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Linebackers 2020

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Should have a nice rotation of Sam Brooks, Avery Huff, McCloud, Jennings or Steed and one of the freshman(Cave, Flagg or Flowe/Greene). We will be more athletic, it’s just the mental side we have to worry about. Good thing we have 3 cupcake games to start the season.
 
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Liberty City El said:
It's difficult to map out as of right now, because it's dependent on if we go back to the more traditional 4-3 base or stick with the 4-2-5.

If we played the 4-3 base, it would be:

Mike LB - Sam Brooks/ BJ Jennings/ Tirek Austin-Cave

Will LB - Avery Huff/ Corey Flagg or Hyppolite (if we land him)/ Waynmon Steed (doubtful with serious injury)

Sam LB - Zach McCloud/ Patrick Joyner/ Keyshawn Green (if we landed him)

Striker - Gilbert Frierson/ Jalen Harrell (unless they want him at FS)

Or they could play TAC at Weakside as well & Flagg at Mike both in the backup spots, and depending on if we land Hyppolite or Greene, you can put Greene at Strong side or Hyppolite at WLB or even at Mike as well.

If we stick with the 4-2-5, that's where it gets a little more crazy imo...

Mike LB - Sam Brooks/ Tirek Austin-Cave/ BJ Jennings

Will LB - Avery Huff/ Patrick Joyner/ Corey Flagg or Hyppolite or Greene/ Waynmon Steed

Striker - Zach McCloud (they moved McCloud to Striker in 2018)/ Gilbert Frierson/ whoever else lol

If we stick with the 4-2-5 & go with just 2 traditional LB's on the field there's multiple scenarios where they go with just Brooks & McCloud, or Brooks & Huff, the Striker is a LB/S hybrid, so they could go with Frierson or McCloud, or even Huff at that spot.

Both Huff & McCloud are basically Strong side backers, but you can move one of them around to either side. They groomed Brooks to a Middle LB behind Shaq all year, so it wouldn't make since to switch him to a new LB spot this season. The whole reason why Ragone was playing & getting legit snaps in pivotal games was because Brooks specifically wasn't playing WLB & there was no backup for Pinckney.

We have lots of options with which we move the LB's around & depending on if we land Hyppolite or Greene in this class that gives us more versatility & depth.

Tirek Austin-Cave can play both Mike LB & Weak side LB, his speed & versatility can be used at multiple spots.

Spring ball will iron a lot of this out & thank God both TAC & Flagg are EE's. Also keep in mind Huff has yet to go through a full Spring & Fall camp because he wasn't enrolled until late August.
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Good stuff brother. Any reason you’re saying if we go back to 4-3?

It’s one position I think we are equipped to handle losing an overwhelming amount of experience.

Last year losing JJ and Redwine I thought was going to be brutal to replace their leadership and we’ve struggled.

Same with LB but I think we have some really really talented kids waiting in the wings. Can’t wait to see more from Brooks and Huff.
 
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McCloud and Brooks with Gil at Striker.
Liberty City El said:
It's difficult to map out as of right now, because it's dependent on if we go back to the more traditional 4-3 base or stick with the 4-2-5.

If we played the 4-3 base, it would be:

Mike LB - Sam Brooks/ BJ Jennings/ Tirek Austin-Cave

Will LB - Avery Huff/ Corey Flagg or Hyppolite (if we land him)/ Waynmon Steed (doubtful with serious injury)

Sam LB - Zach McCloud/ Patrick Joyner/ Keyshawn Green (if we landed him)

Striker - Gilbert Frierson/ Jalen Harrell (unless they want him at FS)

Or they could play TAC at Weakside as well & Flagg at Mike both in the backup spots, and depending on if we land Hyppolite or Greene, you can put Greene at Strong side or Hyppolite at WLB or even at Mike as well.

If we stick with the 4-2-5, that's where it gets a little more crazy imo...

Mike LB - Sam Brooks/ Tirek Austin-Cave/ BJ Jennings

Will LB - Avery Huff/ Patrick Joyner/ Corey Flagg or Hyppolite or Greene/ Waynmon Steed

Striker - Zach McCloud (they moved McCloud to Striker in 2018)/ Gilbert Frierson/ whoever else lol

If we stick with the 4-2-5 & go with just 2 traditional LB's on the field there's multiple scenarios where they go with just Brooks & McCloud, or Brooks & Huff, the Striker is a LB/S hybrid, so they could go with Frierson or McCloud, or even Huff at that spot.

Both Huff & McCloud are basically Strong side backers, but you can move one of them around to either side. They groomed Brooks to a Middle LB behind Shaq all year, so it wouldn't make since to switch him to a new LB spot this season. The whole reason why Ragone was playing & getting legit snaps in pivotal games was because Brooks specifically wasn't playing WLB & there was no backup for Pinckney.

We have lots of options with which we move the LB's around & depending on if we land Hyppolite or Greene in this class that gives us more versatility & depth.

Tirek Austin-Cave can play both Mike LB & Weak side LB, his speed & versatility can be used at multiple spots.

Spring ball will iron a lot of this out & thank God both TAC & Flagg are EE's. Also keep in mind Huff has yet to go through a full Spring & Fall camp because he wasn't enrolled until late August.
Click to expand...

Agree with a lot here LCE - so much depends on alignment.
- First guess, i'm thinking McCloud (WLB) and Brooks (MLB) in a 2 LB set with Gil at striker. Do i think this is the best set for us? No.
- I think we would have the athleticism to play a more traditional 3 LB set next year with McCloud/Brooks/Huff. McCloud is much better when attacking than reading, so Pinckney's WLB role and blitzing seems like the best fit with Brooks inside and Huff on the other side (speed to cover).
- I would flip TAC and Flagg, putting Flagg inside.
- Jennings would be backup MLB, Joyner backup WLB.
- Gil and Harrell at Striker.
- Steed i keep out of the equation until we see his health. The guy was really talented coming in but injuries have derailed his career.
 
Liberty City El said:
It's difficult to map out as of right now, because it's dependent on if we go back to the more traditional 4-3 base or stick with the 4-2-5.

If we played the 4-3 base, it would be:

Mike LB - Sam Brooks/ BJ Jennings/ Tirek Austin-Cave

Will LB - Avery Huff/ Corey Flagg or Hyppolite (if we land him)/ Waynmon Steed (doubtful with serious injury)

Sam LB - Zach McCloud/ Patrick Joyner/ Keyshawn Green (if we landed him)

Striker - Gilbert Frierson/ Jalen Harrell (unless they want him at FS)

Or they could play TAC at Weakside as well & Flagg at Mike both in the backup spots, and depending on if we land Hyppolite or Greene, you can put Greene at Strong side or Hyppolite at WLB or even at Mike as well.

If we stick with the 4-2-5, that's where it gets a little more crazy imo...

Mike LB - Sam Brooks/ Tirek Austin-Cave/ BJ Jennings

Will LB - Avery Huff/ Patrick Joyner/ Corey Flagg or Hyppolite or Greene/ Waynmon Steed

Striker - Zach McCloud (they moved McCloud to Striker in 2018)/ Gilbert Frierson/ whoever else lol

If we stick with the 4-2-5 & go with just 2 traditional LB's on the field there's multiple scenarios where they go with just Brooks & McCloud, or Brooks & Huff, the Striker is a LB/S hybrid, so they could go with Frierson or McCloud, or even Huff at that spot.

Both Huff & McCloud are basically Strong side backers, but you can move one of them around to either side. They groomed Brooks to a Middle LB behind Shaq all year, so it wouldn't make since to switch him to a new LB spot this season. The whole reason why Ragone was playing & getting legit snaps in pivotal games was because Brooks specifically wasn't playing WLB & there was no backup for Pinckney.

We have lots of options with which we move the LB's around & depending on if we land Hyppolite or Greene in this class that gives us more versatility & depth.

Tirek Austin-Cave can play both Mike LB & Weak side LB, his speed & versatility can be used at multiple spots.

Spring ball will iron a lot of this out & thank God both TAC & Flagg are EE's. Also keep in mind Huff has yet to go through a full Spring & Fall camp because he wasn't enrolled until late August.
Click to expand...

McCloud at striker makes me want to vomit
 
PSU Cane said:
McCloud and Brooks with Gil at Striker.


Agree with a lot here LCE - so much depends on alignment.
- First guess, i'm thinking McCloud (WLB) and Brooks (MLB) in a 2 LB set with Gil at striker. Do i think this is the best set for us? No.
- I think we would have the athleticism to play a more traditional 3 LB set next year with McCloud/Brooks/Huff. McCloud is much better when attacking than reading, so Pinckney's WLB role and blitzing seems like the best fit with Brooks inside and Huff on the other side (speed to cover).
- I would flip TAC and Flagg, putting Flagg inside.
- Jennings would be backup MLB, Joyner backup WLB.
- Gil and Harrell at Striker.
- Steed i keep out of the equation until we see his health. The guy was really talented coming in but injuries have derailed his career.
Click to expand...

I like this
 
JHallCanes said:
Good stuff brother. Any reason you’re saying if we go back to 4-3?

It’s one position I think we are equipped to handle losing an overwhelming amount of experience.

Last year losing JJ and Redwine I thought was going to be brutal to replace their leadership and we’ve struggled.

Same with LB but I think we have some really really talented kids waiting in the wings. Can’t wait to see more from Brooks and Huff.
Click to expand...
With Rome Finley graduating they may want to see more a traditional LB set.

Rome was a cheat code in that, he was the exact perfect Hybrid, he big enough & instinctual enough to play a traditional LB role, while have the coverage skills & speed to also drop back in coverage like an in Box Safety. He was the perfect LB/Safety.

Frierson has done well & was being groomed as the 2nd team Striker this season, but he's more Safety than LB, he does well against the run but he's not a 3rd LB in the same way that Rome was.

The question becomes does the staff want to Brooks, Huff & Frierson on the field as their base or would they want Brooks, McCloud & Frierson, or Brooks, Huff & McCloud?

I don't think they would play more traditional 4-3, but from a personnel standpoint a lot will depend where they wanna play Huff & McCloud, because they essentially play the same position but you can move Huff around to either SLB or WLB. Although McCloud has never really played Weak Side backer.

I expect them to stay with the 4-2-5, it's just going to be interesting to see which combination they go with.
 
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