AJC Update Nate Cottrell

[Whiskey_Clear]

I agree vamos....the jukes, change of direction...and maybe even more so...following blocks....got better and better as his experience increased. That injury set him back though.

 

[Longestday]

Snoddy was good at running but had "hard" hands (pitch and passes) and lagged in blocking skills. I am thankful for his time at GT and for the awesome run highlights.

 

[deeeznutz]

Snoddy was good at running but had "hard" hands (pitch and passes) and lagged in blocking skills. I am thankful for his time at GT and for the awesome run highlights.

That characterized his early time here, but I think he had turned a corner in his injury shortened junior year. He had become a legit dangerous RB when he got injured.

 

[Boomergump]

I will always be thankful for Broderick's contributions. His pluses were a great burst of speed and decent physicality for a guy his size. His minuses were a lack of wiggle, running instincts, or soft hands.

I have never seen Nathan carry a football ever, so I am totally unqualified to judge. I will say this, however: A guy who was inside the program, with a lifetime of football experience, who I trust completely when it comes to player evaluation, told me that Cottrell had the job won before he got hurt. That is after two weeks on campus, TOTAL. He was THAT impressive. Take it for what it is worth.

We can appreciate the contributions of Clinton and Ike last year, but if the truth be told, there was a lack of electricity going on at AB. Nobody who played past the first few games was running anywhere near sub 4.4. We had trouble getting any yards past those that were blocked, if that makes sense. With the guys in the mix right now, all being healthy, we are looking at a major lift at that position. Qua is fast and slicker than snot with good hands and body control. Lynn is agile and very physical for his size. He can extend runs and make extra yards. I hear JJ is pretty good from leg humper fans. If Nate is what they say, then last year's kids are going to have a hard time getting on the field. There is no substitute for blinding speed and running instincts. If plays are typically blocked for 4 yards, we need some of those turned into 40 by superior athletes. We also need super fast ABs running wheel routes, or seam routes, stretching the defense.

I don't know how it is going to shake out, but I look forward to watching it unfold.

 

[OldJacketFan]

I will always be thankful for Broderick's contributions. His pluses were a great burst of speed and decent physicality for a guy his size. His minuses were a lack of wiggle, running instincts, or soft hands.

I have never seen Nathan carry a football ever, so I am totally unqualified to judge. I will say this, however: A guy who was inside the program, with a lifetime of football experience, who I trust completely when it comes to player evaluation, told me that Cotrell had the job won before he got hurt. That is after two weeks on campus, TOTAL. He was THAT impressive. Take it for what it is worth.

We can appreciate the contributions of Clinton and Ike last year, but if the truth be told, there was a lack of electricity going on at AB. Nobody who played past the first few games was running anywhere near sub 4.4. We had trouble getting any yards past those that were blocked, if that makes sense. With the guys in the mix right now, all being healthy, we are looking at a major lift at that position. Qua is fast and slicker than snot with good hands and body control. Lynn is agile and very physical for his size. He can extend runs and make extra yards. I hear JJ is pretty good from leg humper fans. If Nate is what they say, then last year's kids are going to have a hard time getting on the field. There is no substitute for blinding speed and running instincts. If plays are typically blocked for 4 yards, we need some of those turned into 40 by superior athletes. We also need super fast ABs running wheel routes, or seam routes, stretching the defense.

I don't know how it is going to shake out, but I look forward to watching it unfold.

Boomer I know it's not the same but I saw Nate play in high school, he does have running back instincts without question. You ought to go look at his film, you'd enjoy it I've said this before and I'll it again, the first time I saw him I said to myself here is a back that is the absolute prototypical A back. I had NO idea at the time he would wind up at Tech. It really doesn't surprise me at what he did coming in. He as a tough as nails and you all have seen his speed! Cannot wait to see him hit the corner with a crease GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Boomergump]

Boomer I know it's not the same but I saw Nate play in high school, he does have running back instincts without question. You ought to go look at his film, you'd enjoy it I've said this before and I'll it again, the first time I saw him I said to myself here is a back that is the absolute prototypical A back. I had NO idea at the time he would wind up at Tech. It really doesn't surprise me at what he did coming in. He as a tough as nails and you all have seen his speed! Cannot wait to see him hit the corner with a crease GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've seen his film. It's good. He's fast, but surprisingly good in traffic. I can't wait to see him play.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Y'all gotta stop....I'm trying to be patient waiting for the season to start and y'all aren't helping at all

 

[4shotB]

Nobody who played past the first few games was running anywhere near sub 4.4. We had trouble getting any yards past those that were blocked, if that makes sense. [/QUOTE]


that makes perfect sense to me. What is hard to quantify is how much impact an "explosion' player (a Dwyer, a CJ, a Kelly Campbell, et al) make on the offense besides their obvious statistics. If the make LB's or DB's play looser or start cheating, it just seems to open up everything else in the playbook a bit more. A defense that can keep everything contained and in front of them has the advantage if it forces teams into executing longer drives.

 

[InsideLB]

NC is a good prospect. Hope he can stay bealthy so we can see what he can do.

Searcy and Lynch were RS-fr w/ no experiencd and Ike is mostly blue collar consistent, so while I dont want to diminish his accomplishments NC beating those guys out is different than beating out experienced upperclassmen.

NC did lead block the veer in HS supposedly similarly to how our guys block. I like NC dont get me wrong. I just hate hyperbole and it always happens with fast players.

 

[4shotB]

. I just hate hyperbole and it always happens with fast players.

or anyone who is having a great year on the scout team!

 

[OldJacketFan]

NC is a good prospect. Hope he can stay bealthy so we can see what he can do.

Searcy and Lynch were RS-fr w/ no experiencd and Ike is mostly blue collar consistent, so while I dont want to diminish his accomplishments NC beating those guys out is different than beating out experienced upperclassmen.

NC did lead block the veer in HS supposedly similarly to how our guys block. I like NC dont get me wrong. I just hate hyperbole and it always happens with fast players.

I get what you're saying, I've seen more than one highly touted prospect not make it but I really feel Nate is the real deal!

 

[tech_wreck47]

I get what you're saying, I've seen more than one highly touted prospect not make it but I really feel Nate is the real deal!

Maybe he could end up being like woodhead from the Chargers type guy, good instinct and good hands, I'd take it.

 

[InsideLB]

I like him a lot too OJF. I think it's appropriate to be excited about him for sure. He just hasn't played a down and is coming off an ACL injury, plus the guys ahead of him now have experience, and Lynn Griffin and JJ Green provide more competition. So we know if NC starts this year then he's ready for sure!

Also after last year's spring game I called (and I am wrong on plenty of guys too) Clinton Lynch as my offensive breakout player. This year one would be hard pressed not to choose Dedrick Mills given what he showed in the spring. I thought Omari Jarrett showed a lot of promise as well, but he may not get opportunities like Lynch got last year. Jarrett's quick as all get out.

I like the size of Green and Griffin to bring some physciality to our RBs. Mills will too at BB. Quaide and Marcus Allen (when healthy) have some punch too. Plus another year of S&C for Jeune and Stewart, plus MLD has size. Some big dudes waiting in the wings as well at WR. This year's skill positions should more physical blocking and running.

Then you throw in some burners like MM at BB, Cottrell and Searcy at AB, and maybe Philpott at WR and that's a lot of wheels. Darkhorse BB/AB Kirvonte Benson has serious wheels too and is a brick. JT's not slow either. If the OL stays healthy and gels (2 MAJOR question marks to be sure) the offense could have a big year. On paper it looks like more long TD's may be forthcoming.

Continuing the AB conversation, Searcy and Lynch are both really good receivers, and Ike can catch a ball too. It will be interesting to see how Green, Griffin, Cottrell, and Jarrett are as receivers. If MLD ever goes back to AB he looked good catching it there last year. So it has a chance to be our best group of receiving A backs IMO.

 

[OldJacketFan]

@InsideLB you are spot on! The talents there and whoever emerges is going to earn it. Benson is another that I think will be a very good player. As to Nate's hands, he was a returner during his HS school years and he showed good ability to catch the ball in their passing game as well. Mills is going to be a beast inside, we saw glimpses of that in the Spring, he and MM could be a deadly combination!

 

[InsideLB]

Definitely feel like the skill position recruiting has improved. Maybe 2014 crazy good offense effect + more recruiting staff has lead to incremental improvement in this area. A lot of good looking prospects will raise competition, provide better depth, and produce more playmakers.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Without looking at the names and numbers, can you tell with of these four is an A-Back?

 

[OldJacketFan]

View attachment 1698

Without looking at the names and numbers, can you tell with of these three is an A-Back?

Ain't it the truth! I was stunned at how large his arms were and how broad across the shoulders he is. I knew he was a workout beast but damn! He also has a look about him that he's going to have fun no matter what!

 

[takethepoints]

Yesssss. It's like I said earlier: Cottrell is a traffic runner. He reported at 193 last year and I'm betting that he's more like 205 now. Combine that with his speed and you can see why I'm so high on him.

But, as others have said above, he hasn't played a down yet and we don't know how he'll adjust to his injury yet. From his posts he seems to be free of knee worry, but the first few hits will tell the tale there. Personally, I don't think he's going to be very inhibited. If he's like most really fast guys, his mantra is a simple one: "They've got to catch me to hurt me." Gooooood luck with that.

 

[bartoma]

Just hope he'll be like young Ricky Bobby - "I wanna go fast! I wanna go fast!"...