Starting lineup

Techster

Helluva Engineer
Messages
18,237
I am really high on LG too. He was tossed into the fire some last year without a lot of time or background to make it work. It was pretty much all physicality and general football IQ that got him through. Something tells me he will be a really really good blocker. Additionally, he is the type to break tackles and that is huge because ABs find themselves with one guy to beat a bunch of the time. I'll bet the off season has been kind to him and he has learned a bunch making him a totally different player this year.

Another guy I am expecting a lot from is Qua Searcy. Although not the most physical, he is faster and more slippery than anybody at AB last season, with great body control and hands. Before the freak injury at ND, he really looked like he was breaking out. I would think his injury is way further back in the rear view mirror than, say, Cottrell's.

One of the things that excites me about this group of ABs is the skillset of each AB is so diverse. Gone are the days of the "pony back" ABs who were primarily RBs but weren't as polished in the passing game. I think having RB only ABs has really limited the overall offense and what CPJ could do. I don't think it's a coincidence that our staff is recruiting more slash/athlete type ABs as opposed to guys like Tony Zennon, Marcus Wright, and even Roddy Jones...though I think CPJ would take another Roddy in a heart beat (as would I).

Guys like Qua, Clinton, Nathan, Omarhi...those could could play WR and slot WRs in any other offense, but all of them have the ability to run with the ball as well. Then we have guys like JJ Green and Lynn Griffin. They are flat out slobber knockers on the perimeter, and will run through defenders as well as put them on their backsides blocking. Those guys are what I call "message senders". It's going to be a long day for DBs when they see those two coming at them.

Gonna be exciting to watch this group play that's for sure.
 

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
Messages
14,220
One of the things that excites me about this group of ABs is the skillset of each AB is so diverse. Gone are the days of the "pony back" ABs who were primarily RBs but weren't as polished in the passing game. I think having RB only ABs has really limited the overall offense and what CPJ could do. I don't think it's a coincidence that our staff is recruiting more slash/athlete type ABs as opposed to guys like Tony Zennon, Marcus Wright, and even Roddy Jones...though I think CPJ would take another Roddy in a heart beat (as would I).

Guys like Qua, Clinton, Nathan, Omarhi...those could could play WR and slot WRs in any other offense, but all of them have the ability to run with the ball as well. Then we have guys like JJ Green and Lynn Griffin. They are flat out slobber knockers on the perimeter, and will run through defenders as well as put them on their backsides blocking. Those guys are what I call "message senders". It's going to be a long day for DBs when they see those two coming at them.

Gonna be exciting to watch this group play that's for sure.
I tend to agree, but at this point it's all hopes and dreams. Hopefully it'll be real in a week on end.
 

alagold

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,736
Location
Huntsville,Al
I think the people who are not convinced about Cottrell boil down to people who haven't watched his senior year high school film. You simply don't see speed like that very often. Also, remember that they made him run the electrically timed 40 seven (that's 7) times in the combines because they didn't believe what they were seeing. His average for those seven attempts was … 4.35. You don't see that as an average speed all that often. It's no wonder he was slated to start last year.

I expect that Boom is right and he's still working his way through injuries and back into football shape. I also predict that he'll be seeing the field a lot by the time we play the Tiggers. Nobody in his right mind would leave that kind of explosiveness (and he can run in traffic too) on the bench any longer then was absolutely necessary.

Has Cottrell been discussed as a KO returner?.It looks like he would be perfect and if not--why?
 

Boomergump

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
Messages
3,281
Has Cottrell been discussed as a KO returner?.It looks like he would be perfect and if not--why?
I like the idea of Cottrell returning kicks. I watched his HS film again the other day out of curiosity. It had been a while. On the film he reminds of Kelly Rhino, EXCEPT, he is fast as he11. Nathan is a decisive, one cut, north and south runner with a lot of speed. Even though there isn't a ton of film of him returning kicks, he looks like it would fit him quite well, just watching him take handoffs and stuff.
 

danny daniel

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,613
Has Cottrell been discussed as a KO returner?.It looks like he would be perfect and if not--why?

Kick returner is the most dangerous position in football. I think it is too early to consider Cottrell considering he is coming off ACL rehab and still getting over a hamstring pull. Personally, I would use a non 2 deep player (like O Jarrett) who has the skills but is not getting much playing time. Ball security is also a main issue. L Griffin would be my other candidate.
 

Boomergump

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
Messages
3,281
Kick returner is the most dangerous position in football. I think it is too early to consider Cottrell considering he is coming off ACL rehab and still getting over a hamstring pull. Personally, I would use a non 2 deep player (like O Jarrett) who has the skills but is not getting much playing time. Ball security is also a main issue. L Griffin would be my other candidate.
That is a pretty good point.
 

txsting

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
129
That is a pretty good point.
Someone mentioned Benson here, he's a guy with track speed and strength enough to run through arms. It takes a certain bravery though, many guys could physically do it, but mentally it takes something else. Ultimately i think you just have to try and see under live fire.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
 

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
9,668
One of the things that excites me about this group of ABs is the skillset of each AB is so diverse. Gone are the days of the "pony back" ABs who were primarily RBs but weren't as polished in the passing game. I think having RB only ABs has really limited the overall offense and what CPJ could do. I don't think it's a coincidence that our staff is recruiting more slash/athlete type ABs as opposed to guys like Tony Zennon, Marcus Wright, and even Roddy Jones...though I think CPJ would take another Roddy in a heart beat (as would I).

Guys like Qua, Clinton, Nathan, Omarhi...those could could play WR and slot WRs in any other offense, but all of them have the ability to run with the ball as well. Then we have guys like JJ Green and Lynn Griffin. They are flat out slobber knockers on the perimeter, and will run through defenders as well as put them on their backsides blocking. Those guys are what I call "message senders". It's going to be a long day for DBs when they see those two coming at them.

Gonna be exciting to watch this group play that's for sure.
I believe coach used the spread passing while he was in Hawaii.

it would be pretty cool if we added a passing quarterback as a backup and shifted to a passing attack when bringing in speed ab and bb.

Perhaps the speed backs and passing qb could work on 7/7 drills . They could come in ocasionally and specifically come in when we need to NOT burn clock at end of game.

That would really shake up the defensive coordinators and could help us get over hump against super talented well prepared aggressive defenses.

It is fun to think about different ways of using the speed talent we have but we need to fit it into our base spread option.
 

AE 87

Helluva Engineer
Messages
13,026
I believe coach used the spread passing while he was in Hawaii.

it would be pretty cool if we added a passing quarterback as a backup and shifted to a passing attack when bringing in speed ab and bb.

Perhaps the speed backs and passing qb could work on 7/7 drills . They could come in ocasionally and specifically come in when we need to NOT burn clock at end of game.

That would really shake up the defensive coordinators and could help us get over hump against super talented well prepared aggressive defenses.

It is fun to think about different ways of using the speed talent we have but we need to fit it into our base spread option.

I've often thought that one way to use multiple QBs and backs who can play but aren't top shelf is for them to practice different packages. It's fun to think about a completely different game plan coming out for 2nd half.
 

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
Messages
14,220
Someone mentioned Benson here, he's a guy with track speed and strength enough to run through arms. It takes a certain bravery though, many guys could physically do it, but mentally it takes something else. Ultimately i think you just have to try and see under live fire.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Reliable hands is the #1 trait for a punt returner. There's nothing more discouraging to a defense than to have to come back on the field after doing your job and defending a short field and fired up O. Games turn on such plays.
 

Techster

Helluva Engineer
Messages
18,237
I believe coach used the spread passing while he was in Hawaii.

it would be pretty cool if we added a passing quarterback as a backup and shifted to a passing attack when bringing in speed ab and bb.

Perhaps the speed backs and passing qb could work on 7/7 drills . They could come in ocasionally and specifically come in when we need to NOT burn clock at end of game.

That would really shake up the defensive coordinators and could help us get over hump against super talented well prepared aggressive defenses.

It is fun to think about different ways of using the speed talent we have but we need to fit it into our base spread option.

CPJ used the same offense. Remember, our passing comes from the Run-n-Shoot, and our offense has its origins from the RnS. It's just that CPJ had a talented passing QB at Hawaii and focused on the RnS to make use of his talents and used the option game to compliment him (kinda the reverse of what's where we are today). But even then CPJ referred to his offense as a "spread" offense.

If you have the time, it's pretty interesting to watch what this offense can become if it emphasized the pass a little more:



I think if Lucas Johnson can master our option game, the offense he ran with Gabrial at Hawaii will be what we could see here.
 

takethepoints

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,096
Gabriel gives up opportunities to run right and left in the first few minutes.

Still, you're right. If we had someone who could throw like that, we'd throw more. What I'd rather see, however, is a Ricky Dobbs/Kennan Reynolds performance from him. He definitely has the capability.

Fun fact: Aloha Stadium is on tracks. It also has giant blowers under the different sections that can raise the sections a few millimeters off the ground. You turned on the blowers, attach a tow motor to the section, and - presto! - reconfigure the stadium. This is what you call thinking out of the box. They locked it into football configuration in 2007 because it cost too much to keep the blowers in repair. Too bad. I saw it being reconfigured on tv and it was fun to watch.
 
Top