Coach Mathews should be interesting this morning.

#26
#26
You would have to have a new player to plug in for things to change. The new players are Freshmen and probably aren't ready yet even if they are more talented. With the revelation that Jumper will play all 3 spots you could see him there if Cortez struggles... and I have no issue with that. I am in the crowd that thinks he's substantially better than the haters think.

Pre injuries, I think Sapp was going to be the guy along with Kirkland. Seems like McDowell is in the lead as of now
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#28
#28
QB sneak and a run out of the I formation is not a fair comparison. Seems like you're equating the two. I do get your point about winning the line of scrimmage

Let's compare the I formation to running out of the spread with an h-back/TE in backfield then. The hole can get clogged if we don't win at the line of scrimmage in an I formation. It can also happen in the spread if we don't win at the line of scrimmage. I personally like the way a good blocking h-back/TE has a chance to engage defenders from a side angle, I see this as advantage to the blocker. Needing to get a head start by running out of the I-formation is an argument started around here by Jalen Hurd, I consider this argument to be complete garbage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#29
#29
You would have to have a new player to plug in for things to change. The new players are Freshmen and probably aren't ready yet even if they are more talented. With the revelation that Jumper will play all 3 spots you could see him there if Cortez struggles... and I have no issue with that. I am in the crowd that thinks he's substantially better than the haters think.

I'm with you, Mitzustu.

Jumper was flopping around like a fish out of water the first season we saw him play. Really showed his inexperience. So people passed judgment on him then and there, and locked the door to any reconsideration.

Meanwhile, he has gotten much, much better as a player. He's not slow (some here say he is, but he can get side to side pretty quick), he's intuitive now that he has experience, and he apparently knows the defense as well as anyone (can "QB" it from the MLB spot).

So I think the continued disregard is way overdue for a relook. *shrug* looked solid to me last season, anyway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 9 people
#30
#30
Robertson will be center.
OL will be strength of team with 8 man rotation.
Believes Tatum will eventually start at RT.
Will have 16 more practices before opener.
Expects this to be Jones best freshman group.
More depth at most positions than last year.

Biggest concerns:
OLB McDowell will start but should be a backup.
Sapp big question mark due to many injuries.
Jumper will play both OLB and Mike.
TE Wolf not good at line blocking.
FB When we need a lead blocker fullback type, e.g.
Goal line - don't have one - not part of Jones offense.

Likes experience that Hoke provides
Says these freshman will be big contributors:
Smith, Chandler, Jordan, Ignont, Reed, Palmer.
Theo Jackson will help at safety.
Butler and Bennett will be 9th and 10th linemen in rotation.
Only one senior in top 11 dlinemen - bodes well for future.
*Shy Tuttle - thinks he will be READY for Tech - but, won't play against them because of Techs blocking scheme. Does NOT see a redshirt. Will play vs. UF.
Kongbo has great athletic ability. Hoke really helping him.

Kippy Brown on talking about QB rotation.
Saying decision on starter needs to come soon to give more reps to him with number one offense in last 3 weeks of practice.
Both expect Dormady to start but JG to get a few meaningful series vs Tech.
See about 5-6 talented receivers that will be in rotation.
Expect to go 3 wides for vast majority of snaps.
Jennings, Smith, Byrd should be starters.
Kippy Expects a lot of double coverage on Jennings.

Back to just Doug:
D.Johnson is good 4th DE.
Secondary: Buchanan is nickel backup to Gaulden.
Shamburger is 4th corner.
Jackson is 4th safety.
Kirkland and Bituli are very good LBs. says again need depth.
When go to 3 LB set, prob play Austin Smith or move Abernathy to nickel and Gaulden to 3rd LB. hoping Sapp gets healthy. LB biggest concern on team.
Really likes both QD and JG. No mention of McBride except saying he's #3.
Didn't hear him discuss RBs other than saying Kelly can be very good.

Likes overall health of team.
Likes overall team speed. Most Butch has had.
Glad that staff has identified what almost all rotations will be.
Very upbeat and optimistic about the season.

I liked the report, but I appreciate you providing a rundown as well.
 
#31
#31
Pre injuries, I think Sapp was going to be the guy along with Kirkland. Seems like McDowell is in the lead as of now

This is the main reason I can't stand Butch. His loyalty to less talented but experienced players. Cortez McDowell should not be a starter. He's the least talented guy on our projected starting lineup. We should have prepared Austin Smith to take that spot if Sapp was not gonna be 100% yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#32
#32
Well, I'm not going to argue we should never go under center and use the I, but I do see the trade-off.

Under center handoff to a RB in the I (with or without leading blocker) is like tightening the choke on a shotgun: you may not be telling the defense precisely where the ball carrier is going...could be off-center, or off-guard to either side...but it's a pretty clear indicator for them. They pretty much know the guy is going somewhere between the left tackle and the right tackle (if it's a run play). So they can focus on defending the box. And just the box.

Back up to the pistol with the RB 7 yards deep, and you're giving up quick development of the play, but in exchange now you've sawed off the shotgun barrel. It's a real scatter shot, that RB can go anywhere from hash mark to hash mark, and beyond. Now you're forcing the D to defend a much broader space.

The latter works against slower or larger defenses. Forces them to cover the field, spread out. And once you spread them out, you can really get a decisive advantage at the point of your choosing (concentration of mass via surprise, for those using principles of war).

On the other hand, under center and I formation works better if the defense is small but quick, or if your offense has a significant size advantage over the other guys. For instance: we'd probably have been much better off just jamming I formation runs at App State last fall, slamming it straight into the box over and over again. Give up surprise and just go right at them with our greater size.

So...trade-off. Most of the time, in the SEC, we're better off in the spread. Even in short yardage situations. Simply too easy for very good SEC defenses to fill the box if they know pretty much where we're going.

Like I said starting off, that's not really the "opposite view" you were looking for, more like a balanced viewpoint.

Very well presented.
Thank you. :hi:
 
#33
#33
It is what it is and we got what we got. Every year a little better then the last. This is a team that can go places and do things. It's not perfect but few things are in life. Lets get to work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#35
#35
This is the main reason I can't stand Butch. His loyalty to less talented but experienced players. Cortez McDowell should not be a starter. He's the least talented guy on our projected starting lineup. We should have prepared Austin Smith to take that spot if Sapp was not gonna be 100% yet.

Thigpen and Shoop really need to earn their money coaching up McDowell and Smith (even Bates?) as much as possible. And, the training staff should have Sapp living with them. Speaking of which, and with an old feeble memory, what is Sapps injury?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#37
#37
Let's compare the I formation to running out of the spread with an h-back/TE in backfield then. The hole can get clogged if we don't win at the line of scrimmage in an I formation. It can also happen in the spread if we don't win at the line of scrimmage. I personally like the way a good blocking h-back/TE has a chance to engage defenders from a side angle, I see this as advantage to the blocker. Needing to get a head start by running out of the I-formation is an argument started around here by Jalen Hurd, I consider this argument to be complete garbage.

That's fine. Everyone has their own opinion. It wasn't my intent to start an argument
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#38
#38
Thigpen and Shoop really need to earn their money coaching up McDowell and Smith (even Bates?) as much as possible. And, the training staff should have Sapp living with them. Speaking of which, and with an old feeble memory, what is Sapps injury?

I think he blew out his knee in the third game of the season last year
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#39
#39
You would have to have a new player to plug in for things to change. The new players are Freshmen and probably aren't ready yet even if they are more talented. With the revelation that Jumper will play all 3 spots you could see him there if Cortez struggles... and I have no issue with that. I am in the crowd that thinks he's substantially better than the haters think.

Well, that's even a more discouraging take.

Our LB spot is weak, and no hope on the horizon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#42
#42
This is the main reason I can't stand Butch. His loyalty to less talented but experienced players. Cortez McDowell should not be a starter. He's the least talented guy on our projected starting lineup. We should have prepared Austin Smith to take that spot if Sapp was not gonna be 100% yet.
Is that what the tape told you?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#46
#46
Let's compare the I formation to running out of the spread with an h-back/TE in backfield then. The hole can get clogged if we don't win at the line of scrimmage in an I formation. It can also happen in the spread if we don't win at the line of scrimmage. I personally like the way a good blocking h-back/TE has a chance to engage defenders from a side angle, I see this as advantage to the blocker. Needing to get a head start by running out of the I-formation is an argument started around here by Jalen Hurd, I consider this argument to be complete garbage.

"Win the line of scrimmage" It makes no difference what type of formation or play you run (short yardage) when you win the "los" you win, period.
 
#47
#47
So not a damn thing has changed at the LB spot.

Awesome. 🙄

Still don't have enough proven LBs who've shown they can play at a high SEC level, but I think barring injury our situation has improved there over what we saw last season

-DKJr can play
-Bituli has great excellent potential
-They've raved about Will Ignont providing depth at MLB
-McDowell played well at times last year and he's dropped 10 lbs to help with his speed and quickness
-Sapp is back so he should provide depth
-Heard good things about Shannon Reid at OLB
-Austin Smith has moved back to LB, perhaps he can help
-And of course there's Jumper

So while linebacker is still a concern, like most positions, I think there's good reason to feel fairly optimistic that it'll be an improved position.....certainly better than 2016. Hopefully there's 3-4 guys who really step up and surprise us.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#48
#48
Who has said this? Coach Jones has said that they run a pro style offense from the day he started. We may have some different wrinkles in the offense, but it will still be a spread, as it should be.

1. No matter what Jones has said, that ain't no prostyle offense

2. Various reports (Hubbs, Price, Mathews, etc) about us running much more often from under center which typically equates to a more pro style offense.
 
#49
#49
1. No matter what Jones has said, that ain't no prostyle offense

2. Various reports (Hubbs, Price, Mathews, etc) about us running much more often from under center which typically equates to a more pro style offense.

We run a pro style offense out of the shotgun. Go and read what Dobbs had to say about his transition to the NFL with the Steelers. He said it was smooth because they basically called the same plays at Tennessee. Same passing routes and concepts just had different names for them. This is very different from many of the pure spread systems like in the air raid offense where they don't run NFL passing routes and concepts. And where they are not doing full field reads but rather being told by the coaches where to throw the ball presnap.

We essentially run a pro style offense out of the shotgun formation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people

VN Store



Back
Top