Tommy Thigpen: Daniel Bituli to see 20-25 snaps at South Carolina, compares freshman

#26
#26
LittleVol said:
Last year they gave Kirkland similar treatment. I personally think in these current times freshman are more college ready on average. But i think it's...practical how our coaches handle freshman from a long term development standpoint.

Gaulden is the best open field tacklet on the team. Most physical pound for pound... but his responsibility is a wr if there is a 3rd one.

But when it comes to run fits, you want size there to negate blockers.
It increases the chance for gang tackling for minimal gains.

Bama and A&M ran power spread with QB power runs. Man on man football. And our safeties have been ... not very good at diagnosing the play progression.

Plus Jumper gets caught up in lineman sometimes. and leaves holes. Where's a guy like Kirkland or Maybin will shoot the gap and bust up the timing if not make the tackle.
But Jumper is a man. 400 snaps played. He's been an anchor. Now he's going to some help.
Berry showed somethings.
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Jumper has played well and has been vital in getting us where we are so far. Berry has been OK, but we need DKjr to get back and it would be awesome if Bituli could step up.
 
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#28
#28
The leak in the Dam has been significant and all means must be taken to make sure the dam doesn't completely fail
 
#29
#29
Things are starting to look really great for next season and beyond.

Nothing is better than real game knowledge and experience and loads of tape to teach from.

VFL...GBO!!!
 
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#31
#31
Ace said:
Jumper has played well and has been vital in getting us where we are so far. Berry has been OK, but we need DKjr to get back and it would be awesome if Bituli could step up.
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Jumper seems to tackle well if the runner is right in front of him, but often he get's pushed way out of the play because of his lack of physicality. He's done the best he can.
 
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#32
#32
Roustabout said:
nice to figure this out after aTm and Bama.
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It's called player development. He's to a point were we no longer are in the gauntlet and can afford to give him some live action against lesser talented teams. You can't throw a young player to the wolves, knowing he doesn't even know his keys. He'll be put in a few, taken out and talked to about his performance and what he sees, then put back in etc. so on and so on.
 
#35
#35
I guess this officially means we won't see much of Jakob Johnson, Gavin Bryant, Kenny Bynum, Dillon Bates, or Austin Smith at LB. I know Johnson was moved to TE, but he was a 4-star MLB and had two starts there as a freshman. Bryant was a 4-star ILB and is reportedly one of the hardest hitters on the team. Bynum played in all 13 games last year and had two starts. Bates has been a mystery. Smith was moved to DE and has been hurt, but he did play LB in all 13 games last year, filling in for Maggitt. Nothing new really, it's just disappointing with the attrition at LB that we didn't get more from these guys. I am not qualified to say these guys should have played more, but again, it's very disappointing.
 
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#37
#37
Biopsyman said:
Bryant must be slow sideline to slideline... Bates is a mystery
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When things get equal physically on a college football field, some step up, some step aside, others step out. Lots of guys have difficulty with transitioning from high school to college football, Bates, Bryant, etc at LB were super in high school, now have trouble getting on the field. Nothing new here, move along.
 
#38
#38
Volle said:
Jumper seems to tackle well if the runner is right in front of him, but often he get's pushed way out of the play because of his lack of physicality. He's done the best he can.
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I think if you look at film of his last 4 games you will se him making tackle all over the field, breaking up passes against WRs down field and defending those passes very well. He is an SEC caliber linebacker ad continues to improve with experience. He has led the team in tackles for at least three games and we are very fortunate to have him playing for us.
 
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#39
#39
VolnJC said:
So if Bituli plays MLB would he set the defense or would Kirkland still do that from OLB?
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We've consistently told in the past that it has to be the MLB, which I don't quite understand why since our 2 LBs are often interchangeable when they slide depending on the look they get. It'll be interesting to see.
 
#41
#41
Bituli and Kirkland together, healthy should help the run game. Berry is having issues with his gap flow assignments on a regular bases, and Jumper simply isn't the athlete that Kirkland or Bituli are. I still would like to see Taylor get more of a chance on the edge to help contain runs, especially with DT QBs.
 
#42
#42
Volle said:
Jumper seems to tackle well if the runner is right in front of him, but often he get's pushed way out of the play because of his lack of physicality. He's done the best he can.
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Ditto with a twist. If he was upper level athletic he would have had a bunch of stars and been heavily recruited. But he walked on, worked his rear end off and gave his all for Tennessee. He's shown that all that crap about his dad's money was just that.
 
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#46
#46
TNnative said:
I would have guessed they would play 3 LBs on running downs. Hasn't happened, so I am afraid of guessing. I just hope the coaches aren't doing that.
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Given how we've played vs the run this year, we need all 11 in the box. Of course, given how we've played vs the pass this year, we need 5-6 DBs on the field at all times with 2 safeties always giving help to our corners.
 
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#47
#47
Darth_Shiveman said:
Crazy conspiracy theory incoming:


he's a freshman and just wasn't ready to be a starter yet.



Sorry if I'm going out on too much of a limb here, guys.
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Because we all know that you learn how to play by sitting your ass on the bench and not from actually playing in games
 
#48
#48
madbamahater said:
Because we all know that you learn how to play by sitting your ass on the bench and not from actually playing in games
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I don't have a problem with trying to work him into the rotation later in the season against offensive opponents who will be less likely to make us pay big time for a freshman mistake.
 
#49
#49
Darth_Shiveman said:
I don't have a problem with trying to work him into the rotation later in the season against offensive opponents who will be less likely to make us pay big time for a freshman mistake.
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Because A&M and Bama and GEORGIA (UGA, they ate up the linebackers) didn't make our linebackers who lack athletic ability pay?

Bottom line is put your best athletes on the field and Butch doesn't do that..........consistently
 
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