We have had enough legit talent on the DL twice since Bronco has been the HC - in 2011, when we had Fuga, Fangupo, and Manumaleuna holding it down, and in 2012, when we had good-to-great talent in Ziggy, Kaufusi, and Fuga and an experienced vet in Tialavea. Otherwise, we have had maybe one really talented guy (Jorgensen, Fuga, etc) and then a bunch of solid 2* players.

Our DL this year has no excuses if everyone stays healthy. We have three guys who have shown legit talent - Kaufusi (4*), Rowley (3* - a step slow last year, but trying to work his way back from a mission), and Tuiloma (who has shown to be clearly better than his 2* rating); we have Taele, who has shown to be another diamond-in-the-rough find, and we have three more consensus 3* guys in Tausinga, Kaumatule, and Mounga. Our DL should be a wall this year, at worst, and if it isn't, then it will be clear what the problem is.

Tidwell deserves a pass for last season; the ILB are usually the rock of our defense. If he can get Shane Hunter and Matt Bauman to play well, he shouldn't be knocked for one off year in 10 seasons.

KVN spoiled the coaches as far as OLB is concerned; IMO they should have been trying in 2012 and 2013 to develop JLD, Pikula, Kautai . . . someone to provide depth for last season. Instead, they moved a DE and a RB to the position last-minute and had to rely heavily on two freshmen as well. Still, if you ranked the positions on the D in order of which sucked worst to which sucked least, OLB would be closer to the sucked least end than to the sucked worst end, IMO.