Alexis Johnson at practice

#126
#126
JohnMarxism said:
Vickers, O'Brien, and Picou can all get some quality reps in the first three games. It's not outlandish to think Johnson can be ready for the UF game
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Back in the day when the Bubba Smith, Alex Karras, Dick Butkus, and Doug Atkins types played they'd show up for training camp, run, play, and puke for about 4 weeks and were in shape for the rest of the season. If youngsters want to pay the price to play in 4 weeks, they can get ready.
 
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#127
#127
walkenvol said:
So, are you guys still convinced he will be able to work himself into playing condition? Appears he wasn't hard at work during his suspension.
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Haha was just thinking that when I watched the video of him doing drills yesterday. I do still think he'll be able to work himself into playing condition, but it looks pretty obvious that won't be able to reach his best shape this season. I'd guess he is still a strong guy, and he looks like our biggest DT right now. Says on the roster he's 295 but he looks larger than Kmac. If nothing else while he's getting game experience he can stuff any RB that comes in his gap. I'm curious to hear what Butch has to say about him in regard to him redshirting or not.
 
#128
#128
swchandler1988 said:
lol maybe I should have come off as less accusatory. I mentioned Blair because he's one of the few JUCO busts we've had. Guys like Kamara, Justin Martin, Patterson, Von Pearson, Owen Williams (the list goes on) came in and contributed right away. We all expect Kongbo to do big things, and the only advantage over Johnson as far as conditioning goes is he had the 2-3 weeks of fall camp. Given that Johnson has a great deal more experience than Kongbo (and likely knows how to stay in halfway decent football shape) does playing the sport, it's not far fetched to think that Johnson could be ready to contribute by the Florida or the Georgia game.

It only makes sense to try to bring him along so he could help out the rest of the DTs. Hypothetically, let's say he started playing by the UGA game at the latest. That's over 5 weeks away. Give him a few snaps in those games (UGA-Bama) then let him get significant playing time on the last half of the schedule against our weaker opponents. By the time (if all goes well) the SEC championship comes around, he would be available to be a reliable 2nd-3rd string guy.
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No worries. I've been screaming from the mountaintop for months now that DT depth is the weak link of our defense. Yes, Alexis is needed as soon as he's ready. All I've tried to do is be rational and a realist regarding where he likely is with respect to how soon he can be ready. It's tempting and very easy to say he's reinstated so he's ready, just run him out there. As we now see from PFort's statement, it's clear there's gonna be more to it for him. I hope he catches up quickly, learns the schemes and techniques, greatly improved his physical fitness and is ready to get into the rotation as a viable SEC DT by the Florida game which is a short 5 weeks away. We agree he's badly needed, but I think we need to pump the brakes on declaring him ready to go until we see he's actually ready to go. Until then, which may or may not be this year, we gotta roll with KMac, Vickers, OBrien, Tuttle (by Ohio game according to D. Mathews), hopefully Picou and the occasional DE like Barnett and Kongbo in exotic packages.
 
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#129
#129
Remy said:
Back in the day when the Bubba Smith, Alex Karras, Dick Butkus, and Doug Atkins types played they'd show up for training camp, run, play, and puke for about 4 weeks and were in shape for the rest of the season. If youngsters want to pay the price to play in 4 weeks, they can get ready.
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But they were playing against OLs and other offensive players who showed up for training camp, who ran, played and pukes for 4 weeks to get in shape like they did. It's a different world now where players train for strength and fitness nearly 52 weeks out of the year. Also, those guys were pros, were the best of the best, obviously knew their defensive schemes, responsibilities and techniques. Alexis has never played a down of SEC football, practice or otherwise. He's got a long row to hoe IMO abd it's gonna take awhile to get him up to speed. I hope he's an exceedingly hard worker and quick learner so he can contribute this year. We'll see.
 
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#130
#130
I'm sure he'll contribute from the beginning, just not as much until later in the season. Probably can give us about 5 snaps/game until he can give us about 8-10 later on.

Either way, I'll be thrilled with whatever he can give us from a depth standpoint. With 2 elite DTs and 2 solid DTs, we can somewhat afford to bring him along week by week.
 
#133
#133
VFLBerg said:
The last thing he wants is to have all of this aired out in a court trial.
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Iirc, his accuser spoke up on his behalf asking that the charges be dropped. Then the UT student Juducial board said the original charges were "unfounded". I'm sure he wants to move on and put all this behind him, but I'm not so sure he'd be afraid for the truth of what actually happened to get out. Who knows?
 
#134
#134
It's no secret that juco transfers are usually slow to adjust to the mental & physical rigors of SEC football, especially linemen.

After being suspended from all team activities for several months, Johnson has basically been plopped down onto the field late and will only have a few practice sessions under his belt before the season starts. He's apparently not in prime football shape right now and even if reaches that point in 6-8 weeks, I'll be surprised if he's deemed ready to help appreciably. His expected level of contribution will have to be weighed against the benefit of having him return for two full seasons rather than one, and that's why I expect him to redshirt unless we lose a couple of DTs to injury.

Now if he plays this year and makes a genuine impact, then more power to him!
 
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#135
#135
swchandler1988 said:
... I'm not going to quote the person that said that but I'm sorry we're going to play Bo Scarborough, Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, Keith Ford at A&M, and possibly Fortnette if we get in the title game and Bama doesn't. ....
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You forgot one.

I expect no challenge from Candy as a team, but they do have a high quality RB in Ralph Webb.

in before ... "but look who they played"!
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From SB Nation

..."while gaining an average of 1,029 YARDS PER SEASON (emphasis mine) in his two years as a Commodore. He could gain even more if his Commodores move the needle gauging their quarterback play from "terrible" to merely "competent" this fall.

In his two year career, Webb has been the victim of opportunistic defenses with no fear of Vandy's passing attack. Opponents stacked eight players near the line of scrimmage to make things difficult for the young back, but he still found a way to average more than four yards per carry despite matchups where defenders often outnumbered blockers by a wide margin."

(That whole paragraph deserves emphasis)
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I expect we'll stomp a hole in Candy an walk it dry.

However, being the last game of the season, if we have injuries to our DL and Candy gets an air show that demands even a little respect; with a reasonably healthy Webb we could see him gashing our D for big gains more than we like. He's the real thing.
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Naw!...The D is gonna be awesome this year!
 
#136
#136
KBVol said:
...Then the UT student Juducial board said the original charges were "unfounded".
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Arresting and booking officers are trained to charge perpetrators with everything that "might" stick. The District Attorney picks and chooses also. Often, the accused actually is guilty of all charges,...but also often not. Did the "imprisonment" charge came from the woman, the arresting officer, or DA?

I'm sure he wants to move on and put all this behind him, but I'm not so sure he'd be afraid for the truth of what actually happened to get out. Who knows?
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Most of it's already out. Just got to UTK campus. Got a date, started out playful but got way too rough for her. She wanted to leave, he tried to stop her, got loud and police came.

But how rough? (battery) Did he use his strength to make her stay. (imprisonment)

Battery dropped from felony to misdemeanor and if he stays straight gets cut loose.

Imprisonment dropped altogether by her own word.

What's left? Imagination? Well, that's a sticky wicket.
 
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#137
#137
Coach Stoop compliments Johnson; says he will not be ready for App. St. If you read between the lines, sounds like he might be ready shortly after App. St. game.
 
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#138
#138
BACKDOC said:
Coach Stoop compliments Johnson; says he will not be ready for App. St. If you read between the lines, sounds like he might be ready shortly after App. St. game.
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That's good to hear. Is this is an interview? I'd be interested to see it.
 
#143
#143
KBVol said:
But they were playing against OLs and other offensive players who showed up for training camp, who ran, played and pukes for 4 weeks to get in shape like they did. It's a different world now where players train for strength and fitness nearly 52 weeks out of the year. Also, those guys were pros, were the best of the best, obviously knew their defensive schemes, responsibilities and techniques. Alexis has never played a down of SEC football, practice or otherwise. He's got a long row to hoe IMO abd it's gonna take awhile to get him up to speed. I hope he's an exceedingly hard worker and quick learner so he can contribute this year. We'll see.
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I agree with a lot of this, however, the amount of technique and scheme this guy has to learn is being exaggerated...he's played DLine for awhile now and there's not much difference from what he's already been exposed to....I'd say very little..
 
#145
#145
KBVol said:
But they were playing against OLs and other offensive players who showed up for training camp, who ran, played and pukes for 4 weeks to get in shape like they did. It's a different world now where players train for strength and fitness nearly 52 weeks out of the year. Also, those guys were pros, were the best of the best, obviously knew their defensive schemes, responsibilities and techniques. Alexis has never played a down of SEC football, practice or otherwise. He's got a long row to hoe IMO abd it's gonna take awhile to get him up to speed. I hope he's an exceedingly hard worker and quick learner so he can contribute this year. We'll see.
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I hear ya and agree with a lot of your posts, this one is just not one of them. It appears Shoop seems to think the guy is going to play sooner rather than later. I'll go along with Shoop on this one.
 
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#146
#146
I hope all this talk is on target. personally, I would be surprised if Alexis or Shy are very productive in September. They might get some reps along the way but how productive will they be?? I keep hearing they both have a long way to go..
 
#147
#147
LWSVOL said:
I hope all this talk is on target. personally, I would be surprised if Alexis or Shy are very productive in September. They might get some reps along the way but how productive will they be?? I keep hearing they both have a long way to go..
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Smokescreen
 
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#148
#148
Shy looked like he was moving well in that video the other day. I also don't think Shoop is one to talk someone up for no reason (in regards to Johnson). It's funny that all reporters that have interviewed coaches or the coaches themselves have said things like "shy is on track and looking good" or "Johnson looks like he could be pretty good, but maybe not quite ready for App State", yet some on this forum decide that their opinions and reasoning are more reliable and factual sources of info. Smh
 
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#149
#149
I have a feeling we'll see little, if any, of Tuttle or Johnson until week 3 at the absolute earliest. Probably later than that.
 
#150
#150
Pacer92 said:
I agree with a lot of this, however, the amount of technique and scheme this guy has to learn is being exaggerated...he's played DLine for awhile now and there's not much difference from what he's already been exposed to....I'd say very little..
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I'd wager that the way Strip wants things done and the way he coaches it differs more than just a little bit from the way AJ's JUCO d-line coach taught it. I'm not saying it's the only thing, but it's one of a handful of things that'll potentially keep him off the field longer than many think it will.
 
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