Starting Defense

#76
#76
thunder5 said:
IMO...it's a mistake to play him at all this year...dude has 2 significant leg injuries in back to back years...I'm afraid if you put him back out there another one will happen...I don't care how good of progress he seems to be making...IMO you redshirt him this year no matter what
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If he's healthy he has to play.
 
#78
#78
I think the two-deep will look something like this (incoming freshmen may change things at DL & DB):

DE- Phillips/Taylor
DT- Vickers/Johnson
DT- McKenzie/Tuttle
DE- Kongbo/Blakely

OLB- Kirkland Jr/Bates
MLB- Bituli/Jumper
OLB- McDowell/Berry

CB- Moseley/Buchanan
CB- Gaulden/Martin
FS- Kelly Jr/Berry
SS- Abernathy/Warrior
 
#79
#79
I would be shocked if the coaching staff doesn't have jumper in a starting LB position, all the coaches love that guy regardless if hes not the most athletic guy on the field. And that's not an endorsement from me saying he should be out there, if there is a more athletic ready to play LB they should be out there but don't be surprised when you see Opie out there in a starting spot.
 
#80
#80
sofflavol said:
I would be shocked if the coaching staff doesn't have jumper in a starting LB position, all the coaches love that guy regardless if hes not the most athletic guy on the field. And that's not an endorsement from me saying he should be out there, if there is a more athletic ready to play LB they should be out there but don't be surprised when you see Opie out there in a starting spot.
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I know that Jumper is a smart guy and gives it all he has.
I know that Bates has had a ton of injuries.
But, if we are relying on either one to play a lot at LB, it gives me..........pause.
 
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#81
#81
Vfl2407 said:
I know that Jumper is a smart guy and gives it all he has.
I know that Bates has had a ton of injuries.
But, if we are relying on either one to play a lot at LB, it gives me..........pause.
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i think Jumper has come a long long way. that said, i agree.

but both, at this point, should be able to provide quality depth w/out much question. i believe Jumper fills that bill for sure. not sure about bates yet. Bituli may have passed him?
 
#82
#82
Excited to see Darrell Taylor step up. I see him all around campus and it is easy to tell he's a freak. Easily around 255-260 ish, and has good length. Passes the eye test for sure.
 
#83
#83
Nocleats said:
The scary part is that Tuttle, Vickers, and Mckenzie are all hurt, with serious questions about 2 of them being ready by Aug 1. and all three of them NOT BEING in the weight room since last fall.. And Yes they are A level players but their backups are not... Zero depth and it could go from bad to awful in a hurry..
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Not to count on guys yet to arrive, but Bennett and Crosby could both get reps as freshmen if needed. Though most would prefer they get ample time with Rock in the weight room before they play, it beats moving ends to the interior.
 
#84
#84
TNnative said:
Not to count on guys yet to arrive, but Bennett and Crosby could both get reps as freshmen if needed. Though most would prefer they get ample time with Rock in the weight room before they play, it beats moving ends to the interior.
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Bennett will probably redshirt based on his age, Crosby and Butler both could definitely see the field of any injuries occur. I bet Butler would be the first one in.
 
#86
#86
Vfl2407 said:
I know that Jumper is a smart guy and gives it all he has.
I know that Bates has had a ton of injuries.
But, if we are relying on either one to play a lot at LB, it gives me..........pause.
Click to expand...


Jones & Co. have not recruited well enough at LB. We have no depth--unless some of the freshmen coming in are good, and we need them to be. Recruiting one potentially good linebacker a year isn't enough. If any of our starters go down, it's trouble as you are not going to stop anybody with our second team LBs. We saw this last year. And we're assuming that Bituli, who shows promise but is inexperienced, plays well.
 
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#89
#89
sjsmith87 said:
I think the two-deep will look something like this (incoming freshmen may change things at DL & DB):

DE- Phillips/Taylor
DT- Vickers/Johnson
DT- McKenzie/Tuttle
DE- Kongbo/Blakely

OLB- Kirkland Jr/Bates
MLB- Bituli/Jumper
OLB- McDowell/Berry

CB- Moseley/Buchanan
CB- Gaulden/Martin
FS- Kelly Jr/Berry
SS- Abernathy/Warrior
Click to expand...

I'll give it a try...
DE - Taylor - Blakely
DT - Vickers - Johnson - Picou
DT - McKenzie - Tuttle (a starter if 100%) - Picou
DE - Kongbo - Phillips (could see one of these guys sliding inside on 3rd down to get both on the field)

OLB - Q. Sapp (if 100%) - Jumper
MLB - Kirkland Jr. - Bituli
Star - McDowell - El. Berry/Bates

CB - Martin - Buccanon
CB - Osborne - Moseley
NB - Gaulden - Osborne
S (sideline) - TK Jr. - Abernathy (I could easily see him winning a starting spot, people are too quick to dismiss him)
S (field side) - Warrior - Abernathy/Ev. Berry

*With the new coaching staff, trying to predict DB's and where they'll play is a total crapshoot. I'm trying to base mine off spring practice noise.
**I've listed positions according to what I've read about Shoop's system with the assummption that he'll actually get to run his system this time around.
 
#90
#90
armchair said:
Jones & Co. have not recruited well enough at LB. We have no depth--unless some of the freshmen coming in are good, and we need them to be. Recruiting one potentially good linebacker a year isn't enough. If any of our starters go down, it's trouble as you are not going to stop anybody with our second team LBs. We saw this last year. And we're assuming that Bituli, who shows promise but is inexperienced, plays well.
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If Bates and Sapp come on then depth will be good. Bryant left the team, so no help there.
 
#91
#91
Austin Smith is left off at end. I don't think they moved him to end for nothing. Guy looked good at OLB. Anyone know how he shaped up after redshirt?
 
#94
#94
armchair said:
Jones & Co. have not recruited well enough at LB. We have no depth--unless some of the freshmen coming in are good, and we need them to be. Recruiting one potentially good linebacker a year isn't enough. If any of our starters go down, it's trouble as you are not going to stop anybody with our second team LBs. We saw this last year. And we're assuming that Bituli, who shows promise but is inexperienced, plays well.
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Jones and Company only had one 4 star LB in this recent class (Will Ignont) but had a pair of 4 start LBs last year (Ja'Quain Blakely and Daniel Bituli) and a pair of 4 stars the year before (Darrin Kirkland Jr. and Quarte Sapp) and a pair of 4 stars back in 2014 (Dillon Bates and Chris Weatherd). Weatherd was a juco so he’s gone but the other 6 “blue chips” are still there…

I know injuries have hurt Bates, knocked Sapp out of last season, and slowed Kirkland much of last season, but those 6 should have SEC level talent. But Ja'Quain Blakely may be bulking up and moving to DE…In years past we seemed to always have a few DBs who converted to LB and they were very effective…DB’s speed with LB’s violence…

Sapp was referred to as “the next JRM” after last spring – it was horrible luck to lose JRM and Sapp so early last year…basically starting a 3 string LB alongside Kirkland and then he got hurt too…you can never have enough depth…
 
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