Five most critical players this yr

[alagold]

Some guys are critical because they are so good, others because there is little depth.Here are my choices.

1.JT-QB -actually this is #1 and #2 --with little experience/ability behind him ,at this point, losing him early would be a killer -with another 3-9 very possible.
2.Burden-C-the OL has got to improve with Freddie the bellcow.If he falls ,it may be a house of cards(although hearing Griffin may return helps).
3.Gray-S-the DBs have not been discussed much but with so few starters back it could be a "whistling passed the graveyard" situation.Gray is the horse.Lose him and it gets scary..
4.Butker-K-I see several close games possible starting with BC.He may be the key to a winning season.
5.-Davis-LB--Mitchell is ok but Davis is a tackling machine and has Sr exp.The main man in the unproven front 7.
-the close runner-up--Jeune

 

[g0lftime]

Davis is fun to watch and is a player. He is one of my favorite players and he really loves to play. He can really bring it on defense. I do think he did hurt the team a few times last year as he aggravated an existing injury, and he would not come off the field when it was obvious that he was not full speed. He waved off his replacement several times when he was got hurt and refused to come out. He obviously played hurt a lot of games last year.

 

[GaTech4ever]

4.Butker-K-I see several close games possible starting with BC.He may be the key to a winning season.

I love Butker for his kickoff ability and obviously The Kick, but we really need him to be more consistent within 40 yards. Coming away with zero points when you're at the 20-25 yard line is a backbreaker, and I'm not assuming the D is going to be significantly better than we've seen the past few years (although I do expect improvement) to make up for it. I'd rather him be more consistent at a 35 yarder than him being capable of hitting a 50 yarder.

 

[sidewalkGTfan]

Whoever is playing the following positions...

1a) Left Tackle
1b) Left Guard
1c) Center
1d) Right Guard
1e) Right Tackle

I'm sorta joking but not really...

 

[collegeballfan]

Five most critical players this year???

What sidewalk said!

 

[WrongShadeOfGold]

I love Butker for his kickoff ability and obviously The Kick, but we really need him to be more consistent within 40 yards. Coming away with zero points when you're at the 20-25 yard line is a backbreaker, and I'm not assuming the D is going to be significantly better than we've seen the past few years (although I do expect improvement) to make up for it. I'd rather him be more consistent at a 35 yarder than him being capable of hitting a 50 yarder.

He only missed 2 inside 50 yards last year.

 

[AE 87]

He only missed 2 inside 50 yards last year.

Fwiw, we were #104 in FG% last year.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Fwiw, we were #104 in FG% last year.

"Fwiw" exactly, not much. Those stats don't mean much because such small incremental differences separate the kickers. Also, the small sample size skews the perception even more.

If only one of his missed attempts is made, he jumps 34 spots from #104 to #70.
If two of those misses are made, he jumps to #29.
If three of those misses are made, he jumps all the way to #3 in the nation.

I wouldn't put too much stock in any meaning in that #104.

 

[jeffgt14]

1. Freddie Burden. He plays great himself but he needs to step up as a leader on the line. They were pretty bad last year.

2. Lance Austin (I’m assuming he’s the field corner and not Step?). We will likely see one of the worst defenses we’ve ever had if he doesn’t perform. Milton gave up some big plays often and I definitely think overall DJ White is the better corner, but Milton was more valuable. I don’t think he got near the credit he deserved. He wasn’t great at the deep ball but he dominated the short game. I’m really worried about Lance’s size.

3. Marcus Marshall. I’m not very confident in our line right now so he’s just going to have to do things on his own without fumbling.

4. Ricky Jeune. I think he did some good things last year but he also let us down quite a bit. Smelter was a great safety valve and was always there to make a play out of nothing. Jeune wasn’t the best at being on the same page as JT and he also had a few drops that killed us at times. He’s got all the potential to be a great one.

5. Qua Searcy. Stay healthy my friend.

 

[AE 87]

"Fwiw" exactly, not much. Those stats don't mean much because such small incremental differences separate the kickers. Also, the small sample size skews the perception even more.

If only one of his missed attempts is made, he jumps 34 spots from #104 to #70.
If two of those misses are made, he jumps to #29.
If three of those misses are made, he jumps all the way to #3 in the nation.

I wouldn't put too much stock in any meaning in that #104.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

1. JT
2. Stud WR (don't ask me who but it one of several needs to claim this)
3. Freeman
4. Our best DT (see WR position)
5. Best Bback (see WR position)

 

[vamosjackets]

1. JT
2. AJ Gray
3. PJ Davis
4. Jeune
5. Shamire
6. Kallon
7. M. Marshall

Good thread btw. Interesting question and makes one have to discern between "most critical" vs "best".

 

[33jacket]

Critical players?

For me this is the person if you lose the unit falls apart.

Jt obvious
Pat gamble. If he is gone that dl is a turnstile imo. I am not buying the kallon hype and all the backups are still young.
Burden see above. Ol already thin.
I think the cbs are going to struggle anyway. Losing a guy probably not a killer. But losing aj gray could be. So aj gray

Final guy is probably a toss up between MM and Davis.

 

[tech_wreck47]

1) Burden (needs to be a leader on the line and help make calls)
2) Shamire (need to be the all American talent he's capable of)
3) JT (needs to step up as a leader and not let his frustration show, plus make the correct reads)
4) Who ever is the starting NT (needs to stuff the middle and free up our LB's to fill the running lanes)
5) Freeman (needs to get a pass rush going)


I didn't put guys like Davis or MM because I believe the guys on o line and d line are more critical to helping guys like Davis and MM succeed.

 

[tech_wreck47]

Critical players?

For me this is the person if you lose the unit falls apart.

Jt obvious
Pat gamble. If he is gone that dl is a turnstile imo. I am not buying the kallon hype and all the backups are still young.
Burden see above. Ol already thin.
I think the cbs are going to struggle anyway. Losing a guy probably not a killer. But losing aj gray could be. So aj gray

Final guy is probably a toss up between MM and Davis.

What makes you say you think the CB's will struggle? We have yet to see them get significant playing time, and they are just as athletic or more athletic than the guys that just left.

 

[33jacket]

Let me do this. 5 players if they explode onto the scene the team could win 9.

Kallon
Some wr just not feeling it with the starters so some wr
Devine becomes who we want
Mm takes THE next step
Some de or some cb becomes lockdown

I am counting on aj gray already.

 

[33jacket]

What makes you say you think the CB's will struggle? We have yet to see them get significant playing time, and they are just as athletic or more athletic than the guys that just left.

first no they are not. Dj white and milton were as athletic as they come. Just look at their performance numbers. Neither austin breaks 4.50; and i have no clue why people keep saying these guys are more athletic just isnt true imo. I have watched alot of their play in tape and in person. I have my concerns

Second i see the style of cb we have today in this so called athleticism and it doesn't fit what roof typically tries to do. And i am still not convinced roof knows how to adapt. Some coaches just run their system despite the talent. Which is fine if u have the horses. Not sure we do

Finally, and most pointed is simply afte these concerns it was all validated in spring when the head man said himself cb was where he is most concerned. And i know for a fact the fit of them is part of it. We have alot of boundary types. Not alot of field man types. Roof loves man rolls and dropping the S in isolation.

We will see. But this is what my eyes say

Simply a better pass and milton and white look all world. A better pash rush this year can help mask things too. And if the S holds cvg it will help. Ted will need to play more 3deep than ever before imo to mask. We will see.

 

[danny daniel]

1. JT- top playmaker and team leader
2. Burden-if we lose him we suffer double, at center and Marshall cannot help us in other places
3.PJ Davis- we need his relentless effort and the resulting tackles and the senior leadership
4.Devine or Bryan- no experienced backups and the backup performance is encouraging but unproven
5. Gray-we need a playmaker at DB and he is it

 

[tech_wreck47]

first no they are not. Dj white and milton were as athletic as they come. Just look at their performance numbers. Neither austin breaks 4.50; and i have no clue why people keep saying these guys are more athletic just isnt true imo. I have watched alot of their play in tape and in person. I have my concerns

Second i see the style of cb we have today in this so called athleticism and it doesn't fit what roof typically tries to do. And i am still not convinced roof knows how to adapt

Finally, and most pointed is simply afte these concerns it was all validated in spring when the head man said himself cb was where he is most concerned. And i know for a fact the fit of them is part of it. We have alot of boundary types. Not alot of field man types. Roof loves man rolls and dropping the S in isolation.

We will see. But this is what my eyes say

Steph Durham, Lamont Simmons, and Dorian walker are all just as athletic imo I'm not saying they are as good because I don't know, I have not seen them play but Durham, but from what they were in high school they are definitely just as athletic and fit in what Ted roof wants to do. Now it's just a matter of will they go out and do their job, but to say they arent as athletic is crazy imo.

 

[danny daniel]

I'll take a good football player over a good athlete any day (unless the good athlete is also a good football player). First priority is to be a good football player (PJ Davis). We have a few excellent athletes buried deep on our depth chart and they may or may not ever become great football players. My definition of a good football player is: instinctive, tough, loves the game, likes contact and can tolerate it, likes practice and loves the competition , understands and likes the strategy, is team oriented, coachable, non quiter, and it is a plus if he is quick/fast/athletic. Of course at any level of competition there is a minimum requirement for athleticism. I believe to have a good team you need good football players everywhere and a few great athletes at key positions. Sometimes it takes as few as one great athlete (such as a Jim Brown)!