Demond Tucker a Force on the Inside

[clonedude]

Agree with your assessment of Naz Long. Great Leader.

IMO, we are always trying to recruit the best players we can get. What probably hurts us a lot at this time is that in 2011 for example we had 24 commits. Out of those 24 commits, we had 5 Juco Recruits.....which were pretty much gone by 2013 and 2014. Now add in some attrition and also a few misses, plus some career ending injuries and other issues and you get where we are today.

We only had 22 commits in 2015 and there were 5 Juco's included in that group to help us out for the coming year. There is little margin for error in today's football. And we do not get many 4 and 5 star recruits. That makes things tough. I do think that we will improve for the next couple of years anyway. In 2016, we should have a full slate of 22 scholarship players that will be seniors and actually be big contributors. We will have to see how it all plays out.

We always say that year after year.... "in a few years we'll have a whole bunch of veteran senior players". But every year there is a BUNCH of losses that nobody anticipates. Who knows who will be our seniors in a few years? There is so much attrition to this program it's insane.

 

[Jambalaya]

Guys, clearly Tucker beating out guys who have been here for a couple seasons is a bad thing!

< this

 

[clonedude]

We had better open up the playbook from the very first game this coming season. There is no reason to hold anything back and "save" it for later. Every game is urgent.

The sad part is I don't think we have held anything back against NDSU or UNI in the last few openers. Our best just wasn't as good as their best I'm afraid. It's been that embarrassing.

 

[ThatllDoCy]

We had better open up the playbook from the very first game this coming season. There is no reason to hold anything back and "save" it for later. Every game is urgent.

Yes, we are not in a position to consider less than everything we have enough to beat anyone.

 

[Stormin]

The sad part is I don't think we have held anything back against NDSU or UNI in the last few openers. Our best just wasn't as good as their best I'm afraid. It's been that embarrassing.

We admitted we did not open up the playbook and those teams showed us that was a mistake. We dug ourselves a hole against UNI we could not get out of. NDSU was a complete letdown after we lost Bundrage, Farniok, and Cotton-Moya. And we folded when we lost Farniok against UNI.

 

[Beyerball]

I hope that Tucker is everything that people are saying, but opposing teams can scheme around a very good player on the defensive line. If an offense only has to worry about one outstanding player on the DL, they can double team the good player and minimize his impacts. For Tucker to be effective, there has to be improved play at the other DL positions next fall.

it would be a monumental great change to see opposing teams have to double team one of our dlineman, that hasn't happened in years.

wts, the single biggest factor for this entire team heading into this year is health, period. We cannot afford to lose key defensive players. I just want to see this team complete at least half a season with the players they had going into the season. For once please.

 

[JM4CY]

it would be a monumental great change to see opposing teams have to double team one of our dlineman, that hasn't happened in years.

wts, the single biggest factor for this entire team heading into this year is health, period. We cannot afford to lose key defensive players. I just want to see this team complete at least half a season with the players they had going into the season. For once please.

Hopefully he's rooming with BDJ

 

[khardbored]

it would be a monumental great change to see opposing teams have to double team one of our dlineman, that hasn't happened in years.

wts, the single biggest factor for this entire team heading into this year is health, period. We cannot afford to lose key defensive players. I just want to see this team complete at least half a season with the players they had going into the season. For once please.

Exactly, I can't see how having a dominant D lineman is a bad thing. Let's say they double team him all season long? So what? Maybe a mediocre player gets to make a play once in a while then. Would you rather not have a dominant lineman and his mediocre replacement never draws a double team?

I just can't see how this is a negative?

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Exactly, I can't see how having a dominant D lineman is a bad thing. Let's say they double team him all season long? So what? Maybe a mediocre player gets to make a play once in a while then. Would you rather not have a dominant lineman and his mediocre replacement never draws a double team?

I just can't see how this is a negative?

It's not negative. He's pretty under-sized however. I just hope he doesn't get mowed down and give up a linebacker off those doubles.

 

[Stormin]

It's not negative. He's pretty under-sized however. I just hope he doesn't get mowed down and give up a linebacker off those doubles.

Same Size as Brent Curvey. Wasn't he pretty good?

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Same Size as Brent Curvey. Wasn't he pretty good?

Ya, I loved Curvey. He and Berryman are probably my favorite D-line I have seen play here. Probably McDonough too. I'm just trying to keep expectations realistic. I played d-line, and I was under-sized. I know how hard it is in there against monsters.

 

[Stormin]

Ya, I loved Curvey. He and Berryman are probably my favorite D-line I have seen play here. Probably McDonough too. I'm just trying to keep expectations realistic. I played d-line, and I was under-sized. I know how hard it is in there against monsters.

Nick Leaders was 6-2 and weighed 290. He was good too.

 

[TheJackWePack5]

I have seen Tucker on campus, 6 feet tall is rather generous as well.

That said, coaches seem high on him. Hope he's a mainstay.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Nick Leaders was 6-2 and weighed 290. He was good too.

6'2'' 290 isn't really under-sized. Ya, I liked Nick. Wasn't he the guy that played real early in his career at like 250?

 

[Stormin]

6'2'' 290 isn't really under-sized. Ya, I liked Nick. Wasn't he the guy that played real early in his career at like 250?

Tucker is 6-0 and 287. Nick Leaders played at 260 earlier in his career before bulking up.

 

[Beyerball]

Tucker is prob more like 5'11 and 287lbs. I can see him entering fall camp around 295 though. He is undersized height wise but 290lbs is fine for NG. He's quick and explosive off the ball and his speed for his size will allow him to make more plays tha quite a few NG's wouldnt. If Aka ever starts playing angry watch out because he's huge and keeps growing am is all muscle at 315 lbs. I can see Aka playing as much as Cousins at DT but having those two and adding Leath in fall will be great for this front 7 on D. We've got more Big 12 bodies on the Dline than any year we've had under CPR IMO. I think Deamonte Jackson is comng as well, although he's a frosh I believe but he's built well.

side note, I'm cautiously optimistic on our secondary. Lynn started the last few games and is a senior and for him to ask to move to WR because he was 3rd string speaks volumes about the progress of Peavy and Jomol Wiltz the juco.

What I find most interesting is that Luke Knott is seemingly 3rd string at LB right now? Unless I heard wrong. Thought I heard Wally say Peters was 1, Mills 2....with Harris at MLB and Jaynor Jones(another new Juco) at SLB.

 

[RustShack]

That weight is pretty good for how short he is... And it's easier to get lower and more leverage when you're that short.

 

[Stormin]

James Reed was really good too. 6-0 and weighed 286. Was on the 2000 team and played Pro Ball for 8 seasons at Defensive Tackle.

 

[Cycopath]

Tucker looks like an absolute beast.

 

[Stormin]

Tucker looks like an absolute beast.

Woody said in the Podcast with Chris that Tucker is extremely thick. And with his short stature at 6-0 Tucker is able to keep his pad level really low and is very quick. He will be a force. But needs to improve his football conditioning. Needs to be dominant for at least 6 plays in a row. And play effectively at least 10 plays in a row.