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LB play through 3 games

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When the 11th coach was gifted to us from the heavens, I felt relieved we'd finally address our abhorrent ST issues. Instead, Richt hired a GA to whiff on a few croots & coRch up our LB's. Brutal.

THIS IS WHY WE MOPE.
 
Shaq, McLeod and Pinckney were all golden recruits. Let it sink in.

Shaq don’t have the talent or athletic ability. He’s a big, oversized and stiff linebacker that can’t play in space or change direction. He has no “suddeness” and doesn’t have a good first step.

McLeod has the talent and athletic ability, but he don’t have the instincts or mindset.

That said, I like Pinckney, but I just don’t think he’s being coached correctly
 
Golden recruits that are “Big” LBs.. aka slow and not athletic enough

They clearly don’t fit Manny’s defense speed wise.. Look at the LB recruits for 2019. All fast, twitchy, guys who can cover.

The staff has been trying to get Pinckney and Shaq to cut weight the last 3 years to make them faster. Square pegs in round holes
 
If y’all dont think Shaq and Pinckney are having a good year so far in 3 games you need ur eyes checked.

They are both doing a great job within the scheme making plays around the LOS
 
brock said:
You get that with a guy like Avery huff for sure and Solomon and brooks are overall better athletes than the linebackers we have recruited the last 2 classes.
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We also gotta recruit better athletes at DB. Jaquan, Mike Jack, and co. are good players, don't get me wrong, but they're a notch below Jenkins and Corn in terms of their athleticism. Go watch the WVU bowl game and look at the athleticism of some of our DBs versus now. Hopefully the DBs in the 2018 class can provide that.

BTW, what I said above is not an excuse for Manny and the defensive coaches. We haven't maximized our coaching advantage just as we haven't maximized our talent advantage.
 
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I don’t thing we really rely on our backers to get out in space though. That’s why we use our corners in the manner we do. When the play is forced inside then they make plays. When it’s outside it’s usually the safety coming up the ally or the corner making a place in space.
 
WhatTheHell said:
Problem going back to last year and it's seemingly worsening.

This group is pudgy, lost, and a huge weakness defensively. This group flopped overall based on the hype we gave them. Very disappointing play.

They can't cover people. They often get lost in the run game. Their athleticism is nearly non-existent.

Very poor group, and even sadder considering how long they've been here and their knowledge of the defense.
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This is a rock solid analysis. They haven't gotten any better since their freshman year.

They are also far limited than everyone gave them credit for.

Shaq Quarterman is a good football player and still has the highest upside of the lot, but right now, he's only really wins going downhill. He'll flash occasionally going to the sideline, but false steps and a lack of pure athleticism has made him also look silly more often than he's flashed there. This Toledo game was horrendous for him. He was almost always beat the edge. He's no Roquan Smith or Leighton Vander Esch (first round LBs). He's closer to Josey Jewell before he developed instincts and cut out the false steps...Shaq needs to be a full four year player to maximize whatever draft position he thinks he has, which can be high (like 2nd or 3rd round type) He's had some horrendous games for such a highly regarded player. Both Toledo games, Wisconsin, last year's FSU game...he even looked like **** versus Bethune last year. Something not touched upon enough here...Shaq misses a lot of tackles.

I don't see much of anything in Zach McCloud at this point. He's a mess. We've essentially had to create a new position with Romeo Finley and Derrick Smith (downhill safeties) to cut down his time on the field.

Mike Pinckney flashes the highest, but like Quarterman, hasn't improved much since his freshman year. I'm starting to think a lot of his production is a result of scheme over talent. He seems to be best in games where he can freewheel and get away with reckless play and he seemingly plays worst when he has to be disciplined (see: last year's Georgia Tech or Toledo games). Misses a ton of tackles.
 
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htownkidd said:
Not good.

Really really really scares me even more for next year.
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Why does it scare you? Cause they will all be back next year or they going to pull the stupid moves are DTs made and leave to get drafted in the 5th round
 
KrazyCane said:
If y’all dont think Shaq and Pinckney are having a good year so far in 3 games you need ur eyes checked.

They are both doing a great job within the scheme making plays around the LOS
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If you think they are having a good year so far in 3 games you need to go back and watch them play as freshman. They have regressed.
 
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For our defense to take the next step they need to get better in all areas. If you are going to rotate linebackers in and run exclusively striker defense quit putting mike smith ahead of a guy like McCloud at one of the 2 linebacker spots smith isn’t good, slow, misses tackles and take bad angles...
 
I've been an admirer for a long time of the Bermuda Triangle 2.0. Unfortunately for everyone involved, they've been sucked into the vortex of their own hype.

They should never have started as Freshmen. They would have been MUCH better off if Grace and Owens had been our starters, and the one hadn't been kicked off the team and the other gone down with an injury. This is the problem with bringing along freshmen too quickly. By end of season, sure, after you earn it. But starting by default a few weeks into camp rarely leads to longterm positive outcomes. We've seen it time and again.

In their case, they're terribly underdeveloped in LB fundamentals, and desperately need a real LB coach. Shame on Manny Diaz. And if any think of leaving early, they are going to be working on the same security detail as Forston and Norton in 3-4 years.
 
cmike73 said:
Why does it scare you? Cause they will all be back next year or they going to pull the stupid moves are DTs made and leave to get drafted in the 5th round
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More than likely.
What’s going to change? Countless evidence these kids should stay every year but yet they still go. Zero reason for me to believe it will be any different for them. And I’m talking about Shaq & 56, McCloud ain’t going anywhere lol.
 
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