Before you read the headline and automatically vote for Jared Crick, let me give you some reasons as to why he'll not lead the team in sacks:
- If Crick is as good as they say, he'll be double-teamed most of the time, which will free up another defensive lineman, ala Baker Steinkuhler.
- Crick is still just a junior, and he has another season to fully realize his college potential. Remember - it was Suh's senior season that was his best.
- It's not often that a defensive tackle leads a team in sacks. Ndamukong Suh did it the past two seasons, but the defensive tackle to do it before that was Steve Warren in 1999.
- Pierre Allen is a pretty fine defensive end, having 5.5 sacks last season, while Cameron Meredith and Jason Ankrah have tons of potential to be wrecking machines.
- Most of the sack leaders over the past ten seasons have been defensive ends. In 2005, it was Adam Carriker. In 2004, Benard Thomas, and in 2001 and 2002 it was Chris Kelsay. The exceptions - in 2003 "Super" Demorrio Williams lead the team, while in 2000, Randy Stella tied with Kyle Vanden Bosch for the lead.
 |