This year is going to be extra for some teams with the roster limits coming online.
2025 Portal Activity
- Thread starter tleonwdm
- Start date
The Big 12 was kind of an anomaly this year having 6 RBs in the top 25 nationally in rushing yards.
As of now 7 of the top 9 leading rushers in the conference will be graduating or going to the draft (Giddens could still go) while only 1 QB in the top ten passing is gone with Shedeur leaving. The 3-3-5 is here to stay, just need some dudes next to Big Dom.
Our defense was really good this year, 4th best in PPG given up. And pointing to the scoreboard works for 2024, but we're talking 2025.
You know coaches. And understand going into the offseason they have to be greatly concerned about:
- ISU's eleven P4 opponents rushed for 190 YPG. Only ahead of OSU among Big12 teams.
- Our defense was 9th best in Big12, allowing 5.9 yards per play.
- Last in sacks with 7. The leader CU had 33 and the median was 16.
I was originally wondering if Purchase had another year. But he's a post Covid kid and played as a true freshman in 2021 so he is done.
The only guy I'm not sure is Barrett. Assuming 2020 & 2021 count as his covid then redshirt years. So he should be able to play 2025 if he wants.
Regarding the 3-3-5, I think our DL is able to do what they need - consume blockers and not get pushed off the LOS. But we need LBs who can fit/fill gaps and make tackles on their own. With all the injuries this year, the guys who filled in just didn't have the game experience to fit/fill quick enough. And when they did get there, they usually needed safety help to make the tackle.
Offenses like ASU took advantage by pulling linemen, which literally moves gaps across the field. If the DL/LB can recognize and react quickly enough, you get what we saw against KSU, Iowa, KU, etc. We can generally absorb that because our secondary players are good enough to limit the damage. But when you add a back like Skatebo (who is a senior) that our DBs can't tackle, it's a back breaker.
Offenses like ASU took advantage by pulling linemen, which literally moves gaps across the field. If the DL/LB can recognize and react quickly enough, you get what we saw against KSU, Iowa, KU, etc. We can generally absorb that because our secondary players are good enough to limit the damage. But when you add a back like Skatebo (who is a senior) that our DBs can't tackle, it's a back breaker.
Yeah. And that's where losing Synder hurt. And I am a little curious if we might not be going back to a 4 man front. I know nothing but looking ath the frames and types of edge guys were getting, its either going to be 2-3 years before they are big enough / strong enough to play the 4i technique OR
we are looking towards a 4-2-5 or 4 man front cause a lot of them are like 6'4, 6'5 and 225. Which is really good size for a HS defensive end, etc... but to be a 4i, you'd probably want to be bare minimum around 260.
Now, I know it won't happen but from a starting point of a view that 4 down front next year could be salty as hell.
DE - Myles (Synder)
DT - TO
NG - Orange (Hawk)
DE- IDK
Depth does become a concern. But if there WAS ever going to be a year, a year where you lose 2/3 of our safeties and coming off a year where 99% of your LB was injured... it would seem to be it.
Will it happen? I seriously doubt it. But if it was every going to, it would seem to be now.
I’m actually surprised how few are entering the transfer portal with the 105 roster limit next year. Maybe many of the walk ons will just give up on their football playing.
I'm not a smart enough football guy to know if it's the scheme or the personnel, but I can tell that when the 3rd string walk-ons were in there, it was not much worse than our scholarship guys. Matter of fact, one of the injured scholarship guys we were counting on, is himself a former 3rd string walkon.
We need to recruit better LB's.
I really believe it's easier to recruit, develop and retain ($$) linebackers versus defensive linemen. I don't necessarily think this is a huge factor in the scheme we run, but I have to think it's part of the equation. Lock down a big nose guard and then try to fill in the rest of the D-line and LBs with the best fits they can.
This year with our injuries, we ended up with linebackers that probably played beyond their talent level. They were not individually outstanding with blitzing or in pass coverage, but they defended well as a complete unit. Going forward, I'd love to see a little more speed and physicality from the LB group so Heacock can blitz a little more with the confidence that our remaining LBs can cover RBs and TEs in the passing game. Covering in space was a weakness of ours this year.
I may be in the minority, but I still think our scheme fits our personnel. But, a Mike Rose-type difference maker would go a long ways into turning something good into something great.
Oh, regardless of the scheme you run, its 100% easier to develop any other position ahead of defensive linemen. There's a reason outside of QB's those guys who are really good get paid like they do in the NFL and moving into college now too.
Pretty sure that Tyler Miller was the only contributing senior that I don't remember walking on senior night.
The 105 limit might be the symptom. Not enough spots to leave to so maybe stay with your current team and hope you can make it.
Different kinds of honesty, I guess. We have some highly recruited kids in the TE room, mostly they're pups, but they're growing. This is from the pre-season roster:
| 18 | Benjamin Brahmer | TE | 6' 7" | 250 | So. | Pierce, Neb. / Pierce |
| 27 | Tripp Walsh | TE | 6' 6" | 235 | R-Fr. | Hartland, Wis. / Arrowhead |
| 47 | CJ Hayden | TE | 6' 6" | 240 | Fr. | Cincinnati, Ohio / Indian Hill |
| 48 | Jack Bjorn | TE | 6' 7" | 275 | R-So. | Parkville, Mo. / Park Hill South |
| 49 | Stevo Klotz | TE | 6' 4" | 260 | R-Sr. | Chaska, Minn. / Chaska |
| 82 | Tyler Moore | TE | 6' 5" | 260 | R-Jr. | Des Moines, Iowa / Johnston |
| 84 | Gabe Burkle | TE | 6' 6" | 260 | R-So. | Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Prairie |
| 85 | Keaton Roskop | TE | 6' 3" | 235 | Fr. | Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Linn-Mar |
| 86 | Andrew Keller | TE | 6' 6" | 245 | R-So. | Waunakee, Wis. / Waunakee |
| 87 | Cooper Alexander | TE | 6' 4" | 250 | Fr. | Washington, Okla. / Washington |
Klotz, of course, is gone. Now if Tyler Moore can just stay healthy. . . .
Keller and Alexander were highly recruited. Anyone here have intel on the prospects for TE next season?
What, five linebackers out, putting pups in there to replace them. Compounded by injuries here-and-there to the DLs.
Myself, I'm content to let the coaches work on it and not jump to personnel conclusions without knowing the inside stories. Others disagree. That's Ok.
He didn't get a chance? That's what practices and scrimmages are for. I wish JJ nothing but the best, but myself, I can't imagine he did not have every chance to excel.
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Preseason, Heacock was asked about 4- vs. 3-man lines. IIRC, he said they actually play quite a bit of 4-man (did he say 40 percent?) Heacock, again iirc, said they always play a mix.
Anyone else here recall these comments?
