Nuggets 2.0

[1LuvCane]

Keontra at Will? What does that say about a) the other linebackers and b) the need to get him on the field?

Definitely. At least the coaches are looking for a solution.....

 

[RedSquare]

That’s great to hear about Ford, if he can stay healthy & continue to play up to his capabilities we’ll have a legit stout 2-gap run defender clogging up the middle. That UVA game in 2019 was the best I ever seen him look, he was an absolute monster taking on double teams & attacking the pocket.

He’ll also make the job easier for the Edge rushers with how often we like to loop & stunt upfront.

I think the RB group if healthy will be explosive this year, this a money year for Cam, he obviously won’t be a 1st or 2nd rounder, but he can play his way up from the lower rounds possibly into the 3rd with a good Senior year.

Love what I’m hearing from the LB corps, Keontra Smith, Corey Flagg, Tirek Austin-Cave, (healthy) Sam Brooks & Avery Huff is a much faster group, less experienced, but definitely more upside in playmaking ability.

Also, Kam Kinchens is impressing as well, he’s a natural.

i think this is really a factor in getting better.

in manny's D, if it works out that way, you can get away with being a bit undersized at LB.

but god help you if you're a bit slow.

and on the QB's, from someone who was there last night and seen practices this spring: "TVD is a stallion. Garcia has mad skills as well. The combo of having two guys on the roster as physically and mentally sharp hasn't been seen around here in decades. As a combo, think Walsh/Erickson or Kelly/Kosar. Not there yet, but these young guys are the real deal."

 

[OrangeBowlMagic]

Let me be clear I’m one of the bigger Frierson guys on the board , I’ve posted multiple times he was arguably the best player on the defense last year. I was just expecting a big step this year and leadership. Showing up out of shape and overweight isn’t that.

I was told on more than one occasion that, when he arrived, he wasn’t taking this seriously at all and was nowhere near putting the effort in to play at this level.

Fast forward 2 years, and that was all erased. Seems like we’re regressing back the way we were.

Try to read between the lines. He wasn’t where he needed to be pre Covid lockdown. Everything closed, Gil was focused. Now, not putting in the work..........

 

[Page305]

Bolden... This is not really a "hot take" but I think at the least, he will have a all-acc type of season. Last yr I think he was just mentally burnt out(and also physically not 100% healthy) due to the fact that there just wasn't that urgency from **** near 90% of the team AND coaches. I know for a fact Trob will hold his players accountable and not allow bs and let it slide. Not saying he has more power than Manny and will overstep him but it will definitely be a different approach than Rumph and Banda. I promise you not one soul at the DB position feared those guys.

 

[Bender]

I was told on more than one occasion that, when he arrived, he wasn’t taking this seriously at all and was nowhere near putting the effort in to play at this level.

Fast forward 2 years, and that was all erased. Seems like we’re regressing back the way we were.

Try to read between the lines. He wasn’t where he needed to be pre Covid lockdown. Everything closed, Gil was focused. Now, not putting in the work..........

if he bulked up and gained size with muscle and fat, i wouldnt worry about it too much. players usually lose weight during this period of time. remember when a pic showed that king had a belly last season and people freaked out?

 

[Page305]

With Frierson, who I've been a BIG fan of.... I think alot of it is just him being used to knowing he'll get playing time no matter what. With Chase ballin out all spring and getting alot of praise, he might be folding under pressure realizing he got a DOG on his ***. Idk... Or it could just be as simple as him not taking this **** serious enough. Either way he better wake tf up.

 

[WestGA'Cane]

New coaches in the defensive backfield and Frierson shows out of shape..not a good look. You would think if he shapes up by fall camp things come on line, but with new coaches he'll have to prove himself. Put himself behind the eight ball apparently. Still, if the seniority code applies to the Popes, Wiggins, McClouds, Jennings, and Carter's of the roster...you'd think it would apply to a guy who actually performed. Come out of that doghouse young man!

 

[twes.305]

What's going on with Frierson? Seems like the last 2 years is gonna be an uphill climb for him at Striker.

Pretty sure he came into spring a little out of shape... so that’s probably playing a big part in his performance.

 

[Empirical Cane]

Amazing news! Frierson (STR), Flagg (MLB), and Kentora (WLB) is who we should be rolling out against Bama.

I wonder what Carters move to striker means for James Williams. With Frierson, and now Carter, ahead of him, does he get some actual playing time this year?

Would folks think Carter to Striker could reduce his targeting penalties? What I mean is in that [striker] role he will have less opportunity to wind up and run for a tackle vs close quarters coverage, squeak throw line etc.

Or can we just expect him to play every other game because of targeting suspensions?

 

[Trav]

We had a good team last year, only question is can they remain consistent and beat the top teams in the costal

We had an ok team last year.. We were good at a lot of skill positions and DE but awful at LB, mediocre on the OL and wildly inconsistent at WR. That doesn't stack up with any of our historically good teams. More like the late 90s teams that were building up to good.

 

[Page305]

Would folks think Carter to Striker could reduce his targeting penalties? What I mean is in that [striker] role he will have less opportunity to wind up and run for a tackle vs close quarters coverage, squeak throw line etc.

Or can we just expect him to play every other game because of targeting suspensions?

I would definitely think it should lower his targeting penalties.

 

[grover]

@DMoney any stock down, or not ready to share?

I've been pretty consistent saying I feel Flagg is too slow to start against high level comp. I really hope Brooks is healthy and our starting LBs are Smith and Brooks. That Striker position is going to be the most competitive spot on the defense. Very excited to see Carter v Frierson v C Smith.

 

[nycane]

@Cribby is the man

Adding what I heard:

Stock up: TVD, DJ Ivey (all spring since he returned from Covid list), Kam Kinchens, the DL

Stock stays high: Mike Harley, Chase Smith

Ivey might improve under T-rob. My problem wifh Wiggins Pope and even gaynor is they didn’t show major improvement under the new coaches. Pope got better. Dee looked garbage. Likens is a great coach. That tells
Me he doesn’t want it bad enough n

 

[Page305]

@DMoney any stock down, or not ready to share?

I've been pretty consistent saying I feel Flagg is too slow to start against high level comp. I really hope Brooks is healthy and our starting LBs are Smith and Brooks. That Striker position is going to be the most competitive spot on the defense. Very excited to see Carter v Frierson v C Smith.

Flagg is starting and he's been getting praise all spring. Could very well just be "coach talk" but nah, they trust him.

 

[nycane]

Chase isn’t going anywhere. My hot take or shocker prediction would be him getting a lot of burn and maybe taking the starting job late in the season. As of today my money is on Carter to start at striker. Maybe Frierson gets his stuff together but until then Carter is my bet.

Chase might be the star of the class

 

[Negro-Wan Kanobi]

Pretty sure he came into spring a little out of shape... so that’s probably playing a big part in his performance.

Well I didn't know that part.
Thanks.

 

[Trav]

@DMoney any stock down, or not ready to share?

I've been pretty consistent saying I feel Flagg is too slow to start against high level comp. I really hope Brooks is healthy and our starting LBs are Smith and Brooks. That Striker position is going to be the most competitive spot on the defense. Very excited to see Carter v Frierson v C Smith.

Instincts make up for a lot of foot speed. Flagg's seem to be by far the best at MLB.

 

[nycane]

Huff?? tell us bout Huff
good to hear Smith ghosting is health related and not him fading ... big hopes on that boy
DE Nuggets?

also Jalen Rivers please??

and thank you for sharing all that

Huff has been improving. I think rivers will start.
Gaynor is not a top 5 lineman in this group. He might be a good kid but
Starting him keeps are line from being at its best

 

[Negro-Wan Kanobi]

He’s added more weight & it looks to be slowing him down a bit.

I wouldn’t worry too much about Frierson, he’s a gamer.

He played at 210, he must've thought he could play at 220 or so. He should have stayed at 205-210. Hourly now he knows his weight limit to play that position and can do some pounds. He was one of the few bright spots last year.

 

[Cribby]

He played at 210, he must've thought he could play at 220 or so. He should have stayed at 205-210. Hourly now he knows his weight limit to play that position and can do some pounds. He was one of the few bright spots last year.

It wasn’t good weight , it was more Cribby’s weight after going on a food binge. Then I have to intermittent fast for weeks to get right again.