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At least on defense...

We have seen some guys have to step up and play some on defense so far this year because of all the injuries. They may be getting their hat handed to them right now, but they are getting invaluable game experience. That makes your depth much better when the starters do come back. It also means the new guys know what to expect when called on the next time. Theoretically, they should continue to improve. Even practices and film study will make more sense to them now. I am not predicting when this experience will start to pay-off on the field but I think it eventually will. Maybe not this year but next and beyond for sure.

Here is a list of defensive guys that have seen their first significant playing time on the field this season. Most, if not all of them were not penciled in as starters at the beginning of the season or on the 2-deep. Some where forced into starting roles and others have seen a lot of time as back-ups due to injuries:

Trevan Berry (Fr) DB #24
Clint Stephens (Fr) DB #2
Nate Locke (R-Fr) LB #27
Monti Phillips (R-Fr.) DB #22
Austin Valdez (R-Fr) LB #16
Matt Robinson (R-Fr) DB #31
James Sanford (R-Fr) LB #35
Aaron Banks (R-Fr) LB #47
Malik Brown (R-Fr) DE #51
Gus Schwieterman (R-Fr) DL #63
Shannon Smith (R-Fr) DL #93
Dernard Turner (Jr) DB #18

I've been impressed early going with Turner. A couple bad open field tackles but some nice plays as well. Locke has been consistent, Schwieterman plays older than a Fr and Valdez starting to contribute nicely as well.

Turner had bad games against IU and Wisky...but did well against UMass. Schwieterman has a very high motor and great quickness of the ball...if he can add 25 or so lbs and keep the athleticism he could develop into an All Mac DT...nt bad for a walk on from Podunk, OH. I thought Sanford and Valdez played well on Saturday. Sanford really brings it on the blitz. The INT by Johnson was as athletic a play as I've seen DB make here.

I think the talent is there, but they have to show more than some nice plays here and there...they need to tighten it upon the penalties and communicate better on the deep coverages.

Speaking fo deep coverages...How awesome was it to see Charlie Walker 30 yards downfield in pass coverage? Having a DE with that kind of athleticism is a real plus becaus e it lets you do more blitzing and disguise it better

Sanford is going to be great. He's already making plays all over the field, like the FF @ the end. I love seeing guys who are gonna step up and make a play when the team needs it most. He's young and he's only gonna get better. Put 20 or 25 lbs on him so he can hold up in the box on run defense because right now he's mostly playing passing downs.

Nick Johnson needs to keep getting more PT too. 2 straight games he's stepped and made a play. Sure, he's gotten beat a couple of times but not near the regularity of say Sutton, Ward, Jude, Turner, etc.

I like the rotation at MLB too. Locke is great going down hill and defending the run, then they bring in Valdez who looks alright in passing situations.

Does anybody have anything on DJ and when we might expect him back?

Martin played MLB last week...Valdez and Sanford played OLB along with Senn. I think Locke is going to be a good MLB here

While I don't disagree that it's valuable experience these guys are getting because of the injuries, I sure would rather see them getting their playing time because we're way out ahead of teams over the spinerio we're faced with.