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Ask and you shall receive, Derrick Smith to LB???

crimson_cane said:
I call BS. A few days ago you said, "He's a SS all the way. It's possible he could be an OLB in some systems. He's an average tackler with good instincts. He has stiff hips in coverage though. It was obvious if you attended games in person."

You are a joke.

https://www.canesinsight.com/threads/derrick-smith.130837/#post-3260097
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Re-read that entire thread and I'm the joke? Jesus Christ. It's my bad I said SS and remembered OLB. That argument was due to people saying he's a FS. SS growing into OLB isn't crazy. There was no way this kid can play FS. Anyway, the point is he can't cover WR's well. People on that thread were saying he's a FS. ****, Brock was on there praising him for coverage skills. Some people were saying he looked fast against Wisconsin. He was the worst guy in coverage on the field that game. He looked slow as **** against ZERO star WRs. I was there, not watching from tv where you can't see half the coverages. Redwine at least was in the right zip code, but couldn't get his head around.
 
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TrueFloridian said:
I got negged by several of you A-holes saying the kid has stiff hips for a Safety and should play LB. This was painfully obvious to anyone that actually attends games. He tackles well but coverage skills aren’t there against WRs. This is overdue.
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Obvious you don't have a clue wtf ur talkn about... could that also be the reason??
 
TrueFloridian said:
McCloud was the best defensive player in the Pitt game and NOBODY gave him props. He closed the season strong. People are marking down Cager for the next breakout player. Yet, McCloud closed just as strong and everybody wants him replaced. Funny.
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McCloud was average at best that game and nowhere near the best Defensive player on the field.
 
McCloud should have redshirted, but we needed him. The kid is going to be a beast, he just mis-diagnoses the play too often and gets caught up in the wrong lane as a result. Most great LBs don't actually produce until their third year. That's this coming season for McCloud. Kid is a huge talent, just wasn't ready. He'll get there.

That said, I really do like this move, and believe Smith will be a monster in the LB/Nickle/Rover hybrid role. And on pass rush downs, having McCloud as a rush end while moving D Jax next to Willis and pulling the 1-Tech inside just makes sense.
 
grover said:
McCloud should have redshirted, but we needed him. The kid is going to be a beast, he just mis-diagnoses the play too often and gets caught up in the wrong lane as a result. Most great LBs don't actually produce until their third year. That's this coming season for McCloud. Kid is a huge talent, just wasn't ready. He'll get there.

That said, I really do like this move, and believe Smith will be a monster in the LB/Nickle/Rover hybrid role. And on pass rush downs, having McCloud as a rush end while moving D Jax next to Willis and pulling the 1-Tech inside just makes sense.
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Said this once already today, but that skill (diagnosing the play) is vital for a LB and it's not something that's learned quickly (if ever). I guess the good thing is McCloud seemed better at it as a FR than as a Soph. I hope he can regain form. Size and speed he's the prototype OLB -- if he can improve on the more intangible things, he will be a high draft pick.
 
I think the LB room needs more competition to bring out the best in that group this year.

I see that coming
D Smith
Steed
Wilder
Jennings

Still see Joyner growing into viper role.
 
Gatorhater said:
JJ was huge on it, but Ray Lewis from safety in high school to mlb is probably greatest example of it. Get the frigging speed up to the los so it can create havoc and recover from any mistakes.
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Huh?!? Ray Lewis was an All American linebacker, not safety, in high school. He was a total stud lb as a freshman at UM. That immediate transition would have never happened had he played safety in high school.

This JJ “safety to lb” and l”b to DL” mantra is way overblown and largely inaccurate.

The biggest position changes that paid dividends were Sapp (TE to DT) and Dan Morgan (FB to LB), both well after JJ.
 
TrueFloridian said:
McCloud was the best defensive player in the Pitt game and NOBODY gave him props. He closed the season strong. People are marking down Cager for the next breakout player. Yet, McCloud closed just as strong and everybody wants him replaced. Funny.
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Mccloud has to put it all together but you are right. He did improve as season went on.
Jeff Thomas will be the offensive break out player.
 
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Regardless of what you call him, I think Smith will be playing mostly in the box during his tenure here. He's a thumper with speed - more Greg Blue than Ed Reed.
 
drifters1234 said:
Huh?!? Ray Lewis was an All American linebacker, not safety, in high school. He was a total stud lb as a freshman at UM. That immediate transition would have never happened had he played safety in high school.

This JJ “safety to lb” and l”b to DL” mantra is way overblown and largely inaccurate.

The biggest position changes that paid dividends were Sapp (TE to DT) and Dan Morgan (FB to LB), both well after JJ.
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Didnt DJ Williams come in as a RB?
 
canesfan4508 said:
Didnt DJ Williams come in as a RB?
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He played RB in high school as well as LB.
Had he been able to win the job, he would have been a LB right away. But Vilma beat him out. To get his talent on the field, we then moved him to FB.
 
bobbo31 said:
Next update I want to hear from you Wayne is that your son is splitting reps with Pinckney, I love Pinckney but it won’t hurt him having competition. You and your son are class acts as well.
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Well, as of now he is splitting 2nd team reps with Mike Smith at WLB and has been asked to learn MLB also. Steed, Pinckney, Shaq, and I believe Mike Smith all graded out with B+'s for mat drills this Spring which were the highest of the group. We were told during the recruitment phase that everyone gets a clean slate after the season and how you perform during mat drills will determine your position on the depth chart at the beginning of Spring practice. I really don't buy into this because no matter how mat drills go, its hard to forget how well or how poor a player performed during the previous season. My son and Pinckney hang out a lot and Pinckney has even gone out of his way to make sure that Wayne knows what to do. I really appreciate the camaraderie they have, but I know that my son will help to push Pinckney to be the best player he can be cause the competition will be fierce. We feel that coach Diaz will make sure that the best players are on the field and even if not starting as a redshirt freshman, there should be plenty chances to come in and make his case as to why he should be on the field.
 
I have a feeling that we are going to be blowing out a lot of teams which means the second string LBs may get as much playing time as the starters most of the season.

It is a great feeling really.
 
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Hurricane23 said:
About time, I been said this. Carter should be moved to LB as well. We need more athleticism at LB, I love Pinckney, Mcloud, and 55 but they look bad in pass coverage last year, most notable against Pitt and Clemson.
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@Hurricane23 in Shaq or any MLB defense most of their required coverage is a Low Hole Drop... meaning they sink to the middle of the field and read the QB or catch a crossing route... WR run some routes based on the MLB position on the field... The QB makes reads based on the MLB position on the field so it's tough for a MLB to be a pass defender... Some offenses try and force the MLB into coverage with RBs on wheel routes etc... good MLBs will jump routes or make good reads to be in the right place .. like Shaq did a few times last season... he almost got him a pick 6 in the OB... but kinda agree with your statement
 
Shaq, Pink, and McCloyd didn't progress the way we thought...everyone is blaming the kid huh? Who is their LB coach? What past LB's have this LB coach ever produced that's been worth a ****...
 
Not sure it was posted but just saw this
28827562_1751922048163744_3289165715515045437_o.webp
 
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