Spring Position Battle - WDE

[Whiskey_Clear]

I think Travin is a bit too slight to play DE. I'd live to be proven wrong though.

 

[Eric]

I have this wild hope that Travin Henry will show up give the position a shot in the arm with his WR speed on the edge. Am I dreaming? I haven't seen him play ever beyond his HS tape.

That makes two of us.

 

[PowderSpringsJacket88]

That makes two of us.

Make it 3 Amigos

I love the fact that he has wanted to play this position since he stepped foot on campus. I just watched film from him at UGA's junior camp going 1 on 1 and he had no problem getting around his guy.

 

[PowderSpringsJacket88]

The actual alignment concerns me less than the style: attack vs read/react. I want an attacking D no matter how we line up.

I agree. Roof switched looks to a 3-4 in many games but the timing of these looks always seemed to match up with the situation. You have to be multiple now with your sets due to the many types of offensive schemes you go against. Even when we were in the 3-4 I saw guys in position to make plays and play fast.

Thank you Roof. He has been a breath of fresh air since Groh. I dont think he is amazing but with good position coaches and decent talent it should be possible for us to have a top 30 defense every year. I really like having Pelton too to help coach both DE positions.

 

[PowderSpringsJacket88]

I think we all agree that either Whitehead,Simmons, or Freeman is going to have to make an impact at this position. The chances look good to me that one of them will especially Whitehead.

FWIW...I think Simmons is going to be a really special one day at rushing the passer on the next level.

I haven't been this pumped about the future of this position in a long time.

 

[alaguy]

I love K Freeman but he is a 225 lb TRUE Fr. So Whitehead has got to our hope and prayer.
The other guys are not good even ACC level unless something very dramatic changes..

 

[Eric]

I love K Freeman but he is a 225 lb TRUE Fr. So Whitehead has got to our hope and prayer.
The other guys are not good even ACC level unless something very dramatic changes..

Maybe he is a true Freshman but getting him here in Spring gives him a huge leg up on the others.

He is already putting on weight...I would say he is in the 235 range.

 

[Jerry the Jacket]

I really think we will move someone to the DE position. I would like to see Jarbari get a look there. He has the size at 6'4" 255 lbs. to play there. He tends to get taken off the field a lot due to us playing nickel coverage which takes the MLB out and puts in a fifth defensive back so you have one of your best athletes riding the bench quite a bit. I have not really divided the DE's by Strong Side and Weak Side but here is how I would rank them according to ability currently:

Tyler Stargel - some experience, strong, should be a good player this year
Kendarius Whitehead - brought in specifically to fill the void here, if he is as good as touted he should play a lot
Kevin Robbins - strong kid who looks the part, zero experience but I think he will be good with time
KeShaun Freeman - impressed with him from what I have seen so far may get some playing time as a true freshman
Tyler Merriweather - good size and might be forced to play early due to overall lack of experience of the group in general
Roderick Chungong - I saw him a lot in warm ups last year, did not look to be in shape, hopefully he will get there
Nick Menocal - special teams guy, just does not have the bend to play this position
Travin Henry - might be a sleeper here, got to hope he is and can play with a mean streak
Antonio Simmons - way too light to play this year, will probably take two years to get big enough to play or move to LB
Chaz Cheeks - just not a D 1 talent
Mitchell Williams - walk on with little chance to see the field

So to me this is our biggest area of concern going into next season. We have some bodies but very little experience. I'm hoping a couple of the guys like Whitehead, Robbins, Freeman and Henry will turn out to be good right out of the box. If not our D is going to get thrown on a lot next season.

Go Jackets!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

So to me this is our biggest area of concern going into next season. We have some bodies but very little experience. I'm hoping a couple of the guys like Whitehead, Robbins, Freeman and Henry will turn out to be good right out of the box. If not our D is going to get thrown on a lot next season.

Go Jackets!

I think Gotsis is gonna blow up in the middle and force the O pay him special attention. It will make whomever is on the outside's job a LOT easier.

 

[AE 87]

@Jerry the Jacket I really don't see Jabari moving to the DL. I wouldn't be surprised to see some shuffling at LB to get the best three out there.

 

[PowderSpringsJacket88]

I think Gotsis is gonna blow up in the middle and force the O pay him special attention. It will make whomever is on the outside's job a LOT easier.

Yeah, Gotis has a knack for "slipping" inside with his quickness. Should move the QB outside and make our DE's job easier. Also, if the other DT can do this some it would be huge too.

I am optimistic..

 

[Ggee87]

Ive liked the idea ive heard on here of moving Gotsis to DE. But we have even less depth at DT so that becomes a moot point due to necessity. Really hoping we have a couple DL that are more game type performers instead of practice phenoms. Im optimistic that we will improve from year 1 to 2 under Roof but thats about all we have to lean on. Future looks bright though IMO... JT will belp the D out alot by keeping drives alive instead of stalling them like Vad

 

[LongforDodd]

Why not run more 3-4 ? If Cheeks, Menocal, Stargel, & Robbins are more OLB types, why not run more 3-4 sets. It doesn't have to be the base but why not adjust to the skills and build of the players that are current and adjust out as you get the players you recruited (Freeman, Whitehead, ect) to fit your scheme more acclimated.

Tech ran some 3-4 set with Attoachu last year, why not do it again and be flexible.

Agree in some respects. Just put your most capable guys out there who will make the best combination of standing their ground and rushing a passer. Call it what you want for the newspapers and bloggers but just get your best guys on the field.

 

[LongforDodd]

I have this wild hope that Travin Henry will show up give the position a shot in the arm with his WR speed on the edge. Am I dreaming? I haven't seen him play ever beyond his HS tape.

I agree. His HS tapes showed a fairly large, long, and athletic young man. It's surprising that he has been mostly invisible since he got on campus considering the opportunities to play WR last year.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I agree. His HS tapes showed a fairly large, long, and athletic young man. It's surprising that he has been mostly invisible since he got on campus considering the opportunities to play WR last year.

Anybody remember a guy named Hollings who was languishing at one position then switched sides of the LOS?

 

[4shotB]

Anybody remember a guy named Hollings who was languishing at one position then switched sides of the LOS?

just vaguely...he only rushed for like 600 yards during his entire career at Tech. We've had literally dozens rush for more than that during their time on the flats.

to this day, one of the four biggest 'what if' stories in modern era GT FB. what if he had stayed healthy? What if the GT-FSU game had not been delayed in 2001? What if the GT team coached by the guy who coached between Ross and O'Leary had not blown a 21 point 4th quarter lead to FSU with Charlie Ward? what if Dodd had not left the SEC?

 

[son of an engineer]

That makes two of us.

I saw Travin play against the high school that I teach at. He literally never left the field playing both ways and on special teams as well. He was clearly the best player on the field but with those two teams that was not really saying that much.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

just vaguely...he only rushed for like 600 yards during his entire career at Tech. We've had literally dozens rush for more than that during their time on the flats.

to this day, one of the four biggest 'what if' stories in modern era GT FB. what if he had stayed healthy? What if the GT-FSU game had not been delayed in 2001? What if the GT team coached by the guy who coached between Ross and O'Leary had not blown a 21 point 4th quarter lead to FSU with Charlie Ward? what if Dodd had not left the SEC?

Tony Hollings ran for that in about 8 to 10 quarters if I recall. He was looking unstoppable until he was utilized after injuring a knee in a game...then blew the knee entirely. He might have had a Heisman type year if he hadn't gotten injured.

 

[Ggee87]

Tony Hollings ran for that in about 8 to 10 quarters if I recall. He was looking unstoppable until he was utilized after injuring a knee in a game...then blew the knee entirely. He might have had a Heisman type year if he hadn't gotten injured.

Thats how I remember it also. I kept looking at the leading rushers in the nation and he was still in 1st a couple weeks after the injury

 

[4shotB]

Tony Hollings ran for that in about 8 to 10 quarters if I recall. He was looking unstoppable until he was utilized after injuring a knee in a game...then blew the knee entirely. He might have had a Heisman type year if he hadn't gotten injured.

I said that very TIC. As I continued on to say, we all wonder "what might have been". Outside of Clint Castleberry, perhaps no other player in GT FB history is as well thought of given the very limited playing time he had at Tech.