Who plays LB for us next year?
- Thread starter wesleyd21
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knoxjacket
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Good question. It's a little worrisome that Tony Clark is listed as a backup LB on the depth chart at 200 pounds.
Jerry the Jacket
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Several Candidates
You would expect Bowen and Barnes to lead the way since they got most of the playing time this past year of the returning personnel. I think Brad Jefferson will get a strong look. I also expect Cedric Griffin to be fully recovered from his leg injury as well as Oshan Tongo. Both of these young men can bring the lumber if they can learn to play the position at full speed. Matt Braman will be back and we have other bodies at the position who were walk ons, Scurry, Liipfert and Snider.
Albert Rocker and Kyle Jackson were redshirted last year so they will probably get a look this coming season. We are bringing in 4 new linebackers in this class so we have a lot of bodies to choose from.
We have plenty of quantity, the key will be to identify the quality and make sure we can go at least 2 deep at each LB position. Our LB Coach BJM gets a lot of credit for being a very good LB Coach and Recruiter. If he is retained, he will have to earn his money this coming off season getting the position ready for 2008.
Go Jackets!
You would expect Bowen and Barnes to lead the way since they got most of the playing time this past year of the returning personnel. I think Brad Jefferson will get a strong look. I also expect Cedric Griffin to be fully recovered from his leg injury as well as Oshan Tongo. Both of these young men can bring the lumber if they can learn to play the position at full speed. Matt Braman will be back and we have other bodies at the position who were walk ons, Scurry, Liipfert and Snider.
Albert Rocker and Kyle Jackson were redshirted last year so they will probably get a look this coming season. We are bringing in 4 new linebackers in this class so we have a lot of bodies to choose from.
We have plenty of quantity, the key will be to identify the quality and make sure we can go at least 2 deep at each LB position. Our LB Coach BJM gets a lot of credit for being a very good LB Coach and Recruiter. If he is retained, he will have to earn his money this coming off season getting the position ready for 2008.
Go Jackets!
BuzzCzar
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the rumors have been that, yes, he will be around. not confirmed until likely after the bowl game
hiveredtech
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well...with new coaches all is up in the air. However, going into spring Anthony Barnes and Shane Bowen will take two of the spots.
The 3rd spot supposedly was set up to be a battle between Brad Jefferson, Tony Clark, and Sedric Griffin.
Regarding BJM....all of us want him to stay on...but we probably will not know for sure for another 7 days or so. It all depends on whether Wommack brings one coach from SoMiss he would like to bring. BJM is next in line. Of course, I think he should be guaranteed the spot.
With the new DC, the competition...
... really opens up. If Tenuta had stayed, I would've looked for Barnes, Bowen, and probably Sedric Griffin with B. Jefferson as an outside chance. The new DC may make this competely different. Who knows what he's looking for in the 3 linebackers in his system - speed, smarts, big/strong MLB, good in coverage, good blitzers, good tacklers against the run - who knows?
I would also imagine this would open the door to one of the freshmen LB's much more so than if Tenuta were staying. I think all 4 of the LB commits are quality players. Man, that's going to make for some great competition!
Obviously the guys that got playing time got it for some reason, so I still think that Barnes and Bowen are the frontrunners (Barnes especially, unless he has trouble picking up the new system like he did with CJT's). If I had to guess, I would pick Barnes, Bowen, and Griffin to start with Jefferson and a freshman pushing for playing time.
... really opens up. If Tenuta had stayed, I would've looked for Barnes, Bowen, and probably Sedric Griffin with B. Jefferson as an outside chance. The new DC may make this competely different. Who knows what he's looking for in the 3 linebackers in his system - speed, smarts, big/strong MLB, good in coverage, good blitzers, good tacklers against the run - who knows?
I would also imagine this would open the door to one of the freshmen LB's much more so than if Tenuta were staying. I think all 4 of the LB commits are quality players. Man, that's going to make for some great competition!
Obviously the guys that got playing time got it for some reason, so I still think that Barnes and Bowen are the frontrunners (Barnes especially, unless he has trouble picking up the new system like he did with CJT's). If I had to guess, I would pick Barnes, Bowen, and Griffin to start with Jefferson and a freshman pushing for playing time.
BarrelORum
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Osahon Tongo. This guy is bigger than Guyton. Hopefully he can be a beast for us.
BuzzCzar
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i think losing BJM would be a huge loss. not only a great coach and recruiter, the man just has the air about him.
CPJ should keep some continuity going and keep him. i am sure that BJM can work with another DC
bigmoney31
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I understand Kyle Jackson look strong on the scout team all-season and would have been pulled up but they didn't want to burn his red shirt. He's a true MLB where as the other guys or OLB.
Thought Tongo would be the man but leg injury apparently has hurt him greatly with speed?
T
techfan45
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Re: With the new DC, the competition...
This is a common misconception about A.T...he didn't have trouble learning the system, he had to completely learn how to play linebacker. In high school, A.T. was a safety (and a dang good one..4.5 speed, great hands, hard hitter, about 190 pounds), he had to learn how to play a new position and has done quite well. CJT set a foundation. He will be fine with whatever "system" Wommack puts in.
This is a common misconception about A.T...he didn't have trouble learning the system, he had to completely learn how to play linebacker. In high school, A.T. was a safety (and a dang good one..4.5 speed, great hands, hard hitter, about 190 pounds), he had to learn how to play a new position and has done quite well. CJT set a foundation. He will be fine with whatever "system" Wommack puts in.
