Per Hubbs, "lack of depth biggest concern for this team"

[livefaith]

We built depth last year. Hubbs must be referring to spring ball. In August depth shouldn't be an issue.

You are correct. But that pours water on the emotional outburst here. Actually, top to bottom, this is probably the best LB corps we've had since Fulmer, come Fall Camp.

 

[LA Vol]

sure we did. i don't think they expected North to declare when he did, and i think they believed Malone would be back for 2018. granted, it's not like a huge vacuum is being left as a result, but we have had it happen.

and again, it's not that some left. some always will.

it's the 30% ish rate that's alarming. iirc from that data in that thread, the average is around 20-21%, and the upper tier teams in the SEC were in the teens....

i don't think we planned for that kind of attrition. no one does. i think they were trying to by signing that huge class in 14, but when a good bit of that class bolts, and you sign 60% of that the next year....and you have normal attrition from that class....all the sudden you're just trying to get bodies. which may explain why we loaded up on so many mid tier level guys on this last cycle?? who knows, just a guess.

We do have a lot of attrition, but we don't have a "lack of depth." We haven't been below the scholarship limit in years. We have to nudge players out to meet it. In fact, we'll have to lose a few more when the new guys come in.

Quality depth-- now that's a different matter... brought on by a different set of circumstances.

 

[05_never_again]

We do have a lot of attrition, but we don't have a "lack of depth." We haven't been below the scholarship limit in years. In fact, we'll have to lose a few more when the new guys come in.

Quality depth-- now that's a different matter... brought on by a different set of circumstances.

I think by "lack of depth" we mean "lack of quality depth." Of course there are bodies behind the starters. But can they play?

 

[jakez4ut]

We do have a lot of attrition, but we don't have a "lack of depth." We haven't been below the scholarship limit in years. In fact, we'll have to lose a few more when the new guys come in.

Quality depth-- now that's a different matter... brought on by a different set of circumstances.

it's all about that. #'s wise, yeah, we got #'s. we're going to field a team obviously.

but combine some spotty recruiting, despite what the initial class rankings were, with some spotty development, high attrition, high injury rate....and we are where we are quality wise.

 

[jakez4ut]

i know this, we do not want to find ourselves reaching down to the 3rd and 4th levels of the depth chart to find guys that HAVE to start multiple games like we did last year.

if there is any good news about what happened last year, a lot of guys got a lot of game reps. take it for what it is, bad play and all, at least you do have a good # of guys that have seen significant game reps.

if nothing else that gives the new staff something to look at when the lights were on vs. just practice video or mop up duty in a homecoming laugher....may be what helps them develop this group more than anything else...seeing what they did when live bullets were flying?

 

[Sin City Vol]

I'm having deja vu....this has been a revolving statement for the last 4 years. I'm waiting to hear we're the youngest team in the country

 

[LA Vol]

We should have more experienced depth than most teams. We emptied our bench last year, so our 2s, 3s and 4s are battle-tested. But experience doesn't necessarily equal quality. If we have a lack of quality depth, then players haven't been developed, they haven't bought in, they haven't worked out or they shouldn't be here. When good players leave and you're left with backups that aren't good enough, there's a problem.

Do we have a problem? We'll find out in September.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

DE depth scares me the most with this team. Phillps, Kongbo, & Taylor. Incoming freshmen will have to play right?

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

based on what?

Fulmer, Martin

 

[jakez4ut]

DE depth scares me the most with this team. Phillps, Kongbo, & Taylor. Incoming freshmen will have to play right?

the whole DL has issues really in regards to quality depth. LB has lots of names, but not a lot of production past Jumper and DKjr.

same with the secondary. i think we're pretty set at Safety. CB is wide open.

 

[jakez4ut]

Fulmer, Martin

eh. i see what you're saying. just not sure how that translates at this point to this situation. there's not epic fall off in production like Fulmer had, and no off field issues like Martin had. plus it's no secret that Currie, personally just didn't really like either guy. not sure what he thinks of Jones personally.

 

[fatal1]

the depth thing was understandable at first but its year 5 and hes had time. theres always excuses with this staff.

excuse me this is a new staff.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

excuse me this is a new staff.

The head coach is the staff. Whatever happens is on him.this should be a do or die season for Jones. Jones, Holly or Barnes will be gone a year from now. Maybe two. Probably not all three. So there it is. If Jones outperforms basketball he's probably back.

 

[jakez4ut]

The head coach is the staff. Whatever happens is on him.this should be a do or die season for Jones. Jones, Holly or Barnes will be gone a year from now. Maybe two. Probably not all three. So there it is. If Jones outperforms basketball he's probably back.

agreed. good or bad, there's really no where else to go at this point.

 

[05_never_again]

The head coach is the staff. Whatever happens is on him.this should be a do or die season for Jones. Jones, Holly or Barnes will be gone a year from now. Maybe two. Probably not all three. So there it is. If Jones outperforms basketball he's probably back.

I'm surprised there are so many on this board that don't seem to realize that, especially considering how impatient some can be.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

the whole DL has issues really in regards to quality depth. LB has lots of names, but not a lot of production past Jumper and DKjr.

same with the secondary. i think we're pretty set at Safety. CB is wide open.

At DT we should be able to rotate Vickers, Picou, A. Johnson, Mckenzie, Bain, and Tuttle (once he is healthy).
Better numbers than DE.

 

[LA Vol]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of concern over the loss of offensive production. Quality depth at RB and WR could be a real issue. JK, JJ, Byrd and Wolf are our only proven playmakers. Expecting true FR to be plug-and-play is risky. And our schedule is frontloaded-- not much time to get a new QB and a new offense working at a high level.

 

[jakez4ut]

At DT we should be able to rotate Vickers, Picou, A. Johnson, Mckenzie, Bain, and Tuttle (once he is healthy).
Better numbers than DE.

#'s yeah...we have them. just not sure about the quality past the top 3...

 

[VolNavy01]

the whole DL has issues really in regards to quality depth. LB has lots of names, but not a lot of production past Jumper and DKjr.

same with the secondary. i think we're pretty set at Safety. CB is wide open.

Serious question......when was the last time we had "quality depth" at the majority of positions? Had to be under Fulmer, circa early 2000's? It seems the DL in particular has had this issue lately. Is it recruiting or just lack of development once they get on campus?

 

[jakez4ut]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of concern over the loss of offensive production. Quality depth at RB and WR could be a real issue. JK, JJ, Byrd and Wolf are our only proven playmakers. Expecting true FR to be plug-and-play is risky. And our schedule is frontloaded-- not much time to get a new QB and a new offense working at a high level.

i think a lot of that is b/c of the state of the O line. it should be a strength, and something to build around.

RB depth is an issue.

WR depth is an issue, but there's good talent at the top with JJ, TB and JS. real potential with Callaway and a couple others. most think we're fine at TE.

basically, as long as the QB doesn't suck out loud, there's enough pieces there to see how the offense could be pretty good.

but i do agree, there's a ton of production that has to be replaced....and it's probably not going to be as seamless as we might think.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

So its year 5, with over 100 recruits under his tenure and we are concerned with depth under Butch? Thats fantastic.

 

[jakez4ut]

Serious question......when was the last time we had "quality depth" at the majority of positions? Had to be under Fulmer, circa early 2000's? It seems the DL in particular has had this issue lately. Is it recruiting or just lack of development once they get on campus?

yeah, it probably has been since the early 2000's where you had real quality depth across the board. we've had spots of it the last two years, but not enough.

as to why...we've been recruiting DL like crazy. we've got talent at the top. i think most of it falls in the development category. something i hope is changing with Hoke and Rock manning the ship now.

 

[LA Vol]

i think a lot of that is b/c of the state of the O line. it should be a strength, and something to build around.

RB depth is an issue.

WR depth is an issue, but there's good talent at the top with JJ, TB and JS. real potential with Callaway and a couple others. most think we're fine at TE.

basically, as long as the QB doesn't suck out loud, there's enough pieces there to see how the offense could be pretty good.

but i do agree, there's a ton of production that has to be replaced....and it's probably not going to be as seamless as we might think.

Forgot about Callaway and I shouldn't have-- he's having a great spring. But RB depth is unproven. People are counting on CFA being much improved and Chandler being a stud from day one. And Wolf is our only real TE.

There's going to be a big dropoff from Dobbs early on as the new QB finds his footing. We have GT, @UF and UGA in the first month. Our chances for an SECe championship will go as Sept. goes.

 

[jakez4ut]

Forgot about Callaway and I shouldn't have-- he's having a great spring. But RB depth is unproven. People are counting on CFA being much improved and Chandler being a stud from day one. And Wolf is our only real TE.

There's going to be a big dropoff from Dobbs early on as the new QB finds his footing. We have GT, @UF and UGA in the first month. Our chances for an SECe championship will go as Sept. goes.

i don't think we're winning the East regardless. i have us going 7-5, losing all three of those games mentioned.

8-4, if we win one of them.

 

[barrylee]

Your lack of football knowledge is scary. Or is it just your agenda?

It's agenda, there's 11 or 12 on here who will throw a like on any post that is derogatory towards Butch. You can predict who is going to show up by the title of the thread and this one was tailor made for them!