SEC Football: 5 Defensive Players To Keep An Eye On In 2011

The offense is usually the sexiest part of watching a football game, but it's the quick, strong, athletic guys on the defensive side of the ball who—for my money—deserve a great deal of the credit for a football team's success.

So, which SEC players showed us enough in 2010 that we might consider this 2011 season to be their year?  Here are five guys whom I think are almost there:

1. Stephon Gilmore (CB), South Carolina: The junior cornerback was an All-SEC selection in 2011 and is atop many lists coming into 2011 as he is expected to do even greater things. Todd McShay has already penciled him in as a first-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and he's been named to the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List for the coming college football season. Gilmore (79 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, and three interceptions) led the Gamecocks in tackles last season. He's got enough talent to play just about anywhere Steve Spurrier might want him (he's already played a little quarterback and done some work on special teams) but he makes his living locking down his side of the field—making quarterbacks think twice about challenging him.

2. Devin Taylor (DE), South Carolina: One of the more unheralded parts of the South Carolina defensive line last season (you can find a great profile of Mr. Taylor here), this junior defensive end completed his 2010 campaign with 46 tackles (13 for loss), 7.5 sacks, and eight pass breakups (There's a guy who knows how to use his 6'7" frame and long arms to his advantage). Look for him to step into a bigger role this season and make some serious noise in the SEC.

3. Danny Trevathan (LB), Kentucky: It's quite perplexing why Trevathan decided to play one more year for the Wildcats. I mean, how on earth can he do much better than his 2010 line of 144 tackles (16 for loss), two sacks, and four forced fumbles? Seriously, he would have been one of the top linebacker prospects in this past years draft had he left. However, his decision to stay means the Wildcats will still have a strong leadership presence on their defense in 2011—even if their offense is full of holes. Look for Travathan to be the new focal point of a team that no longer has a Derrick Locke or a Randall Cobb. The added media spotlight could prove beneficial as long as Trevathan keeps his head and plays good football.

4. Malik Jackson, (DE/DT), Tennessee: Jackson transferred to the Vols from USC—taking advantage of the NCAA's g generosity in allowing players from USC to explore playing options elsewhere in light of sanctions imposed on the program after the Reggie Bush investigation—and upped his profile tremendously in the process. Last season, the 6'5" playmaker from Cali tallied 48 tackles (11 for loss), five sacks, and one interception on a Tennessee defensive line that had a ton of potential but was still feeling its way under new head coach Derek Dooley. Look for Jackson to garner a lot more attention from offensive lines this season, making the work of his linemates a lot easier, while making his case as one of the best defensive players in the SEC.

5. Alec Ogletree, (LB), Georgia: Georgia has a few guys who are poised to make their presence felt this season—Kwame Geathers, Bacarri Rambo, and Brandon Boykin to name a few—but the spring move of sophomore Alec Ogletree from safety to linebacker bears watching. The talented in-state product is a natural off the edge and coach Grantham's decision to get him around the ball more should tighten up Georgia's defensive front. Paired up with USC transfer, Jarvis Jones, many expect to see Ogletree break out in a big way this season.

Related articles

• SEC Football: Top 5 Wide Receiver Candidates for 2011 (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)
• SEC Football: Will Trent Richardson Be The Best Running Back in the SEC in 2011? (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)

Georgia Bulldogs: Wherefore Art Thou, Richard Samuel?

"I need to show that I have what it takes to come back and play. To show that I can contribute and help the team win. That the coaches can trust me and I’m not, what you say, a bust or whatever." (Richard Samuel, AJC, 4/17/2011)

Do you remember when Richard Samuel was a factor in the Georgia Bulldog's offense? Can you recall the last significant play he made for the team? Most would point to the 2009 run against Arkansas (the one where he ran 80-yards to the endzone) as the last time he was relevant—no doubt you recall the play I'm referencing but, in case you've forgotten, you can see it again here—because he's been AWOL since.

Samuel made the move from offense to defense in the spring of 2010 and, at the time, everyone felt that was the best place for him to continue his development. However, he has yet to grow into the defensive player most felt he would and his appearance in Saturday's G-Day game, while nice to see, didn't exactly inspire confidence that he's ready to compete for a starting job this season (while he did recover a fumble, his play was, otherwise, only mildly impressive)—he still has some work to do.

A great many of his problems have stemmed from a) his inability to digest the playbook and b) the reps he lost after going down with a knee injury last season. He simply hasn't had time to showcase his skill set or put what he does know into practice—and it probably hasn't helped much that Alec Ogletree was tabbed to be Georgia's newest talent at inside linebacker.

Still, Samuel is keeping the faith and feels confident that the best is yet to come. As for the coaching staff, well, that seems to be another matter altogether, "Robinson and Alec Ogletree leave the spring with the inside track on the inside linebacker starting spots. Of Samuel’s prospects, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was vague, saying he has shown some promising flashes [emphasis added] and that "he will have a role as we move forward." (AJC, 4/17/2011).

Hmmm, sounds like Samuel will be on the bench quite a bit this year—aside from some spot reserve duty—but I could be wrong.

Hopefully Samuel can finally fight his way through the playbook and onto the football field. Georgia could always use another play maker on defense and it's obvious that Samuel would love to be that guy again, "I still have more inside of me, I still have more to show."

Related articles

• G-Day, You Turn Me Inside Out: Notes on the Georgia Bulldogs' Spring Scrimmage (dawgsports.com)

Friday Links: Will A.J. Green Be The No. 1 Pick?

Friday is here and that means the 'Lady' will take a break from writing about sports, but not before I drop a few interesting links to buffer your morning web wandering.

Could A.J. Green go No. 1?

According to Adam Schefter, a noted NFL Insider, A.J. Green is considered by many to be the "top-rated player in the draft". Does that mean he could go No.1 overall—defying the opinion of some pundits who felt that Julio Jones' great combine, coupled with Green's bizarre pro day, made the former Dawg slip down many a draft board. We shall see what happens with this one, but it sounds to me like Green is still in a very good position.

Domonique Wilkins in brawl.

Apparently someone didn't give this man the memo. Didn't he know that Wilkins is known as the "human highlight reel"? Surely, he didn't think he was going to get a punch in on this former Bulldog great—tsk, tsk. According to this publication, Wilkins was attacked by a former NBA ref seeking to collect a debt of $13,000 from 'Nique.

Jakar Hamilton and Shawn Williams: dueling safeties.

Neither Jakar Hamilton, nor Shawn Williams, were better than true freshman Alec Ogletree last season. Now, on 2011, with Ogletree moving to linebacker, these same two players are hoping to do what they couldn't do last year—win the starting safety job and play it well. I hope that they both are committed to getting the job done, Georgia's options here are relatively slim.


Could the Bulldogs run the table in 2011?

This mailbag question by a college football fan prompted this response from a Rivals writer, "...
even if Georgia did go unbeaten in the regular season, it still would have to play in the SEC championship game, where Alabama or LSU likely would be looming. Your optimism is respected, but I cannot share it." Read the whole response here.

What's next for Auburn after the HBO report?

"The NCAA would need more than just allegations made by these players to bring a case against Auburn. But it’s enough for it to start asking questions." I don't know if the NCAA will ask questions that actually lead them anywhere, but perhaps they'll do their due diligence—you recall how they handled the Cam Newton situation, right? They'll just ask. 'did you cheat'? to which Auburn will reply, 'no'. Okay, carry on then.

Not everyone is convinced Cam Newton will be successful at the next level.

"Newton has only been exposed to basic coverages in the SEC due to the nature of the Tigers' offense, leaving scouts and coaches diligently working to determine his football acumen in workouts and meetings." So, what you're saying is, Newton looks good in person, not on paper? Well...who didn't know that?!?

Oh, I get it now, it's okay for Auburn to pay players—if they did. 

Funny, I don't think this guy would have this opinion if Alabama were the school on the proverbial hot seat for running an elaborate pay-for-play scheme, "...It's time to say, yes, Auburn paid players. And that did everyone else does too." So, as long as everybody else is doing it, Auburn shouldn't be penalized. Well, I'll buy that convenient logic for $1.


Steve Spurrier is unimpressed with his quarterbacks—as usual.

This is hilarious. I love the part where Spurrier says the mediocre play of his quarterbacks is likely why they'll be "running the ball about 50 times a game with Marcus". You hear that, SEC? Focus on the run!

(h/t GamecockAnthemTube)




HBO Roundtable With Rich Rodriguez, Jason Whitlock, etc. 

Georgia Bulldogs: Wherefore Art Thou, Richard Samuel?

Photo Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC

A lot of names have been floated about where the position of linebacker is concerned. Georgia Bulldog fans have heard how newcomers Amarlo Herrera and Kent Turene—both 2011 signees—could be difference makers in the future,  how Alec Ogletree's switch from safety to inside linebacker could produce more big plays close to the ball, how Jarvis Jones is on track to be a monster, and how Christian Robinson is the new leader of the pack.

Much has been said about what coach Todd Grantham has in store for his revamped linebacking corps, but little has been mentioned about where Richard Samuel still fits in that picture—you remember him don't you?

Here's a quick recap of this former five-star (according to Rivals) athlete prospect out of Cass High School in Cartersville, GA: He inked with Georgia in 2008—as a 17-year old—and played backup to future NFL first-rounder, Knowshon Moreno, in his first season. By the start of 2009, he had leapfrogged Caleb King to be named the No. 1 tailback—many hailed him as a tough, hard-nosed, ball player with an uncanny ability to find holes and gain yards.

However, once the season began, the opposite proved to be true as it became apparent that Samuels' upright running style was hindering his ability to play consistently well at the position. So, by the end of 2009, he was out of the running back rotation and, by spring, he was being groomed for a switch to linebacker.

2010 saw a redshirt season, but there were rumblings that his performance on the scout team was becoming a thing of legend and it appeared that the switch agreed with him—and big things were  expected as 2011 neared.

So, what happened to all that hype? Is Samuel still in the mix to start at inside linebacker or has his slew of nagging injuries slowed his ability to develop?

You have to wonder if the coaching staff is still counting on him to be a key factor, especially when there hasn't been much heard or said about him over the last few months, and so much new talent appears to be making their way into the conversation.

As the spring game approaches, it will be interesting to see how Grantham rotates the linebackers—that may give us the first real bit of insight as to how Samuel will be used—until then, it's a guessing game.

Georgia Bulldogs: Wherefore Art Thou, Jakar Hamilton?

Photo Credit:AP/JOHN AMIS

Jakar Hamilton...remember Jakar Hamilton? He was the stud JUCO defensive back who was supposed to make the Georgia Bulldogs' secondary come alive in 2010.

However, instead, Hamilton is best remembered for two things—one of which isn't very good—a 17-yard interception return for a touchdown in his season-opening debut, and an ill-advised decision to lend a license-less Washaun Ealey his Chevrolet Impala.

When Hamilton first arrived on the scene, he had Georgia fans salivating at the prospect of his, possibly, being the 'next' Greg Blue or Thomas Davis—legendary safeties from the Mark Richt era—who were known for laying thunder and lightning on opposing players.

Hamilton was going to be the difference and the defense, particularly under the new 3-4 of Todd Grantham, was going to be a much better unit in 2010. 

So, what happened to all that promise Hamilton displayed in the early-going? How did he go from potential stud to disappointing dud in the span of just a few games? Was it the sudden change in the level of competition? Did the playbook overwhelm him? Is he playing the wrong position?

All of the above are possibilities.

Hamilton's looked confused more times than not, and it was clear that he was not used to being "blown up" by the bigger, more physical, receivers of the SEC as a JUCO standout. There was a definite learning curve for him coming from Georgia Military College, but he's been slower to catch on to than some of his counterparts—Alec Ogletree in particular—and that meant seeing him fall victim to a steady regression in 2010. 

Perhaps a change in position is best for Hamilton (there have been discussions that he could be more comfortable at cornerback). The defensive responsibility that comes with the safety position, particularly in Georgia's 3-4 scheme, may simply be too much for Hamilton to overcome.

At the same time, you hate to see him waste away on the bench when he, at least physically, appears to have so much potential. 

Hopefully, as Hamilton enters his senior season, he is able to find his mojo again and make a genuine contribution. He may no longer be the 'Hitman' that he imagined himself to be, but he's definitely capable of being a good football player if he can just find his groove in this defense.