What are our CB Options heading into the fall?

#27
#27
cHiZzLeVOL said:
That's a nice take and I don't honestly know if Labruzza is back to 100% see he is still working out and playing with that leg brace on. Assuming that's going to be a permanent thing?
Click to expand...

no clue. would like to see him back healthy though. we need as many options as possible. we're thin here.

and i think Shamburger really flashed last season. he looks like he could turn in to a really good player. not sure he's got the overall coverage ability they want in a CB. but he plays physical, down hill and seems to be a good tackler. he seems perfect for that star/nickel spot, and i think i recall reading as much about him and his prospects in this defense earlier this year?
 
#30
#30
jakez4ut said:
no clue. would like to see him back healthy though. we need as many options as possible. we're thin here.

and i think Shamburger really flashed last season. he looks like he could turn in to a really good player. not sure he's got the overall coverage ability they want in a CB. but he plays physical, down hill and seems to be a good tackler. he seems perfect for that star/nickel spot, and i think i recall reading as much about him and his prospects in this defense earlier this year?
Click to expand...

Yeah I always assumed Shamburger would start, still have my doubts about Buchanan in a Man to Man corner spot. I know he has experience but I dont know if he is our guy at the second corner. Hope some of these new kids get in there and mix it up well during Fall practice.
 
#31
#31
cHiZzLeVOL said:
Yeah I always assumed Shamburger would start, still have my doubts about Buchanan in a Man to Man corner spot. I know he has experience but I dont know if he is our guy at the second corner. Hope some of these new kids get in there and mix it up well during Fall practice.
Click to expand...

isn't that kind of the problem with all the guys we have at CB right now?:eek:lol:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#35
#35
PEPPERJAX said:
Do any of you guys feel good about CBs this upcoming season?
Click to expand...

I certainly don’t. We could possibly have the worst corners in the SEC. I can’t remember a time when we’ve been worse at the position. Our only hope is George Jr and Taylor, but they are just that... hope. Definitely not proven commodities.
 
#36
#36
volfan_28 said:
I certainly don’t. We could possibly have the worst corners in the SEC. I can’t remember a time when we’ve been worse at the position. Our only hope is George Jr and Taylor, but they are just that... hope. Definitely not proven commodities.
Click to expand...

nobody's proven. there's no reason why we couldn't/shouldn't put that same hope in to buchanan or osborne either.
 
#38
#38
Alontae Taylor definitely looked the part in the OW game. Watched him most plays. Can't see Pruitt sending him back if our CB play is still anemic. Pruitt can afford his learning curve in yr 1 in order to get an elite CB late this year and a couple down the road.

Here are the suspects:
#36 Terrell Bailey - So
#28 Buchanan, Baylen - Jr
#6 Alontae Taylor - Fr
#??Trevon FLowers - Fr
#31 D.J. Henderson - Sr
#3 Marquill Osbourne - Jr
#15 Shawn Shamburger - So
#?? Kenneth George - So

Edit: KG has 3 to play 3.



My depth chart guess is ...

LCB1 - Shamburger
RCB1 Taylor

LCB2 - Buchanen
RCB2 - Osbourne

NB1 - Osbourne
NB2 - George
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#43
#43
I see people thinking George not starting, why? Typically, you dont bring in JUCOs to sit a year. I would think with his experience, he would be able to help immediately.
 
#44
#44
BigOrangeTrain said:
I see people thinking George not starting, why? Typically, you dont bring in JUCOs to sit a year. I would think with his experience, he would be able to help immediately.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I don't understand that either especially from K-town but apparently he thinks all the JUCOs are going to be sitting.

George is way to dynamic and explosive to not start at CB or Nickle. He has played against talented players in a Man to Man defense. The experience is there. Plus he is the biggest CB we have.
 
#45
#45
BigOrangeTrain said:
I see people thinking George not starting, why? Typically, you dont bring in JUCOs to sit a year. I would think with his experience, he would be able to help immediately.
Click to expand...

Do you know his back story? He never played meaningful snaps in HS because he was buried on the depth chart. 5'7" and like 140#. Grew a bit and walked on at a JUCO in TX and redhirted iirc. Grew to like 5'11" with good speed and did well during FR season. Nebraska offered him then pulled it. Some smaller school offered him and then lost him in the shuffle of a coaching change before the Vols came calling in CB desperation.

We're not talking about "Eric Berry with a bad ACT" here, who was forced to take a JUCO year. We're talking about a late bloomer, diamond in the rough, who has grown up and played literally 1 year in his career at a JUCO.

That being said, he is certainly moving with upside, and has successful position coaches here. He could surprise. But doubt is warranted a plenty.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#46
#46
cHiZzLeVOL said:
Heck maybe it's Shamburger that loses a spot to Taylor.... He showed he has the ability to contribute somewhere immediately. Lol... Those spots are so wide open IMHO
Click to expand...
I would guess that they may swap out during the games, who knows. It should be interesting.
 
#47
#47
BigOrangeTrain said:
I see people thinking George not starting, why? Typically, you dont bring in JUCOs to sit a year. I would think with his experience, he would be able to help immediately.
Click to expand...

For me, because he’s played very little football in his life. Too small to play in HighSchool, played last year in JUCO, which tells me he’s got a ton of developing ahead of him before playing DB in the SEC. Could be wrong, but I assume we’ll have at least 3-4 CBs that play ahead of him. He’s a recruit signed strictly on potential, not anything he’s done on the football field to date.....27 tackles and 2 interceptions last year in 11 games. Could be a diamond in the rough and blow up this fall, but I seriously doubt it. Help on special teams this year, get coached up on technique and mentality needed to play and this level and let’s see how he progresses by 2019.....kid has 3 years to play here, not sure why we’d expect much from him this year. I expect Taylor, Shamberger, Osborne, Davis, Buchanan, maybe Bryce Thompson among others to be ahead of him. Doug Mathews even said Maleik Gatewood is doing very well at this point and he’s gonna push for a starting CB spot.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#48
#48
KBVol said:
For me, because he’s played very little football in his life. Too small to play in HighSchool, played last year in JUCO, which tells me he’s got a ton of developing ahead of him before playing DB in the SEC. Could be wrong, but I assume we’ll have at least 3-4 CBs that play ahead of him. He’s a recruit signed strictly on potential, not anything he’s done on the football field to date.....27 tackles and 2 interceptions last year in 11 games. Could be a diamond in the rough and blow up this fall, but I seriously doubt it. Help on special teams this year, get coached up on technique and mentality needed to play and this level and let’s see how he progresses by 2019.....kid has 3 years to play here, not sure why we’d expect much from him this year. I expect Taylor, Shamberger, Osborne, Davis, Buchanan, maybe Bryce Thompson among others to be ahead of him. Doug Mathews even said Maleik Gatewood is doing very well at this point and he’s gonna push for a starting CB spot.
Click to expand...

Wow I don't even know who Gatewood is.... So that's impressive.
 
#49
#49
By most accounts, spring ended with Buchanon being the closest to having a spot on the outside wrapped up. Osborne was battling for the other. Shamburger was on top at NB. I don’t remember if they had Shamburger working too much on the outside. IIRC pretty much everything I heard about him was as a NB.

So those 3 will likely be on top to start off fall camp. IMO the big question is how much Thompson and/or Taylor can push for a spot and where. If I had to guess, I’d say one of those guys probably ends up taking a lot of PT from Osborne at some point or another in 2018.

I’m not really sure where CFA or Bailey fit into things or how much they’ll be able to get out of George year one. Hopefully both can play special teams at a high level maybe earn some spot time here and there when one of our DBs needs a few plays to rest. Luckily George has 3 years left to play. He’ll have time to adjust and make his presence felt. I’m not sure he’s quite ready to go toe-to-toe with some of the WRs we’ll be facing against WVU, UF, or UGA early in the season.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#50
#50
Starting freshmen or an under experienced juco at CB would be a dubious coaching decision. New talent will see PT, but I think Osbourne, Shamberger, and/or Buchanon, Bailey will be first and second string CBs. jmho
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top