Stewart Mandel puts to rest what we knew all along.

#1

mastershake936

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#1
From his mailbag:

"There are two fantastic safeties this year in Eric Berry and Taylor Mays. We had a recent debate in which I said neither one was as good as the late Sean Taylor. Please help us settle this -- if you can only take one, which one is it.
-- Jason Childs, Lehi, Utah

The Berry-Mays argument is a no-brainer. Berry is having another fantastic season. True to his word, Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is using him all over the field, and while Berry came into the season most known for his run at the NCAA career interception return yardage record (sadly, he's still stuck at 0 on the year), whenever I watch the Vols I notice Berry far more often stuffing an opposing runner. Mays, unfortunately, has not had a great year. Mind you, USC uses him differently, restricting him almost entirely to a rover role, but his pass coverage has been shoddy and opponents have broken several long plays where Mays took the wrong pursuit angle. He's an incredible athlete and, as we've seen, an extremely hard hitter, but I'm no longer convinced he's an elite safety."

Thank you, Mr. Mandel.

And, while we're at it, we basically have Taylor Mays as our Free Safety as well. I think you all know what I'm talking about. :rock2:
 
#6
#6
Everybody, minus USC fans and a few Pac-10 homers, knew before this season who was the best safety. Mays is nothing but a hit stick player.
 
#8
#8
I was a little shocked earlier when I went to tigerdroppings and Berry was being touted by most everyone on there (Bama, UF, LSU fans alike) as the best safety and person that should win the Thorpe.

I am not shocked because he is that good, but because he is so undeniably good that the other fans dont even care to argue it.
 
#9
#9
Everybody, minus USC fans and a few Pac-10 homers, knew before this season who was the best safety. Mays is nothing but a hit stick player.

He's not even that this year, for what ever reason he is shying away from contact.
 
#11
#11
hopefully CMK will have Berry back in coverage all game long against Memphis, so he can break the record
 
#12
#12
Mays isn't even Berry's biggest competition for the Thorpe and Bednarik - if Berry gets beat out, I think it'll be either Joe Haden or Earl Thomas
 
#13
#13
What about the guy at UCLA who had like 7 picks in the first four games and had that ridiculous pick 6 where he batted the ball on a blitz, grabbed it in mid-air, and then toe tapped? That guy was very impressive.
 
#15
#15
Mays and the entire USC defense look like they've lost that "fire in the belly".

Berry and the entire UT defense have had had it all season long.
 
#18
#18
They might as well go ahead and engrave his name on the Thorpe Award. He's winning it and he should have won it last year. They'll right that wrong this year. Just like Colt McCoy will win the Heisman. They screw you one year, make up for it the next.
 
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