This unit suffered a big loss this offseason when defensive end and redshirt junior Richard Lee was told by doctors his playing days were over after a nagging neck injury was retriggered last season and sidelined him for good. Lee was a physical force in the trenches and unquestioned emotional leader and still paces the sidelines during practice pumping his teammates up.
Two things make this squad improved from last year are experience and depth. On the interior returns Yaky Ibia and Rob Osbourne. The two tackles both played as true freshman, Ibia in 2007, and Osbourne in 2008. Both big men made immediate impacts in their respective freshman years, Osbourne even took a few snaps on the offensive side of the ball as a rumbling fullback.
However, the first few days of camp have seen both players in limited duty, Osbourne has regularly been taking ice on the sidelines.
Defensive line coach Canute Curtis intends on cycling in his defensive tackles as Armen Melikian, Alex Avolio and Marcus Valentine have seen a good amount of time, Valentine has even played a few snaps at end.
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The highlight on the defensive line has been Boston College transfer Brady Smith. The 6-2, 260lbs defensive end has experience at the FBS level and posesses a lot of talent. Even being such a high profile transfer, the coaches don't show him an special favor.
"You coach [Smith] like you coach anybody else," Curtis said. "You coach him even harder, the point is to get him better."
If Smith does get any better than he already is, that spells bad news for opposing QB's in the CAA.
With so much depth and rotation, the starting 4 defensive linemen really don't mean much more than the back ups, but for continuity sake...
Simon's starters: DE- Brady Smith, Marcus Valentine; DT- Rob Osbourne, Armen Melikian
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