Is Suh the most dominant defensive player since Reggie White?

[Old Tiger]

I think so. Downlow, do you care to provide your thoughts? Has there been a dominant player like Suh since Reggie White?

[jason]

vince young

[Old Tiger]

Originally posted by jason
vince young defensive

[jason]

Originally posted by Old Tiger
defensive he would have dominated the defense

[STANG RED]

Looks promising, but still remains to be seen. Lets see how he does against the big boys at the next level. Some of those NFL OL guys have tree trunks for arms, and can move.
But yes, I think he will do very well at the next level. Just not ready to call him the second coming of Reggie White yet.

[bigwood33]

The answer to your question is yes, there have been a couple of guys that were as dominant but I will go back just a little further than Reggie's 1980 - 83 collegiate career at Tennessee. In the "Reggie era" of college football there were 4 phenomenal defensive players in college football that are very difficult to stack rank.

1- Hugh Greene of Pitt '77-80 (3 time All- American and 2nd in the Heisman voting in 1980). His 440 tackles and 50 sacks are still school records for defensive linemen. He is probably the greatest college defensive player of the 2nd half of the 20th century.
2- Reggie White of Tennessee '80-'83 (2 time All- American and all time sack leader with 32).
3- Bruce Smith of Virginia Tech '81-84 (2 time All- American and all time sacks leader with 46).
4- Cornelius Bennett of Alabama '83-86 (3 time All- American and Alabama's Player of the Decade for the 1980's)

As great as Reggie was he was not a more dominant player, in college, than these great contemporaries of his. They were ALL great and it is probably splitting hairs a little to even try to define the greatest. Suh certainly is in the same caliber as these former greats and will probably be a fantastic NFL player.

BTW, Steve Emtman might also be considered in this group but I never thought that he was quite as good as these 4.

[Sweetwater Red]

Originally posted by bigwood33
The answer to your question is yes, there have been a couple of guys that were as dominant but I will go back just a little further than Reggie's 1980 - 83 collegiate career at Tennessee. In the "Reggie era" of college football there were 4 phenomenal defensive players in college football that are very difficult to stack rank.

1- Hugh Greene of Pitt '77-80 (3 time All- American and 2nd in the Heisman voting in 1980). His 440 tackles and 50 sacks are still school records for defensive linemen. He is probably the greatest college defensive player of the 2nd half of the 20th century.
2- Reggie White of Tennessee '80-'83 (2 time All- American and all time sack leader with 32).
3- Bruce Smith of Virginia Tech '81-84 (2 time All- American and all time sacks leader with 46).
4- Cornelius Bennett of Alabama '83-86 (3 time All- American and Alabama's Player of the Decade for the 1980's)

As great as Reggie was he was not a more dominant player, in college, than these great contemporaries of his. They were ALL great and it is probably splitting hairs a little to even try to define the greatest. Suh certainly is in the same caliber as these former greats and will probably be a fantastic NFL player.

BTW, Steve Emtman might also be considered in this group but I never thought that he was quite as good as these 4.


Aren't you forgetting someone?:thinking:

Brian Bosworth - University of Oklahoma (1984-86)

A strong side inside linebacker throughout his college career, Bosworth was known for raising his level of play in big games. He was regarded as a great tackler, though sometimes criticized for tackling too high. The winner of the first two Butkus Awards as the nation's top college linebacker, he remains the only player ever to have won the accolade more than once. College Football News named him #30 on its list of the "100 Greatest College Players of All-Time."

:D :devil:

[GreenMonster]

I honestly cannot remember those guys mentioned above, and I had not heard of Suh until just prior to the Big 12 Championship game. I was definitely impressed with what I saw though. It's way too subjective to try to rank these guys because of the differences in eras etc. I do believe he is definitely one of the greats at his position in his era, but I won't go beyond that.

[TheDOCTORdre]

out of the players listed, is Suh the only defensive tackle and the rest are defensive ends?

[DDBooger]

Originally posted by TheDOCTORdre
out of the players listed, is Suh the only defensive tackle and the rest are defensive ends? excellent point. I wonder how he'll be used in the NFL and in what scheme (3-4 or 4-3)

[Keith7]

Timothy Richard Tebow

[DDBooger]

Originally posted by Keith7
Timothy Richard Tebow he probably could have put on 30lbs and been a great pass rusher

[Third]

Originally posted by TheDOCTORdre
out of the players listed, is Suh the only defensive tackle and the rest are defensive ends?

I think one of the more impressive things about Suh is the number of sacks he has as a DL, especially given the fact that the majority of the teams he's played run a shotgun spread offense. I think that fact alone speaks volumes to his, speed, power and quickness in getting to the QB that far back.

On the flipside, one might argue his stats are a bit skewed because he's had more opportunities for recording a sack because teams run that particular offense.

[DDBooger]

Originally posted by Third
I think one of the more impressive things about Suh is the number of sacks he has as a DL, especially given the fact that the majority of the teams he's played run a shotgun spread offense. I think that fact alone speaks volumes to his, speed, power and quickness in getting to the QB that far back.

On the flipside, one might argue his stats are a bit skewed because he's had more opportunities for recording a sack because teams run that particular offense. most dts below his caliber that are all-american provide that push up the middle that put's pressure on the qb to move. Suh just blows up the play entirely. He's a specimen

[Keith7]

Originally posted by Third
I think one of the more impressive things about Suh is the number of sacks he has as a DL, especially given the fact that the majority of the teams he's played run a shotgun spread offense. I think that fact alone speaks volumes to his, speed, power and quickness in getting to the QB that far back.

On the flipside, one might argue his stats are a bit skewed because he's had more opportunities for recording a sack because teams run that particular offense.

remember though that he got 4.5 sacks in one game against a VERY weak and overrated line

[bigwood33]

Originally posted by TheDOCTORdre
out of the players listed, is Suh the only defensive tackle and the rest are defensive ends?
I mentioned 3 defensive ends and 1 outside linebacker. Emtman was a tackle and had the same kind of sideline to sideline speed that Suh has. Of course, the great Randy White of Maryland was that kind of player too but he was a mid 70's star and I was focusing on Reggie's era and forward. Bosworth was certainly a great collegiate player but his steroid use moves him down in my book. None of the others that I mentioned shrank like the Boz did when his playing days were over. No doubt that he was a product of the juice.

[big daddy russ]

Charles Woodson
Cornelius Bennet
Warren Sapp
Steve Emtman
Tracy Rocker
Chris Spielman


Most of these guys were as good as Suh, but IMO Suh deserves the Heisman in the spirit of the "best college player." Absolutely dominant... one of those guys that only comes around once or twice a decade.

[Third]

Originally posted by Keith7
remember though that he got 4.5 sacks in one game against a VERY weak and overrated line

If weak and overrated gets me to 13-0 and a win over this one guy, I'll take it. :rolleyes:

[bigwood33]

Originally posted by Keith7
remember though that he got 4.5 sacks in one game against a VERY weak and overrated line
What will Keith do if "weak and overrated" Texas wins the dang thang? As if he isn't already miserable enough :D

[TexanAlum_06]

Yes


Signed,

Texas OL & Colt McCoy