Athlons: College Football's Top 35 Defensive Lines for 2015 (32. Minnesota)

[BleedGopher]

per Athlons:

The rise of spread offenses and the different schemes teams face on a week-to-week basis in a college football season has altered how some defensive coordinators think. While some are placing more emphasis on building a secondary, the success of any defense starts up front. Generating a pass rush and stopping the run are two staples of any defensive scheme.

How did we come up with these rankings? A couple of factors were considered. Depth, overall talent, production, level of competition and projected output in 2015 all factored into the rankings for the backfield. While some teams may have experienced a down year last season, having a different quarterback or a change of scheme can make a huge difference. These rankings reflect projection for 2015, not solely what teams have accomplished in 2014.

30. Georgia
31. UCF
32. Minnesota
33. Georgia Tech
34. Temple
35. Mississippi State

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-top-35-defensive-lines-2015

Go Gophers!!

 

[Unregistered User]

7. TCU
Another year, another strong defensive front for coach Gary Patterson. The Horned Frogs suffocated opposing offenses with an aggressive defensive front in 2014, holding rushing attacks to just 108.8 yards per game and recording 39 sacks in 13 games. This year’s line returns three starters from 2014, with tackle Chucky Hunter the lone departure. Ends James McFarland, Terrell Lathan, Mike Tuaua and Josh Carraway return after combining for 18.5 sacks in 2014. Aaron Curry, Chris Bradley, Tevin Lawson and Davion Pierson form an effective and talented group of options at tackle.