Stat stuffers back for more – Sacks

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Outside of turnovers, nothing on the defensive side of the ball is more game-changing than a quarterback sack. I don't have any research to fall back on, but common sense – and my eyes – tell me pressure on the quarterback is one of the leading causes of those game-changing turnovers. Few defensive players can dominate a game more than a dominant pass rusher. A solid group of game-changing pass rushers is returning for more next fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1201991' first='Anaise' last='Dotson']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Minneapolis North","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cstrongu003e17 sacks, 62 tackles, 21 TFL, 2 FFu003c/strongu003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eDotson is an offensive coordinator's nightmare. Often, offenses will leave a backside defender unblocked. They don't expect a defensive end to be fast enough to get involved in the play. Sometimes – when a defensive end is lined up inside and doesn't have contain responsibilities, offensive coordinators often chip the defensive end, expecting their running back to be able to get the corner before the defensive end can get outside. None of that works against Dotson. He is just too quick off the ball. While the junior's speed stood out, he is powerful enough to be effective at the point of attack and can also take on double teams.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1201998' first='Parker' last='Johnson']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Kingsland","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003cstrongu003e16.5 sacks, 77 tackles, 26 TFL, 1 FFu003c/strongu003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eMost of the highlights of Johnson are of the junior playing tight end. Even with that tape, it is easy to see why Johnson is a devastating pass rusher. He obliterates defenders in the running game. As a standup defensive end, the junior often overpowers smaller offensive tackles. He has good size for the Class A level, but his athleticism makes him stand out. Not only does he have explosive power coming off the edge, he has the speed to work to the sideline and hold the edge. Like Dotson, he is too explosive to leave unchecked when he starts on the backside of the play.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["945893"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"u003cstrongu003e9 sacks, 69 tackles, 20 TFL, 4 FFu003c/strongu003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eI could not find any highlights for King, but his game splits are impressive. Through the regular season and into the first two rounds of the playoffs, King recorded at least one sack or tackle behind the line of scrimmage. The junior had three multi-sack games in 2023, with the biggest statistical game against Cass Lake-Bena. King was in on three sacks with nine total tackles during the Rangers' dominating victory. He's not just a pass rusher; his best overall game might have been later in the season against Blackduck. King only had one sack but ended the game with ten total tackles – four for losses. That is excellent work for any defensive lineman, but especially for a guy who spends most of his time on the interior.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1102620"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"u003cstrongu003e8 sacks, 44 tackles, 19 TFL, 1 FF, 1 INTu003c/strongu003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eFenney has a great first step as a pass-rushing outside linebacker or standup defensive end. His long, lean frame allows him to get separation when engaged with blockers, but he has much more power than it looks like he should. Just a sophomore, the underclassman can get leverage despite his height and can take on double-teams on the outside. With his length, Finney is a menace even when he doesn't get to the quarterback. He knocked down more than his share of passes at the line of scrimmage. When he attacks the line of scrimmage, he stays in control – allowing him to get his hands into passing lanes and down the line of scrimmage against the run.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["592117"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"u003cstrongu003e7 sacks, 80 tackles, 28 TFL, 1 FFu003c/strongu003ernrnThe combination of size and athletic ability as a sophomore makes Johnson someone to watch the next two years. If I could sum up this athlete in one play, I would point toward a play he made on the punt block team. He got off a block on the outside and literally hurdled the punt protector to block the punt. He is much more than a special teams player. My favorite pass-rushing highlight of Johnson shows him beating the tackle to the outside and then using the old Reggie White hump move – using the tackle's momentum to throw him aside – giving Johnson a clear path to the quarterback. He stands 6'4, but he always seems to get his shoulder pads underneath the guy trying to block him. Combined with his power, he is a handful for any offensive tackle.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Cooper Brinkman","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Albany","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"u003cstrongu003e7 sacks, 82 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 FFu003c/strongu003ernrnI could not find any highlights on Brinkman, but I can say a few things based on the junior's game splits. He came out of the blocks flying with five sacks in his first two games. As the season progressed, his sack stats became few and far between, but his production did not. The linebacker had five games in which he picked double-digit tackles – including the game he picked up his final two sacks of the season. Those ten tackles and two sacks helped the Huskies to a one-point win. Brinkman followed that performance up with a seventeen-tackle outing the next week in the first round of the playoffs.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6585f798bf455"} /-->