A few notes from practice Tuesday

[InsideLB]

People sort of forgetc that b backs also block in pass pro as well as run block. They also are at times receivers.

It's pretty simple....if Custis can block well and learn the nuances of who to block and how to determine meshpoints and other presnap assignments, he'll probably play.

If he cant he wont see the field until he develops these skills.

 

[Boomergump]

People sort of forgetc that b backs also block in pass pro as well as run block. They also are at times receivers.

It's pretty simple....if Custis can block well and learn the nuances of who to block and how to determine meshpoints and other presnap assignments, he'll probably play.

If he cant he wont see the field until he develops these skills.

I agree with this. The biggest impediment to early playing time for Custis will not be his running ability. Fortunately for him, however, Laskey had a very hard time in the blocking department the last couple seasons. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

 

[wingsrlevel]

Laskey blocked well enough to lead the team in rushing 2 years ago and get significant carries last year. Really the fortunate thing for Custis is Laskey didn't red shirt as a freshman. He only has to play behind him this year. Custis is in a good position to come in and learn this year and be ready in 2015. Laskey's ball security is huge when your breaking in a new QB.

 

[croberts]

Laskey blocked well enough to lead the team in rushing 2 years ago and get significant carries last year. Really the fortunate thing for Custis is Laskey didn't red shirt as a freshman. He only has to play behind him this year. Custis is in a good position to come in and learn this year and be ready in 2015. Laskey's ball security is huge when your breaking in a new QB.

Laskey is a solid back. I am so past solid. I look forward to game 4 of our season so by then others will be on the Justin and Travis bandwagon. The fortunate thing for Laskey is he has several years in the offense and did not compete with a horse for playing time the past two years .

 

[croberts]

I did it again! I am part of the hype machine for two players that have not yet won the Heisman. Please edit any future comments concerning ----- and ------.

 

[wingsrlevel]

Laskey is a solid back. I am so past solid. I look forward to game 4 of our season so by then others will be on the Justin and Travis bandwagon. The fortunate thing for Laskey is he has several years in the offense and did not compete with a horse for playing time the past two years .

I'm so far past fan hype players here at GT. I've been around long enough to know that they very rarely ever live up to their internet hero status. I always prefer to wait and see before I announce my Heisman winners. Sounds like you already think Laskey is a horse. Competition is a good thing! The best back will rise to the top. Who knows it could be Connors.

 

[UgaBlows]

Laskey is a solid back. I am so past solid. I look forward to game 4 of our season so by then others will be on the Justin and Travis bandwagon.

Exactly

 

[takethepoints]

I think Laskey got less playing time toward the end because:

• Despite the indisputable evidence that both he and Sims sucked at pass blocking, Sims sucked a little less then Laskey, and

• Our QB couldn't handle the dive as well when Laskey was on the field. He gets to the mesh point faster then any of our BBs and Vad was obviously having trouble with anything but called dives.

I don't expect these to be problems this year because:

• Both Thomas and Byerly are better runners; that will make the veer a real threat and make it easier to block on passing downs, and

• Both of the worthies aforementioned are better at handling the veer then Lee and can easily keep up with Laskey getting to the mesh as fast as he does.

But these are just impressions and, I admit, I've always liked Laskey for the job at BB. We'll just have to see how it works out.

 

[UgaBlows]

Laskey couldn't beat out Sims, that pretty much says it all

 

[wingsrlevel]

Laskey couldn't beat out Sims, that pretty much says it all

Just curious what your response will be when Custis can't beat out Laskey this year and what your impressions of Snoddy/Perkins are since they were moved to AB. I agree with TTP in that I thought there was way more upside to Laskey being on the field than Sims. Laskey was a better receiver IMO also. Sims being a RS Senior and in the program 2 years longer might have had something to do with it too.

 

[Boomergump]

Interesting to note, in relation to all this, is Sims' 4.8 hand timed 40 at the pro day. We have been talking a while about the lack of explosiveness from the position. Looking at that number it is pretty obvious why. Sims was reliable and determined. IMHO he was the best we have had yet at getting yards 1 thru 4. Laskey is probably a 4.6 guy and a little quicker too, but he plays higher and has had trouble blocking. If he has indeed put on another legit 10 pounds or so, it will help him immensely. It should be interesting to see how it develops. I don't care who wins out between Custis and Laskey, I just want a little more than what we have been getting.

 

[Eric]

Interesting to note, in relation to all this, is Sims' 4.8 hand timed 40 at the pro day. We have been talking a while about the lack of explosiveness from the position. Looking at that number it is pretty obvious why. Sims was reliable and determined. IMHO he was the best we have had yet at getting yards 1 thru 4. Laskey is probably a 4.6 guy and a little quicker too, but he plays higher and has had trouble blocking. If he has indeed put on another legit 10 pounds or so, it will help him immensely. It should be interesting to see how it develops. I don't care who wins out between Custis and Laskey, I just want a little more than what we have been getting.

Laskey is 225 now.

 

[Rodney Kent]

My observation of Sims and Laskey last year. Sims was playing more because of his perceived potential. Laskey was playing because he made things happen when he played. If Laskey had been perceived to have more potentinal by the coach, he would have been the starter. Sometimes the best performer does not get the most playing time, because a coach's perception is that the other player has more potential. The most efficient player does not always become the starter, because he is not flashy, even though he gets the job done.

 

[jeffgt14]

Sims did a lot of great things for this team and I don’t think they should be overlooked. He was by no means a natural runner or had any breakaway speed but he played hard every play and played to the system. I have seen Dwyer get stuffed at the line more times than Sims and that was with a QB who was capable of running the option and providing a real outside threat. Nothing against Laskey but I don’t understand this notion that he should’ve played more than Sims. Laskey provided a great change of pace last year but there were plenty of times where Sims was able to power through tackles that Laskey would’ve never been able to.

 

[takethepoints]

Laskey is 225 now.

I knew it, I knew it! No way the guy I saw on Tuesday weighed any 217. I hope he can keep his weight up as the season goes on. He'll need every pound of it by November.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

CPJ is the quintessential dehyper. If he says a player is "pretty good" or "he did ok" it really means he's a beast.

Paul Johnson is all about managing expectations. It is not a bad strategy.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Sims did a lot of great things for this team and I don’t think they should be overlooked. He was by no means a natural runner or had any breakaway speed but he played hard every play and played to the system. I have seen Dwyer get stuffed at the line more times than Sims and that was with a QB who was capable of running the option and providing a real outside threat. Nothing against Laskey but I don’t understand this notion that he should’ve played more than Sims. Laskey provided a great change of pace last year but there were plenty of times where Sims was able to power through tackles that Laskey would’ve never been able to.

I know Laskey has some speed and quickness, but many times he appeared to be running with concrete boots on. I hope he starts and Custis is allowed to be brought along slowly.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

DJ was a special talent.

Whatever happened to him? He just seemed to fall off the edge of the earth.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Coach needs to realize that fans do that. It's how we get excited about the games. This will never change so he should just shut up about it.

He positively does realize it, he just has an oppositional bent to his personality. He likes to hear his personal point of view being articulated and then debated. How could you be a coach, and a Head Coach at that, for this many years and not understand fans and their idiosyncrasies? Answer: you can't. As far as him shutting up, that's not going to happen either. It is what it is.

 

[Yaller Jacket]

I'm so far past fan hype players here at GT. I've been around long enough to know that they very rarely ever live up to their internet hero status. I always prefer to wait and see before I announce my Heisman winners. Sounds like you already think Laskey is a horse. Competition is a good thing! The best back will rise to the top. Who knows it could be Connors.

I would put it more weasely, but that pretty much sums up my thought. We talk up our many solid players when we beat a middle talent team. Then when we play a Miami, a Clemson, a Georgia we go into frenzy mode about how badly we were out athleted. The B back in our system is a key role. We need to have a star there if we want to move from the 7-8 win level to the 9-10 win level.