I think the strength of the defense is hard to define, because there are no major weaknesses. And the offense doing so well has really helped them The get a good rest most of the time and they have grown up a lot this season.
My view is that the biggest strength of the defense is having six quality DL's with their hands on the ground to rotate at three positions. As the game goes along, they seem to get stronger. Charles Tapper has been a very effective player this year, because he's very good fundamentally and very active. He's tall and gets in passing lanes a lot. He makes a lot of third down plays just by getting his hand in the passing lane. To be as effective as he is at that, you have to be smart and you have to have really good hand eye coordination. Not the thickest strongest guy for a three DL defense, but he makes up for it.
Charles Walker on the other side is the strength-quickness combination guy. He is terrific at being disruptive getting up the field. We have two terrific nose tackle types. The smaller one is more effective and starts. The bigger one has major pro potential and has gotten better at consistency. He's been really helped by playing maybe 40% of the snaps. One DTackle played on a great high school program that annually went to big school state title games in Texas. He's a little smaller and a little shorter, but is a great technician. The other DL is a former number one recruit in Oklahoma who is just rounding into form. He missed his whole senior year of high school because his family moved just before the season started and they wouldn't let him play. Then partly because of that, the NCAA made him wait on eligibility, and then he got hurt. But he's really made some plays in the last two months. I believe it's his third year.
THen there is a seventh from one of the two best instate programs, and he's the best DL from either of them in five years. He plays the nose some and on the guard or tackles some. Really strong. Youngest of the group. He may not play much, but when he does, we don't lose much.
When you can keep guys like that fresh, THen the outside linebackers are really quick pass rushers. THey play a higher percentage of snaps. THe two inside linebackers are both juniors who started as freshmen and sophs. They were a little too small, but we had some issues where they had to come play before they were really ready. Now they're very solid.
THE secondary got made by a personnel change after the Texas game. The best non corner got moved from nickel to free safety. In OUr conference, the nickel is a starter.He was good there, but perhaps the least effective starter we had was at free safety. When Parker moved there, it solidified everything And the transfer guy who took his place at nickel has been the most pleasant surprise. He's been very solid, since he began starting in game six.
But I think the either first or second most important factor in the defense is two quality corners. The best one has been banged up some, and given up some big plays occasionally, especially in the last four games. But he should be healthy now and he is the biggest big play maker on the defense.And he makes those plays at the most important times. He's had six picks this season I believe. And he's had at least one pick six in each of his three seasons as a starter.
Crucial play in a win at KState in the fourth quarter, that basically clinched a previously close game on a really cold day. His pick six against Texas in 2014 was in the first half, but it was the difference in the game. His year, his interception ended the UTenn game in the second overtime. His techniue sometimes seems a little flawed, but he's really smart. Second team AA I believe and first team All Conference.
The other corner is a true sophomore who got picked on a lot last year. This year, he's made as many big plays as the AC guy. Had a pick six against OSU in the late first half when the game was being salted away. When Thomas and Sanchez are healthy, our defense can get really complex, because they can put those guys on an island and they'll hold up. But inlike a lot of good cover man corners, they're also very good in zone defense. A guy like that is hard to find. Having two can make a defense really good. The other safety is just coming into his own. His interception in Waco basically clinched the Baylor game, which was the turning point in the season. That win, put us on the path to the top four. Baylor was undefeated at the time.
And I think they proved today, that they are a quality team, to beat UNC while finagling the quarterback position, and playing without the Biletnikoff winner and their best running back. I guess maybe their best two. And the other guy had 299 on the ground and 1000 exactly for the year, with that performance.
Clemson is good. But I promise you, you're about to play the best team you've played this year, if everybody stays healthy. We also have a very quality back up inside linebacker, who started most of the year in 2013. And we have a quality back up at corner, who started three games when Sanchez was hurt and played really well. He's really small, but is very good in coveaage and surprisingly good tackling in the running game. So we have solid depth.
