Other than finding a QB what are the coach's 3 biggest position issues for 2021?

#53
#53
butchna said:
Aaron Willis will be a mainstay by the fourth game if not sooner. Mean and athletic tackle hound with instincts and football smarts.
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Willis is a good one. Someone from the Memphis Trio from last class (Eason, French & McDonald) will step up too .. likely Eason will start next to Banks & one of the other guys will back up with Beasly & Page to begin the season.
I think they might add a body or two from transfer market if any of Salon Page or Aaron Beasly leave post spring, just for depth.
 
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#56
#56
No noe knows what it will be next year. We have a new coaching staff and not one practice session has been conducted and no one's talent has been evaluated bu the new Staff. Last year, it appeared the we need the most help at the QB, TE, and LB positions. We signed players at each of those position. I think we will know which next years will be by the time Fall practice is over and the games begin. We can, I believe, take two transfers and we may loose a player or two and our current needs may change before next years recruitment is prioritized.
 
#60
#60
My concerns are all on D. I believe Coach Heupel has inherited plenty of talent on the offensive side and he knows how to use it. His struggles at UCF were on D and that’s where we have 5he biggest challenges.

There is still some uncertainty as to who will be here. Is Big Kat coming? What about Dylan Brooks? Both those guys could see major playing time at DE and maybe give us some edge rush. Of course we also don’t know what our base D is gonna be (so we’ve got to have a real spring practice) so it’s hard to try to figure out a two deep. But I do like Tyler Baron at DE regardless of the scheme. We have to have someone emerge who can get to the QB from the edge...

Inside DL play is always a concern in my book. I haven’t heard if Solomon or Emerson are returning. We have some young talent but I’m not sure who will emerge. Omari Thomas and Dominic Bailey were both highly rated recruits so maybe they will. KaTron Evans has the size to come in as a true freshman but interior DL is a tough place for a true freshman. Regardless of who it is, we need a strong interior DL that can stuff the run and keep the OL off our line backers. It would be great to actually have an inside pass rush but if they can stop the inside run and fully occupy the OL we’ll be in good shape.

LB is wide open. We have signed talent but again, how will we line up? I like how a 3-4 works but we ran it without really having the players to make it work. We rarely got pressure on the QB and that tends to make average DBs look bad. We also ended up having our inside LBs trying to cover and again, without pressure, they were burned frequently. Many college teams run a 4-3 and that might be a better match for our talent. We signed some talented players last year and added Aaron Willis (EE) and Kaemen Marley in this years class. LB play is greatly influenced by DL play so we could have great LBs looking average if the DL is average.

I'm optimistic that the O will be exciting for a change but hope we can field a D that can stop most the teams we play...
 
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#62
#62
SaintLouisVol said:
IMO, more than than any other position, RB success is a product of the system. If you have someone who can grasp the concepts of the offense and has athleticism appropriate for the level of competition, that RB will be successful if the players around him are doing their job.
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I feel the same about the ILB position. if DL and DB are successful in their assignments, ILB's create havoc. A breakdown with either puts that position in no man's land. Henry T. ,Q, and JB were less effective despite their athletic abilities due to other positions being a step behind. Better scheming should address that. I know 2 are in the portal, but still enrolled in classes.
 
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#63
#63
OL is number 1 for need. For 2021, hopefully Jahmir comes back from the transfer portal. But either way, he and Cade Mays are likely gone after 2021, with the possibility of losing Darnell Wright too. So OL needs to be his main target in recruiting.

Number 2 need is DL. We've got to find a pash rush to be competitive.

Number 3 is linebackers. We're pretty thin at the LB position currently, depending on what HT and Crouch do. Need an influx of talent here.

Past that, we're in pretty decent shape currently, we just need to develop the talent we have. For the defense, I know this is beating a dead horse, but keeping Steele would do wonders for Number 2 and 3, imo. He has a very good track record for producing NFL talent and is a great recruiter. It really amazes me keeping Steele on, even as an expensive LB coach, is even in question. He's a high quality assistant and a VFL. Just make it official already.
 
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#65
#65
volmandu said:
Willis is a good one. Someone from the Memphis Trio from last class (Eason, French & McDonald) will step up too .. likely Eason will start next to Banks & one of the other guys will back up with Beasly & Page to begin the season.
I think they might add a body or two from transfer market if any of Salon Page or Aaron Beasly leave post spring, just for depth.
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Honestly thought Page has already transferred. Depending on the DC, scheme et al he may stir from the bench but I don’t see him as a sure fire starter.
 
#66
#66
Mose Phillip's Watch said:
1. End rushers
2. Solid two RBs
3. Linebackers

Thoughts besides every position lol
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I personally like the talent if not experience at RB. Small to me looked nearly as good as Gray in limited carries.

End rushers have been an issue for a while. Unless someone emerges... I don't see QB pressure coming except by scheme and committee again this year.

LB is a potential issue. Potentially a huge issue. It isn't just talent... I don't see "bodies" to play inside LB. I didn't think Henry T played particularly well last year but he was a leader and could make the calls. I thought Crouch was mediocre but still offered more than those behind him. I've always pulled for Banks but I don't see him being capable of playing the defensive QB role.

But this is where coaching comes in. We saw Monte use LB's who should have never made it off the scout team and produce a good D. Reviez in spite of his size and physical limitations was as effective as many of the much more physically talented guys we've seen lately

So I would say LB X 2 and cornerback.
 
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#68
#68
butchna said:
Honestly thought Page has already transferred. Depending on the DC, scheme et al he may stir from the bench but I don’t see him as a sure fire starter.
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I meant to say Beasley, Page and the Memphis guys will be back ups behind Banks & Eason to start the season until Willis gains some experience.
 
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#70
#70
JonGrudensAgent said:
O line and D line are pretty barren right now with all the departures.
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What are your concerns on the OL? I think the guys who are gone largely underperformed. They never became the dominant group they were expected to be. Some units are greater than the sum of their talents... and some are not as good as the sum of their talents.

I LOVE Spraggins and have confidence in the Mays Bros. There are holes to fill but quality coaching and a scheme that in CJH's words puts OL's in a position to be successful can help a lot.


My concerns are all on D and primarily LB. It isn't just talent... I don't see "bodies" to play ILB. There are thin spots across the D but has anyone on the roster outside of Banks even seen playing time at ILB?

I could see them having to get REAL creative in the back 7 on D.
 
#71
#71
Our biggest issues are OL, TE, QB, RB, WR, DL, LB, DB, PK other than those positions I feel we are in pretty good shape.
 
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#75
#75
we need solid O-Line and D-Line play. Everything in this game starts upfront, without this we're gonna continue to struggle
 
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