Who is our 1-8?

[GTonTop88]

We have all talked about needing more 1-8 guys, while I dont think we have alot of high end 1-8 guys I think from top to bottom we're pretty good. Not bad though. You get 3 Honerable mentions

This question is for next years team with alot of unproven guys on offense dont think im defense bias

1) JT (obvious)
2) DJ White (tough decision with #3)
3) Jamal Golden ( see #2)
4) Adam Gotsis
5) Freddie Burden (stepped up big)
6) K. Freeman (highly underrated)
7) PJ (high intensity and plays hard)
8) Snoddy (biggest improvement)
Honorable Mention: Bryan Chamberlain, Chris Milton, Dennis Andrews

JHD could be anywhere from 2-8 if he's eligible next year. Unproven, but the way Shaq talks I would say he comes in at #2.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I think you have a couple too high, but it is too soon to tell.

 

[Nook Su Kow]

Smoove and DJ definitely belong.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

I'm not sure I'm buying in to the whole 1-8 convo as much after last year. IMO the 1-8 scenario referred to a mediocre team lifted up by 8 players to a higher level over all. So many different guys stepped up big at different times in a bunch of games. Yea we had some stars out there but I think we have advanced top to bottom in team talent considerably. And it honestly caught me a little by surprise. I think it will be harder to single out the top eight guys with so many contributing in big ways.

 

[thwgjacket]

Reports suggest CJ Leggett could be in that group.

 

[DTGT]

Here is the real 1-8:

1. ...
2. Team
3. Coaching Staff
4. ...
...
8. ...

Why is the team #2? Because they are good; their sum is less than the machine as a whole, but there is still room for improvement.

 

[CobbTech]

I've seen this statement many times on multiple GT boards. "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." To me, that's saying the guys aren't that talented. I say F that. Our "1-8" last year was darn good.

1. JT
2. Shaq
3. Smelter
4. DJ White
5. Burden
6. Nealy
7. PJ Davis
8. Days

You could throw a few other guys in that mix (Waller, Golden, Gotsis). Maybe not quite as good as the 1-8 we had in 08 and 09 but our 9-85 now is way better than what we had then. I kept hearing in the offseason last year how bad our talent was that I started to believe. How stupid was I? Think about these guys above. The big plays that we consistently got from them. Sure, they all work together to make plays. But there were great individual plays. And it wasn't like a different guy would emerge every week. It was the same guys. My point is, a lot of people underestimated the talent that we had on this team.

1. JT
2. DJ White
3. Burden
4. PJ Davis
5. ?
6. ?
7. ?
8. ?

So who will step up next year? Searcy? Jeune? Leggett? Devine? Gary Brown? Harrell? You could throw Golden in there. He's made a ton of plays.

 

[Techster]

I like when people get cute with these things and list "team" and "coaches"...seriously, individual players make a team and coaches aren't getting on the field (they aren't eligible...). The better players you have, the better team you have and the coaching is better enhanced on the field. You think plays like JT making VT's defenders whiff at air and picking up huge chunks of yards to get a first down, or DJ White blazing 40 yards down the field to chase down a sure TD is all coaching or because of "the team"? Nope...it's individual moments of brilliance that certain special players have the ability to provide.

Whether some like it or not, certain players are more important, and better players than others...thus making the team better.

 

[MidtownJacket]

I think the other thing we forget is this offense is predicated on moving the ball to where the D isn't. Which means if we get a STUD at BBack, or ABack, or QBack there is more than likely going to be eless carries in that guy's hands.

When the D focuses on something we typically move away from it because it frees up the other guy.

That said, when we have all three positions with guys who can be a real threat this offense is deadly. That is where we are getting to - and with the OLine we have coming back and a QB who can read and react as well as JeT.. Hold on.

 

[MtownJacket]

I hope our 1-8 turn out to be:
1. JT
2. Gotsis
3. Jabari
4. Shamire
5. Chamberlain
6. Freeman
7. Burden
8. CJ Leggett

I think our 1-8 will actually be:
1. JT
2. DJ White
3. Golden
4. Shamire
5. Gotsis
6. Snoddy
7. Jabari
8. Chamberlain

 

[johncu]

Jamal Golden is a wild card, IMO. He makes some really impactful plays, but he's also been a pretty poor tackler at times. He seemed to get better as the season progressed - was it possibly related to his shoulder injury last year? I can't imagine that it would be easy to recover psychologically from that, especially if you weren't much of a hitter before it happened.

If he becomes a more consistent tackler I could see him as an All-ACC guy, just because of his nose for the ball.

 

[Eric]

Good point on Golden...Feel like he turned it on mid way this year.

INT vs Miami
INT vs UVa
INT for 6 vs Clemson
FF vs Miss St

Impressed with him toward the end of the year.

 

[MidtownJacket]

I hope the guys continue the no fly zone mantra next season - that was a lot of fun to watch guys fight for and win 50/50 balls

 

[Longestday]

Game changers and 1-8 best players

JT's ability to make good reads is job number one. JT's game changing ability comes in the speed he can run the option and the ability to make something from nothing.

Golden and DJ White both made many "game changing" plays. DJ White seemed to make his game changing plays on coverage and Golden made his on "knowing/reading the play".

Milton came on stronger as 2014 progressed. I look forward to seeing if he can jump from a good/great CB to the game changer category in 2015.

Domination of a position is game changing and I believe Shaq fits that bill. The question is will Brown or JHD do the same for their positions given their accolades coming out of practice.

If Gotsis can find more rest rotation in 2015, I believe he can be even more effective. Gotsis will also start to dominate as others draw more blockers as well. Burden does his job very well. I wonder if he could have even a greater impact with a little rest in the games. It is always dangerous to change out centers due to snaps and fumbles.

I have a lot of respect for Chamberlain, Braun, Griffin, and Devine as they played very well in 2014. They have every chance to become dominate in 2015.

I can see Freeman becoming a game changer with a year of weight training and a full year of college level practice.

Erin Joe showed the ability to dominate and he became more of a weapon as he hit is assignments more consistently in 2014.

Andrews is going to come on strong and be a good AB for us in 2015. He had a great end of the year and improved each of the last three games. He will be one of our higher producers in 2015 in both running and blocking.

Snoddy showed some great running ability and improved his running instincts. I do not have a lot of information on blocking ability as he seemed to be used as a situation A Back. I look forward to Snoddy bouncing back from the injury and changing the outcome of our games.

PJ is always on the play and a great player of the game. Is he game changing? He certainly changes the game for us.

There are many others to look forward to watching in 2015. The Austin twins, Searcy, Durham, Harrell, Corey Griffin, L Griffin, Gamble, Leggett, and Summers all come to mind.

I. Willis is on my watch list to see if he can break out and become Godhigh part two. I am rooting for him!

If I missed you, don't get upset. All you need is to get on the field and make everyone watch you change the game!

 

[danny daniel]

Game changers and 1-8 best players

JT's ability to make good reads is job number one. JT's game changing ability comes in the speed he can run the option and the ability to make something from nothing.

Golden and DJ White both made many "game changing" plays. DJ White seemed to make his game changing plays on coverage and Golden made his on "knowing/reading the play".

Milton came on stronger as 2014 progressed. I look forward to seeing if he can jump from a good/great CB to the game changer category in 2015.

Domination of a position is game changing and I believe Shaq fits that bill. The question is will Brown or JHD do the same for their positions given their accolades coming out of practice.

If Gotsis can find more rest rotation in 2015, I believe he can be even more effective. Gotsis will also start to dominate as others draw more blockers as well. Burden does his job very well. I wonder if he could have even a greater impact with a little rest in the games. It is always dangerous to change out centers due to snaps and fumbles.

I have a lot of respect for Chamberlain, Braun, Griffin, and Devine as they played very well in 2014. They have every chance to become dominate in 2015.

I can see Freeman becoming a game changer with a year of weight training and a full year of college level practice.

Erin Joe showed the ability to dominate and he became more of a weapon as he hit is assignments more consistently in 2014.



Andrews is going to come on strong and be a good AB for us in 2015. He had a great end of the year and improved each of the last three games. He will be one of our higher producers in 2015 in both running and blocking.

Snoddy showed some great running ability and improved his running instincts. I do not have a lot of information on blocking ability as he seemed to be used as a situation A Back. I look forward to Snoddy bouncing back from the injury and changing the outcome of our games.

PJ is always on the play and a great player of the game. Is he game changing? He certainly changes the game for us.

There are many others to look forward to watching in 2015. The Austin twins, Searcy, Durham, Harrell, Corey Griffin, L Griffin, Gamble, Leggett, and Summers all come to mind.

I. Willis is on my watch list to see if he can break out and become Godhigh part two. I am rooting for him!

If I missed you, don't get upset. All you need is to get on the field and make everyone watch you change the game!

Gret analysis. Maybe we should be looking forward to Jeune and Messick as well. I share your hope for Willis to make a meaningful contribution. I am a little stronger on what I believe was a dominant blocking performance by Burden and Joe down the stretch.

 

[RamblinCharger]

I don't mind making a list of best players. It shouldn't hurt the rest of the teams feelings or anything, especially if everyone has the same goal (winning the ACC and beyond)

1. JT
- no one is even close and that isn't because we don't have any other great players, it's just because he is that good imo.

2. Freeman
- he may be too high for most people, but without he and PJ this year we wouldn't have gotten any pressure at all... Freeman really impressed me during the second half of the season and I think he could end up being a really high draft pick if he puts on some weight and continues to improve.

3. DJ white
- This guy is just a lockdown corner. He has great ball skills and has the speed to play on Sunday's one day, and I think he will.

4. Gotsis
- as some of you have pointed out, Adam took a lot of double teams this year, but if we find someone (maybe Jabari) to help him in the middle, I think he will cause a lot of trouble for opposing offenses.

5. Snoddy
- Broderick was exactly what we were hoping he could be this year. If he comes back healthy, which I'm praying that he does, he needs to have 10-15 touches a game. I know that is a lot for Abacks, but we have to get him the ball on screens, tosses, inside veers, etc. He is the real deal and a true home run threat.

6. Golden
Jamal seemed slightly slower this year, probably due to his injury from 2013. I think with an off season to work out he will get stronger and will get some of that speed back and I think he will be back to his old ways in the return game. He also seems to be a pretty good safety and I can only imagine he will improve in that area.

7. Devine
- I think he will improve stamina and lose some weight in the off season and then I think he will absolutely blow up defensive lines opening up huge holes for my number 8.

8. CJ Leggett
- CJ looks really good on tape and with a really really good offensive line, I think he will run all over the place this year. If you can make a cut as a BBack in this offense and then accelerate quickly, you will have a lot of success, and I don't think we will drop off at all from Synjin.

Honorable mentions:
- JHD (he isn't officially playing, so I didn't want to list him, although I think it is possible that he could be number 2 on the list if he gets his grades up)

- Whitehead (the guy has skills from what I've seen. I don't know how they will use him maybe as a blitzing OLB in order to have he and freeman on the field at the same time and I haven't heard much about him in a while, but I hope he can help us get some pressure on the QB.)

- Austin Twins (I felt like I heard their names a lot near the end of the year and they seems like good athletes that will succeed in anything on the field)

 

[Boomergump]

This is a really good discussion, but it is hard to answer because we have a lot of guys moving up into prominent roles and none of us really know how they are going to do. Last year, I will say that JT and SM were 1a and 1b. JT led the team and turned up the speed on the option to mach 3. We probably ran 2 of every 3 dives right up SM's back in the UGA game and dared them to do something to stop it. They never could. 2 of every 3! I hope everybody here appreciates how SM put this entire team on his back, literally and physically, for most of the last year.

As far as next year, I don't know. For sure JT should be one of the 8, if not #1. I have a TON of respect for DJ White and Chris Milton. They will be at the top as well. In fact, I would take our corners over any team in the league, bar none. I believe Shamire has the highest upside of any TECH player in quite a while. However, I am not so sure about how he is progressing on the health, fitness, and nutrition front. With a fitness level equalvalent to his peer, TB at LG, we are talking about possible All ACC at RG for Shamire. JG is as intelligent and instinctive as Morgan Burnett was at Safety. For that reason alone he belongs in there somewhere. Hopefully, he will be stronger and a little more physical in the coming year, taking him over the top. That leaves 3 for the top 8. I am not so sure who the others are, but the door is open for many to step up. Gotsis and Davis are names that come to mind, but I am not sure. Maybe Leggett lights it up? We have some really good LBs returning and OLs too, who knows? Snoddy?

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Hard to predict starters much less "stars". As good as we were this year, I think all the coaches would say we could be a lot better.

 

[CuseJacket]

All the names tossed around make sense. One name I don't see mentioned yet is Butker. I can look past overall FG % when the season included a game-winning FG, The Kick, and finishing #12 nationally in touchback %. In the span of two years we've gone from wondering how much field position we'll give up on kickoffs to wondering what the heck happened when Butker doesn't kick the ball through the end zone.

 

[TechnicalPossum]

1) Justin Thomas
2) Adam Gotsis
3) DJ White
4) Jamal Golden
5) Freddie Burden
6) KeShun Freeman
7) PJ Davis
8) Broderick Snoddy