#GTCamp2016

AE 87

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ok darn it i will bite.

i have concern about the depth of the whole D. Lets just step back. We are one injury away at almost every position from playing a guy who has never really played. big concern.

Now. If we just look at starters by unit.

DE - one side has really underwhelmed. The other i think will find his sea legs again. Sde here has been a total enigma
DT - one is solid. The other is an unknown. One backup I really like. So between these 3 i put us at ACC average.

LB - one has his weaknesses but a ton of PT and a tackling machine. One should be starting and i really like. The other no PT. Primary backups just a little PT but potential. So again a bit iffy. I put the starting 3 at ACC just above avg. but the whole unit isnt deep with reliable entities.

S - one really good one. One i think we will find is a thumper and needs to play in the box more. I like them both alot. This is a top 1/3 S crew in the ACC. DEPTH is a concern

Db. One is perfect for the nickel. One is perfect for boundary. One is an bit of an unknown but athletic. Depth a comcern. Probably ACC avg.


For me as a acc unit we should expect to finish top 5 or 6 in the ACC IF NO MAJOR injuries. But if you really look at the roster we are paper thin with reliable experienced depth.

If we go rather unscathed with injuries ie only one game here or there missing a guy and we finish below 5 or so in the acc in total D, points, points per drive etc then imo we underachieved a ton. The starting guys are not worse than that.

While I think we have more playing depth than you say, we may just have different scales.

Fwiw, if we have a #5-7 ACC D, we'll be allowing abt 2.0 ppd v pwr5. If our O gets back up close to 3.0 ppdvpwr5, we'll be competing for top 10 ranking.
 

deeeznutz

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Whats this about the helmets? Have they changed something?
There is some sort of helmet pad that is supposed to reduce head injuries. Paul Johnson mentioned it in one of his interviews, said he talked to Dabo and Jimbo about it and they both have their guys use them. He said one benefit for the coaches is there's this big black thing on the back that makes it really easy for the coaches to see where the guys are looking, which helps them teaching the right things to do.
 

Techster

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danny daniel

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There is some sort of helmet pad that is supposed to reduce head injuries. Paul Johnson mentioned it in one of his interviews, said he talked to Dabo and Jimbo about it and they both have their guys use them. He said one benefit for the coaches is there's this big black thing on the back that makes it really easy for the coaches to see where the guys are looking, which helps them teaching the right things to do.

I believe right now the externally padded helmets are experimental and for practice and have been in use for at least a couple of years, used primarily by the OL. CPJ said GT ordered extra in case other position players wanted to use one, and a few are. I hope they prove to be a big help are are eventually used in games.
 

danny daniel

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Just a note about Brad Morgan at Fan Day. His forehead looked like raw hamburger meat from the helmet rub. When I asked him about it he shrudded it off as a mere cosmetic blemish and not an issue. I did not see any other players with helmet rub (maybe he needs a better fit?)

I believe it was Bryan in an interview who said the externally padded practice helmets were virtually no different to wear and not even noticeable that they were different as far as the wearing issue. Someone said "it can only help", maybe CPJ.
 

OldJacketFan

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Um...Will Bryan got up to 295 lbs (from 275) AND lost body fat?!! Are you kidding me?

He's already the best technician and probably the most tenacious OL we have. I may have short changed him when I said he's gonna be an All ACC guy over the next couple of year. Might just be one this year.

Will looked like a beast at Fan Day, per @flea77 he was 257 when he hit campus last year. Will has flat put in the work and it shows!
 

Jerry the Jacket

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If our offensive line will play with some fire we have a chance to be very good this year. If they hang their heads the first time something bad comes along, they will once again get their *** handed to them. That goes for the entire team. I hope they all share Will's attitude that there will be no repeat of 2015.

Go Jackets!
 

Dottie1145

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I think this line is going to be more of a uniformed unit much like 2014. I think Freddie may feel more comfortable as a leader in his final go round, and the fact that Will made such nice comments about him give me a reason to believe that they are truly in this together. I think this could be a great year for our offense, and more specifically JeT
 

tech_wreck47

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Just a note about Brad Morgan at Fan Day. His forehead looked like raw hamburger meat from the helmet rub. When I asked him about it he shrudded it off as a mere cosmetic blemish and not an issue. I did not see any other players with helmet rub (maybe he needs a better fit?)

I believe it was Bryan in an interview who said the externally padded practice helmets were virtually no different to wear and not even noticeable that they were different as far as the wearing issue. Someone said "it can only help", maybe CPJ.
Wait..... You asked him why his forehead looked like raw hamburger meat? Jk I would hope you didn't ask it that way, but that's probably something you shouldn't ask in the future considering it's something most people would be embarrassed about, and wouldn't want to be reminded of.
 

Boomergump

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I thought Lynch was the only back we had last year who would reliably run through the first hit. He showed me a lot and I expect him to do well this year too. But …
I am not sure I agree with this. Well, let's just say I don't agree. While I do feel Clinton showed us a good bit and was our most productive AB last year, I do not share your opinion that he ran through hits. In fact, my biggest criticism would be that he specifically did not get tough yards, nor outrun people to gain extra yards. Lynch played well in that he executed his assignments pretty well and got yards when he had space. Our system provides a good bit of that and he played well within our system. Go back and rewind the film and watch. Then go back and watch, say, Deon Hill from 2014, and then ask yourself, who really made the plays to move the chains when it didn't look like it was there and who didn't. Let me be clear, I am a fan of CL and I expect him to contribute this year. He needs to grow and improve, but the sledding will be a little tougher when it comes to getting on the field. If he grows and continues to start, I will be pleased as punch.

The only ABs I have vivid memories of making yards by busting tackles (or making moves) and extending plays last year was Qua Searcy (before injury) and Lynn Griffin. Now, Lynn was as green as green can be, but he showed me he can extend plays. Call me crazy, but I have a strong suspicion that we will regain our ability to punish people at AB this year, and when it happens, we will all remember what it looks like. Instead of being tripped up by the ankles for a 4 yard gain, we are going to see 24 yards. Instead of being arm tackled for 3 yards, we are going to lower our shoulder and get 6. Stuff like that. We now have some physical kids and we have some legit fast kids. It is going to be different........barring injuries.
 
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