What an interesting thread. But we might be missing the main point. Our depth. Are our starters All-Americans? Nope, but a couple possibly could be with monster seasons. Gotsis and White might have two or three perfect games and pad their statistics enough to get the media's attention. Sorta like Pat Swilling's senior year he had ten or twelve sacks, but around half of them came in the first game against NC State who for some reason forgot to assign anybody to block him most plays. Could happen to Gotsis. I could see some QB throwing three interceptions to White the way Rick Strom made an Auburn DE (Cotton?) the #1 draft pick by throwing him three screen passes one afternoon in 1987. If one of these monster games happened against ND, they would be a lock for AA.
What is going to make the difference in our defense this year is all the depth. This thread has a lot of players listed that can give quality minutes. Take DE - Freeman, Whitehead, Gamble, Simmons, Rook, even Stargell that no one has mentioned. I think we can go three deep at CB without being embarrassed. Even DT is beginning to have a legitimate two deep. Roof may start the season with 25 players he would use in a close game. By year end, that number may be 30. Two years ago, it was probably closer to 18. That means fresher players all season, not just in any one game. Fewer players playing hurt or sick. We've had some bad late Octobers and Novembers in the last fews years after good starts. Hopefully that all ended last year.
Last year on offense in the last half of the season, CPJ could throw waves of players at the opposition especially at RB. It paid off. Roof may actually be in a better position depth wise this year than CPJ, and I think our offensive depth is good. Most years uga beats us with depth not talent. Not last year, nor will they this year.
