Practice day - #5

[dressedcheeseside]

Very odd that we didn't have anybody between senior and true freshman at Bback last season. That's two missed cycles in a row. If Leggett's a bust, it'll be three.

You wouldn't think the marquee runningback position in a run heavy offense on an offense heavy team would be that way.

edit: just looked it up, we only signed one Bback in '12 (Marcus Allen) and one in '13 (Custis), neither of whom panned out. I guess we can't afford to take only one a year, especially not two in two years.

 

[ctweimer]

You really trust Quaide's mom on that?

Ha! She just sent me a screenshot of that

 

[Eric]

I think all this about Leggett is coach-speak. Coach wants steady and increasing effort from all players, if he can get it. I expect that what we are seeing here is the usual, "You may think you have the job tied down, but I don't see it that way and you had better remember that," stuff that every coach uses in spring. He wants Leggett to step up and claim the job for himself. But … sometimes the magic works, sometimes it doesn't.

Personally, I think CJ will be our starter come next season. Other then that … well, that's what spring practice is for, after all.

I don't think it's coach speak...my friend on the staff coaches on the O side and he gave me a very honest opinion of where things stand at the B Back spot.

I personally don't think we will see a starter until late in Fall camp....Going to have some good young talent battling it out.

 

[orientalnc]

Very odd that we didn't have anybody between senior and true freshman at Bback last season. That's two missed cycles in a row. If Leggett's a bust, it'll be three.

You wouldn't think the marquee runningback position in a run heavy offense on an offense heavy team would be that way.

edit: just looked it up, we only signed one Bback in '12 (Marcus Allen) and one in '13 (Custis), neither of whom panned out. I guess we can't afford to take only one a year, especially not two in two years.

We have a crowd at that position in this incoming class, making it almost imperative 1-2 of these guys will be wearing a redshirt.

CPJ has an unusual way of handing out compliments as well as criticism. I think it's reasonable to read his comments about CJ as simply meaning there is more work to do. I cannot imagine Leggett has so little competitive nature that he will stand aside and let a true freshman take the starting job without a battle.

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

Very odd that we didn't have anybody between senior and true freshman at Bback last season. That's two missed cycles in a row. If Leggett's a bust, it'll be three.

You wouldn't think the marquee runningback position in a run heavy offense on an offense heavy team would be that way.

edit: just looked it up, we only signed one Bback in '12 (Marcus Allen) and one in '13 (Custis), neither of whom panned out. I guess we can't afford to take only one a year, especially not two in two years.

And Donovan Wilson

 

[nod]

Eric, is Marcus Allen running with B-Back or LB?

CJ will be fine, last spring after the spring game many were saying same kind of stuff about Thomas and that Byerly would be the man.
I remember a point where coach's were raving about CJ last year, that was he was perfect fit for B-Back in Tech offense.

 

[Techster]

Who was the last guy we recruited specifically for BB that actually made an impact at the BB position?

Look at our BBs after Dwyer and Ant:

Preston Lyons - transfer from lower division
Perkins - injured; moved to AB
David Sims - Started at QB, ended at BB
Laskey - Started at WR, moved to DB, ended at BB.
Days - Started at QB, moved to AB, ended at BB

Guys specifically recruited for BB:

Perkins: See above
Marcus Allen: moved to LB
Travis Custis: academically not eligible; transferred
Donovan Wilson: started at BB, moved to AB, transferred

BB is probably our worst recruited position in terms of targeting recruits specifically to play it and not getting the return we thought we would.

 

[Yoda]

Who was the last guy we recruited specifically for BB that actually made an impact at the BB position?

Look at our BBs after Dwyer and Ant:

Preston Lyons - transfer from lower division
Perkins - injured; moved to AB
David Sims - Started at QB, ended at BB
Laskey - Started at WR, moved to DB, ended at BB.
Days - Started at QB, moved to AB, ended at BB

Guys specifically recruited for BB:

Perkins: See above
Marcus Allen: moved to LB
Travis Custis: academically not eligible; transferred
Donovan Wilson: started at BB, moved to AB, transferred

BB is probably our worst recruited position in terms of targeting recruits specifically to play it and not getting the return we thought we would.

Dern

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I'm white???

You have a disease?

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I expect Marcus to start this year..dude is perfect in our system..very Dwyer like

I like Marcus a lot too.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Very odd that we didn't have anybody between senior and true freshman at Bback last season. That's two missed cycles in a row. If Leggett's a bust, it'll be three.

You wouldn't think the marquee runningback position in a run heavy offense on an offense heavy team would be that way.

edit: just looked it up, we only signed one Bback in '12 (Marcus Allen) and one in '13 (Custis), neither of whom panned out. I guess we can't afford to take only one a year, especially not two in two years.

So, I am trying this thought on for size. Tech seems to always end up with a decent B-back. So Tech must recruit with a mind toward flexibility when evaluating certain athletes. It could be that B-back is so specialized at Tech, that there isn't as clear a correlation from high school as to who can fit this role. In spite of how some TV commentators talk, it really isn't just a glorified fullback. So it is not until we get several athletes on campus, along with the usual stable of running backs that we can start to mix and match players and positions. Searcy looks like he is going to be a prime example of this approach.

This offense really is different.

 

[Skeptic]

Ha! She just sent me a screenshot of that

Whoa. A mama who knows about screenshots? Whatever happened to those two sons of her's, the ones she sent off to a trade school somewhere?

 

[AE 87]

Who was the last guy we recruited specifically for BB that actually made an impact at the BB position?

Look at our BBs after Dwyer and Ant:

Preston Lyons - transfer from lower division
Perkins - injured; moved to AB
David Sims - Started at QB, ended at BB
Laskey - Started at WR, moved to DB, ended at BB.
Days - Started at QB, moved to AB, ended at BB

Guys specifically recruited for BB:

Perkins: See above
Marcus Allen: moved to LB
Travis Custis: academically not eligible; transferred
Donovan Wilson: started at BB, moved to AB, transferred

BB is probably our worst recruited position in terms of targeting recruits specifically to play it and not getting the return we thought we would.

You may be right, and I'm not going to look it up, but my recollection was that Laskey came in at B-Back. He won the PR or KR job in Fall camp and was moved to DB because he was going to be playing special teams and that got him onto the field.

Also, Snoddy came in at B-Back. I think Custis drove some our situation because I think CPJ told the family that he wouldn't be recruiting another B-Back. IIrc, Wilson was actually recruited at A-Back in 2013, moved to B-Back in December of 2013 and then played B-Back in Spring Game of 2014 before transferring. So, I'm not sure that we recruited another B-Back other than Custis for 2013 or 2014.

 

[Eric]

You may be right, and I'm not going to look it up, but my recollection was that Laskey came in at B-Back. He won the PR or KR job in Fall camp and was moved to DB because he was going to be playing special teams and that got him onto the field.

Also, Snoddy came in at B-Back. I think Custis drove some our situation because I think CPJ told the family that he wouldn't be recruiting another B-Back. IIrc, Wilson was actually recruited at A-Back in 2013, moved to B-Back in December of 2013 and then played B-Back in Spring Game of 2014 before transferring. So, I'm not sure that we recruited another B-Back other than Custis for 2013 or 2014.

I am with the bold part.

 

[AE 87]

I am with the bold part.

Do you disagree with the not bold part?

 

[Eric]

Do you disagree with the not bold part?

I can't remember that part as well as the Laskey info....My memory on it is a little fuzzy, I kinda thought Wilson was recruited as a B Back even though he started out as an A Back if that makes sense at all...I don't disagree with you on that though as I could be wrong.

I do know that Laskey was recruited as a B Back and as you said above moved over his first year for depth reasons.

 

[Techster]

You may be right, and I'm not going to look it up, but my recollection was that Laskey came in at B-Back. He won the PR or KR job in Fall camp and was moved to DB because he was going to be playing special teams and that got him onto the field.

Also, Snoddy came in at B-Back. I think Custis drove some our situation because I think CPJ told the family that he wouldn't be recruiting another B-Back. IIrc, Wilson was actually recruited at A-Back in 2013, moved to B-Back in December of 2013 and then played B-Back in Spring Game of 2014 before transferring. So, I'm not sure that we recruited another B-Back other than Custis for 2013 or 2014.

You're right about Laskey:

http://m.ajc.com/news/sports/high-school/zach-laskey-i-never-considered-going-anywhere-else/nQqHW/

For some reason I just remember being recruited as an athlete and him starting at other positions besides BB for the first 1+ years.

I think Wilson was recruited as a slash...ala Ant.

Still, not a great return for our BB recruiting if you consider only Laskey did anything of note at the position.

 

[AE 87]

You're right about Laskey:

http://m.ajc.com/news/sports/high-school/zach-laskey-i-never-considered-going-anywhere-else/nQqHW/

For some reason I just remember being recruited as an athlete and him starting at other positions besides BB for the first 1+ years.

I think Wilson was recruited as a slash...ala Ant.

Still, not a great return for our BB recruiting if you consider only Laskey did anything of note at the position.

I agree, that it stinks that we ended up missing on Perkins and Snoddy, and then Custis and Custis. But, the first two at least contributed at A-Back.

FWIW, I think the coaches had QB/BB in mind for Sims, and maybe Days, from the beginning. We went a few years recruiting guys with the opportunity to compete at QB but with the expectation that they would contribute elsewhere if they didn't win QB.

Our two returning experienced A-Backs, Snoddy and Andrews were both recruited for other positions.

 

[Techster]

I agree, that it stinks that we ended up missing on Perkins and Snoddy, and then Custis and Custis. But, the first two at least contributed at A-Back.

FWIW, I think the coaches had QB/BB in mind for Sims, and maybe Days, from the beginning. We went a few years recruiting guys with the opportunity to compete at QB but with the expectation that they would contribute elsewhere if they didn't win QB.

Our two returning experienced A-Backs, Snoddy and Andrews were both recruited for other positions.

Your comment highlights one of the overlooked things about our offense: It's really hard to waste offensive talent in this system. Guys will find a way on the field somewhere, even if it's not at the position they were recruited for, IF they really want to play and put in the work.

 

[Declinometer]

I'm white???

So what?