2009 UW Preview - Defensive End
by John Berkowitz on Jul 16, 2009 12:00 PM PDT
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PrintWashington heads into the season sporting two very special defensive ends in seniors Daniel Te'o-Nesheim and Darrion Jones. Te'o-Nesheim is an All-Pac 10 performer with a near-certain NFL future, with a motor that simply does not quit. Jones, in comparison, is a relative late-bloomer who has put together an excellent off-season. The coaching staff has impressed by his work ethic, which insiders believe is leading to a breakout season.
Backing up the seniors will be sophomores Everette Thompson and Kalani Aldrich, as well as junior Deshon Matthews. Thompson, with some starting experience as a true freshman in 2008, is destined to be an excellent player over his career. Aldrich's primary issue over his time on campus has been keeping weight on so he can effectively play the position. Matthews provides flexibility with the skills to play both inside and outside, though he is quite undersized to play tackle.
Junior Tyrone Duncan is listed as a tackle, but can also play both inside and outside when needed. Incoming freshman Talia Chrichton could well earn some early playing time should injuries mount on the line. The coaches told him when he was recruited of the possibilty of playing right away. The coaching staff may also take a long look at Semisi Tokolahi to see if the 6'3 290 pounder has enough speed to play outside. Obviously, his size screams tackle, but the coaches talked about him starting out as a DE. Finally, incoming freshman Andru Pulu will begin as an inside linebacker; however, should need arise, he could well move to DE.
Overall this position is much leaner than the new coaches would prefer. Preferring eight defensive ends in various stages of development, UW has only six true defensive ends. With two experienced senior starters graduating after the 2009 season, look for the Husky coaches to bring in three DE's in the 2010 class. If there is a JC kid available that can fill the need next season, watch for him to be heavily recruited.
Depth Chart
- Daniel Teo Nesheim Sr
- Darion Jones Sr
- Everette Thompson So
- Kelani Aldrich So
- Deshon Matthews Jr
- Talia Chrichton Fr
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better than last year
darrion had a great spring and hopefully will keep o-lines honest by not double teaming dtn.
we also have more maturity with our rotation.
these guys were gassed by the end of the 3rd quarter last year.
is tivao not expected to make it in?
Tivao is a DT
John was reviewing DE’s in this entry
by Purple Reign 91 on Jul 16, 2009 1:16 PM PDT reply actions
I sure hope...
…the bowling ball makes it in!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Good, but not deep
That describes just about every position on the roster. Receiver is about the only position where you wouldn’t see a serious drop off in production with the occurrence of injury. If this team stays healthy and the o-line is improved, this team could be really good. If injuries are a problem, things could be bad. Not 2008 bad, but still not where we want to be.
Our leather lungs together...
All of my comments/post go out without getting proofed!
If any of us have perfect spelling and grammar, then that person can cast the first stone, and it won’t be me.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
Nor I...
…sometimes I’ll be typing so fast with my fingers trying to keep up with my mind (no smart ass remarks guys!) and the result when I post is not pretty nor grammatically correct. But why bother correcting it, it just proves what we already know.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
I really think Thompson's going to be good.
I remember watching him in the state finals his junior season against Bellevue, and thinking he was the best player on the field (that was the Kennedy team with Nate Williams) by a long way.
I sure hope he doesn’t end up like Greyson Gunheim and Caesar Rayford – a guy that really, really would’ve benefited from a redshirt season…
Yeah he did pretty well last year....
….considering he was a true freshman.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Thompson
He is the future of the DE position. I expect him to get a lot of playing time this year, even with Teo-Nesheim and Jones starting. I think the biggest problem with Gunheim and Rayford was the coaching. Good coaches and good conditioning would have developed them into the players they should have become.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
Gosh that just killed me....
…watching those guys! They’d get locked up on an offensive lineman so often and the next thing you know a big play was being made down field! I would just cringe!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
That's kind of what I'm getting at.
Gunheim not only was learning a new position, but he was transfering from small school high school ball to college ball, and started from day one.
He was a big strong kid, but by no means ready for what Gilbertson threw at him. A redshirt season, and that guy might’ve been 265 or so as a senior. Rayford needed discipline that he didn’t get, but he wasn’t going to be smaller as a fifth year senior than he was as a true senior.
A year of bad strength training would’ve been better than playing right away for those two. Hopefully, Thompson gets what he needs on the fly. I think he will, but on the same hand, what a waste that year is going to be for guys like him, and Middleton, and Kelemete, and Bruns…etc.
Yeah let's just hope they...
…work through it and mature a bit faster. I think it’s tough for lineman but it’s also a benefit to be on the field and actually playing.
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Pressure
I for one am going to be looking for sacks this season. I don’t care where it comes from. If blocking DTN gets an LB or a DT tackle free to make a play then…well…it’s all good! I used to love watching our defense (and I know all of you did too!) It was just a matter of time before the opposing QB was going down! Gosh! I miss that! And those DAWGS just fed on the atmosphere at Husky Stadium! It was a lot of fun!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Not exacty my best work
Basically ti was the outline I wanted to expand on but things got crazy the past couple of days with work. I guess the point is we have two good starters, a star in the wing, and a guy that needs to get bigger. when the coaches talk about lack of depth this is one of the key areas they are talking about.
Sacks...
…if my memory is correct we didn’t get our first sack until the 5th game last season! This season will be different. Injuries is the big key to our season. The second key is coming out of the LSU and USC games with few long term injuries to starters. Those two games could determine the healthof the team for this season…
Every Time!
The DAWG D is getting a standing ovation from me EVERY time they get a sack next season!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
I think DTN will for sure get to an NFL training camp, but his size is going to be an issue for NFL scouts. Even with a great Senior season, I’d guess DTN is at best a 2nd day draftee. Hopefully for his sake I’m wrong, but he’s undersized for the NFL and while he’s been good for us, he hasn’t been so awesome to overcome his size issues and be a 1st or 2nd round prospect.
He may suprise you....
Kids in the 260’s make pretty solid pass rushers on Sundays…John Abraham 6’4" 263 for Atlanta had 16.5 sacks last season. Jared Allen (Vikings) 269 had 14.5 sacks last year…Bertrand Berry was only 254 playing for the Super Bowl Cardinals…There are plenty more….Dwight Freeney 268 with 10.5 sacks last season…Leonard Little of the Rams is only 263……..DTN will still put on more weight in the future if needed but is fine. He is over 260 now from what I hear.
Scouts will see that his motor is ALWAYS running on every single play and that he’s constantly double teamed and still leads the team in sacks and TFL’s. The dude is a beast and he may not go first or second round but he will go first round i have no doubt about it
by ChazzReinhold on Jul 18, 2009 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions
*i meant to say DTN will go first day, one of the later rounds
by ChazzReinhold on Jul 18, 2009 9:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Just to clarify, as of this past year the “first day” of the NFL draft is rounds 1 and 2 only.
I hope I’m wrong, because if I am it will be because DTN has a monster season this year, but I’d wager good money he’s a 2nd day draft pick (rounds 3-7). Yes, guys his size have been drafted high, but those are typically guys with a great track record of success on the field and “wow” athleticism. From what I know about DTN, he isn’t going to wow scouts at the combine with his measurables, which means he’ll be relying on his production on the field, his work ethic and how well he impresses scouts off the field with his football savvy.
A good season will almost certainly get him drafted, but he’ll have to have a monster year to go first day.
He'll suprise...cont'd
…Chris Long was a top first round pick by the Rams at 6’3" and 263…..
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