2011 Season Awards: Defense MVP

I voted for Micahel Clay, whoever that is

The defense just wasn’t the same with him off the field. Yes, other players got better, but his play was exceptional, and allowed other players to be great.

Boyett was also an option. Our defense lives or dies by its safety play. The safeties are the ones responsible for cleanup on running plays and coverage options on passing. They enable ballhawking. While LBs get a lot of sacks they’re not in it nearly as much as our safety play is.

The one game he got hurt, we lost. He made lots of s-o-l-i-d plays and many really special/spectacular plays. And, he just sorta came out of no where and started laying vicious hits on QBs, staying in position, getting interceptions, causing and recovering fumbles. He had many assists on tackles that otherwise the RB might well have gotten away. Nose to the ball when it was in his zone.
Boyette has always been my favorite but this season, DS was/is ‘The Man.’

Tough choice between Clay and Boyett, but I went with Clay.

Michael Clay for his knowledge and leadership, which was obviously missed during his absence, followed closely by John Boyett because he’s a heat seeking missile.

Ever since he started playing as a RSFR, he looked like he was going to be a fantastic player. As many above have mentioned, when our defense didnt have Michael Clay, the linebackers looked lost. I think this was most apparent against Missouri State (the first game Clay missed). Our defense almost looked outmatched on MSU’s first few drives.

If I had to pick a “Most Improved”, I’m giving it to Eddie. The Praying Mantis gets a close 2nd.

But the defensive MVP is Michael Clay.

You look at all our breakdowns and he was there to pick it up, love Clay, but Boyett saved our bacon so many times.

Tough call, but I went with Boyett.

As good as Clay was when he was on the field, I can’t give him credit for the three games he missed. Boyett, meanwhile, was out there every game, picking up slack from the guys who may have been out with injuries.

Boyett beats Clay on overall value to the team, even though I think Clay was slightly better in the games he played.

I am particularly interested in seeing how this unit fares against Wisconsin. For the first time we have a chance to have everyone healed up from nagging injuries. I am particularly interested in seeing Heimuli and Keliikipi getting some rest, so that our interior can regain some momentum that was there during the UW and Stanford span. Heimuli and Clay have been dealing with ankle issues and those really never clear up until you have some time off.

Anyway, I feel like we are more likely to see the ball hawking gang tackling unit we saw against Stanford rather than the unit we saw against USC. Maybe even better.

The best player on the field has to be Clay.

I can’t remember how many times I would see him making adjustments pre snap, insuring everyone knew what they where doing and blowing up someone with the ball. Clay had a great year, but Boyett anchored the defense in more ways then one.

Is our defensive MVP by a landslide. The guy is like a heat seeking missile on the field and we are a far better defense with his speed covering the middle of the field. Boyett has been inconsistent at times this year, Pleasant is still a weak tackler and a liability at times in coverage, Dion Jordan was completely absent at the beginning of the year, and Kaddu is what he is, a good pass rusher but not the kind of consistent player and tackler that Clay is.

Our linebackers have been very good this year. Stuckey, Clay, and Kaddu have all had great years.

looks like it is threatening to swallow his face.

His return from the ankle injury solidified the D and he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. I loved Boyett’s toughness and his chippy play. I thought Kaddu would get a little more run, but I think he tended to disappear at times.

He’s done the hardest hits* on defense, and I always wince in sympathy whenever Boyett is finished demolishing his victims.

*Dion Jordan’s hit on the Bruin QB last week was the hardest hit I’ve seen all year, but Boyett hits harder overall.