Experience is very important to an effective starter in the secondary. Playing smart can more than make up for lesser tools. I highly doubt that Brackens or any of the other secondary prospects will be able to pass any of the guys on our roster. Washington looks locked in and Broomfield is not far behind. There will be no freshman in the secondary come August.
Freshmen making an impact?
- Thread starter cy4prez7
- Start date
It was kind of a common theme from just about everyone this spring. The coaches never came right out and said it, but if you listened to some of those after-practice interviews of Elliott, Wally and other defensive coaches, safety play was a concern for them. People who saw them practice were concerned, posters were concerned that the coaches were concerned. Like I said, it was kind a spring theme.
Also, I'm not going to single out a player by name, but one of those guys mentioned here as a backup at CB is not very good. If you look at any of the practice videos or watch any games he's played in, it should be pretty glaring who I'm talking about.
Perhaps I should be more concerned, but all I heard was the normal coaches speak about a spot without a returning starter....and that is only at one of the spots, comments on Benton at safety have been explicitly positive.
Keeping Benton as the nickel suggests they may not be that concerned with safety play. Comments that they feel they will be able to again play 7 DB's in a game suggests they may not be that concerned. AA and CW's podcast comparing this year's group to last year was imo optimisitc. The play on Saturday was good, albeit with the aide of the wind and new QB's. Elliot has alluded to Washington being able to get the job done.
One of those mentioned as a back-up CB is fine as a back-up when put into the context of which group (between WR and DB) has the greatest need/chance to see a true freshman play. Plus, he will likely be improved enough in their second year in the program to be better than freshman.
If we're just talking newcomers, I'd say the following have the best chance of playing....
1. Nealy (slot WR)
2. Ernst Brun (TE)
3. Henry Simon (DT)
4. Pompey (DT)
5. Brackens (S)
I don't think anyone else probably will? I really don't think Irving will be anywhere near ready to play this year. He's a project in the truest sense IMO.
1. Nealy (slot WR)
2. Ernst Brun (TE)
3. Henry Simon (DT)
4. Pompey (DT)
5. Brackens (S)
I don't think anyone else probably will? I really don't think Irving will be anywhere near ready to play this year. He's a project in the truest sense IMO.
Irving may be the most physically gifted athlete in the class. He's massive, fast and can leap like crazy, but he's raw and young for the class (if I remember right, he won't even be 18 until sometime in August). If I was going to bet on it, I'd put my money on a RS.
At least I hope thats the case, a year of practice and collegiate weight room experience could do wonders for him.
Which one is from St. Louis? I have heard that the RB from St. Louis is a lot like Shontrelle.
If Irving doesn't redshirt I will be shocked. If Lynn does, I will be surprised. I think Lynn will play this year at least the same amount Reeves did his freshman year. Pompey could play. If Simon doesn't, that's probably not a good sign for him. Miller will obviously play. I don't see Bundrage or Ecby playing much. I would put them both at about 60% chance they redshirt. Perhaps the better will see some time and the other will redshirt. Brun could make an impact but he's not a freshman. I don't think Brackens will play. It take a lot of learning to play the safety positions. It could happen due to how thin we are there but I doubt it. With our RBs, I don't see Standard doing anything but redshirting. Nealy could play but likely in the slot. Lemke and Cotton will likely both redshirt. I think both Sams redshirt but the corner could find time playing if he jumps Lynn. I think the better of those two will play but the other will redshirt. Lalk and Dagel, redshirt. Omoile, redshirt then look out. Daniels will redshirt and figure out where he can see the field. I think Lampkin could see time on special teams and maybe as a receiver. There's a good chance he is the fastest guy on the team when he gets here. Donald Smith will likely redshirt unless he is like Knott and Klein-just too valuable on special teams.
I just looked him up. The fact that the word redshirt is being mentioned in the same breath as his name by our fans with #'s like that out of HS and an offer from Nebraska, is a complement to the RB's we have.
I think Nealy is the one most people compare to Shontrelle, not Standard. I think it's hard to compare Standard to anyone. He's incomparable.
Maybe a smaller Hiawatha Rutland, a straight-ahead slasher with speed? I'm searching here.
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I have a feeling some of the guys mentioned here likely won't make it to campus. Right now, counting the incoming jucos who enrolled early and J. Millier, there are 69 scholarship players on the team. That leaves 20 newcomers yet to arrive, which puts us 4 over the 85 limit.
There are at least 4 guys in the incoming class who are said to be iffy on grades, including a couple of our better recruits. I just hope the attrition is going to come from players already enrolled and not any of the newcomers, unless some of the new guys are grayshirt candidates.
I just think that a 6'7" 250 pound DE would be something that our team has absolutely 0 of right now. The best way to get playing time early is to bring something that the team doesn't have.
I also think it is much easier as a freshmen to learn to play the position effectively enough to play a few snaps a game and give some breathers than it is to put on the 30 or so pounds that he outweighs the rest of our DEs by.
I also think it is much easier as a freshmen to learn to play the position effectively enough to play a few snaps a game and give some breathers than it is to put on the 30 or so pounds that he outweighs the rest of our DEs by.
