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Thoughts on a post spring game depth chart

BleedRed78

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Oct 22, 2019
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So what do y'all think the depth chart might look like now that we've seen the spring game? I've got some of my own thoughts that I'll post later when I have more of a chance. I think the big questions are: who the backup QB will be, top 2-3 rb, who wins the battle for RG, etc. (mostly offense really, as I think the defense is mostly the same from last year and should continue to improve a bit as they have each of the past few years).

Fire away!
 
Plenty of horse‘s in the stable at running back it’s just a matter which one’s can stay healthy enough to help 2Am in pass pro and catches out of the back field..

Marcus Stepp will get first crack I would think they wouldn’t pick up a portal at running back to seat the pine.

Next I like what I seen from Marvin Scott,Gabe Ervin jr, and Jaquez Yang.. Morrison just didn’t see or heard enough of him.

Feel good about our secondary back ups with Farmer, Pola- Gates, Javan Wright and Issac Gifford.

Newsome and Braxton Clark both will help at the corners with Taylor-Britt and true freshman Tamun Lymun will help out with depth.

From listing to the experts Smothers would fill in if Adrian would go down in a game and if 2AM would go down with a season ending injury that most likely groom Haarberg and roll with him...
 
Defense:
I’m interested if the “elder” OLBs can get pushed by any youngsters (Gunnerson, Butler). Hoping Payne emerges.
ILB is gonna have enough guys and a great group of true frosh joining the mix, all of whom probably won’t be ready to push the top 4.
Secondary should be deep enough.
D-Line is deep and competition will be heated to earn playing time.
All the seniors who came back are gonna lead this team, and they deserve to go out winning.

Offense:
Just figure it out and score points. Question marks all around, even re: the known entities.
I do see a ton of “potential” for the offense. I really think Fidone could have upped the octane. If Corcoran can hold down his side, there’s not much excuse on OL. They need to be solid. We got as many or more skill guys as ever, but so much is unproven. QB performance is critical.

Bottom line is if Frost can’t put an offense together in year 4, then he’s failed as a coach.

Special Teams:
Good FG kicker and some intrigue in punting potential. Who will be the return guys?
Taylor-Britt for punts I think. Kickoff, there will be options.

All around:
We need the young and new players to settle in and really push the experienced guys in every way. It does feel like we may be about as deep as ever during Frost’s tenure. Most every team has some weak spots, and coaches get paid to put the pieces together.

I hear the talk, but I don’t yet “feel” that we have enough leaders, and especially young leaders who can hold their position groups accountable. Defense certainly has the older guys, but who’s going to lead the next gen defense? Offense needs to show me some grit and passion and fire and energy. GBR
 
Plenty of horse‘s in the stable at running back it’s just a matter which one’s can stay healthy enough to help 2Am in pass pro and catches out of the back field..

Marcus Stepp will get first crack I would think they wouldn’t pick up a portal at running back to seat the pine.

Next I like what I seen from Marvin Scott,Gabe Ervin jr, and Jaquez Yang.. Morrison just didn’t see or heard enough of him.

Feel good about our secondary back ups with Farmer, Pola- Gates, Javan Wright and Issac Gifford.

Newsome and Braxton Clark both will help at the corners with Taylor-Britt and true freshman Tamun Lymun will help out with depth.

From listing to the experts Smothers would fill in if Adrian would go down in a game and if 2AM would go down with a season ending injury that most likely groom Haarberg and roll with him...
I mean Stepp did gain 100 yards on almost 3.2 ypc last year, so why wouldn’t we be super excited to see how he will perform in a tougher conference. Yep, the stable is full at RB...we just reloaded.
 
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I hope McKeown is completely wrong on OLB. I'd like to see Tanor, Payne, Gunnerson, and Butler compete for the top 4 spots at OLB
What I don't get is why Chinander tries to roll with 3 from our weakest position group. I saw nothing from Butler to indicate he'll compete for a top spot. I've seen enough of Tannor to know he shouldn't be on the field much.

Nelson is a good run stopper and a decent pass rusher, so I want him in and then you have Jojo Domann on the other side. Those would be my ideal OLB starters for a traditional 3-4 set. But since Chinander insists on making our most athletic linebackers the nickel, I'd take one of Wright, Gifford, or Domann at that spot, and have the other two rotate pass rushing. I'd much rather have a decent cover corner at the nickel spot, but Chinander's going to Chinander.
 
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What I don't get is why Chinander tries to roll with 3 from our weakest position group. I saw nothing from Butler to indicate he'll compete for a top spot. I've seen enough of Tannor to know he shouldn't be on the field much.

Nelson is a good run stopper and a decent pass rusher, so I want him in and then you have Jojo Domann on the other side. Those would be my ideal OLB starters for a traditional 3-4 set. But since Chinander insists on making our most athletic linebackers the nickel, I'd take one of Wright, Gifford, or Domann at that spot, and have the other two rotate pass rushing. I'd much rather have a decent cover corner at the nickel spot, but Chinander's going to Chinander.
Idk what you were watching, but Butler and Gunnerson eye the only sacks on the day I believe. I wouldn't be so quick to discount either one. Tannor maybe... Hasn't done crap all these years yet worth making him a starter at this point other than rotation.
 
Smothers will be the backup for now - more time in the system and trust. Haarberg has more potential down the road. RB starter doesn't matter since 5 guys will be getting carries. It will sort out as we go along with the season. Too bad we don't play Fordham first. Payne and Rogers better see the field often, if not be starters.
 
Smothers will be the backup for now - more time in the system and trust. Haarberg has more potential down the road. RB starter doesn't matter since 5 guys will be getting carries. It will sort out as we go along with the season. Too bad we don't play Fordham first. Payne and Rogers better see the field often, if not be starters.
Agree with this. You can't teach height and natural arm strength so the theoretical ceiling is high for HH, but we saw how that all played out with Sam Keller and Joe Ganz. What matters most is the decisions they make and their ability to just go out there and ball. HOWEVER if Smothers got loose on a run in game action and really showed off his speed, we all know how this fanbase would eat that up. They'd have him changing his number to 7 and parting his hair in the middle because he's Eric Crouch all over again.

They need to manage Smothers very carefully this offseason. If he thinks he's dropped to 3 behind a true freshman it would shock me if he didn't leave. If I'm the coaches my plan is for Smothers to be #2 and I'm telling HH "Don't worry about the depth chart right now, you're a true freshman and the sky is the limit, you just redshirt and learn this offense and you guys are going to battle it out for the job in 2022."

WR chart is pretty well set, but pray for health for those top 3 guys. We might get another transfer in now that Houston and Nance are leaving. This staff's ability to get NOTHING out of these duck-r types has been nothing short of astounding through 3+ years. Queue up Nixon as the next great thing at that spot.

I'll be surprised if there isn't some churn at RB between now and the first game. There are so many bodies in that room and too many scholarship guys that you don't know if they're any better than a walk-on chosen at random. We'll see how the RB market looks, if a proven guy comes along I don't see how you can say no.

OL they need to keep fighting it out. So many young guys, that situation will remain fluid. Who'd have thought two years ago we'd be sitting here with Jaimes having left a year on the table and being like, "Man, wish you could start 6 or 7 of em!"

DL no surprises coming, just a question of how many guys are in the rotation. Hutmacher sure looks like a monster in the making. It's gonna be him and Ty Robinson for several years with Henrich and Reimer behind them and that's a happy thought.

OLB...please God somebody emerge here. I keep hearing Kpai is "twitchy" which is lovely I guess? Other than that it's pretty quiet on these guys, I'm guessing it's some combination of Payner, Tannor and what's his name from Scottsbluff getting most of the reps.

I guess I'm forgetting Jojo and Javin Wright which is a pretty big oversight. I love me some Jojo but I'll forever wish he could have played safety and not been forced down to OLB. He's solid but I think safety was his natural position and he could have been great there.

DB it wouldn't surprise me if they bring in a transfer or two. Nadab Joseph was a highly-rated dude coming out of JUCO and it's been dead silent on him. Not exactly the Zackary Bowman experience. They still have roster holes from their 4* Florida kids bailing out last summer.
 
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Idk what you were watching, but Butler and Gunnerson eye the only sacks on the day I believe. I wouldn't be so quick to discount either one. Tannor maybe... Hasn't done crap all these years yet worth making him a starter at this point other than rotation.
And Gunnerson's sack was against Cocoran, his roommate.
 
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Idk what you were watching, but Butler and Gunnerson eye the only sacks on the day I believe. I wouldn't be so quick to discount either one. Tannor maybe... Hasn't done crap all these years yet worth making him a starter at this point other than rotation.
Even Butler's "sack" was very unimpressive and it's probably not a sack if he actually had to tackle the guy. Both had a hard time getting off blocks for most of the day and have a long way to go to be reliable rotation players let alone be able to start. Actually Tannor looked way more impressive than either of them, but he's a guy who shines in practice but can't bring it to an actual game.
 
Even Butler's "sack" was very unimpressive and it's probably not a sack if he actually had to tackle the guy. Both had a hard time getting off blocks for most of the day and have a long way to go to be reliable rotation players let alone be able to start. Actually Tannor looked way more impressive than either of them, but he's a guy who shines in practice but can't bring it to an actual game.
Butler is actually the only one with the talent to be an elite edge rusher.
 
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They need to manage Smothers very carefully this offseason. If he thinks he's dropped to 3 behind a true freshman it would shock me if he didn't leave. If I'm the coaches my plan is for Smothers to be #2 and I'm telling HH "Don't worry about the depth chart right now, you're a true freshman and the sky is the limit, you just redshirt and learn this offense and you guys are going to battle it out for the job in 2022."
Or 2023 if Martinez comes back next year, which is very possible imo.
 
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