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Patke: McCloud and Finley standing out at Striker after scrimmage

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CarolCityHigh said:
Did not Richt recruit Roquan Smith the # 8 over all pick at LB this year who played at 6-1-225-228- but clocked a 4.51--40 at combine? He bulked up to over 230 for the combine as some in the NFL were wondering about his weight.
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No I heard that Kirby smart is the reason he was picked that high and richt had nothing to do with it, lolol
 
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The Franchise said:
So we install the Striker position because McCloud can’t cover his own shoes. Now, Patke tells us McCloud and Finley are top 2 at Striker.
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Yeah it makes no sense. Smith was starting at the position all spring and now he mentally doesn’t know what to do?
 
Would be really surpried if it's a critical point in a game against a team playing 3-4WR and Smith isn't relied upon. Then again, I was really surprised how much we played 3 LBs against spread teams who quick passed us last year.

Smith is the only one who can change direction and give us a genuine man under option. If he's somehow lost in zone or can't redirect routes and pass receivers off, that's something coaching should be able to address. He's got every physical attribute you'd want for the hybrid position.
 
LuCane said:
Would be really surpried if it's a critical point in a game against a team playing 3-4WR and Smith isn't relied upon. Then again, I was really surprised how much we played 3 LBs against spread teams who quick passed us last year.

Smith is the only one who can change direction and give us a genuine man under option. If he's somehow lost in zone or can't redirect routes and pass receivers off, that's something coaching should be able to address. He's got every physical attribute you'd want for the hybrid position.
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Exactly. If Smith sits the bench while McCloud and Finley take l’s on the field ima lose my sht. I think I should be prepared to lose my sht......
 
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Smith & McCloud took some really suspect angles last year.
McCloud is just slow as **** so that’s what makes Smith the upgrade.

Hopefully we can see Smith improve this year in coverage and not letting guys get behind him. I personally think that’s the key to our defense this year. The D will only go as far as the LB core will take them,
 
cowboycane said:
TCU re-made their defense in this style as well, to the Nth degree, after a couple of down years facing the Big 12 spread / RPO offenses.

Patterson never had big corners, but his safeties and linebackers have gotten small to the point of interchangeable now.
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Yup...and not just TCU either, quite a few B12 teams are running dime as their base:

Iowa State and TCU are both playing nominally nickel packages but TCU’s DL is undersized at every spot save for nose tackle and their Sam LB Travin Howard is basically a full-time box safety. For all intents and purposes, TCU plays a 4-1-6 dime defense and the DEs are almost linebackers themselves so it’s close to a 2-3-6. Iowa State is only playing one true DT up front and BOTH of their outside linebackers are essentially down safeties, what’s more they regularly drop eight into coverage and play what amounts to a base dime defense when they’re in this three-down front. They’re as close to being a 3-1-7 as a 3-3-5.

Why dime is now base defense in the Big 12
 
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Coach Patke is saying when the offensive personnel calls for a true linebacker like McCloud or Wilder to play the striker, McCloud will be on the field.

When the personnel calls for a big safety like Finley or Smith to play the striker, Finley will be on the field.

The issue with Smith is only his youth, as he gets more experience that part will take care of itself.
 
KrazyCane said:
Coach Patke is saying when the offensive personnel calls for a true linebacker like McCloud or Wilder to play the striker, McCloud will be on the field.

When the personnel calls for a big safety like Finley or Smith to play the striker, Finley will be on the field.

The issue with Smith is only his youth, as he gets more experience that part will take care of itself.
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Right. He literally said they just renamed the SAM position, and based on the team and personnel we're playing against, it'll either be a McCloud/Wilder package or a Finley/Smith package.
 
Why all the faith in Derrick Smith but not Romeo Finley? Smith had some success as the nickel in 2017 but was behind Knowles, Finley, Carter at safety all season.

And now we have people saying that they'll kill themselves if Finley is in the game ahead of Smith on a passing down? There's a reason they're out there competing.
 
If Derrick isn't a fit at Striker move him back to safety where he was coming into his own at the end of last season; either way he needs to see the field. With Jaquan and Sheldrick gone after this year we may need him back there.
 
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cooks002 said:
If Derrick isn't a fit at Striker move him back to safety where he was coming into his own at the end of last season; either way he needs to see the field. With Jaquan and Sheldrick gone after this year we may need him back there.
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We will need him back there. We have one safety commit and bring back Carter, Hall, Knowles as of now.
 
rokulika said:
Why all the faith in Derrick Smith but not Romeo Finley? Smith had some success as the nickel in 2017 but was behind Knowles, Finley, Carter at safety all season.

And now we have people saying that they'll kill themselves if Finley is in the game ahead of Smith on a passing down? There's a reason they're out there competing.
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I was surprised by Smith’s athleticism coupled with his size. I think people just feel like that’s the perfect kinda dude for the striker role; a fluid athlete who has the feet/awareness to be decent against the pass....with the size to play the run.

I haven’t seen much of Finley. So, it’s hard to put a label on his skills for the role as a whole.

I could be wrong....but I thought Smith was shining in the role in the spring. Maybe the other two stepped up or he took a step back......?
 
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I like McCloud but I like the 4-2-5 with Bandy roaming. McCloud kept putting Shaq in situations where he had to cover two or three gaps b/c McCloud is terrible when it comes to gap control. Keep Shaq in the middle and pinkey on the outside and let Bandy roam..
 
None of this talk will matter if Diaz keeps trotting Zach McCloud out against spread teams. He's a straight liability in coverage. Play him against run first opponents or in obvious run situations. Otherwise play anybody else at striker.
 
cooks002 said:
If Derrick isn't a fit at Striker move him back to safety where he was coming into his own at the end of last season; either way he needs to see the field. With Jaquan and Sheldrick gone after this year we may need him back there.
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Who says Derrick is not a fit at striker?? Romeo is just ahead of him it’s called competition. Romeo was a 4 star recruit he’s not a slouch and is a year older. Smith will get playing time he’s just the #2 option behind Finley when the personnel calls for a big safety.

Some of y’all are making this a bigger deal than it really is.
 
Smith was hyped up by the fans during spring ball but Patke said Finley was ahead of him when practices wrapped up. What Smith did in 2017 was impressive but now that there's better options at safety and nickel I'm not sure where he fits in the equation in 2018 if the current depth chart holds.
 
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