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Barry Jackson 3rd article on our defense Linebackers. passing it along!

D_G87 said:
Lol how in the **** did you get that from the article?
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He got it from Patke saying that McCloud will be playing the Striker role. Since it's fairly obvious to anyone who has been watching that McCloud has struggled mightily to play in reverse and in space, the only way to reconcile the fact that he has been moved to a position that requires playing more in space is to assume that his previous position of SLB is officially being phased out. Judging by what Patke says in this interview and previous comments by Manny Diaz, it is reasonable to infer that we are transitioning to a base 4-2-5 defense.
 
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Wow, that was not encouraging for me to hear about Jennings and Wilder. Wilder has been playing the position a lot longer than Smith and Finley so you would think that he would at least know where to be and what to do. Jennings on the other hand looked good to me, but judging by the article, it sounds like he is a 50/50 guy when he is out there and that is a big liability. Other than M. Smith and Steed in the middle and Finley/Perry on the outside, we are 1 injury away from losing that quality depth. Hopefully Jennings turns it up a notch this fall.
 
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FrancisSaywer said:
I agree with everything you said minus the Derrick Smith part. I agree he had a rough game against Wisconsin and that he doesn't posses the level of hip fluidity required to be an elite Safety. However, to compare Smith's limitations to the average Temple reject cardboard cutouts that Dorito loved to trot out at Safety is a bit over the top IMO. I think Smith could develop into a good solid defender wherever they chose to put him. Unlike AJ Highsmith and Kacey Rodgers, Derrick Smith actually possesses a modicum of functional football ability with a fair amount of football IQ as well.
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I was strictly referring to the hips. Agree Smith is a much better football player than any of those guys. And yes, it's still mutch better watching Smith cover slot guys against Wisconsin vs. Dorito having Shayonne Greene back up in coverage after his hand was in the dirt.
 
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So McCloud has been a starter for 2 years and now he’s just not going to play? I think y’all getting ahead of yourself on this Striker position. Our base D is going to change game by game. When we are traditional 4-3, McCloud will be starter. Our schedule is probably half and half on spread teams vs traditional offenses... McCloud might be a one trick pony as y’all say, but he’s going to play (if healthy)
 
FrancisSaywer said:
I agree with everything you said minus the Derrick Smith part. I agree he had a rough game against Wisconsin and that he doesn't posses the level of hip fluidity required to be an elite Safety. However, to compare Smith's limitations to the average Temple reject cardboard cutouts that Dorito loved to trot out at Safety is a bit over the top IMO. I think Smith could develop into a good solid defender wherever they chose to put him. Unlike AJ Highsmith and Kacey Rodgers, Derrick Smith actually possesses a modicum of functional football ability with a fair amount of football IQ as well.
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People love to decide a player's entire career based on one negative moment that stands out.

Remember how posters wanted KC McDermott cut from the team after a poor showing at guard against ND in 2016? How was he ever able to have a solid season for us at LT in 2017 after being declared garbage by CIS?
 
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Three points as to why the LB unit will be a strength of the team:
1. There is nothing to suggest that Pickney, Shaq, and Mcloud won't be better in year 3.
2. The striker position is a "plus" regardless of how anyone tries to spin it.
3. Diaz thinks that Steed and Mike Smith are starter type players that will provide quality depth as backups.

How anyone can view this unit as a weakness is beyond me.
 
CoralPark94 said:
Wow, that was not encouraging for me to hear about Jennings and Wilder. Wilder has been playing the position a lot longer than Smith and Finley so you would think that he would at least know where to be and what to do. Jennings on the other hand looked good to me, but judging by the article, it sounds like he is a 50/50 guy when he is out there and that is a big liability. Other than M. Smith and Steed in the middle and Finley/Perry on the outside, we are 1 injury away from losing that quality depth. Hopefully Jennings turns it up a notch this fall.
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WOW Jennings and Wilder are both sophomores
 
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KrazyCane said:
WOW Jennings and Wilder are both sophomores
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Shaq, Pickney, and Mccloud were all sophomores last year so that isn't a factor. I honestly think Jennings will be a good mike when he becomes more consistent as the article states, but I just never thought Wilder was an LB even in high school. I don't know if its mental or physical but something is strange about his position on the depth chart. Glad to hear about M. Smith and Finley though.
 
brock said:
Finley news is pretty encouraging
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True but also a bit at the expense of some disappointment concerning Smith. It sounded like he had that striker role nailed down. Surprising he is not that physical against the run. I thought he was more physical than what the article stated.
 
As long as we match speed for speed I don't care who plays.

I'm just ******* tired of watching LB's try and cover WR's.
 
CoralPark94 said:
Shaq, Pickney, and Mccloud were all sophomores last year so that isn't a factor. I honestly think Jennings will be a good mike when he becomes more consistent as the article states, but I just never thought Wilder was an LB even in high school. I don't know if its mental or physical but something is strange about his position on the depth chart. Glad to hear about M. Smith and Finley though.
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Their sophomore years haven’t started yet and McCloud was terrible his sophomore year
 
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KrazyCane said:
Their sophomore years haven’t started yet and McCloud was terrible his sophomore year
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Terrible in some games and excellent in some as well most notably the Notre Dame game which is what he can be like if he gets more consistent
 
Salt said:
True but also a bit at the expense of some disappointment concerning Smith. It sounded like he had that striker role nailed down. Surprising he is not that physical against the run. I thought he was more physical than what the article stated.
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Smith is very physical also, Romeo is just ahead of him in that department. Ppl forget that Romeo was a 4 star and was knocking heads off in high school as well. I’m glad he’s starting to come around only makes our team better
 
I don't want to see three linebackers on the field against an offense with 3 or more WR. If it means McCloud gets less snaps, so be it. I'm tired of slot receivers embarrassing our 240 lb. Linebackers in pass coverage.
 
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