Last year our linebacker position was shambels
- Thread starter redwine65
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Actually what we lose in experience @ TE we may gain in depth. Obviously losing Cethan will hurt. I am not sure we can replace his talent. However, replacements for Cotton & Foster should be upgrades (at least as receivers). And no knock on those two. They've done a fine job.
IMO David Engelhaupt has the "it" factor and was my favorite under the radar commit last year. I believe the staff contemplated burning his RS when Cethan went down. Imo if we have a future star @ TE on the roster, It's him
Luke McNitt add experience to the group. He's plays fullback this year but he's more of an H-Back and can help in the run game @ TE next season.
Jack Stoll is another young kid that has a ton of talent that could be a great threat in the passing game. I bet many on this board put him above Engelhaupt and that's understandable. Stoll was easily recruited more than David was. Both should play a lot of football for NU by the time they are done.
Matt Snyder - He's one of those kids that it's hard to believe is just a RFr. His name has been talked about since he committed a few years ago. My only concern is he had chances to really play this season, especially with Carter out but didn't really get any time (or at least meaningful time). But again he's still very young and a lot of smart coaches thought he had a ton of talent coming out of HS.
Some of it depends on injuries. Also remember last year when we were about to run out of DB's? We are still not flush with D ends, have managed to avoid injuries there. OL could still be a challenge but should be improved, but certain positions could be tough. Although the LB's have been much more consistent due to lack of injuries and maturity there is room to grow that group. There will be some inexperience there.
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anon_umk0ifu6vj6zi
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I'm not sure how much TE's can "drop off". We haven't had Carter in what seems like forever even though he has played recently. We played a ton of football without him. OL will be a sticking point until proven otherwise. I like the folks coming off redshirts and hoping Barnett/Gaylord get it together.
O line and QB will be strengths next year, weakness.. TE and DE till someone steps up
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TE is pretty glaring on paper right now, but It could come down to injuries, like it did with our OL this year.
DT: We will have two studs starting and I know they like Khalil too, but what if we have an injury or two? I don't even know who would be next (Newell?) and we don't have anyone Red Shirting this year.
DE: Even if Miller or Davis can step up and provide a pass rush, we lack serious depth here too.
TE: If we have an injury or two here, will we even be able to use TE sets?
WR: I love Morgan and DPE, but that the only experience we return. Our WR's have gotten really beat up the last couple years. What if these guys go down, could we be playing a bunch of Freshmen?
With some bad luck at WR/TE. We could have a pro-style QB with no one to throw to.
DT: We will have two studs starting and I know they like Khalil too, but what if we have an injury or two? I don't even know who would be next (Newell?) and we don't have anyone Red Shirting this year.
DE: Even if Miller or Davis can step up and provide a pass rush, we lack serious depth here too.
TE: If we have an injury or two here, will we even be able to use TE sets?
WR: I love Morgan and DPE, but that the only experience we return. Our WR's have gotten really beat up the last couple years. What if these guys go down, could we be playing a bunch of Freshmen?
With some bad luck at WR/TE. We could have a pro-style QB with no one to throw to.
All the more reason for guys like key jr, mcquitty, and hopefully Lewis and one or 2 others to come play right away.
Which would be the exact opposite of this year. funny how things can change in 1 year these days. I did make a mistake by not mentioning that we did have a walk-on lb last year who played his heart out.
Are we going hard after any Juco DE? I don't recall seeing any names. Is it slim pickins this year, or is it just that there aren't any that have an interest?
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They offered a Juco DE in Council Bluffs https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/167687 but he committed to Wisky a few weeks ago.
I haven't seen many offers to Jucos outside of that. And I don't get it. There are obviously spots on the roster that need upperclassmen help. Spots where the young guys just aren't there yet (size or maturity wise). The lack of recruiting any JUCOs scares me. Either this staff isn't very good at it, they just don't invest enough in it, or they just don't believe in it.
The only sense I can make from our staff on recruiting Jucos is that this staff doesn't try to hard sell and definitely not during the season. Recruiting to them isn't a quick action but a process. Like going on dates before you get married sort of thing. 1 commit during the season thus far and we lead the nation (I believe) in officials. That tells you how much of a "hard salesmen" they are. Our coaches play a slow recruiting game during the season. They don't follow the ABC of sales.
They are very laid back about it and that's fine for HS kids that want to play the "game". But for Jucos, its a different animal IMO. A lot of these young guys have already played the recruiting game and don't care to play it again. A lot of them just want to land someplace and have a plan going forward.
Juco kids are more mature and maybe a little more humbled having gone thru a Juco. Thus knowing everything isn't always going to go there way, where a HS kid is a little naïve that way. A lot of them look at Juco like prison, do their time and count the days until they get out. So a slow play recruiter wont have much success in the Juco ranks IMO.
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There's also a JUCO DT that we offered. He was here for the spring game iirc, but he had an injury. I thought he was going to commit, but who knows.
Back to the OP. Do I look at this as having serviceable or questionable? I think it looks good for DB's, Drew Brown for kicking, Stanley Morgan, and DPE for returns for next year. DT we kinda look okay, but not a whole lot of depth. LB's we look okay. Other than that, I see question marks.
TE - Just guessing that McNitt will be the primary guy. Has Snyder even played at all? I've seen his name on injury reports for an elbow/arm injury all season. Heck, we may be running a bunch of 4 wide receiver sets anyway.
QB - Let's see, POB untested at the D-1 level. Tanner Lee's best season qb rating is below 110. For comparison TA's qb rating is around 130.
OL - I've been told we have a really, really good coach, so I'm not gonna worry about it.
RB, DE, WR (outside of Morgan) - Maybe there's someone who steps up or improves before next season.
I know it really doesn't matter whether you have one steady running back or by committee, but I sure miss the days of a dominant running back who would get 20 - 25 carries a game and look dominant doing it. Obviously those types of guys don't grow on trees, but it would be nice to have that type of consistency return again. I think it also helps when recruiting running backs to see that you can be featured and get 1200 - 1500 yards in a season.
I like Newby. I like Ozigbo. I just don't think either of those guys have the "it" factor that I miss having at the tailback position.
I like Newby. I like Ozigbo. I just don't think either of those guys have the "it" factor that I miss having at the tailback position.
I think what you are seeing is a difference in the level of player being recruited. You can't hard sell a Joseph Lewis or a Foster Sarell. They will just eliminate you. Players like that hold the cards. When you are recruiting guys that have 15 offers, but from MAC and Sun Belt schools, you have the leverage to say take it or leave it. When you are recruiting against USC and Michigan, no such leverage.
As far as JUCOs go you have to look at roster management. example is TE. Nebraska will have 5 TE on scholarship next year. 2 freshmen 2 RS freshmen and a RS Soph. Adding a junior TE makes sense but you have to balance the benefit of adding a 6th TE into the mix to simply having 6 scholarship TEs.
There will be 8 DEs on scholarship next year. So you have to ask yourself do I want Robert Porcher for 4 or 5 years or do I want JUCO DE for 2?
What I see is a staff trying to even up classes while trying to bring in top level talent. Look at WR? You have a punt returner, converted part time QB, and a transfer in the coach's kid to go along with Stanley Morgan, Alston and Spielman. Again do you go after a JUCO or 2 to even up the position by class or do you bring in top tier talent guys like Keyshawn JR, Mcquitty, potentially Lewis, Calvin and Hudgins?
To me recruiting JUCOs is a risky proposition. If they don't work out, then not only did you miss in this class, but it also makes you younger in the next cycle because you are recruiting a freshman to replace a senior. If you miss on a HS kid, you are recruiting a freshman to replace a sophomore. If that makes sense.
This is how I would have my roster distribution by position
QB - 5
RB - 6 with 1 scholarship FB
WR - 8
OL - 16
DT - 7
DE - 7
LB - 12
S - 8
CB - 8
K - 1
P - 1
LS - 1
Going into 2017, not counting anyone in the current class that will sign in November here is how it currently sits
QB -2
RB - 4
WR - 6
TE - 3
OL - 13
DT - 4
DE - 7
LB - 8
S - 6
CB - 7
K - 1
P - 1
LS - 1
Need/ have in this current class that will sign in February
QB 3/1
RB 2/1
WR 2/2
TE 2/2
OL 3/3
DT 3/2
DE 0/1
LB 4/3
S 2/0
CB 1/0
K 0/0
P 0/0
LS 0/0
So with that said, in the world according to Tuco, class should be filled with
1 RB
1 DT
1 LB
2 S
1 CB
1 WR
Since there is no way they sign 2 more QBs sign an additional WR and DT.
This is of course assuming there is no further attrition. Which of course is not realistic.
QB - 5
RB - 6 with 1 scholarship FB
WR - 8
OL - 16
DT - 7
DE - 7
LB - 12
S - 8
CB - 8
K - 1
P - 1
LS - 1
Going into 2017, not counting anyone in the current class that will sign in November here is how it currently sits
QB -2
RB - 4
WR - 6
TE - 3
OL - 13
DT - 4
DE - 7
LB - 8
S - 6
CB - 7
K - 1
P - 1
LS - 1
Need/ have in this current class that will sign in February
QB 3/1
RB 2/1
WR 2/2
TE 2/2
OL 3/3
DT 3/2
DE 0/1
LB 4/3
S 2/0
CB 1/0
K 0/0
P 0/0
LS 0/0
So with that said, in the world according to Tuco, class should be filled with
1 RB
1 DT
1 LB
2 S
1 CB
1 WR
Since there is no way they sign 2 more QBs sign an additional WR and DT.
This is of course assuming there is no further attrition. Which of course is not realistic.
IIRC Billy Devaney was hired to help manage roster turnover. He seemed like a good addition at the time. Let's see how he tackles these concerns.
I wonder if that's because we pass block now instead of just pancake folks with run blocking. and if the passing game isn't clicking they can focus in more on the back.
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