That has been pretty obvious. I agree with him 95% of the time.
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Almost every time Coman has been mentioned this offseason he has been quick to point out how he "told us" that Coman was going to be the best safety this year. He hasn't mentioned me personally in a post that I can recall- but it's obvious to me who it is directed at. Most of the time I haven't responded to it and let it slide.
No-I just have a different opinion.
I think he is right about Coman starting because that has been on par with what Dan usually does. I don't believe he is all that good of a safety and I think we are doing him a disservice not converting him to LB- but I think that Manny will cover him up to a large degree or have him do things that fit his strengths. I also think that we would be much better off starting Peters.
I expect this to go a lot like when people were trying to call the people out that wanted Dan gone about 10 games in during 2013. Dan started Josh and Dak like many of us said he should do- and when we started winning we got called out about it. When the reality is we would have been better off starting Dak and Josh in 2013 over Tyler and Perkins.
Similarly Coman is going to "look better" because of Manny's defense. That doesn't mean he's Ronnie Lott all of a sudden- it means we are scheming better to fit his strengths.
Sorry you felt that way. I said it every time because that's how I felt. It had nothing to do with you because you haven't been the only person skeptical on Coman & our safeties. Kivon has been killing it since the spring so I've let it be known that he's going to be good. Had nothing to do with you or anybody else.
I think we are quick to write off guys who make mistakes as young players and don't let their careers play out, like Coman.
Shit, I remember watching Kevin Dockery trying to cover and tackle as a young player and he looked like he didn't belong on a football field. Dude ends up being pretty good and wins a Super Bowl ring.
To your point, I don't ever remember Dockery being good for us. All I remember is him getting torched. So whatever he did at MSU to show scouts he was good enough to play in the NFL, I completely missed it or blocked it out of my mind (or maybe that was the stage at which MSU football got frustrating enough that I pretty much had to drink to watch it).
So if Coman comes out and plays well it won't be because he has improved (or maybe he wasn't as bad as you made him out to be) but because of Manny's scheme? He "looks better", is making plays and doing what the coaches ask but he's not "really" better...gotcha. Covering your bases well there in case he does have a good year I see.
Look I know you don't mean to anything by it but couldn't it be both? Maybe the kid has really worked his ass off to improve AND the scheme fits him better. Let's just hope we have good safety play either way.
My .02 on Coman... I would understand your suspicions, Todd, if we were hearing things from the coaches about him like "he's really coming along," or "he really works hard out there." But when our DC says "From the spring into fall I think the development of Kivon Coman has really changed our entire defense," that suggests to me that the coaches believe he's going to be an asset and a playmaker, not just that he'll be solid as long as he's kept out of areas he's weak in.
I'm saying he has a limited ceiling- but we can work around it to a degree and it will make him "better". That's why I compared him to Blaine Clausell. Our blocking schemes covered up his limitations as well. Each player only has a certain amount of God given talent and are only going to be able to attain level. Can he improve as a player as well as be utilized as a player better? Absolutely- and I'm sure he has improved as a player- but again, that's realistically only going to be so much.
I'm fine with that especially since Croom was and still is blasted over not playing the spread with Conner and Norwood.
But on the other hand a guy like a Peters or a McLaurin who have a higher ceiling and more athletic ability and talent- we're going to be able to do even more and at a higher level because of what they can do.
I'm sure Coman is a good person and probably works hard as evidenced by his Iron Dawg performance- and that's good. But at the end of the day it should be about who the best all around is rather than who the coaches "like" the best because they want to see him do well.
Wut?
A disservice would be moving him to a position he's never played before, and asking him to win a spot where we're about 8 deep with stud LBers.
You also just compared stats of Coman and Calhoun, when Coman was a backup last year.
Not sure why you don't think Coman is capable of improving. Or better yet, why you don't believe the coach when they say he has morphed into a beast.