So one thing that I think is really crazy about this year's improvement are the wholesale changes in the secondary of holdover personnel, especially at safety. Will Jones, Matt Hill, and T-Mac Simpson all have had major reductions in playing time, and Ben Knox has gone from fringe rotation to the bench. Meanwhile Berryhill and Jaelen Stokes have had huge increases in playing time, as has Daquan Evans (improved health has helped). Chris Townsel has had an increase as well, and Tavin Ward has entered the fray. Aamaris Brown and Jayden Curry are basically the only guys getting similar reps in the new regime, and even Curry is getting less time.
As for the newcomers, Braxton Clark is really the only big contributor, and he has been a really pleasant surprise for me- I didn't think much of his transfer after not doing much at a weak P5 in five years (he was hurt, but then you have to wonder if an injured player really is 100%). Kendall Dennis doesn't have a stat, and I think Jarvis Lee is only playing ST (as you'd expect from a true freshman).
Obviously TJ Robinson was lost to injury and Christian Williams left, presumably because he was told he had lost his role, but the general point is that most of the apparent improvement has come from guys who were here and stuck behind players that I think most of us called out at various points in time. Really makes you wonder what was happening in the CJS regime in the secondary room.
