Irondawg
12-08-2017, 12:34 AM
Here's what we have coming back next year.
Outside
Couch
R. Todd
Jackson
Mitchell
D. Thomas
Slot
Mixon
Dear
Signees/RS Fr
A. Williams
Guidry
Heath
N. Nelson (or CB)
M. Mason (or S)
M. Murphy (or S)
N. Watson (or LB)
C. Gardner (or TE)
Outlook
Next year I think Todd, Guidry and Mixon are the starters with Williams and Jackson/Mitchell backing up the outside and Dear/Thomas in the slot. Todd needs to keep improving and Guidry better be the real deal if we want to make a jump here b/c otherwise we still lack playmakers on the outside.
Given our needs at S and CB I think we give Nelson a first look at CB and Murphy/Watson at S although I expect one to move to WR during camp. Judging from the Penn State tapes, our new offense requires the WR to go up and make plays in 1-1 coverage. That's something we haven't asked of this group since Bear left and for good reason judging by our low success rate when we did try it.
Watson will give given a look at WR first but a lot of schools wanted him as a LB. Couch to me has just never shown great ball skills and was also recruited by several schools as a LB. I think Gardner and Heath will RS along with Watson.
If we get Whop he's a wildcard and might be the one freshman that could push for PT.
How we use our playmakers in the slot will be interesting to watch. If Dear makes a nice recover and Mixon gets healthy that guys give us HR threats but have to do it a different way than the deep ball.
I expect some attrition and position changes here as we move to what our new coach wants out of his WR. I think after the staff watches tape and the bowl practices we'll see some pieces fall in place and some new names for the second signing period pop up. A grad transfer from somebody wanting to play in the SEC that comes from a similar system would be really beneficial. But we may see some new JUCO names as well.
Outside
Couch
R. Todd
Jackson
Mitchell
D. Thomas
Slot
Mixon
Dear
Signees/RS Fr
A. Williams
Guidry
Heath
N. Nelson (or CB)
M. Mason (or S)
M. Murphy (or S)
N. Watson (or LB)
C. Gardner (or TE)
Outlook
Next year I think Todd, Guidry and Mixon are the starters with Williams and Jackson/Mitchell backing up the outside and Dear/Thomas in the slot. Todd needs to keep improving and Guidry better be the real deal if we want to make a jump here b/c otherwise we still lack playmakers on the outside.
Given our needs at S and CB I think we give Nelson a first look at CB and Murphy/Watson at S although I expect one to move to WR during camp. Judging from the Penn State tapes, our new offense requires the WR to go up and make plays in 1-1 coverage. That's something we haven't asked of this group since Bear left and for good reason judging by our low success rate when we did try it.
Watson will give given a look at WR first but a lot of schools wanted him as a LB. Couch to me has just never shown great ball skills and was also recruited by several schools as a LB. I think Gardner and Heath will RS along with Watson.
If we get Whop he's a wildcard and might be the one freshman that could push for PT.
How we use our playmakers in the slot will be interesting to watch. If Dear makes a nice recover and Mixon gets healthy that guys give us HR threats but have to do it a different way than the deep ball.
I expect some attrition and position changes here as we move to what our new coach wants out of his WR. I think after the staff watches tape and the bowl practices we'll see some pieces fall in place and some new names for the second signing period pop up. A grad transfer from somebody wanting to play in the SEC that comes from a similar system would be really beneficial. But we may see some new JUCO names as well.