Gotsis and Harrell

[Longestday]

People have not been picking up on CPJ's comments from his many recent media interviews. Every interview he is asked about replacing Attaochu. Every time CPJ's answer has included the possibility of both Gotsis and Harrell playing DE.

How is Gotsis at DE possible?
Could a 3 4 4 or a 3 3 5 put Gotsis and Harrell on an end?
Could Pat Gamble or Kallon be ready to start at DT?

I thought there were many here who wanted Gotsis to play DE anyways!

Injury is our biggest foe for the next 3 weeks and the next 5 months.

 

[Techster]

Gonna post what I just wrote in another thread here...as it's pretty appropriate to the OP:

I think Roof will get more creative with his pass rushing. He'll probably use Marcordes as a "false" DE...that is, like a 3-4 OLB or a DE that stands up ala Jeremiah Attachou at times. With LOS guys like Gotsis (who can play DE and DT) and Marcordes who can be a stand up rusher or drop back into space as an OLB, it'll give Roof some flexibility with what we do depending on the play without the need to substitute. Flex defenders are a must have now with all these spread offenses. It's a big reason why we're going to a 4-2-5, but that alignment could easily morph into a 4-3 or 3-4 depending on personnel and what the offense does.

This isn't the first time GT has had DL problems. I remember O'Leary's teams having to move LBs to DE a few times. With the type of flex guys we have on defense, it's only a matter of how Roof deploys them. Of course, I'm not sure what we have past Marcordes and Gotsis...so depth is a big issue past our first line.

 

[daBuzz]

I was told Roof has already been implementing a 3-3-5 instead of the 4-2-5 because the coaches knew we were thin with "quality" depth on the DL, but we have an abundance of LB's who can play. I think what you're going to see is that we use the 3-3-5 as our "base" defense and move one or two LB's up onto the line frequently to disguise blitzes and help with stopping the run.

 

[jeffgt14]

I was told Roof has already been implementing a 3-3-5 instead of the 4-2-5 because the coaches knew we were thin with "quality" depth on the DL, but we have an abundance of LB's who can play. I think what you're going to see is that we use the 3-3-5 as our "base" defense and move one or two LB's up onto the line frequently to disguise blitzes and help with stopping the run.

I would assume if we use a 3-3-5, our DE’s would be Gostis and Stargell?

 

[DSGB]

Most defenses are now MULTIPLE, to steal from Mike Smith of the Falcons. Very few teams have a rigid "base" defense because they rarely face the same type of team from week to week. We will likely see 3 different defensive structures over the first 5 weeks of the season.

Regardless of pre-snap alignment, I think we will be an attacking defense with guys coming from every angle.

 

[DSGB]

I would assume if we use a 3-3-5, our DE’s would be Gostis and Stargell?

3-3-5 and you will probably have 3 DTs across the front "3". We probably don't want Stargel having to tangle with 320 OGs too often.

 

[Eric]

I posted a few times that they plan to use Harrell as a "hybrid"

 

[Boomergump]

Well, I have no idea what we are going to do scheme-wise. Everything mentioned so far sounds possible. I will say this though. I believe Gotsis is destined to end up at DE eventually, whether here or in the NFL (if he gets a chance). Playing the strong side just looks like the natural thing for him. We might as well start putting him there. Hopefully Gamble, who appears to have added bulk, or Kallon are ready to step in. Depth here is at near emergency levels. It is something to watch.

 

[scrappy_95]

A 3-3-5 with one gap assignment is nothing more than the 4-2-5 with a guy standing. Same thing with a 3-4 one gap...it is nothing more than a 4-3 with one guy standing. The Groh experiment was so hard for us because it was a 2 gap 3-4 without 2 gap talent on the DL. To be honest a 3-3-5 or a 3-4 one gap will allow us to have more flexibilty on when and where we send pressure. What we loss in beef upfront, we could "potentially" gain with speed, increase leverage, and improve angles. We are still thin at DL and this will hurt greatly but I think CTR and CPJ have probably encountered a thin DL several times in their past. If anything, I get the sense that these two are planners and probably mapped this type of scenario (due to injures, maybe not due to people leaving) probably during spring ball. Just my two cents.

 

[crl85]

If our defense shows up and is even average this season, then my hopes for 2015 will be through the roof. The experience that Freeman and possibly Merriweather will gain will pay dividends. Then throw JHD and Whitehead in (hopefully Gotsis stays) with the guys we are currently recruiting and that unit suddenly becomes loaded.

 

[dhbartlett12]

If our defense shows up and is even average this season, then my hopes for 2015 will be through the roof. The experience that Freeman and possibly Merriweather will gain will pay dividends. Then throw JHD and Whitehead in (hopefully Gotsis stays) with the guys we are currently recruiting and that unit suddenly becomes loaded.

I agree completely. We have 10 capable guys on the OL, we lose one. We lose a million RB, but they are a dime a dozen. If we get Joshua Thomas then I am more than confident in our ABs and BBs next season. We get Whitehead and hopefully JHD, Kallon and Gamble will be ready, Freeman and Gostis. Next year's team will be great if our luck balances out.

 

[crl85]

Honestly we might even put JHD back at linebacker in 2015.

 

[jeffgt14]

Honestly we might even put JHD back at linebacker in 2015.

Funny thing is I don’t think we have enough good WDE’s this year but next year I think we have too many.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I agree completely. We have 10 capable guys on the OL, we lose one. We lose a million RB, but they are a dime a dozen. If we get Joshua Thomas then I am more than confident in our ABs and BBs next season. We get Whitehead and hopefully JHD, Kallon and Gamble will be ready, Freeman and Gostis. Next year's team will be great if our luck balances out.

And surely our luck has to balance out eventually, right?

 

[wingsrlevel]

If our defense shows up and is even average this season, then my hopes for 2015 will be through the roof. The experience that Freeman and possibly Merriweather will gain will pay dividends. Then throw JHD and Whitehead in (hopefully Gotsis stays) with the guys we are currently recruiting and that unit suddenly becomes loaded.

LOL...hard to say we are loaded next year when you are relying on freshman to carry a team. If you remember JHD was benched last year in favor of Harrell. This spring he was moved to a new position that he hasn't even played a live snap at yet. He is a unknown at that position who we don't even know if he will play another down at GT. Whitehead...lets just wait and see if he gets into GT. I read where he was tweeting that he was on his way to ATL which led fans to believe he was ready to go....which IMO he knew he wasn't eligible. Same went for Autry.."I'll be there in early July" yeah right. Dude couldn't even get out of HS. Custis was the same story. My approach to all this fandom that some bestow on players before they even play a down of college football is a " prove it on the field" mentality. That is if they ever make it to the field.

 

[Dustman]

Is Harrell ready to go?

 

[dhbartlett12]

Is Harrell ready to go?

He's listed on Rival's depth chart so I'm taking that as a yes. The guy who does Techs depth chart is an informed guy, so if he adds him, you probably can too.

 

[TechPhi97]

Gonna post what I just wrote in another thread here...as it's pretty appropriate to the OP:

I think Roof will get more creative with his pass rushing. He'll probably use Marcordes as a "false" DE...that is, like a 3-4 OLB or a DE that stands up ala Jeremiah Attachou at times. With LOS guys like Gotsis (who can play DE and DT) and Marcordes who can be a stand up rusher or drop back into space as an OLB, it'll give Roof some flexibility with what we do depending on the play without the need to substitute. Flex defenders are a must have now with all these spread offenses. It's a big reason why we're going to a 4-2-5, but that alignment could easily morph into a 4-3 or 3-4 depending on personnel and what the offense does.

This isn't the first time GT has had DL problems. I remember O'Leary's teams having to move LBs to DE a few times. With the type of flex guys we have on defense, it's only a matter of how Roof deploys them. Of course, I'm not sure what we have past Marcordes and Gotsis...so depth is a big issue past our first line.

Adam Oliver played situational DT a fair amount his last year. Rebut as strength was using guys like this.

 

[wingsrlevel]

Harrell was in yellow yesterday.

 

[Eric]

Is Harrell ready to go?

About a week or so away.