrying about the OL
 
It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside that we have to argue which LB will be 1st team. Me likes the linebacking core..
 
I would argue that Sullivan Gosz is as good or better than SUU's Cody Larsen and will give him a run for his money when it comes to the best DT from the Great West. Sullivan played the year with a shoulder injury that limited his playing time. He is healthy and I expect a huge year from him.

Cal Poly has a JC transfer at Safety, Alexander Hubbard. If he plays like he did this spring he will be All-Conference come the end of the season. Kid is a stud and will have opposing WRs thinking twice about going across the middle.

Starting at the other Safety will be Dave Douglas. He played as a true freshman in 2010, but redshirted last season. He can also lay the lumber.

Johnny Millard continues to get bigger and will be starting for his third year in 2012. He is the son of former All-Pro defensive lineman Keith Millard. The kid is a stud.

Lastly Cal Poly has a transfer from Wisconsin at DE, Jake Irwin. He is 6-4 270 and from what I hear he will be the best DE at Cal Poly since Buck Buchanan winner Chris Gocong.
 
BWahlberg said:
I agree Highline - didn UNC also get an LB transfer that's supposed to be legit as well?

Granted not a single thing has been proven on the field but one could look at this and say the team with the best Dline is MSU, best LBs is UM or maybe UNC, best secondary... possibly EWU?

I also think Poly could have a good defense as well - they've got some good talent in their group.
Click to expand...

Yes, UNC has a transfer from Cent. Florida who was a 4 Star recruit out of high school and top 50 LB in the nation. He was out though all of spring drills with a broken wrist, so he'll need time to get into football shape and learn the defense. We also have a LB transfer from Alcorn who was drafted this spring by the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. He decided he'll finish his career at UNC. Over all we will have a hell of a LB corps. Now about the rest of the team? Lots of new players and coaches. We shall see.
 
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