The DL

[yellajacketkid]

I know we still have one more game this year, () but how do y'all think the DL is going to be next year? We have some solid guys, (Peters, Barnes, Walls, Andrerson, Hall.) but how do you think they'll preform? We all know Derrick Morgans a beast so one spot is locked. If we have a solid line next year, I really don't see any holes anywhere on our team.

 

[BarrelORum]

If we have a solid line next year, I really don't see any holes anywhere on our team.

Our linebackers aren't very good in my opinion. I would think that is our most obvious hole. If they don't improve drastically, they are going to get exposed terribly when our most talented DLine ever won't be here to bail them out.

Griffin is our only real playmaker at LB, the rest of them need to step it up.

 

[hiveredtech]

Our linebackers aren't very good in my opinion. I would think that is our most obvious hole. If they don't improve drastically, they are going to get exposed terribly when our most talented DLine ever won't be here to bail them out.

Griffin is our only real playmaker at LB, the rest of them need to step it up.

I guess you said the same thing about Wheeler his first year. He struggled so much they had to redshirt him in year two.
I am not worried about LB at all with Griffin, Barnes, and Jefferson.

 

[TechGator1066]

Our linebackers aren't very good in my opinion. I would think that is our most obvious hole. If they don't improve drastically, they are going to get exposed terribly when our most talented DLine ever won't be here to bail them out.

Griffin is our only real playmaker at LB, the rest of them need to step it up.

This season was the first season in recent memory where we didn't have a star LB, which isn't to say they don't have the potential.

P. Wheeler, K. Hall, G. Wilkinson, D. Smith, K. Fox, R. Wimbush, et al.
Who's next??

 

[hiveredtech]

This season was the first season in recent memory where we didn't have a star LB, which isn't to say they don't have the potential.

P. Wheeler, K. Hall, G. Wilkinson, D. Smith, K. Fox, R. Wimbush, et al.
Who's next??

It is simple....Jefferson and Sylvester on future NFL players.

Wheeler did not play until year three...these two were playing tons of snaps in year two and year one respectively....and with a completely different defense. Many of those guys you names to not have to shoulder starting positions until years three through five.

Our previous defense was designed to make it easy for LB's to make plays. This one gives the DL to take most of the gaps and the LB's have to fight off blocks.

 

[gnats67]

I've seen some beast-like qualities in Jefferson. It's easy to imagine he'll be better next year. I've heard good things about Sylvester. We may be pleasantly surprised by our up and comers.

 

[GTland03]

OLB- Barnes/Sly
ILB- Jefferson/Jackson
OLB- Griffin/Munroe


We will be pretty stouty next year.

 

[BarrelORum]

I guess you said the same thing about Wheeler his first year. He struggled so much they had to redshirt him in year two.
I am not worried about LB at all with Griffin, Barnes, and Jefferson.

No because we had proven linebackers the year Wheeler was redshirted. Barnes though has been in our system for awhile and I thought he was going to make some big big waves and be a real monster given his athleticism, but we haven't seen that yet.

 

[BarrelORum]

OLB- Barnes/Sly
ILB- Jefferson/Jackson
OLB- Griffin/Munroe


We will be pretty stouty next year.

By stout do you mean unproven? We shown glimpses at linebacker but still it was obviously apparent that it was our weak spot on defense.

 

[hiveredtech]

No because we had proven linebackers the year Wheeler was redshirted. Barnes though has been in our system for awhile and I thought he was going to make some big big waves and be a real monster given his athleticism, but we haven't seen that yet.

Barnes was injured most of this year...and played the UGA game with a stress fracture in his foot. He insisted on playing then hurt it worse in the 3rd quarter and know is on crutches and may miss the bowl game.

Jefferson was injured in the first couple of games and missed 6 games right in the middle...then had to play his way back into shape. You saw a lot of this in the UGA game where he made some big hits.

Jefferson and Sylvester were big-time recruits that all southeastern schools wanted. They are just having to learn a system that is much much more difficult for LB's than our previous system. Plus...they are a lot younger than LB's past without a senior leader in the LB corp. to lean on. Bowen could have provided that but was injured in fall practice prior to the season....and is done for his career unfortunately.

 

[buzztheirazz]

I'm not as concerned about the LB's as i am the DL.
Jefferson-Stud
Griffin-Stud
Barnes-Pretty darned good and should be better next year. If
he's been playing injured watch out.
Sylvester-will be a good backup, not so sure

That's 3 or 4 decent guys for 3 spots. Can we get back to the thread topic and the fact that we've got 0 proven guys for 3 holes?!

How's is the big barnes? I know he's huge but can he play?
Elris played well in the miami game but isn't he going to be graduating?
Is egbunigwe decent?
Who's the other DE as this is a VERY important spot?

 

[1gtfan]

I guess you said the same thing about Wheeler his first year. He struggled so much they had to redshirt him in year two.
I am not worried about LB at all with Griffin, Barnes, and Jefferson.

I disagree with B.O.R. on a lot of things but, he is spot on on this about our LB crew, except I would include Jefferson along with Griffin as the only 2 LB's talented enough for us to be where we want to be...I repeat, we need to recruit better LB's, this is an area of upgrade in my opinion. I hope we pull it off and grab Gilliard!!

 

[idaman54]

TJ Barnes is 6'7 350lbs and is a man eater... another Terence Cody for us... Robert Hall was a solid contributor until he broke his leg and i think he hasnt fully recovered from that... there is another MJ in the making Giff got a freshman by the name of Antonio Wilson. Bout 6'4 230-240 and is legit speed rusher so he should be in the mix next year. i believe Jason Peters will be kicked inside to a 3tech w/TJ and Big Ben beside him with DMorg and R.Hall(if return to form) on the edges...

And for the LBs im not concerned as much because they will improve dramtically. You have to remember this really there first year playing a lot snaps on D. i believe we have 3 All-ACC LBs starting with Griffin, who i saw that he will be one of the top rated LBs going to next season. He reminds me of Ernie Sims w/ his size ans speed. Jefferson will improve drastically solidfy as a force on the D and becoming leader. AT will also be a monster using his great athleticism to be a playmaker on D. Keep this name in mind for next season also BJ Machen... straight beast!!!

 

[Essobee]

Defense will likely be adjusted to fit the personnel, but I don't anticipate much adjustment. Our DL won't have the four great seniors that we lose but the remaining guys aren't exactly made of tissue paper either. Linebackers will range from adequate to very good. Same with the secondary. We just need more depth and more help on special teams.

I wouldn't be surprised to see us better --or at least more balanced -- on both sides of the ball next year.

 

[hiveredtech]

I disagree with B.O.R. on a lot of things but, he is spot on on this about our LB crew, except I would include Jefferson along with Griffin as the only 2 LB's talented enough for us to be where we want to be...I repeat, we need to recruit better LB's, this is an area of upgrade in my opinion. I hope we pull it off and grab Gilliard!!

Steven Sylvester was a bigger recruit than Gilliard....heck...he saw PT as a true freshman and played much of the entire 2nd half against UGA after Barnes went down. We beat out Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, etc. to get him. The only reason his name was not bigger was that he committed early.

Also...Munroe received offers from Auburn, Florida, etc...and another super athlete that was redshirted.

The problem with most fans is that only think about starters and high school seniors...they forget about everyone in between and they forget that players do develop. There is a reason they play 4-5 years.

...and I will say it again because no one is paying attention. THE SYSTEM IS 180 DEGREES DIFFERENT THIS YEAR The LB's actually have to work to make plays. The gaps are not left wide open for them to dart through....the DL is now allowed to make plays and the LB have to fight and shed blocks to tackle.

This is completely different than before where LB's were set up to be stars in the defense.

 

[GTland03]

By stout do you mean unproven? We shown glimpses at linebacker but still it was obviously apparent that it was our weak spot on defense.

This is one of the most athletic groups of LB'ers GT has ever had. They will make some serious noise next year.

 

[midatlantech]

Steven Sylvester was a bigger recruit than Gilliard....heck...he saw PT as a true freshman and played much of the entire 2nd half against UGA after Barnes went down. We beat out Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, etc. to get him. The only reason his name was not bigger was that he committed early.

Also...Munroe received offers from Auburn, Florida, etc...and another super athlete that was redshirted.

The problem with most fans is that only think about starters and high school seniors...they forget about everyone in between and they forget that players do develop. There is a reason they play 4-5 years.

...and I will say it again because no one is paying attention. THE SYSTEM IS 180 DEGREES DIFFERENT THIS YEAR The LB's actually have to work to make plays. The gaps are not left wide open for them to dart through....the DL is now allowed to make plays and the LB have to fight and shed blocks to tackle.

This is completely different than before where LB's were set up to be stars in the defense.

Hey Red, you MIGHT be wrong. The young uns seemed undersized in my humble opinion this past August. I suspect they have a ways to go yet. If Sylvester was that good, I think he would have played a lot earlier than he really did at LB.

Those young guys, if smallish, can handle the outside I guess, but we are weak up the middle.

Jefferson had a wrist injury I think, so maybe he'll come back all world. Let's hope so. I give credit to Griffin, but to say he is top notch is a bit premature.
Barnes looks lost and personally I think he should bulk up and play DE.

I have to agree with BOR that until we see differently, the LB could be exposed next year.

Regarding DL, Igbuniwe was hurt this year and considering he was 1st Team All Conference from Tulsa he ought to be able to contribute. Morgan is a beast of course, Hall was pretty good.

It's DT that we are so thin at as to be a major concern because we MIGHT not be so good at MLB.

By the way, UGA exposed our linebackers. And I have to add that it seemed that they had the correct play call for every single blitz, etc. I hope we investigate this issue thoroughly and if it is a tendency issue from the coaches, that we change things.

 

[hiveredtech]

Hey Red, you MIGHT be wrong. The young uns seemed undersized in my humble opinion this past August. I suspect they have a ways to go yet. If Sylvester was that good, I think he would have played a lot earlier than he really did at LB.

Those young guys, if smallish, can handle the outside I guess, but we are weak up the middle.

Youth and inexperience has been a problem...size is now one of them.

Brad Jefferson was 6-2, 227 as an entering freshman and is not around 235.

AT Barnes was 6-3, 231 coming into fall of 2007....and now is around 240.

Steven Sylvester measured at 6-2, 225 when he stepped on campus this summer...much bigger than Keith Brooking, Philip Wheeler, Key Fox, Ricardo Wimbush, etc. as freshman.

Also...the only LB's in the past 20 years at GT to have an impact as a true freshman was Keith Brooking (1994...started after Don Hickson got injured...had 42 tackles), and Daryl Smith (2000...the best freshman LB at GT in 20 years with 96 tackles)...and both made plenty of mistakes that year. So...to say that if Sylvester was that good he would have played more is silly. He played much more than Wheeler, Wilkinson, Guyton (did not play much until junior year), etc. as freshmen.

You guys are just being way to hard on a group of guys that had a lot to learn this year and came in with tons of injuries and little experience.

We beat out the big boys for most of them in recruiting...they were highly sought after...they will come around.