David Hale's ACC Position Group Rankings

[CuseJacket]

11th in DB is laughable imo, been our best recruiting area since 2016.
With the way his teammates are talking about him Tariq Carpenter already named starter, probably our best Safety.
At corner Jaytlin, Ajani, great field corners with speed.
Tre Swill, Lammont great boundary corners with Length.
Also Kaleb Oliver and Gentry Bonds are studs, and Don’t forget Juanyeh Thomas.

I'll offer this once because I don't like repeating negatives... I disagree. Our secondary has me terrified. But the feeling is mainly due to lack of experience.

I agree our recruiting has improved and we are seemingly more athletic. Maybe this is nitpicking language, but how do you leap to "great" with Tre Swill and Lamont? How are Oliver and Bonds, who didn't make the 2-deep last year, nor did Bonds make this year's preseason depth chart, "studs"? Keep in mind none of this year's secondary was able to unseat our good, not great starting senior DBs last year. Expectation should be a regression, particularly at the start of the year.

Simmons, the lone DB who has gotten enough meaningful time, needs to show me something. He has not demonstrated consistent ball skills and hasn't proven himself to be one who likes to put his neck in there and come down hard in run support. I felt like there were a few business decisions last year, which is troubling for someone who was a back-up. Perhaps that was coaching, I don't know. In any case, he can improve like anyone.

There are ways we can make our DBs look better e.g., perhaps Woody can find pressure with the front 7, so the DBs don't have to work as long. In any case, I hope the DBs blow my expectations out of the water. I am looking forward to seeing them all perform. There is a lot of potential there.

 

[orientalnc]

I'll offer this once because I don't like repeating negatives... I disagree. Our secondary has me terrified. But the feeling is mainly due to lack of experience.

I agree our recruiting has improved and we are seemingly more athletic. Maybe this is nitpicking language, but how do you leap to "great" with Tre Swill and Lamont? How are Oliver and Bonds, who didn't make the 2-deep last year, nor did Bonds make this year's preseason depth chart, "studs"? Keep in mind none of this year's secondary was able to unseat our good, not great starting senior DBs last year. Expectation should be a regression, particularly at the start of the year.

Simmons, the lone DB who has gotten enough meaningful time, needs to show me something. He has not demonstrated consistent ball skills and hasn't proven himself to be one who likes to put his neck in there and come down hard in run support. I felt like there were a few business decisions last year, which is troubling for someone who was a back-up. Perhaps that was coaching, I don't know. In any case, he can improve like anyone.

There are ways we can make our DBs look better e.g., perhaps Woody can find pressure with the front 7, so the DBs don't have to work as long. In any case, I hope the DBs blow my expectations out of the water. I am looking forward to seeing them all perform. There is a lot of potential there.

Thank you. I never played football, so I am mostly into data and how things look as a fan. But I have been thinking the same things you posted.

 

[slugboy]

Who coaches DBs this year? Are we teaching that position any different this year?


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[dressedcheeseside]

Who coaches DBs this year? Are we teaching that position any different this year?


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CSW (Coach Shiel Wood)

For a mic'd up coaching video from spring, check this out:

https://www.ajc.com/sports/video-ge...d-mic-spring-practice/HTvxmwKAAQKwf97xQ7h7qI/

 

[jeffgt14]

I'll offer this once because I don't like repeating negatives... I disagree. Our secondary has me terrified. But the feeling is mainly due to lack of experience.

I agree our recruiting has improved and we are seemingly more athletic. Maybe this is nitpicking language, but how do you leap to "great" with Tre Swill and Lamont? How are Oliver and Bonds, who didn't make the 2-deep last year, nor did Bonds make this year's preseason depth chart, "studs"? Keep in mind none of this year's secondary was able to unseat our good, not great starting senior DBs last year. Expectation should be a regression, particularly at the start of the year.

Simmons, the lone DB who has gotten enough meaningful time, needs to show me something. He has not demonstrated consistent ball skills and hasn't proven himself to be one who likes to put his neck in there and come down hard in run support. I felt like there were a few business decisions last year, which is troubling for someone who was a back-up. Perhaps that was coaching, I don't know. In any case, he can improve like anyone.

There are ways we can make our DBs look better e.g., perhaps Woody can find pressure with the front 7, so the DBs don't have to work as long. In any case, I hope the DBs blow my expectations out of the water. I am looking forward to seeing them all perform. There is a lot of potential there.

Simmons definitely has me frightened. Seems more like a safety to me than a corner. The ball skills have been severely lacking.

 

[YJMD]

There are certainly justifications for these rankings especially given our record over 2 of the last 3 years. Yet, that record doesn't line up with our performance on the field (except ST last year). Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that our performance was good -- I'm just saying that average expectable results from the same statistics on our production would net more wins. That would suggest across the board our talent level has been somewhere in the average range.

All that said, I think that we are in a much different position in this rankings in reality. Our team is quite experienced relative to average. Although we lost our starting secondary, for instance, there are many guys with significant game experience and otherwise the highest talent level per recruiting rankings at any position group on our team. Our WR are certainly not accomplished pass catchers in measured games, but they have a lot of playing experience, they have rarely been targeted largely due to system and QB play, and their impact in the run game is quite significant. Possibly no other team would switch receivers with us in the conference, yet neither would we switch receivers with very many other teams for the way we utilize WRs. And I say that not just because our guys know how to play our system. RB are way too low. We now have a ton of depth and experience, and we have 2 of the top 3 returning rushers in the conference. I seriously doubt we have the last place DL in the conference, but that's difficult to rate given the change from Roof. We were bad in ST last year. I can only hope our kick coverage and return games improve. But we do have likely the top punter and I feel much more confident that a healthy King with some college experience will be significantly different from last year.

 

[ThatGuy]

I'll offer this once because I don't like repeating negatives... I disagree. Our secondary has me terrified. But the feeling is mainly due to lack of experience.

I agree our recruiting has improved and we are seemingly more athletic. Maybe this is nitpicking language, but how do you leap to "great" with Tre Swill and Lamont? How are Oliver and Bonds, who didn't make the 2-deep last year, nor did Bonds make this year's preseason depth chart, "studs"? Keep in mind none of this year's secondary was able to unseat our good, not great starting senior DBs last year. Expectation should be a regression, particularly at the start of the year.

Simmons, the lone DB who has gotten enough meaningful time, needs to show me something. He has not demonstrated consistent ball skills and hasn't proven himself to be one who likes to put his neck in there and come down hard in run support. I felt like there were a few business decisions last year, which is troubling for someone who was a back-up. Perhaps that was coaching, I don't know. In any case, he can improve like anyone.

There are ways we can make our DBs look better e.g., perhaps Woody can find pressure with the front 7, so the DBs don't have to work as long. In any case, I hope the DBs blow my expectations out of the water. I am looking forward to seeing them all perform. There is a lot of potential there.

I’m terrified as well with the secondary. Not because of any bad performance (like the ST from last year, which also has me terrified) - but because of the unknown.

In addition to that, I’m certain Woody’s ‘attacking defense’ is exciting for all of us who watched in agony with the bend-and-cause-minimal-disruption-as-the-other-team-scores Ted Roof defense. However, one thing in particular stands out - CTR’s defense was predicated on caution against big plays. With less emphasis on ‘playing it safe,’ I imagine it’s more often going to come down to the secondary to keep us from giving up massive plays from opposing offenses. Hopefully not too much due to pass rush pressure, but still. That combined with the lack of experience is scary.

That being said, I’m fairly confident we’ll outperform these rankings on almost all counts. Remember - these sorts of pre-season rankings have proved fuel for the fire for CPJ’s teams in the past. Let’s hope these articles continue, and the offense, defense, and STs all come into the season (& continue the season) with big chips on their shoulder.

 

[MWBATL]

I'll offer this once because I don't like repeating negatives... I disagree. Our secondary has me terrified. But the feeling is mainly due to lack of experience.

I agree our recruiting has improved and we are seemingly more athletic. Maybe this is nitpicking language, but how do you leap to "great" with Tre Swill and Lamont? How are Oliver and Bonds, who didn't make the 2-deep last year, nor did Bonds make this year's preseason depth chart, "studs"? Keep in mind none of this year's secondary was able to unseat our good, not great starting senior DBs last year. Expectation should be a regression, particularly at the start of the year.

Simmons, the lone DB who has gotten enough meaningful time, needs to show me something. He has not demonstrated consistent ball skills and hasn't proven himself to be one who likes to put his neck in there and come down hard in run support. I felt like there were a few business decisions last year, which is troubling for someone who was a back-up. Perhaps that was coaching, I don't know. In any case, he can improve like anyone.

There are ways we can make our DBs look better e.g., perhaps Woody can find pressure with the front 7, so the DBs don't have to work as long. In any case, I hope the DBs blow my expectations out of the water. I am looking forward to seeing them all perform. There is a lot of potential there.

Is there any chance, I mean ANY chance, the the prior regime defensive coaching rewarded seniority? I believe I have witnessed this tendency again and again in many coaches (including ours) because of the theory that their experience would somehow compensate for their athletic deficiencies.

Just asking'.....

 

[smathis30]

Is there any chance, I mean ANY chance, the the prior regime defensive coaching rewarded seniority? I believe I have witnessed this tendency again and again in many coaches (including ours) because of the theory that their experience would somehow compensate for their athletic deficiencies.

Just asking'.....

A little bit in the beginning of the season, as some freshman like AJ gray his freshman year and BJS made their way up the chain as the season progressed. We had 3 or 4 freshman in the two deep last year.

 

[orientalnc]

Is there any chance, I mean ANY chance, the the prior regime defensive coaching rewarded seniority? I believe I have witnessed this tendency again and again in many coaches (including ours) because of the theory that their experience would somehow compensate for their athletic deficiencies.

Just asking'.....

I think Gray, and the Austins, Durham and Griffin all deserved their playing time. I wonder who you think should have played that did not, and who would you have benched.

 

[alentrekin]

I think Gray, and the Austins, Durham and Griffin all deserved their playing time. I wonder who you think should have played that did not, and who would you have benched.

I thought BJS deserved to start, or play a lot more after UVA.

 

[tech_wreck47]

Who coaches DBs this year? Are we teaching that position any different this year?


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CB’s are still coaches by Speed, Wood is Safties.

 

[tech_wreck47]

I think Gray, and the Austins, Durham and Griffin all deserved their playing time. I wonder who you think should have played that did not, and who would you have benched.

I think we will find out this year, if the DB’s are leaps better than last year we could say this comment by @MWBATL was possible. Not saying it’s the case, just that imo it has happened before.

 

[redmule]

It's not unusual for players to go from relative unknown to very good from one year to the next, sometimes even with a position change. I would bet we could come up with at least a couple every year for the last 30 years or so that did. Coleman Rudolph went from little used OLB to all conference DT in one year IIRC. Brooking was similar. Little Joe was almost benched as a Sophomore. Godsey is probably the best example. Did anyone predict JT's sophomore season after watching him as a freshman? Michael Johnson couldn't beat out Adamm Oliver. Godhigh, Nasty Nate Stimson, Smelter, Gardner, White are some others right off the top of my head. That's usually offset with career ending injuries of good players like Gray. Roof recruited well at DB. Would seem likely that one or more will make the step. The good news is that not having played much they won't have to unlearn much with a new DC.

 

[tech_wreck47]

It's not unusual for players to go from relative unknown to very good from one year to the next, sometimes even with a position change. I would bet we could come up with at least a couple every year for the last 30 years or so that did. Coleman Rudolph went from little used OLB to all conference DT in one year IIRC. Brooking was similar. Little Joe was almost benched as a Sophomore. Godsey is probably the best example. Did anyone predict JT's sophomore season after watching him as a freshman? Michael Johnson couldn't beat out Adamm Oliver. Godhigh, Nasty Nate Stimson, Smelter, Gardner, White are some others right off the top of my head. That's usually offset with career ending injuries of good players like Gray. Roof recruited well at DB. Would seem likely that one or more will make the step. The good news is that not having played much they won't have to unlearn much with a new DC.

Luckily the DB’s have said that what they are doing now is a lot like what they were asked to do under a Roof. There are a few wrinkles I’m sure and they are probably playing closer to the LOS but those guys probably have it the easiest from the standpoint of learning the new system.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Luckily the DB’s have said that what they are doing now is a lot like what they were asked to do under a Roof. There are a few wrinkles I’m sure and they are probably playing closer to the LOS but those guys probably have it the easiest from the standpoint of learning the new system.

I heard CNW gave each of the db's a beach bike, you know the ones where it's impossible to back pedal.

 

[alentrekin]

I am excited for the D. Watched uga-appst and cnw has me convinced he can scheme.