Progress Report: KU Defense Is Making The Grade

Can you believe that the season is already three games old?  Non-conference play is nearly over, and a vicious Big 12 schedule looms in Kansas' not-so distant future.

That also means it's time to get a little critical and hand out the report cards.

Lets see how well Clint Bowen and his defense are testing out so far...

Defensive Backs, C+

Strengths: There's experience at five different positions in KU's backfield, and they are leaps ahead of last year's secondary, especially in the early going.  Depth is a big positive, too, as Bowen has at least five capable, young back-ups waiting in the wings.

Needs Work: I am continually amazed at the lack of ball-awareness in coverage by our secondary each week.  Our inability to play both the the ball and the receiver is resulting in stupid penalties and, although it hasn't happened yet, could eventually be the source of some big plays.

Also, outside of Daymond Patterson, our defensive backfield is not particularly fast.  Improving true coverage skills would go a long way to disguise that little problem.

Setting the Curve: Darrell Stuckey is always reliable, but Patterson is really turning into a valuable cornerback.  He won't ever be an athletic ball-hawking freak like Aqib Talib, but he does remind me a little of Charles Gordon.

Linebackers, B

Strengths: Arist Wright and Drew Dudley look pretty comfortable in that two-linebacker set-up.  Also, the group overall is very athletic, it has the depth that promotes plenty of healthy competition, and Boyer's had some success shooting linebackers up the middle on passing downs.

Needs Work: Last week, an awful running team in Duke managed to scrape up almost 100 yards rushing, which I know is knit-picking, but I didn't like.  The sacks took away a lot. 

Also, Huldon Tharp looks great so far, but his coverage game needs a little fine-tuning, which will almost certainly come with time.

Setting the Curve: Dudley might've been a good fullback, but instead is tied for first on the team in total tackles (18) and second on the team in sacks (3), and he brings a little size, athleticism, and experience to a unit that needed it. 

I should also mention Bill Miller here.  He has turned KU's "depleted" line-backing corps into one of the Hawks' strengths.

Defensive Line, B+

Strengths: Who would've thought, one month ago, that I would be using the term 'quarterback pressure' in this slot?

Needs Work: The guys up front are fast and shoot gaps well, but they aren't a particularly large group, and it shows.  Shaking offensive linemen and playing the run haven't been our strong point, and I fear we haven't even faced a truly stout o-line yet.

Setting the Curve: I think we all know that Maxwell Onyegbule has been key to our success up front thus far.  Jake Laptad is the best player in that unit, but now quarterbacks don't enjoy scrambling to their right side either.

Clint Bowen's Overall G.P.A.=2.89

A C+ average seems harsh, but the Hawks need to pass a big test to bump that G.P.A. up a bit.  There will be plenty of those opportunities in the coming months, believe me.

The closest of these mid-terms, Southern Miss, is on the course schedule for this Saturday and they play a well-rounded, smart, experienced, and mistake-free style of football.  How the Crimson and Blue defense manages this game will be a decent foreshadowing of what may lie ahead.

By the way, a shut-out is always worth extra credit.