2015 DL Speculation

[Eric]

Well, if what the trainer said is true, I got one of my questions answered and not what I wanted to hear. The other has to do with Whitehead. Has he been playing on the scout team? If so, does anyone know what the coaches are saying about him?

Jabari thinks he will be able to play next year and is doing all he can to ensure that.

Whitehead has been on the Scout team and CPJ has said good things when asked about him.

 

[Squints]

Not showing up to classes tends to have a negative effect on your GPA.

Eh, not necessarily. His GPA could be relatively fine and he broke team rules by not attending a class he felt he didn't need to or something. Every time CPJ has mentioned it he said he didn't go to class. Seems like the coach's call as I don't think we've heard anything about academic disqualification which usually means GPA or credit issues.. Doesn't seem fair to assume he's going to be a risk for next year because of his GPA.

Granted I could be totally off.

 

[Eric]

Eh, not necessarily. His GPA could be relatively fine and he broke team rules by not attending a class he felt he didn't need to or something. Every time CPJ has mentioned it he said he didn't go to class. Seems like the coach's call as I don't think we've heard anything about academic disqualification which usually means GPA or credit issues.. Doesn't seem fair to assume he's going to be a risk for next year because of his GPA.

Granted I could be totally off.

Jabari was suspended this year due to being ruled "academically ineligible"

From what I know GPA is the issue...he can still get it done though.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Assuming all make it to fall, healthy and eligible, what would the two deep look like?

 

[danny daniel]

Assuming all make it to fall, healthy and eligible, what would the two deep look like?

This is my opinion:
SDE Gamble Chungong or Stargel Whitehead on obvious passing downs
NT Hunt-Days Henderson Glanton if H-D not eligible, otherwise RS if no early injuries
DT Gotsis Kallon (Morgan RSs)
WDE Freeman Simmons (Merriweather RSs)

 

[Yaller Jacket]

I think what Danny has here is it. And it looks danged good to me.

 

[txsting]

I don't know why so many of you are putting JHD in the lineup? Passing is one thing, raising your GPA significantly, especially as an upperclassman, is incredibly hard to do at GT.

Yeah, I'm just going to mentally count him out until word comes otherwise. Gotta keep the value of butthurt down, you know.

 

[DrJacket]

Yeah, I'm just going to mentally count him out until word comes otherwise. Gotta keep the value of butthurt down, you know.

I'm going to revive this one that has been inactive since Jan.7. Because the "what if" game has been going through my head.

Today, these few months later, my "what if" has had little that has changed from then. Except that Spring practice has started. The guys have been in the weight room for a few months now. Already we are hearing some intriguing things that matter only a little--until "real" football starts and we can see in the games. But, here is what we know since January--
* National Signing Day has come and gone. Now, Henderson and Glanton especially are in the fold. They are not theories. They are commitments and are under the influence of our program/training.
* JHD still has no clarity, academically. We may not know anything on him until Summer classes are over. I don't love what we are hearing--nor what we aren't hearing academically. My fear is he will remain a coin toss as to whether he returns. But, rave reviews continue to come in about his playing. This week, CPJ said that he was "Nearly unblockable" in practice. Coming from CPJ, that's the equivalent of throwing a party.
* CTR says that in year 3 of the program, something important is beginning to happen off the field. Upperclassmen are starting to coach younger players on the sideline. They are helping the coaches show what is to be expected, and helping to diagnose problems. That is new.
* While a program's hope is always to RS the incoming freshmen if possible, a lot of us would like to believe (rightly or wrongly--we'll see) that the true-freshmen we will have this year are perhaps a little more physically talented than in the previous few classes. We'll see. But, some of these new guys look like they could at least contribute in rotations. Especially Vic Alexander, Henderson, Glanton and St Amour. (I know...Vic is an LB; but he could prove to be disruptive which will help!)

I also freshly recalled 2 things--
* My glance at last-year's roster showed that (unless I am forgetting someone) Shawn Green was the only significant DL player who finished eligibility. Granted, when healthy he was absolutely crucial for us. Replacing him is not easy. Our hopes are pinned on JHD to do exactly that. IF eligible.
* Second, speaking of JHD-- I doubt many of us when faced with the news of his ineligibility last year were weeping and gnashing our teeth. I think at the time, we felt like an upperclassman who might have been a nice piece (and a starter) at LB just wouldn't be available. But, no one was seeing him as our greatest defensive hope. I don't think.

So....all of this (sorry) to say: what IF JHD does not regain his eligibility? For me, what if that is our worst case scenario?

Barring a rash of injuries, which we were oddly blessed to avoid last year, I still think we are slightly deeper than a year ago. (emphasis on "slightly") How can I say this?--- Look back through this thread. Read the names. If some of these guys like Kallon and Gamble (and maybe especially Simmons) are marginally better versions of themselves, then we are about where we were last year. If another year of strength and experience make Rook-Chungong and Freeman better, our edge is better. Throw in Whitehead and we at least have something different than we've seen. Then, if even one freshman gets it going and surprises-- we might be better.

Obviously, none of us wants to only be where we were a year ago. We need to step forward. We all get that. But, I am preparing myself for the possibility we don't have JHD. (If we do--we have all felt like that's our Shawn Green replacement and then some.) While without JHD, we might not take a quantum leap--I'm feeling safe around sharp objects.

Okay, other than the fact that I am making Dressedcheeseside's head explode a little-- what say?

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Here's hoping Freeman and Whitehead take huge leaps this year.

 

[Lurkerjack]

I'll play drjacket.

First, I disagree that we didn't see losing jhd as a huge loss. He was seen as one of our top d players, if not the top player. I can remember hearing the news and the discussions that followed. It was a big deal. We knew it was bad and that the d would be significantly impacted.

Second, I think your question has to be taken in the context of the d play at the end of the season vs at the beginning. We were playing much better at the end of the season. Not great but acceptable.

So... If jhd is not eligible? We gain whitehead and some frosh but lose green (agree that he was the unsung hero last year), nealy and Johnson. Best case is a wash - we continue where we left off at the end of the season. Realistically we move backwards slightly (from end of season levels).

If we get jhd back and he is as good as shaq and others say? We make a big step forward. I think it gives us the capability to pressure the qb, something we were horrible at.

My concern is turnovers. We had an incredible run in d turnovers last season. Is that really sustainable?

 

[dhbartlett12]

For 2015 the good news is the coaches can make their best choice among Gamble, Gotsis, or JHD for SDE. Depth is still "iffy" at DT with Kallon and 3 freshmen to chose from. We have experienced backups at SDE with Stargel and Chungong. Still it's an improvement over choices we had this past year.

Well lets be honest here. We have plenty of capable SDE's, and no capable DTs. I hope Henderson grows into that role, and I think he will.

 

[Jerry the Jacket]

You cannot pin all of your hopes and dreams on any one player, not even Justin Thomas. Football is a sport that exacts a high price at times. On any given play, you can lose any player. So you have to build your team with depth and frequent rotation of personnel as key ingredients. Many years our coaches have shyed away from playing anyone other than the starters. I saw a significant change in that philosophy last year. I think Roof has influenced this a lot and I think Sewak and Johnson are beginning to play more people now than they have in the past.

I hope Jabari gets a chance to play. That chance is up to him so he will either get it done or not. I think we are better team with him than without him, but even with out him we are still going to be a damn good football team.

Go Jackets!

 

[CHE90]

I'll play drjacket.

First, I disagree that we didn't see losing jhd as a huge loss. He was seen as one of our top d players, if not the top player. I can remember hearing the news and the discussions that followed. It was a big deal. We knew it was bad and that the d would be significantly impacted.

Second, I think your question has to be taken in the context of the d play at the end of the season vs at the beginning. We were playing much better at the end of the season. Not great but acceptable.

So... If jhd is not eligible? We gain whitehead and some frosh but lose green (agree that he was the unsung hero last year), nealy and Johnson. Best case is a wash - we continue where we left off at the end of the season. Realistically we move backwards slightly (from end of season levels).

If we get jhd back and he is as good as shaq and others say? We make a big step forward. I think it gives us the capability to pressure the qb, something we were horrible at.

My concern is turnovers. We had an incredible run in d turnovers last season. Is that really sustainable?

Actually, by the end of the 2013-14 season he had lost his starting job. I believe Harrell took over for him.

 

[redmule]

You might want to look at this from a different angle.

Last year going into the fall, we were looking at these losses on defense: Attachou, Jemea, Watts, Cummings, Crenshaw, Dieke, Drummond, Young, and JHD. Three NFL'ers (our best DL, our best LB, and our best DB) and a bunch of experience walked out the door. Golden and Johnson were coming back from season ending injuries that caused them to miss all or most of the previous season. Green had been injury plagued his entire career. In other words, we had one returning starter on the DL (Gotsis), one at LB (Nealy), and one at DB (White). That was much much worse than what we are looking at now. Would any of you trade out current situation for that? Didn't think so. Yet IMHO, by the end of the year, we had a very effective Defense. uga's offense only scored on their first and their last possession in regulation. FSU didn't cross the goal line in the second half. UVA scored one TD, Clemson never did.

I know, it was all lucky turnovers, bounces of the ball, injured opponents, weather anomalies, timely penalties, opposition brain farts, space-time distortions, etc, etc, etc. In other words, it was nothing we did. Smoke and mirrors might explain one or two of those games, but I think something else was going on. Our players got better as the season progressed (both starters and backups), and our coaches out coached their opponents. We developed depth, experience, and confidence. We executed better. We schemed better, made better halftime adjustments than the opposition. The season played out along those line. Early on, we were giving up lots of long plays. We lost concentration against GSU. UNC made us look confused. But, we were getting better. Players began making big plays as they became more confident in their roles, and we began to have a little depth.

Maybe, just maybe, we are now pretty good at this thing called football. Talent comes and goes, but the system remains as long as the coaches do. Look at Foster at VT or Friedgen when he was here, or CPJ now. We have a damn good Defensive Coordinator now, his system seems to be working, and he's doing a hell of a job recruiting.

 

[DrJacket]

I'll play drjacket.

First, I disagree that we didn't see losing jhd as a huge loss. He was seen as one of our top d players, if not the top player. I can remember hearing the news and the discussions that followed. It was a big deal. We knew it was bad and that the d would be significantly impacted.

Second, I think your question has to be taken in the context of the d play at the end of the season vs at the beginning. We were playing much better at the end of the season. Not great but acceptable.

So... If jhd is not eligible? We gain whitehead and some frosh but lose green (agree that he was the unsung hero last year), nealy and Johnson. Best case is a wash - we continue where we left off at the end of the season. Realistically we move backwards slightly (from end of season levels).

If we get jhd back and he is as good as shaq and others say? We make a big step forward. I think it gives us the capability to pressure the qb, something we were horrible at.

My concern is turnovers. We had an incredible run in d turnovers last season. Is that really sustainable?

I'm with you. If JHD isn't back, it's a wash probably. Until/unless some folks really step forward and surprise. It's precisely my view that we start where we left off that makes me feel like that's not the worst thing.

 

[DrJacket]

Actually, by the end of the 2013-14 season he had lost his starting job. I believe Harrell took over for him.

That's more what I am remembering. In fact, I believe that JHD was supposed to become a DE "rush end" experiment in hopes that he might replace J. Attaouchu. Then, he lost eligibility.

 

[alaguy]

I don't know why so many of you are putting JHD in the lineup? Passing is one thing, raising your GPA significantly, especially as an upperclassman, is incredibly hard to do at GT.

yep-Listen to the man.This may be less than 50% probable.If not interior DL will be hope and prayer again.

 

[dhbartlett12]

yep-Listen to the man.This may be less than 50% probable.If not interior DL will be hope and prayer again.

Eric said that Jabari said that he thinks he will do it. The man believes in himself, that's 90% right there.

I wonder if he gets a free pass to skip practice to study.

 

[Berg]

What other schools would not fix things so that a starting player would stay eligible. We are definitely not UNC. GT makes me both proud and frustrated.

 

[alaguy]

What other schools would not fix things so that a starting player would stay eligible. We are definitely not UNC. GT makes me both proud and frustrated.

interesting point