Spring Position Battle - WR

[vamosjackets]

Smelter is also a perfect example of why football ability is not just about speed. He has an athleticism that goes far beyond speed (ie 40-time). Godhigh was also a good example of this. Coordination, Reaction time, Body Control, Balance, Concentrated Strength, Calm intensity ... so many small ingredients go into the whole makeup of an athlete.

 

[Rodney Kent]

Common sense without statistics tells me the receiving aspect of the game should be better this year. Even though Smelter did well in his first year, it was still a first year, and he should be more in the groove this year. Waller and Summers both have last year under their belt and should be better this year, plus those we get back from injuries. The only thing we do not know about the passing at this time is the accuracy of the quarterbacks under game condition. If the QB's can get the ball to the receivers, the receiving corps as a whole should be much better.

 

[alaguy]

Last year was his second full year at WR...he doesn't get seperation, not as fast or athletic either. Just doesn't have the natural ability either of them have.

He like others is an example of the "recruit the athlete and make into what you need" which has led to recruiting failures. and to losses.Basically not good enough to play ANY position at high D1 level.Also example of the "he's a recruiting success because he was a starter" BS-if he isn't getting you to a 8-4 record he's not good enough to sign.

 

[vamosjackets]

He like others is an example of the "recruit the athlete and make into what you need" which has led to recruiting failures. and to losses.Basically not good enough to play ANY position at high D1 level.Also example of the "he's a recruiting success because he was a starter" BS-if he isn't getting you to a 8-4 record he's not good enough to sign.

Lots of counter-examples to your first premise. Other athletes we recruited and made into what was needed include Synjyn Days, David Sims, Demon Smith, Chris Milton, DeAndre Smelter (we recruited him out of high school as either S or LB, but needed him at WR when he decided later to play football), Jemea Thomas, and lots of others that are TBD.

Go back a little further and you get guys like Bilbo, Chris Reis, Dawan Landry, Tony Hargrove, Tony Hollings, etc.

 

[alaguy]

Vam,
I recognize guys CAN play other positions-to me its a question of when and how well.how you get a REAL winning team is get skilled guys so you can start them sooner and get exp for super JR/Sr yrs.If you are learning a position thru Jr yr then big pay-off may or may not be there--see Sdays and even Sims.
btw-J Thomas played Def also in hischool so that wasn't a switch over ---and let me know when Milton starts next yr--DSmith was recruited by Vt as def back so how did he get in this discussion?
Lets watch the progression of Lynch from WR to aback and Q Searcy from DB to WR and see if don't struggle in new position-good athletes but change is hard at this level

 

[presjacket]

Vam,
I recognize guys CAN play other positions-to me its a question of when and how well.how you get a REAL winning team is get skilled guys so you can start them sooner and get exp for super JR/Sr yrs.If you are learning a position thru Jr yr then big pay-off may or may not be there--see Sdays and even Sims.
btw-J Thomas played Def also in hischool so that wasn't a switch over ---and let me know when Milton starts next yr--DSmith was recruited by Vt as def back so how did he get in this discussion?
Lets watch the progression of Lynch from WR to aback and Q Searcy from DB to WR and see if don't struggle in new position-good athletes but change is hard at this level

Why shouldn't Demond Smith be included as a successful position switch? He played QB in high school.
Why do you expect Qua Searcy to struggle at WR. He played both WR and DB in high school.
How many high schools have the equivalent of an A-back position? Why would it be any more difficult for a HS WR to learn the position vs a HS RB?

 

[PowderSpringsJacket88]

Deepest that this position has ever been. We need to recruit the some more good ones this class.

 

[alaguy]

Why shouldn't Demond Smith be included as a successful position switch? He played QB in high school.
Why do you expect Qua Searcy to struggle at WR. He played both WR and DB in high school.
How many high schools have the equivalent of an A-back position? Why would it be any more difficult for a HS WR to learn the position vs a HS RB?

On the official recruits listing for by Tech- Smith was listed as QB/DB ,DB as in DEF back
Searcy played more DB, also how much exp did this 175 lb WR get in hi school blocking 190 lb DBs and 230 lb LBs? .like he will almost EVERY play at Tech
er, Aback is much more different to WR,than running back to Aback - I have played both and I know
let me assure you ,it is better at this level if the guy previously played his position

 

[dressedcheeseside]

On the official recruits listing for by Tech- Smith was listed as QB/DB ,DB as in DEF back
Searcy played more DB, also how much exp did this 175 lb WR get in hi school blocking 190 lb DBs and 230 lb LBs? .like he will almost EVERY play at Tech
er, Aback is much more different to WR,than running back to Aback - I have played both and I know
let me assure you ,it is better at this level if the guy previously played his position

Guys change position more than you think. They outgrow positions all the time. If you're a player, you're a player. It doesn't mean instant failure. Good coaches adapt players to fit their needs.

 

[alaguy]

I repeat, at this level it is better to have played the position previously-doesn't mean they can't be decent but at THIS level,it seems that by the time they get enough exp,they are gone--see SDays

 

[AE 87]

On the official recruits listing for by Tech- Smith was listed as QB/DB ,DB as in DEF back
Searcy played more DB, also how much exp did this 175 lb WR get in hi school blocking 190 lb DBs and 230 lb LBs? .like he will almost EVERY play at Tech
er, Aback is much more different to WR,than running back to Aback - I have played both and I know
let me assure you ,it is better at this level if the guy previously played his position

How do you measure "played more?" As I understand it, the three kids we got from Lamar played both ways, Austins playing CB and QB + RB and Searcy playing S and WR. I didn't really follow them, but iirc, there were lots of games where they accounted for all the scores, Searcy having a lot of TD receptions.

 

[Rodney Kent]

It is reasonable that the coaches often see a player with the potential to play several positions, whether offense or defense. Of course, when it gets to the big uglies, they are generally limited to their recruitment spots, except their are some who can play offensive line as well as defensive line. I don't think this is as true today as it was years ago, but Bobby Dodd recruited a lot of quarterbacks for other positions. Back in those days, the quarterbacks were some of the more athletic players overall in High School and could play multiple positione; even offense or defense.

 

[Boomergump]

There are many head coaches of major programs who set a pretty high priority for recruiting HS QBs, regardless of where they will be playing in college. Personally, I don't think it is a bad strategy. They are usually the guys HS teams want to be handling the ball most, the play-makers, but also the guys with the higher football IQs who process the whole field and study the most film. That is pretty valuable, getting guys who understand the game and not just their position. When you think about it, athletic QBs are candidates to play about 5 or 6 other positions on the field. I like those odds of finding a place that works. Would anybody here have been worried if Nesbitt moved over to safety had Chan stayed and Renfree took over? I'm pretty sure Josh would have been a very physical and intimidating safety.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Nesbitt was awesome. Not sure he had hip turn to play safety but maybe. Could certainly lay the wood. Think he'd have been a good fullback or TE also.

 

[alaguy]

I don't doubt guys "can play" another position,it just how long will it take to learn it and at what level? It usually takes so long that they graduate before it seems we get full use.
It seems PJ tries to do this too much. Sims is an example -he was successful, but at what level? was he better or worse than the avg guy on this 7-6 team? And when did he really shine? think how good he could have been THIS yr

 

[Rodney Kent]

Boomergump: I always thought of Nesbitt as being a man playing a boy's game. He was dominant. mature, and strong.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Dang dude, after reading that I'm stoked about our wr corps!!!

But will we pass enough to make them stars?

 

[Techster]

Boomergump: I always thought of Nesbitt as being a man playing a boy's game. He was dominant. mature, and strong.

Nesbitt was a 4 star QB out of HS, but most of the college teams recruiting him wanted him at safety. Many that saw him in HS thought he would have been an elite safety in college...and it's a good reason he was able to make the Buffalo squad for a year even though he had not played it since HS. A big reason he ended up at GT was because we promised him a fair shot at QB.

 

[franklinjacket]

I don't doubt guys "can play" another position,it just how long will it take to learn it and at what level? It usually takes so long that they graduate before it seems we get full use.
It seems PJ tries to do this too much. Sims is an example -he was successful, but at what level? was he better or worse than the avg guy on this 7-6 team? And when did he really shine? think how good he could have been THIS yr

If we can't teach our supposedly smart athletes to learn a position in 4-5 years like you are suggesting, then we either need to evaluate how we teach or who we are recruiting. HS QBs are usually the most athletic and gifted football player on their team. Oregon in any given year has upwards of 20 former QBs on their team, and those are the guys making an impact for them. If the same strategy isn't working for us then I think we have bigger problems than having to move a guy from one position to another.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Nesbitt was a 4 star QB out of HS, but most of the college teams recruiting him wanted him at safety. Many that saw him in HS thought he would have been an elite safety in college...and it's a good reason he was able to make the Buffalo squad for a year even though he had not played it since HS. A big reason he ended up at GT was because we promised him a fair shot at QB.

If everybody else wanted him at safety, then how was he a 4* qb recruit? Maybe he was a 4* athlete?