The Nation’S Best Defense?

[Isosceles]

I say Florida

17 points to Georgia, despite having 6 turnovers.

No TDs by LSU, despite a Florida turnover inside their own 10 yard line.

I know the national stats say this team in this area and yet another team in that area.

But 10 (I think) starters for Fla. came back in 2012 from a 2011 unit that was already considered real good.

Who do you say?

[Classic_City19]

I would have to agree with you no doubt. Any figures on how many off that D returns after this year? Just curious.

[Isosceles]

I would have to agree with you no doubt. Any figures on how many off that D returns after this year? Just curious.

I will have to find out. I got a Phil Steele's college football book, plus a friend who's a Florida fan and sort of Florida expert.

And that Florida secondary has got to be tops!

J

[Carter]

Very hard to disagree... I was very worried how efficient our offense would be in Jacksonville. I think UF's d is better than Bama's and definitely better than FSU's.

As far as the outlook on 2013... I don't know but most of them are seniors or draft eligible underclassmen. No idea what the expectations are of them staying/leaving, but they could be reloading on defense as much as UGA potentially.

[Kilgore Trout]

Dominique Easley and Matt Elam are coming back. At least that's what they've said.

Unfortunately Sharriff Floyd is probably the #1 DT prospect in the draft, so he's likely gone.

Plus you got Ronald Powell who will be back from injury next year.

[Carter]

I'm curious to see Powell back in action. Crazy potential.

[Faithful Falcon]

I said this a while back. They gave up a TD to UGA after a fumble inside their redzone. Malcolm Mitchell made a great play after the catch for the TD. Other than that, Florida's defense has been dominant. Too bad they didn't have Spurrier's old offense.

[SacFalcFan]

I say Florida

17 points to Georgia, despite having 6 turnovers.

No TDs by LSU, despite a Florida turnover inside their own 10 yard line.

I know the national stats say this team in this area and yet another team in that area.

But 10 (I think) starters for Fla. came back in 2012 from a 2011 unit that was already considered real good.

Who do you say?

yeah florida was the best defense we faced and it's clear when you have that putrid of an offense to have the record they do you have to have an amazing defense.. next year they lose quite a bit as do a number of sec teams so it will be interesting to see which team has the best defense next year.

[SacFalcFan]

I'm curious to see Powell back in action. Crazy potential.

yeah he has only been potential right now. time will tell if he can live up to it.

[Carter]

This soldier I got paired up with at work, 19 or 20 year old kid from California, played football some out there. He started talking to me about football when he saw my Georgia hat... he doesn't really follow college ball but he told me he knew this kid from his high school named Ronald Powell who ended up going to Florida. I was of course like yeah I know who that is man he was a big time recruit. He was telling me this story about how everyone was scared of him and when he was at practice, his coach made him 1 on 1 with Powell... said he went straight at him and Powell just leveled him with almost no effort lol. But he said Powell helped him up and ever since that day showed him nothing but respect cuz he said nobody goes at him like this kid did.

Thought it was neat to randomly run into someone with a story like that.

[SacFalcFan]

I said this a while back. They gave up a TD to UGA after a fumble inside their redzone. Malcolm Mitchell made a great play after the catch for the TD. Other than that, Florida's defense has been dominant. Too bad they didn't have Spurrier's old offense.

i posted a thread a few weeks back just showing how bad this uf offense was.. it was worst than jeff bowden's offenses and yet they won 11 games.. it just shows how awesome their defense was..

[Threepac Daddy]

hopefully the offense can be just average and maybe florida goes undefeated next year with that scary defense. back when i watched the spring game, i had an omg moment watching the defense play and said that this defense is going to be scary good. 2013 the year of the gator?

[SacFalcFan]

hopefully the offense can be just average and maybe florida goes undefeated next year with that scary defense. back when i watched the spring game, i had an omg moment watching the defense play and said that this defense is going to be scary good. 2013 the year of the gator?

it depends on how you guys deal with your defensive losses.. you lose some pretty terrific players off that defense.

[Isosceles]

Guys, I haven’t heard back from my Florida expert friend yet. But I did a quick search. It showed me 3 Seniors on the current Florida starting defense. 2 are linebackers. Somebody cue me in on what “P” stands for on defense. That position is the other senior.

The Gators have a sophomore Corner and sophomore safety. The other 2 positions in those slots are Juniors. I think their secondary is hands down the best in college football.

So for me, it’s safe to say Florida will return the No. 1 defense next year. But I don’t know who among the Juniors may turn pro. I’ll get to Alabama in a bit.

I would like to add that I still believe Georgia will have the No. 1 offense should Aaron return.

I am sure Alabama will definitely be better defensively, given all the growing up some had to do this season. But all in all I expect a still real strong SEC in 2013.

Any more thoughts on this?

Thanks!

J

[SacFalcFan]

from florida's site on their depth chart.. they have 4 srs starting.. they are losing floyd and elam minimum to the draft. that's 6 starters gone and they might have a jr or two else leave. they are like a number of sec squads who lose a lot on defense.

[joefalco]

i hate to say it but UF had the best defense this year. with only 1 loss against a murderers row of opponents.

next years defense will end like this...........

1.uf

2.bama

3.uga

4.lsu

5.t a&m

6. usce

[Threepac Daddy]

flip lsu and uga and thats my list next year. florida rotates guy on the defense a lot, so the young players get playing time and when the starters go the guy next in line is ready to.

[joefalco]

Lsu loses too much and I think they were a tad overrated next year. I think ugas offense will do a better job than lsus offenses at keeping the d off the field.

[Isosceles]

i hate to say it but UF had the best defense this year. with only 1 loss against a murderers row of opponents.

next years defense will end like this...........

1.uf

2.bama

3.uga

4.lsu

5.t a&m

6. usce

joefalco: are you talking about the whole nation of just the SEC, in terms of top defenses next year?

Here is what my Florida source tells me: "the bottom line is we could be aas good next year if we get someone to step up."

He says Florida's main issue will be at DT. There are some JUCO guys they are looking at and some could back up OL too. 2 freshman ends played really well. 2 backups played lights out when (one of the starters) was hurt.

He wrote me much more. This is just a nutshell. All in all I have to think Florida will just reload on Defense, with a lot of backups being more than ready once next season starts.

Offensively, the Florida QB showed a lot of tough grit against FSU. I think he will do real well next year too.

J

[joefalco]

joefalco: are you talking about the whole nation of just the SEC, in terms of top defenses next year?

Here is what my Florida source tells me: "the bottom line is we could be aas good next year if we get someone to step up."

He says Florida's main issue will be at DT. There are some JUCO guys they are looking at and some could back up OL too. 2 freshman ends played really well. 2 backups played lights out when (one of the starters) was hurt.

He wrote me much more. This is just a nutshell. All in all I have to think Florida will just reload on Defense, with a lot of backups being more than ready once next season starts.

Offensively, the Florida QB showed a lot of tough grit against FSU. I think he will do real well next year too.

J

Honestly, Just rating the SEC because that is really the only league i watch on a consistent basis. I also think that whoever has the best defense in the SEC is usually regarded as the best defense in the NCAA based on who they play and where the winner of the SEC usually ends up in bowl season.

I think that what your friend said is true for any defense, not just uf's. if uga has a couple guys step up next year and contribute right away then our defense can be no. 1.

[Isosceles]

Honestly, Just rating the SEC because that is really the only league i watch on a consistent basis. I also think that whoever has the best defense in the SEC is usually regarded as the best defense in the NCAA based on who they play and where the winner of the SEC usually ends up in bowl season.

I think that what your friend said is true for any defense, not just uf's. if uga has a couple guys step up next year and contribute right away then our defense can be no. 1.

Oh ok.

Looking forward to the start of these bowl games. Chick fil A has their best matchup ever, in terms of teams overall record, don't you think?

and speaking of good defenses ... man, where would Stanford be right now had they not played an egg against that Washington/St. team? For a while early in the season, I thought they might do a 1998 Tennessee Vol on the nation. Sure had enough in them to do so.

J

[joefalco]

chik fil a has a really good one.

I know, Stanford will also be saying what might have been.

[Carter]

I don't know but I think Notre Dame got Stanford at the right time. Stanford got a lot better as the season played out, with Kevin Hogan stepping up as a reliable QB. As it is they eeked out a controversial win where Stepfan Taylor's td was negated by the refs stopping the play.

Imagine if ND lost that game... we'd be looking at Bama vs Florida in Miami.

[Isosceles]

I don't know but I think Notre Dame got Stanford at the right time. Stanford got a lot better as the season played out, with Kevin Hogan stepping up as a reliable QB. As it is they eeked out a controversial win where Stepfan Taylor's td was negated by the refs stopping the play.

Imagine if ND lost that game... we'd be looking at Bama vs Florida in Miami.

Or Georgia/Florida. Carter, how much anticipation you think you would have had over a rematch in Miami? Or would you feel that Oregon or somebody outside the SEC deserved to be there instead, especially given what happened last year?

I dont' mean to drag Bulldog fans back into the what if? debate. It was just possible that Georgia and Florida could be meeting in Miami, just as it was possible for Bama and Florida to meet.

J

[Carter]

Or Georgia/Florida. Carter, how much anticipation you think you would have had over a rematch in Miami? Or would you feel that Oregon or somebody outside the SEC deserved to be there instead, especially given what happened last year?

I dont' mean to drag Bulldog fans back into the what if? debate. It was just possible that Georgia and Florida could be meeting in Miami, just as it was possible for Bama and Florida to meet.

J

Well I was no fan of the rematch last year. If it's two SEC teams that didn't play, such as Bama vs Florida, that wouldn't bother me. A Georgia/Florida rematch wouldn't be compelling imo and I wouldn't like it, personally. Not because UF scares me, because they don't, but we already saw this game on a neutral field and Georgia won.