Here is why I like B-Mac at DE....

[HoopsDawg]

Marcus Smith, 1st round pick by the Eagles at DE, 6-3, 252. 4.68 forty. Former HS QB who moved to DE his senior year. 14.5 sacks as a senior after playing LB first 3 years.


Sound familiar?

B-Mac, 6-5, 245. 4.6 forty with a greater wingspan. Ideal OLB in a 3-4 scheme. I really think he could be the elite pass rusher we need coming off the edge to compliment Preston Smith. And we have Richie Brown who can play MLB or just run a 4-2-5.

I know we are going to see this some, but I hope it becomes the majority of the time.

[MaxedOutMaroon]

I do hope we utilize him as a stand up DE more than we have in the past, but I do not think he is a DE a majority of the time. He's a natural LB. His leg strength is not powerful enough to push through an offensive tackle

[bulldawg28]

I just hope we keep him from man coverage. It seems he's chasing behind someone too often.

[HoopsDawg]

I just hope we keep him from man coverage. It seems he's chasing behind someone too often.

So true. He's not great in coverage. All the more reason to play him at DE. To the guy who questioned his leg strength, we can stop the run, we need a pass rush.

[smootness]

I'm starting to agree with this more and more. I would start the year with him at MLB and see what kind of rush off the edge we can get with Smith/Brown/Jefferson. But if we're struggling to get pressure against the first 3 teams on the schedule, I'd bust out a lot of McKinney coming off the edge against LSU as a surprise and see what happens.

[Coach34]

We worked on this some in the Spring

If it is really working well and we see we are ok at LB- you will see it more and more. It might be something we use in 2nd and 3rd and long situations. I think you are going to see us be much more multiple in our schemes because we have alot of experience this year- and we have alot of players capable of playing

[dawgs]

Running downs = LB

Passing downs = rush DE

Problem solved

[MaxedOutMaroon]

Running downs = LB

Passing downs = rush DE

Problem solved

I support this message

[MSUDawg4Life]

Running downs = LB

Passing downs = rush DE

Problem solved

There was never any problem to begin with.

We have plenty of DEs. McKinney won't have any problem getting drafted while playing MLB. There is no need for us move McKinney.

This is just somebody's wild fantasy that won't happen simply due to our depth at MLB. Sure, we have Richie Brown but who's after that? Unless Gerri Green is ready to come in and play some significant minutes at MLB, I doubt we'll be moving McKinney around a whole lot to satisfy somebody's fantasy.

Some random guy's NFL draft status has absolutely nothing to do with MSU winning games this year. Winning football games would be more helpful to any of our potential draftees than moving McKinney to DE.

We have plenty of DEs. Benardrick is going to get drafted. There is no problem. Just win. That's what we need to be focused on.

[smootness]

There was never any problem to begin with.

We have plenty of DEs. McKinney won't have any problem getting drafted while playing MLB. There is no need for us move McKinney.

This is just somebody's wild fantasy that won't happen simply due to our depth at MLB. Sure, we have Richie Brown but who's after that? Unless Gerri Green is ready to come in and play some significant minutes at MLB, I doubt we'll be moving McKinney around a whole lot to satisfy somebody's fantasy.

Some random guy's NFL draft status has absolutely nothing to do with MSU winning games this year. Winning football games would be more helpful to any of our potential draftees than moving McKinney to DE.

We have plenty of DEs. Benardrick is going to get drafted. There is no problem. Just win. That's what we need to be focused on.

No one's suggesting moving him to help his draft status. The question is whether his ceiling as a pass rusher is even higher than as a LB and where our need is greater.

I full expect him to stay at MLB on a large majority of snaps to be the captain of our defense...but if we move him around, that doesn't exclude us from being able to use him at LB. If someone went down and our need became greater there, he could scoot back again.

No one's complaining or panicking or being critical...just wondering if perhaps he could be a monster as a pass rusher.

[Political Hack]

he'll move around. DE, OLB, Mike, etc... Going to see a lot of nickle this year.

They had a shift in practice this spring where B-Mac ran down as a stand up DE on the opposite side of CJ at the 3-technique and Preston on the end. Preston dropped back to the Mike after the snap and, despite showing 5, they rushed 4 abandoning the 7 hole once they saw the run wasn't going that way. Seeing them drop Preston into the middle, having CJ play DT and DE, and having B-Mac play LB and DE makes the D very hard to get a grasp of. I think we're going to see some old school raven's ameba defense this season.

[bulldawg28]

he'll move around. DE, OLB, Mike, etc... Going to see a lot of nickle this year.

They had a shift in practice this spring where B-Mac ran down as a stand up DE on the opposite side of CJ at the 3-technique and Preston on the end. Preston dropped back to the Mike after the snap and, despite showing 5, they rushed 4 abandoning the 7 hole once they saw the run wasn't going that way. Seeing them drop Preston into the middle, having CJ play DT and DE, and having B-Mac play LB and DE makes the D very hard to get a grasp of. I think we're going to see some old school raven's ameba defense this season.

Sounds almost like the infamous Steelers zone D blitzes compliments of Mr. Townsend.

[Political Hack]

Sounds almost like the infamous Steelers zone D blitzes compliments of Mr. Townsend.

I didn't think about that, but you know he's brought some great concepts with him.

[bulldawg28]

I didn't think about that, but you know he's brought some great concepts with him.


Most definitely when he's played under such great masterminded coaches it can't help but rub off and add to his game. We should promote him to Co-D coordinator imo.

[Political Hack]

Most definitely when he's played under such great masterminded coaches it can't help but rub off and add to his game. We should promote him to Co-D coordinator imo.

pretty significant chance Collins and he are both pursued after this season. If Collins bounces, promote him to DC.

[bulldawg28]

pretty significant chance Collins and he are both pursued after this season. If Collins bounces, promote him to DC.

Yes sir.

[woozman]

I'm starting to agree with this more and more. I would start the year with him at MLB and see what kind of rush off the edge we can get with Smith/Brown/Jefferson. But if we're struggling to get pressure against the first 3 teams on the schedule, I'd bust out a lot of McKinney coming off the edge against LSU as a surprise and see what happens.

If we struggle to get pressure on USM, UAB, and USA - it will be a long year...