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Here are the top defensive lines in the country...

Athlon Sports
Published: July 4th, 2006
Defensive Line

1. California
Tackle Brandon Mebane is an Athlon preseason first-team All-American. Mebane broke through the line in ’05 for 9.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Matt Malele and Mika Kane both bring in excess of 300 pounds and extensive experience to the tackle rotation. Nu’u Tafisi, a second-team all-conference honoree, and Phillip Mbakogu combined for 20 tackles for losses and nine sacks and return at the ends. Abu Ma’afala started four games after sitting out 2004 following his transfer from Hawaii. He is as ornery against the run as he is rushing the passer and is available at both tackle and end.
2. Iowa
Ends Kenny Iwebema and Bryan Mattison spend a lot of time in opponents’ backfields. Iwebema notched 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection. Mattison added 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Tackle Mitch King was named Freshman All-America after breaking through for 10.5 tackles behind the line and forcing three fumbles. Tackle Matt Kroul registered 48 tackles and an interception. Ryan Bain notched 21 tackles as a true freshman and backs up both King and Kroul.
3. Oklahoma
John Williams went down with a knee injury in the opener and was lost for the year. Larry Birdine’s season ended in August with a torn biceps. Both of them return, and so do their replacements — C.J. Ah You, the 2005 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, and Calvin Thibodeaux, who racked up a team high 10 sacks. Tackle Carl Pendleton enters his third year as a starter. Joining him on the inside are DeMarcus Granger and Gerald McCoy, the 2005 USA Today high school Defensive Player of the Year.
4. Notre Dame
Starters return at all four positions. Left end Victor Abiamiri made himself at home in opponents’ backfields, quietly collecting 15 tackles for losses and eight sacks. Chris Frome started the first six games at right end before a knee injury in the USC game ended his season. Ronald Talley and Justin Brown went the rest of the way, and all three are back. Tackle Derek Landri has accumulated 19 career tackles for losses. Trevor Laws is a 290-pound run stuffer who blocked two field-goal attempts in 2005.
5. Wisconsin
Tackles Nick Hayden and Justin Ostrowski will keep the inside running lanes shut down. Both players pack 300 pounds-plus and can run. Hayden made 56 tackles last year with nine tackles for loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks. End Matt Shaughnessy emerged as one of the best young players in the league as a true freshman, registering 7.5 tackles for loss, batting down two passes and making first-team Freshman All-America.
6. Florida
7. Georgia Tech
8. UCLA
9. USC
10. TCU

top Offensive Lines...

2006 Offensive Line

1. USC
It might be surprising to find USC atop the offensive line list, considering the departures since the 2005 season. But the Trojans are the only team that can boast two returning players who earned All-America mention last fall. Junior Sam Baker has started every game at left tackle for two consecutive years and was third-team AP All-America in ’05. Center Ryan Kalil also enters his third year as a starter after earning second-team All-America honors from SI.com and CollegeFootballNews.com. Jeff Byers, the 2003 Gatorade National Player of the Year as a high school senior, returns to the guard position he had nailed down as a true freshman for the final four games of 2004 before missing last season with a hip injury. Coach Pete Carroll can fill in the blanks with tackles Kyle Williams and Charlie Brown, and guards Matt Spanos and Chilo Rachal.
2. Texas
Tackle Jonathan Scott and guard Will Allen have departed Austin, but the O-Line talent keeps pouring in. Justin Blalock anchors the 2006 Longhorn line. He has started 38 straight games at right tackle and is a returning third-team AP All-American. Greg Dolan participated in eight games as a redshirt freshman last fall and serves as insurance at tackle. Guard Kasey Studdard, riding a string of 25 consecutive starts, and center Lyle Sendlein, who started all 13 games in 2005, are entering their fifth year in the program. Junior Tony Hills, a 6'6", 295-pound former high school tight end, has played 18 career games and will replace Scott at left tackle. Cedric Dockery should fill the vacancy at right guard with no dropoff.
3. Oregon
The strength of the 2006 Oregon Ducks will be their offensive line, where all five starters return to the unit that cut its sacks allowed total from 41 in 2004 to 20 last season and paved the way for an attack that finished among the nation’s leaders in passing, scoring and total offense. The line is spearheaded by center Enoka Lucas, the unit’s emotional leader with 20 career starts. Left tackle Max Unger was a Freshman All-American last year and is an All-Pac-10 candidate as a sophomore. A pair of highly rated junior college transfers — Pat So’oalo and Fenuki Tupou — are breathing down the necks of returning starters Josh Tschirgi and Palauni Ma Sun at the guard positions.
4. Arkansas
In 2005, Arkansas led the SEC in rushing for the third time in the last four seasons, and four full-time starters return to the O-Line, plus a 2004 starter (tackle Zac Tubbs) who missed all but the first game of ’05 with an ankle injury. Tubbs, a 6'6", 335-pound fifth-year senior, is one of the best linemen in the SEC when healthy. Tony Ugoh is back at left tackle, where he has started started 21 of the last 22 games. Jonathan Luigs, a Freshman All-American last fall, moves from guard to center to replace the graduated Kyle Roper. Junior Robert Felton switched from guard to tackle last year because of Tubbs’ absence; he now goes back to guard, his natural position, where he started as a 2004 freshman. Stephen Parker will hold down the other guard job for a third straight year.
5. West Virginia
The West Virginia coaching staff has a knack for producing formidable offensive lines. There is no other way to explain the Mountaineers leading the Big East in rushing each of the last four years. But for the graduation of first-team all-conference tackle Garin Justice, their offensive line would be ranked even higher. Dan Mozes returns after a first-team All-Big East, second-team AP All-America campaign and is the nation’s best center. Coach Rich Rodriguez has praised Mozes’ qualities as a leader and passion for the game. At the guard spots are Jeremy Sheffey, a second-team All-Big East returnee, and Ryan Stanchek, a Freshman All-American last year. And Rodriguez can choose from a wide selection of game-tested talent to fill out the starting unit.
6. Clemson
7. Iowa
8. Fresno State
9. Oregon State
10. Auburn

Thanks for the info but Oklahoma's D line is better than Cal's (barely) and definately better than Iowa's (although I like the Iowa D quite a bit).

As far as offensive line goes, Texas A&M and Purdue will have possibly the best O lines in the country and they don't even make the list? USC should be good but how can you put them at #1 when they lost 3 starters and two of those suckers were all-americans?

Athlon is usually decent but I think they totally screwed up on those lists.

Jake I Agree Completely

W.V.??? They`re not even in the top 15. I`ll go over more later. The more I look @ it I`m starting to think The Hogs will be one of the top surprise tms of the yr. They need that #1 rated HS QB to come thru tho!! Less than 60 days guys can hardly wait.

:thumbsup2:

Go Sooners !!

silver7 said:

W.V.??? They`re not even in the top 15. I`ll go over more later. The more I look @ it I`m starting to think The Hogs will be one of the top surprise tms of the yr. They need that #1 rated HS QB to come thru tho!! Less than 60 days guys can hardly wait.

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For what it's worth, here are my thoughts on Arkansas for an article I'm doing on the SEC West. My personal ranking is made up of what I consider to be the six crucial factors for a college football team (QB Play/Passing Offense, Rushing Offense, Offensive Line Strength, Defensive Line Strength, Rush Offense, and Pass Offense). Each has a total of 10 that can be assigned for a total of 60.

" Team: <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Arkansas</st1:State></st1lace> Razorbacks
Jake’s Rating: Offense (25) Defense (25) Total (50)
Project Conference Finish: 2^nd
<o> </o>
Offense: Rating <st1:State w:st="on">Arkansas</st1:State> as the 2^nd best offense in the SEC (along with <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Florida</st1lace></st1:State>) might be shocking to some but it’s where they belong. Their offensive line is every bit as good as anyone’s in the SEC and they have almost everyone back on offense. The big-time newcomer is Mitch Mustain at quarterback. Normally a frosh quarterback who figures to start a majority of the way would be a bad thing but not when the QB was the best recruit in the nation and also brings his high school coach with him to be the new offensive coordinator here. Everything is set up with all the returning starters and Mustain will be using the same offense he played in high school which eliminates nearly all of the learning curve. <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Arkansas</st1lace></st1:State> will pass a lot more this year than last but they can still pick up 5 yards a carry with ease and should score over 30 points a game this season.
<o> </o>
Defense: Much like the offense, the defense has almost everyone coming back from last year. The defensive line is extremely athletic (DE Anthony Brown was actually recruited as a wide receiver) and these guys have quite a bit of experience. The secondary is looking great and I’d expect <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Arkansas</st1lace></st1:State> to improve on their 24.6 points allowed per game as well as the 3.6 yards per carry allowed last season. Look for <st1:State w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Arkansas</st1lace></st1:State> to limit teams to around 21 points and be much better against the rush which is huge in the SEC since it has so many quality running squads.
"

50 more days!...

I thought I told you Viking...just say no to Iowa Hawkeyes and drugs...and beer

IOWA with the #2 rated D-LINE in the country and the #7 rated 0-LINE in the country............if this isn't a recipe for success, not sure what is.

Oh, a favorable schedule is a nice ingredient also!


GO HAWKS!

WOOHO!!!!!!!!!!! man it is a coming!!!!!!

cal will be 0-1 going into week #2...

Mofome is a big UT fan

but Gators will humble him AGAIN

ive been known to watch a vols game or all of them. but, the gaytors will have no such luck as we make it 1-3 for little chrissy leak vs the VOLS

Tennessee, The Smokey Mountain School For The Dentally Impaired! :lolBIG: LT

Coach LT said:

Tennessee, The Smokey Mountain School For The Dentally Impaired! :lolBIG: LT

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:lolBIG: