2024 LB Depth and playing time

[FrancisSawyer]

I've got to ask, what's the source on this nugget? Magic 8ball? This is wild, no offense but that info is percent incorrect.

No offense man but its obvious in the way he wrote the post that he is speculating based on how he reads the current situation at LB.

As a huge fan of Chase Smith myself I really hope he has a spectacular spring and earns some major playing time. I also think it's not outside the realm of possibility for Chase to take Wes Bissainthe's starting job at Will. That's how talented I think Smith is. There's a flip side to that however and I believe that this is what the poster you quoted was concerned about. Smith has been here since 2021 and he will be a redshirt junior this season. He played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2021 mostly special teams but he did play a little at LB where he flashed the explosion and athleticism he was recruited for. He redshirted in 2022 despite playing in 4 games.

The issue is that Chase has been hurt for the majority of the past two years and while he may be 100% cleared for this spring, we have no way of knowing if those injuries(I believe one was a shoulder) will affect his play going forward or if they will resurface once he gets into full contact. This is compounded by the fact that the LB now is a completely different world from the one he stepped into in 2021. Mario and staff have completely transformed that unit from the bottom of the barrel of the ACC into a room full of young yet supremely talented LBs and the competition for starting jobs and playing time in general will be as fierce as ever. So if Chase is going to make his move he needs to make it now because the competition is only going to get tougher from here on out.

 

[HEMICANE]

I've got to ask, what's the source on this nugget? Magic 8ball? This is wild, no offense but that info is percent incorrect.

Magic 8ball..... wow, haven't heard that in a long, long time lmao...

 

[fatnasty187]

No offense man but its obvious in the way he wrote the post that he is speculating based on how he reads the current situation at LB.

As a huge fan of Chase Smith myself I really hope he has a spectacular spring and earns some major playing time. I also think it's not outside the realm of possibility for Chase to take Wes Bissainthe's starting job at Will. That's how talented I think Smith is. There's a flip side to that however and I believe that this is what the poster you quoted was concerned about. Smith has been here since 2021 and he will be a redshirt junior this season. He played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2021 mostly special teams but he did play a little at LB where he flashed the explosion and athleticism he was recruited for. He redshirted in 2022 despite playing in 4 games.

The issue is that Chase has been hurt for the majority of the past two years and while he may be 100% cleared for this spring, we have no way of knowing if those injuries(I believe one was a shoulder) will affect his play going forward or if they will resurface once he gets into full contact. This is compounded by the fact that the LB now is a completely different world from the one he stepped into in 2021. Mario and staff have completely transformed that unit from the bottom of the barrel of the ACC into a room full of young yet supremely talented LBs and the competition for starting jobs and playing time in general will be as fierce as ever. So if Chase is going to make his move he needs to make it now because the competition is only going to get tougher from here on out.

Trust me then. He's good. I normally don't take up for kids but he honestly the god child of a good friend. I never ask for info, I listen. He's taken longer than most to see results for various reasons.


Understand depth charts are the same at top programs. That's how it's supposed to be. I will say this, comp is not any issue. He's an unbelievable human and I will stay rooting for him. Just don't make proclamations based on hunches from snippets.

 

[FrancisSawyer]

Trust me then. He's good. I normally don't take up for kids but he honestly the god child of a good friend. I never ask for info, I listen. He's taken longer than most to see results for various reasons.


Understand depth charts are the same at top programs. That's how it's supposed to be. I will say this, comp is not any issue. He's an unbelievable human and I will stay rooting for him. Just don't make proclamations based on hunches from snippets.

I understand that and I told you I was a huge fan ever since he was in high school. I also told you how much I'm rooting for the kid.

I get where you are coming from but you need to understand that most don't know him personally like you do. Secondly I never made any proclamations. I was just explaining the post you quoted which wasn't mine. All good man. Hopefully Chase will be starting soon. Can't wait to see him play.

 

[Bird4um]

I didn't read the comment you replied as "NO TRANSFERS EVER AGAIN," but rather, "Can we back off the portal parade a bit." I think you both will agree with this:

We need to rely significantly less on the portal while continuing to recruit at an elite level.

Maybe I'm wrong in my assumption that you'll both agree. Thing is, the elite programs generally are taking significantly less portal players than we have. And yes, I'm aware of what FSU did last year and I've seen what Ohio $tate has done this off-season. Alabama, Georgia, Michigan take 3-5 transfers a year, not double digits. I'm not saying we need to do what Dumbo at Clemson is doing (2 transfers total in portal era), but I am saying that HS recruiting is still king.

If we have to then we have to.. Perfect world is recruit and need none. We aren't there yet, but this room has a lot of kids... Let's do something...

 

[Jassid82]

So far he has been meh. If it doesn't happen this year for him, it never will.

This year? Bro if it don’t happen this Spring we should move on. Times up. That LB room is about to get crazy. Especially with the potential kids coming in 2025.

 

[Number1CanesFan]

Bissainthe needs to moved to SS, average in coverage and too small to LB

I don't think he played well last year. He missed a lot of assignments. I think those young LB's challenge for that OLB position. I would love to see Chase Smith move to the outside. I think they have him at MLB behind Kiko.

 

[Number1CanesFan]

Plan for the worst, hope for the best. Kiko is currently our only proven LB. Wes can start and has shown he could be really good but even after two years still makes mistakes. Chase was my favorite pick of that 2021 group but has been injured more than healthy. You cannot count on him. Everyone else is a redshirt or true freshman. You can't have a 2-deep with 1 high level guy + 1 starter + 1 fragile hi-po + freshmen when you run 2 or 3 guys out there on any given snap. You have to bring in another Cloyd type.

As far as who steps up to become regular rotational players, yes, I do think Chase finally puts it all together and is a regular. After him, my bet is on Popo and Washington, followed by Bryant. Washington should be versatile enough to play any position, so I want to see him get a lot of snaps.

I disagree. We don't need any portal LB's. We have a bunch of talent at LB that needs to play. Bisanthe got playing time as a young player. Now, he has experience. The same needs to happen with the young LBs who I think are more physically talented than the guys with experience.

 

[SinisterCane]

I don't think he played well last year. He missed a lot of assignments. I think those young LB's challenge for that OLB position. I would love to see Chase Smith move to the outside. I think they have him at MLB behind Kiko.

Since our primary base defense is a 4-2-5 our two starting linebackers shouldn’t be like a bad hand of spades “one in a possible”

 

[Canesfan1899]

Quickly turned over the talent in the LB room. Excited to see the young guys grow. Hard to pick which of the young guys flash but I could see one unseat Wes. Other guys are more prototypical size wise.

 

[BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati]

If we have to then we have to.. Perfect world is recruit and need none. We aren't there yet, but this room has a lot of kids... Let's do something...

I'm on board with that. I'm not saying no portal; just more HS recruiting (and retention).

 

[Odysseus]

I really think Popo and Bobby step into much larger roles this year. And hoping see Bryant blitzing off the edge also

 

[grover]

I disagree. We don't need any portal LB's. We have a bunch of talent at LB that needs to play. Bisanthe got playing time as a young player. Now, he has experience. The same needs to happen with the young LBs who I think are more physically talented than the guys with experience.

The good news is I think we have a winner in Nicholson who will make that call for us. If he thinks we’re thin I expect we see another Cloyd type. Maybe he waits until he sees what he has in March? If the guys are playing well you may be right. We started three freshmen in 2016.

Either way, we need to win NOW so don’t take chances.

 

[Orig.CaneSawMassacre]

Since our primary base defense is a 4-2-5 our two starting linebackers shouldn’t be like a bad hand of spades “one in a possible”


Yes with our base defense being 4-2-5 and more depth on Dline to help with injuries that forced us into 3-3-5 less likely. We should have plenty of depth.

Really hoping Chase is back to form. I definitely see someone taking over for Wes unless he makes a big jump. He just isn’t physically gifted like the rest of the LB room.

Popo will see the field a lot and hopefully Washington can be utilized by the coaches in some way to get his talent on the field. All of the freshmen backers have the ability to play immediately if they put in the work and stay in the books and out of Miami trouble (clubs and p*ssy)

 

[Pearson704]

Chase gone play this year

I like his disposition; him and Bobby.

 

[FrancisSawyer]

I don't think he played well last year. He missed a lot of assignments. I think those young LB's challenge for that OLB position. I would love to see Chase Smith move to the outside. I think they have him at MLB behind Kiko.

I didn't know they had Chase behind Kiko at MLB. I thought the coaches decided to put Malik Bryant at MLB as well last off season but I'm not sure Bryant is a MLB. Bryant should be coming off the edge so I like him better at OLB. I also like Chase better at Will but if he stays behind Kiko and cements that spot as the primary backup at MLB then Chase Smith will likely inherit the role played by Cory Flagg last season as well as set himself up to have the inside track to be the starter at MLB in 2025.

Whoever said that this LB room is about to get crazy is absolutely right. You think it's crazy now? Wait until the 2025 kids come in with Melendez and what is sure to be 2 more studs. The competition will be absolutely insane! Talk about cream rising to the top? This is what we need at every position. We are starting to see it at DE and RB will be there soon.

 

[Number1CanesFan]

The good news is I think we have a winner in Nicholson who will make that call for us. If he thinks we’re thin I expect we see another Cloyd type. Maybe he waits until he sees what he has in March? If the guys are playing well you may be right. We started three freshmen in 2016.

Either way, we need to win NOW so don’t take chances.

I understand, but these guys have to play. Nicholson and Mario know that. If the guys don't play they will bolt. Some are going to leave anyway because there's just too many guys with talent for 2 LB positions. I think just about every LB on scholarship could start for a P-5 school in the next 2 years.

I can't say it enough, young talent needs playing time. It's good for development and moral. It also provides backups with experience when injuries occur.

 

[Number1CanesFan]

I didn't know they had Chase behind Kiko at MLB. I thought the coaches decided to put Malik Bryant at MLB as well last off season but I'm not sure Bryant is a MLB. Bryant should be coming off the edge so I like him better at OLB. I also like Chase better at Will but if he stays behind Kiko and cements that spot as the primary backup at MLB then Chase Smith will likely inherit the role played by Cory Flagg last season as well as set himself up to have the inside track to be the starter at MLB in 2025.

Whoever said that this LB room is about to get crazy is absolutely right. You think it's crazy now? Wait until the 2025 kids come in with Melendez and what is sure to be 2 more studs. The competition will be absolutely insane! Talk about cream rising to the top? This is what we need at every position. We are starting to see it at DE and RB will be there soon.

That's why it's imperative to get all the young guys (not just LB) on field experience. They need to at least have backup roles. It makes no sense to me at this point to bring in a portal LB. The guys on the roster likely have more talent, but just not the experience. They won't get experience sitting on the bench and we'll likely lose more of them bringing in a portal LB. We're going to lose some to the portal anyway. There's just too much talent that could get reps at other P-4 schools.

If Mario wants to make a serious playoff run towards a natty in 2025, the young guys need to play so they'll have experience going into 2025. Bain became Bain in Fall camp. He was going to play, but got a bigger roll when Messidor went down. The young guys need to play to find out who will emerge.

 

[D_G87]

lol yall always get infatuated with young guys playing early. In college, coaches play who they trust. You can’t “ flash” 1 every 5 plays. You have to know your role EVERY play. I’m all for playing the most talented guys, but I need dudes on the field who know what they are doing down in and down out.

 

[Number1CanesFan]

lol yall always get infatuated with young guys playing early. In college, coaches play who they trust. You can’t “ flash” 1 every 5 plays. You have to know your role EVERY play. I’m all for playing the most talented guys, but I need dudes on the field who know what they are doing down in and down out.

There's no infatuation. Just FACTS. You don't gain experience by sitting on the bench. What good is having a player get to his 3rd year and he hasn't seen the field? Most of CIS would still say we need a portal player because the 3rd year guy doesn't have experience.

You gain experience by playing. There should be a natural progression of game reps and trust. Game reps + solid play = more game reps.

I'm sure Mario want to make a serious playoff run to a natty in 2025. You can't go into the 2025 season with a bunch of talented 3rd and 4th year players with no experience.