BWCD
Junior
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2012
- Messages
- 2,763
I see comments/threads on here all the time about how Player X must suck and will never contribute here because we haven't seen their name reported in an article here and there, and/or--they're a Freshman/Sophomore and they've not cracked the starting line-up yet.
Folks--keep in mind that you're supposed to REDSHIRT most of your freshmen if they can't contribute right away, and unless you're forced to play them because you're thin. Just because Larry Hope or Thomas Finnie aren't household names yet doesn't mean they suck or deserve to be asked to leave the team...it just doesn't.
Before the days of microwave recruiting, ESPN airing HS football games, and ESPNU wall-to-wall coverage of HS kids' decisions on a daily basis...there was a time when kids had to go to a program, work hard, and pay their dues before they saw the field. If you came into a program, and weren't ready to play D1 ball--you were redshirted, and told to wait your turn. That gave you another year to workout and get stronger, and another season to play against D1 level speed on the scout team as well as put in more film room time to help you learn the game.
There was even a time when kids took as much as 3-4 years to contribute *gasp*. Redshirt Juniors used to be all over the place, and sometimes, that was the first time you had ever heard their name on the roster...because before that, they just weren't ready, and needed those 2-3 years before that to prepare to contribute. By the time they saw the field as a RS Junior though, they were ready. A solid 2 years, and they got drafted if things went their way.
There's at least one guy on this year's team that fits this mold, and I wish more kids were like him. That kid is Shane McDermott. He's a RS Sophomore, and was a part of the 2010 class. This kid is the same age as Linder and Henderson, and will make his first starts this season. We've seen Linder and Henderson in the rotation for the past 2 years out of necessity. McDermott, on the other hand, could have possibly helped us as a G in the rotation the past two seasons at 6'3/266, and could be a true Junior like Linder/Henderson right now. Instead, we were able to redshirt him in 2010, have him as a RS Freshman last year, and now as a RS Sophomore at 6'4/296 (and 3 years in a college lifting/offseason program)--he's our starting C. That's this year, 2013, and 2014 we get this kid for to anchor the OL at the C spot. I'm excited that we were able to manage this kid in that way. It's going to be pretty awesome to see this kid not only this year but as a Junior/Senior in his 4th/5th years respectively to play at a high level for us
This is the way it should be done. Granted--the C spot is an easier one to do this with (as there's just one C on the field at a time), but ultimately--we should be OK and even happy with kids currently on this roster like Larry Hope, Jontavious Carter, D'Mauri Jones, Jawand Blue, Gabriel Terry, and Jake O'Donnell just to name a few being able to redshirt now, have a few years in our system w/o burning eligibility, and being able to play them when they're actually ready to play. The fact that they're not ready to play right now doesn't mean they suck or can't play for us in the future. It simply means they're not ready for the 2012 season as true Freshmen...and there's nothing wrong with that at all.
Folks--keep in mind that you're supposed to REDSHIRT most of your freshmen if they can't contribute right away, and unless you're forced to play them because you're thin. Just because Larry Hope or Thomas Finnie aren't household names yet doesn't mean they suck or deserve to be asked to leave the team...it just doesn't.
Before the days of microwave recruiting, ESPN airing HS football games, and ESPNU wall-to-wall coverage of HS kids' decisions on a daily basis...there was a time when kids had to go to a program, work hard, and pay their dues before they saw the field. If you came into a program, and weren't ready to play D1 ball--you were redshirted, and told to wait your turn. That gave you another year to workout and get stronger, and another season to play against D1 level speed on the scout team as well as put in more film room time to help you learn the game.
There was even a time when kids took as much as 3-4 years to contribute *gasp*. Redshirt Juniors used to be all over the place, and sometimes, that was the first time you had ever heard their name on the roster...because before that, they just weren't ready, and needed those 2-3 years before that to prepare to contribute. By the time they saw the field as a RS Junior though, they were ready. A solid 2 years, and they got drafted if things went their way.
There's at least one guy on this year's team that fits this mold, and I wish more kids were like him. That kid is Shane McDermott. He's a RS Sophomore, and was a part of the 2010 class. This kid is the same age as Linder and Henderson, and will make his first starts this season. We've seen Linder and Henderson in the rotation for the past 2 years out of necessity. McDermott, on the other hand, could have possibly helped us as a G in the rotation the past two seasons at 6'3/266, and could be a true Junior like Linder/Henderson right now. Instead, we were able to redshirt him in 2010, have him as a RS Freshman last year, and now as a RS Sophomore at 6'4/296 (and 3 years in a college lifting/offseason program)--he's our starting C. That's this year, 2013, and 2014 we get this kid for to anchor the OL at the C spot. I'm excited that we were able to manage this kid in that way. It's going to be pretty awesome to see this kid not only this year but as a Junior/Senior in his 4th/5th years respectively to play at a high level for us
This is the way it should be done. Granted--the C spot is an easier one to do this with (as there's just one C on the field at a time), but ultimately--we should be OK and even happy with kids currently on this roster like Larry Hope, Jontavious Carter, D'Mauri Jones, Jawand Blue, Gabriel Terry, and Jake O'Donnell just to name a few being able to redshirt now, have a few years in our system w/o burning eligibility, and being able to play them when they're actually ready to play. The fact that they're not ready to play right now doesn't mean they suck or can't play for us in the future. It simply means they're not ready for the 2012 season as true Freshmen...and there's nothing wrong with that at all.
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