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Spring observations after two weeks

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3FW said:
How about Damari? I know he just started playing. They may need to overpay for LB. Hate that the University of Miami has no LBs.
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Maybe this crazy looking mf is a hidden gem

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Excellent update. Sounds like backup QB (1st world problem) and perhaps 1 experienced player to add to the competition for WR1/WR2 role.

Sounds RayRay is one of the “takes time to develop” kids who’s finally finding footing in Year 3, which is fine with me.

Hoping for similar results with Chance Robinson as the aforementioned RayRay….what say you @DMoney

I feel that we’ll be fine at LB…some guys just aren’t 7v7/helmets only type players and will play much better when the pads come on…if the uninspired play continues when the pads get poppin, then I’ll sound the alarm…
 
I would really love to find a experienced backup QB in the portal. That's a harder sell than all. Just a game manager. You have a better shot at back channeling a NIIL offer to a LB to go into the portal. They will start making portal decisions this week anyway. I will guess between 5-8 more players brought in. I just need to see more players develop during the season.
 
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Memnon said:
Do we really need a portal LB?

Haven't we recruited enough blue chip 4-star backers that can pick up what's supposed to be a much simpler Defense?

I mean worst comes to worst can't we just put Lofton at LB?

We just saw Travis Hunter win a Heisman playing over 1,000 snaps as a 2-way player, according to what keeps getting reported couldn't he do the same?

Best RB, Best TE, best pure Blocker & pass-catcher, Best overall player on the team etc..; Sounds like a freak athlete All-American type player to me, so why not?
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Because LB is hard enough FOR KIDS WHO ACTUALLY PLAY LINEBACKER.

Linebacker is the least likely position where you can just throw someone in.

Way too many intangibles involved.
 
Coach Macho said:
Because LB is hard enough FOR KIDS WHO ACTUALLY PLAY LINEBACKER.

Linebacker is the least likely position where you can just throw someone in.
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Then there's something seriously wrong with our LB evaluation process.

LB's like Sammy Brown, Drayk Bowen, Anthony Hill Jr, Harold Perkins, Suntarine Perkins, Red Murdock, Isaac Smith, Whit Weeks, Jaden Yates, Keaton Thomas, Kyle Louis, Austin Romaine, Josiah Trotter, were are all 1st or 2nd year LB's who stepped in & played well right away.

We have a LB room that's 9 deep that only occupies 2 spots given that we don't play a traditional 4-3 or a 3-4 & we're still in need of a Portal LB??

All while playing in a more simplified Defense...

The math ain't adding up somewhere.
 
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Memnon said:
Then there's something seriously wrong with our LB evaluation process.

LB's like Sammy Brown, Drayk Bowen, Anthony Hill Jr, Harold Perkins, Suntarine Perkins, Red Murdock, Isaac Smith, Whit Weeks, Jaden Yates, Keaton Thomas, Kyle Louis, Austin Romaine, Josiah Trotter, were are all 1st or 2nd year LB's who stepped in & played well right away.

We have a LB room that's 9 deep that only occupies 2 spots given that we don't play a traditional 4-3 or a 3-4 & we're still in need of a Portal LB??

All while playing in a more simplified Defense...

The math ain't adding up somewhere.
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Triple H Hhh GIF by WWE
 
Memnon said:
Then there's something seriously wrong with our LB evaluation process.

LB's like Sammy Brown, Drayk Bowen, Anthony Hill Jr, Harold Perkins, Suntarine Perkins, Red Murdock, Isaac Smith, Whit Weeks, Jaden Yates, Keaton Thomas, Kyle Louis, Austin Romaine, Josiah Trotter, were are all 1st or 2nd year LB's who stepped in & played well right away.

We have a LB room that's 9 deep that only occupies 2 spots given that we don't play a traditional 4-3 or a 3-4 & we're still in need of a Portal LB??

All while playing in a more simplified Defense...

The math ain't adding up somewhere.
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Said this multiple times the past couple months. Popo and/or Hayes need to be a dude/dudes. All there is to it. If they’re not, we need a portal kid and we’re likely to struggle there. And if that happens, then the staff didn’t recruit and develop the position well enough. It’s Year 4. Nobody in that group has had some unlucky, catastrophic injury. Nobody’s been kicked off the team or got hit by the Brightline. If you’re not good enough at that spot, your recruiting has sucked and that’s inexcusable.

Popo was a Top 200 recruit with offers from every big school.

Hayes was a Top 120 recruit, Top 10 at his position with a similar offer sheet.

They can’t both be unplayable. If they are, you’re right. The math ain’t mathin’. One of those kids has to be, at worst, an above-average ACC linebacker. Figure it out.

Mario has had 2 “real” classes to produce at least 1 good backer who should be counted on to produce in a big way this season. 2023 and 2024. We got Bryant (moved down to edge), Popo, Washington, Pulliam (gone), Hayes, and Pruitt. You can’t have a goose egg in that entire haul. If you do, you failed the test.
 
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OrangeBowlMagic said:
Said this multiple times the past couple months. Popo and/or Hayes need to be a dude/dudes. All there is to it. If they’re not, we need a portal kid and we’re likely to struggle there. And if that happens, then the staff didn’t recruit and develop the position well enough. It’s Year 4. Nobody in that group has had some unlucky, catastrophic injury. Nobody’s been kicked off the team or got hit by the Brightline. If you’re not good enough at that spot, your recruiting has sucked and that’s inexcusable.

Popo was a Top 200 recruit with offers from every big school.

Hayes was a Top 120 recruit, Top 10 at his position with a similar offer sheet.

They can’t both be unplayable. If they are, you’re right. The math ain’t mathin’. One of those kids has to be, at worst, an above-average ACC linebacker. Figure it out.
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Exactly what I'm saying people keep saying portal LB. We'll if that's the case what is going on with the development of the guys like Popo, Hayes, Pruitt, Wiley. Recruiting all these freak show talents how long will it take for them to be ready I'm at the point I would just throw them on the field let them develop with reps like we did with Wes. Learn on the fly sink or swim
 
Memnon said:
Then there's something seriously wrong with our LB evaluation process.

LB's like Sammy Brown, Drayk Bowen, Anthony Hill Jr, Harold Perkins, Suntarine Perkins, Red Murdock, Isaac Smith, Whit Weeks, Jaden Yates, Keaton Thomas, Kyle Louis, Austin Romaine, Josiah Trotter, were are all 1st or 2nd year LB's who stepped in & played well right away.

We have a LB room that's 9 deep that only occupies 2 spots given that we don't play a traditional 4-3 or a 3-4 & we're still in need of a Portal LB??

All while playing in a more simplified Defense...

The math ain't adding up somewhere.
Click to expand...
Honestly you can have all the talent in the world but if your football IQ is low your going to look lost. Flagg was not the most talented but dude but understood the game of football. Spence, Perryman, Shaq, were all high IQ football players that had talent to match. Having them on the team was like having a DC on the field. Can not say we have a lb right now on the roster you can trust to play at a high level and get everyone lined up. Still early but Wes, Alderman, and Chase, should have emerged by now. Should not be on the younger guys but if any of them step up they should get all the PT. But, since there is talk about adding a portal guy maybe they not ready either. It is crazy though that with those numbers you do not have a solid two starters still.
 
Odysseus said:
Exactly what I'm saying people keep saying portal LB. We'll if that's the case what is going on with the development of the guys like Popo, Hayes, Pruitt, Wiley. Recruiting all these freak show talents how long will it take for them to be ready I'm at the point I would just throw them on the field let them develop with reps like we did with Wes. Learn on the fly sink or swim
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I didn’t mention Wiley for a reason. 3 of our first 5 games are against ND, the booger eaters, and fsu. If Wiley is some lab manufactured animal, I’m here for it. But that happening out the gate as a true freshman is very much the exception, not the norm. At least one of those other kids you listed needs to be a highly-functional football player. You can’t get a zero in one room for 2 straight classes.

I’m not saying we got a zero. I don’t think anyone is, definitively. But if the staff thinks a portal LB is an absolute must, well, we’ll have the answer.
 
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