Is it possible we have not brought in more portal defensive linemen than we have because the staff is happy with whoever is already on the roster? Even if they were redshirted or barely played?
Also, are we expecting to sign any more HS players at all on Feb 5?

No more HS expected.

We are still looking for DTs.

That's what concerned me. You'd think strong prospects would at least get a little game time experience. I only recall Solomon Williams at the bowl game. What about Dealyn Evans and others?

Our DL played well until later in the game versus USC. Mainly do to lack of depth.

We are in good shape with numbers and talent at DE. We need help with numbers a DT.

Defensive Tackle was oddly a position that didn't have a lot of guys in the portal. I've been following it pretty close and surprised at the lack of talent there. When Bear Alexander and Gabe Dindy are both top 10 portal DT then there is your answer

Yep. That's exactly why we havent jumped on anyone. There were a small group we were interested in but none of them worked out.

orag80 said:

---

That's what concerned me. You'd think strong prospects would at least get a little game time experience. I only recall Solomon Williams at the bowl game. What about Dealyn Evans and others?

---

i don't know that their lack of playing time this past year is indicative of what the coaching staff thinks. whether you agree or not based on production we had three highly rated nfl prospects starting. behind them you had multi year players albert regis, johnson and good prospects like david hicks. from what i have seen talent has not been the issue. and i think these dudes on our roster all have the talent to be good the real question is can we get them all to be on the same page and do their job instead of chasing glory. complete lack of fundamentals killed us this year. position responsibility is a fundamental that we did not master this year especially on our defensive line. i do think we will go after at least two more veteran type defensive tackles to bolster our numbers and bring some maturity to the unit.

I know you don't like to lean too much on Freshman but the kid coming from Belleville is gonna see some serious play time, and maybe that's what the coaches are expecting

Plus it sounds like he has character.

I heard we are just going to play 11 DB's to cut down on passing yards…

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

AWP 97 said:

---

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

---

Bateman had them running around in circles rather than straight at the QB. It was laughable at best.

No one knows until at least M&W game. And not really until Notre Dame.

AWP 97 said:

---

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

---

The legit contenders will put about 10-ish players into the NFL Draft every year.
Comparatively, we put in about 3-ish, and this year won't be any different.

And you don't question the talent we have on the roster??

Bill Superman said:

---

AWP 97 said:

---

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

---

Bateman had them running around in circles rather than straight at the QB. It was laughable at best.

---

Do you really believe we coached our linemen to play poor technique?

Just get about three or four Lunch Pail guys from the Dakotas, Montana, or Idaho. One or two of them are bound to pan out and at a cheap NIL cost as well.

This position makes me the most nervous. After Regis and Hicks, we're going to rely on some redshirts and true freshman in the trenches? Doesn't sound like a winning recipe after how pitiful our run d was this year. Hopefully Elko is waiting till after spring to address this.

Yeah it would be nice to land at least 1 solid DT to be a major player in the rotation. Ideally we add 2

Not Montana. NDSU ran right over them in the championship game.

Dorm 15 said:

---

Bill Superman said:

---

AWP 97 said:

---

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

---

Bateman had them running around in circles rather than straight at the QB. It was laughable at best.

---

Do you really believe we coached our linemen to play poor technique?

---

It was less technique and more scheme. Bateman tried to get to fancy and had our guys taking the long way to the QB. If they're so good, run them straight at the QB.

Bill Superman said:

---

Dorm 15 said:

---

Bill Superman said:

---

AWP 97 said:

---

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

---

Bateman had them running around in circles rather than straight at the QB. It was laughable at best.

---

Do you really believe we coached our linemen to play poor technique?

---

It was less technique and more scheme. Bateman tried to get to fancy and had our guys taking the long way to the QB. If they're so good, run them straight at the QB.

---

DL " running straight at the QB" is a technique. There are several DL pass rush techniques. What you seem to be suggesting is that our DL were not taught the proper technique.

TxAg76 said:

---

AWP 97 said:

---

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

---

The legit contenders will put about 10-ish players into the NFL Draft every year.
Comparatively, we put in about 3-ish, and this year won't be any different.

And you don't question the talent we have on the roster??

---

Which came first? The coaching or the draft pick?

greg.w.h said:

---

TxAg76 said:

---

AWP 97 said:

---

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

---

The legit contenders will put about 10-ish players into the NFL Draft every year.
Comparatively, we put in about 3-ish, and this year won't be any different.

And you don't question the talent we have on the roster??

---

Which came first? The coaching or the draft pick?

---

Mules and quarter horses are damn good work animals.
But they're not gonna win you the Kentucky derby.

We are just going to duct tape 2 portal WRs together for a DT. We could actually do it several times

Atreides Ornithopter said:

---

We are just going to duct tape 2 portal WRs together for a DT. We could actually do it several times

---

A four legged DT with sprinter speed???? You're definitely on to something.

StinkyPinky said:

---

Atreides Ornithopter said:

---

We are just going to duct tape 2 portal WRs together for a DT. We could actually do it several times

---

A four legged DT with sprinter speed???? You're definitely on to something.

---

plus having 4 arms might increase chances for a holding call

Dorm 15 said:

---

Bill Superman said:

---

Dorm 15 said:

---

Bill Superman said:

---

AWP 97 said:

---

After watching the top CFP teams who had their DL show up and make a difference, I have a lot of questions about our DL coaching, scheme, and culture. I don't question the talent we have on the roster.

---

Bateman had them running around in circles rather than straight at the QB. It was laughable at best.

---

Do you really believe we coached our linemen to play poor technique?

---

It was less technique and more scheme. Bateman tried to get to fancy and had our guys taking the long way to the QB. If they're so good, run them straight at the QB.

---

DL " running straight at the QB" is a technique. There are several DL pass rush techniques. What you seem to be suggesting is that our DL were not taught the proper technique.

---

I don't give a damn what you want to call it. Bateman sucks is what I call it.

Get some more good ones

That our DL did not perform as well as most had expected is quite correct. I am just not convinced that "Bateman sucks" so just change coaches is the fix.

Dorm 15 said:

---

That our DL did not perform as well as most had expected is quite correct. I am just not convinced that "Bateman sucks" so just change coaches is the fix.

---

I am also not convinced that all of the issues our DL were "Bateman sucks" since somehow opposing teams managed not to have a single accepted holding penalty called on them after the first half of the Florida game (game 3 of the season).

The outcome of several certain plays and the overall performance of the unit would have been greatly improved had the blatant and obvious holds been called. And we are only talking like 2 or 3 a game.

Another factor in the defenses suck that I'm not sure who to blame other than the players themselves is the countless missed sacks by completely unblocked rushers.

We ran a lot of pass rush stunts where dline move laterally. These open you up to getting gashed if they run a zone run into the stunt. When you have better talent usually you let them win 1on 1 matchups and play technique. Hicks looks like a future 1st round pick. We definitely need to get better at stopping the run with 6 guys in the tackle box.

Dorm 15 said:

---

That our DL did not perform as well as most had expected is quite correct. I am just not convinced that "Bateman sucks" so just change coaches is the fix.

---

Did you see the performance and stats of our supposed two 1st-2nd round draft worthy guys on the DL, or the DL as a whole? You can defend Bateman all you want, but that was the worst version of an Elko defense that I've ever seen, and Elko agrees.

I am not defending anyone. The play of our DL, particularly late in the season, was not acceptable. Rectifying the problem is more complicated than the "Bateman sucks" solution.