Recent Attrition at Linebacker

[FrancisSawyer]

After the gut punch we took this weekend with the dismissals of DE AQM and LB Jermaine Grace I started to think about just how many players this program has lost at LB over the past few years. Could our recent streak of bad luck at one position group be unprecedented? Let's take a look. Off of the top of my head, the following LBs have been forced to leave the UM program either because of freak injuries or rules violations during the last 4 years........


1. Jermaine Grace(senior starter and no1 LB on team)
2. Juwon Young( quality backup with starting experience)
3. Alex Figueroa( starter poised for a breakout year)
4. Gabriel Terry(special teams standout with starting potential)
5. Eddie Johnson(starter and aggressive playmaker with star potential)
6. Gionni Paul( young quality backup with starting potential)
7. Josh Witt(fast and instinctive could have provided quality depth)
8. Marques Gayot( converted safety flashed great potential before injury)
9. James King( a Golden reach most likely a career special teamer)
10. Jawand Blue(backup providing depth)


In looking over that list with the exception of King and maybe Witt(who knows) that is 7 quality players all significant and some with star potential all lost over a 4 year span. I'm not trying to dwell on negatives but I'm curious if any of you have ever seen or heard of similar situations. It's truly mind boggling how much we have lost at that position in such a relatively short time.


Now obviously our future at the position looks extremely bright with the Fab 3 of Quarterman, Pinckney and McCloud leading the way. We need more quality depth but should get there in the next 2 cycles. Still the past 4 years have been rough in that regard.

 

[theibisrules]

This is a very underrated post right here....wish I could rep you 10,000 times more

 

[Tree31]

And Paul became first team all Pac 12 at Utah

 

[brock]

What a sad post man. A shame. We have dismissed some really good linebackers over past few years

 

[miamimarine]

An eye opener! Thanks for the info. My wife literally asked me that question last night, so thanks for posting.

Semper Canes!!!

 

[DaCanes386]

There are 13-15 LB's on the roster.

 

[IndayArtHauz]

Blue got booted wth Figueroa. Also Devonte Bond never made it into school. Loved that kid's tape.

 

[HeatedCanePhin]

Choices have Consequences.

Shout it from every High School locker room.

 

[sstcane]

There are 13-15 LB's on the roster.

We have 8 Scholarship LB's left

Quarterman
Pinckney
McCloud
Owens
Gordinier
McCray
Smith
Perry

 

[ben]

Don't forget Travis Williams!

 

[nycane]

Don't forget Travis Williams!

he was a highly regarded kid too. a 4 star and ryhem lockley was suppose to play LB

 

[nycane]

i dont care who we lost. we have 3 fresh studs. Perry and Gordiner can prob at least be serviceable back ups the next few years. we just have ot add depth. Mark Richt is not Al Golden. his teams always have quality depth.

 

[FrancisSawyer]

Blue got booted wth Figueroa. Also Devonte Bond never made it into school. Loved that kid's tape.

I knew I was forgetting someone! Thanks for reminding me!

 

[JG13]

After the gut punch we took this weekend with the dismissals of DE AQM and LB Jermaine Grace I started to think about just how many players this program has lost at LB over the past few years. Could our recent streak of bad luck at one position group be unprecedented? Let's take a look. Off of the top of my head, the following LBs have been forced to leave the UM program either because of freak injuries or rules violations during the last 4 years........


1. Jermaine Grace(senior starter and no1 LB on team)
2. Juwon Young( quality backup with starting experience)
3. Alex Figueroa( starter poised for a breakout year)
4. Gabriel Terry(special teams standout with starting potential)
5. Eddie Johnson(starter and aggressive playmaker with star potential)
6. Gionni Paul( young quality backup with starting potential)
7. Josh Witt(fast and instinctive could have provided quality depth)
8. Marques Gayot( converted safety flashed great potential before injury)
9. James King( a Golden reach most likely a career special teamer)
10. Jawand Blue(backup providing depth)

 

[Al Foil]

We should be in a 4-2-5 look most of the time anyway.

Jamal is essentially a LB. You want Jenkins, Jamal and Jaquon on the field as much as possible.

 

[Al Foil]

Of the ten kids you listed, only one of them had/has any chance of making an NFL roster. What is your point? All but Grace were tremendous recruiting mistakes.

That should be the focus of the current LB issues. TERRIBLE RECRUITING .

After the gut punch we took this weekend with the dismissals of DE AQM and LB Jermaine Grace I started to think about just how many players this program has lost at LB over the past few years. Could our recent streak of bad luck at one position group be unprecedented? Let's take a look. Off of the top of my head, the following LBs have been forced to leave the UM program either because of freak injuries or rules violations during the last 4 years........


1. Jermaine Grace(senior starter and no1 LB on team)
2. Juwon Young( quality backup with starting experience)
3. Alex Figueroa( starter poised for a breakout year)
4. Gabriel Terry(special teams standout with starting potential)
5. Eddie Johnson(starter and aggressive playmaker with star potential)
6. Gionni Paul( young quality backup with starting potential)
7. Josh Witt(fast and instinctive could have provided quality depth)
8. Marques Gayot( converted safety flashed great potential before injury)
9. James King( a Golden reach most likely a career special teamer)
10. Jawand Blue(backup providing depth)


In looking over that list with the exception of King and maybe Witt(who knows) that is 7 quality players all significant and some with star potential all lost over a 4 year span. I'm not trying to dwell on negatives but I'm curious if any of you have ever seen or heard of similar situations. It's truly mind boggling how much we have lost at that position in such a relatively short time.


Now obviously our future at the position looks extremely bright with the Fab 3 of Quarterman, Pinckney and McCloud leading the way. We need more quality depth but should get there in the next 2 cycles. Still the past 4 years have been rough in that regard.

 

[FrancisSawyer]

[MENTION=11486]Al Foil[/MENTION]

I'm not trying to make any big points. Just commenting on it. As to only one out of ten being NFL worthy, a player doesn't necessarily have to be NFL material to play a significant role on a college team. As for all but Grace being terrible recruiting mistakes, they are certainly not on the level of Jon Vilma and DJ Williams but I find your assessment to be a little over the top.

Not that it would have mattered anyway because Fat Al had no idea how to use them.

 

[bshaw28]

Our LB problems go back even farther. Look at the LB recruiting classes under Shannon:

2007 - No LB's signed

2008 - Arthur Brown (transfer), Brandon Marti (kicked off team), Antonio Harper (never made it in), Gavin Hardin (injuries ended career), Zach Kane (never made it in)

2009 - No LB's signed

2010 - Travis Williams & Kevin Nelson (transfer)


We've been snake bitten for a while at LB

 

[Golsen82]

Our LB problems go back even farther. Look at the LB recruiting classes under Shannon:

2007 - No LB's signed
2008 - Arthur Brown (transfer), Brandon Marti (kicked off team), Antonio Harper (never made it in), Gavin Hardin (injuries ended career), Zach Kane (never made it in)
2009 - No LB's signed
2010 - Travis Williams & Kevin Nelson (transfer)

We've been snake bitten for a while at LB

How the heck does a former UM linebacker not sign a single one in 07!! Let alone miss on the others

 

[kryptonite]

After the gut punch we took this weekend with the dismissals of DE AQM and LB Jermaine Grace I started to think about just how many players this program has lost at LB over the past few years. Could our recent streak of bad luck at one position group be unprecedented? Let's take a look. Off of the top of my head, the following LBs have been forced to leave the UM program either because of freak injuries or rules violations during the last 4 years........


1. Jermaine Grace(senior starter and no1 LB on team)
2. Juwon Young( quality backup with starting experience)
3. Alex Figueroa( starter poised for a breakout year)
4. Gabriel Terry(special teams standout with starting potential)
5. Eddie Johnson(starter and aggressive playmaker with star potential)
6. Gionni Paul( young quality backup with starting potential)
7. Josh Witt(fast and instinctive could have provided quality depth)
8. Marques Gayot( converted safety flashed great potential before injury)
9. James King( a Golden reach most likely a career special teamer)
10. Jawand Blue(backup providing depth)

Soooo...we have to do better at seeing into the future to know which recruits will f up and get the boot?