SWAC Footbal This Season...Critique YOUR School
- Thread starter Dr. Sweet NUPE
- Start date
JR
Well-Known Member
Mr. SWAC said:
Frat, don't try to talk football with this guy. Coach is not knowledgable on these things. Haven't you been reading his posts the last year. Always biased. His school has no problems and is the best in conference hands down.
Anybody who has watched AAMU knows that with a good offense, they would be hard to deal with.
MikeBigg
Well-Known Member
I agree with Suge and Nice concerning Bama State, SU and The ICON... all of them have some talent returning in the skill positions and in the trenches. Bama State has to be the early favorite based on the fact that the guys that led them to last year's championship is back. Plus they have home field advantage against the other early favorites. Their trip to Pine Bluff will be huge! I really think it will take a focused effort and perhaps a break for any team to come out of the Western Division undefeated.
Grambling has lots of experience and talent coming back on the offensive side of the ball. The key to our offensive success will be the conditioning of the offensive line and if they can be effective run blockers as well as sound in the pass protection when Bruce/Landers/Kerlegan go back to pass. (Although Bruce will be the starter, I think Spears will and should play all three). We have some young receivers who played a lot last year...hopefully they have continued to progress. Edwards was very good in his freshman season...the next step is for him to move it on to the next level. Henry Tolbert proved to be a reliable receiver...especially in the run and catch passing game. He should benefit from Bruce's return (experienced at reading the hot routes and taking advantage of coverages) as well as the return of Mose Harris to play out wide opposite Edwards. Mose was the stretch guy in the passing game during Tramon's senior year and caught 55 passes and 11 td's. This will allow Tolbert to work in the slot along with the possibly returning Tim Abney who showed big time ability late in his redshirt freshman season of 2003. He stepped up big late, especially in the shoot out 2003 Bayou Classic.
I think the running game will be in good shape. Kuaan has good ability and Ruben Mayes is a load. He's a big dude and a load to bring down. I like the way he attacks off tackle and has enuff of a burst to ramble for a quick 15-20 yard gallop. A big back who learned to finish strong when needed but still keep his feet and ramble for yards after initial contact. When you add Terrion Rodgers who is a hard runner and helluva blocker you have good depth. I hear that redshirt Freshman Michael Rainey also looked good during the spring. When we go to the Double Wing, that gives playing time to kick returners Landry Carter and Keatwon Gray. Both can catch the ball out of the backfield and are capable quick strike guys coming out of the wing. They complement Mayes and Rodgers lined up at fullback for the quick dive option. I can only imagine the thought of Kerlegan playing qb in that formation... that puts pressure on a defense.
( I'll discuss what I think about our defense in another post...this sucker got long)!
Grambling has lots of experience and talent coming back on the offensive side of the ball. The key to our offensive success will be the conditioning of the offensive line and if they can be effective run blockers as well as sound in the pass protection when Bruce/Landers/Kerlegan go back to pass. (Although Bruce will be the starter, I think Spears will and should play all three). We have some young receivers who played a lot last year...hopefully they have continued to progress. Edwards was very good in his freshman season...the next step is for him to move it on to the next level. Henry Tolbert proved to be a reliable receiver...especially in the run and catch passing game. He should benefit from Bruce's return (experienced at reading the hot routes and taking advantage of coverages) as well as the return of Mose Harris to play out wide opposite Edwards. Mose was the stretch guy in the passing game during Tramon's senior year and caught 55 passes and 11 td's. This will allow Tolbert to work in the slot along with the possibly returning Tim Abney who showed big time ability late in his redshirt freshman season of 2003. He stepped up big late, especially in the shoot out 2003 Bayou Classic.
I think the running game will be in good shape. Kuaan has good ability and Ruben Mayes is a load. He's a big dude and a load to bring down. I like the way he attacks off tackle and has enuff of a burst to ramble for a quick 15-20 yard gallop. A big back who learned to finish strong when needed but still keep his feet and ramble for yards after initial contact. When you add Terrion Rodgers who is a hard runner and helluva blocker you have good depth. I hear that redshirt Freshman Michael Rainey also looked good during the spring. When we go to the Double Wing, that gives playing time to kick returners Landry Carter and Keatwon Gray. Both can catch the ball out of the backfield and are capable quick strike guys coming out of the wing. They complement Mayes and Rodgers lined up at fullback for the quick dive option. I can only imagine the thought of Kerlegan playing qb in that formation... that puts pressure on a defense.
( I'll discuss what I think about our defense in another post...this sucker got long)!
MightyDog
Well-Known Member
We have great talent at QB, but every coach has his own timetable and philosophy for what they do. I believe we need to develop our QBs, because I don't understand the explanation of our QB making bad decisions all the time. Maybe they are more worried about being graded than winning the games. However, every since I have been on the SWACPage, I enjoy reading your comments about the upcoming season and most of the time you are right on the money. This is going to be very interesting season. If we don't win it all I will be very disappointed.
In a rebuilding year we should have beaten
Leading Bama North by 21 points and lost
Bad decisions in SU game
UAPB players seemed like they were not motivated to win. (That was a big ball game for both schools)
In a rebuilding year we should have beaten
Leading Bama North by 21 points and lost
Bad decisions in SU game
UAPB players seemed like they were not motivated to win. (That was a big ball game for both schools)
MikeBigg
Well-Known Member
Our defensive front should be pretty solid this year. 2004 pre-season All-American defensive tackle/end Leonard Patten returns after sitting out due to academics. He was dominant in the Spring game and all throughout practice. He might play both Tackle and End this year to take advantages of certain mismatches and schemes. 6'8" 285 lb Jason Hatcher is gonna get this season as well as 2006 due to Prop rule change. He has been listed as one of the top senior prospects for 2006 according to a list I saw on another website. Sophomore Jason Banks logged some starts and playing time last season at defensive end and was a playmaker. The same aforementioned website had him listed as a potential top senior in future seasons. Last year's starting defenisve tackle Jimmy Zachary has been granted another season by the NCAA...he should be strong against the run again this season. Add to the mix, converted (former starting) tight end Matt Duhe who made a successful move BACK to defense in the spring. He got rave reviews from the coaching staff and is being compared to the successful move by Jason Hatcher to defensive end.
The linebacking corp will be lead by returning leading tackler Dimitri Carr. Carr had a breakout season last year after having signed three seasons ago as a 195 lb high school all-state linebacker. Coming out of spring the other two starters were Joshua Bester a former strong safety at the weakside and David Hicks who is projected to have a huge fall. They will have to hold off a strong challenge from Michael Gilbert (also a former SS who plays the weakside) and Arkansas Transfer Luke Jackson from West Monroe on the strong side. Tim Wilson provides depth at both the middle and stong side linebacking position.
Our DB's have to replace Mike Daigre who played as a graduate student last year and was an inspirational leader and physical presence at SS. He will be replaced by either AJ Bocard or former Houston Prep standout Zaire Wilborn who also plays free safety behind returning starter Jermaine Mills out of McKinley High in Baton Rouge. We lost sophomore starter Lewis Carter to a torn ACL... former part-time starting wide receiver Baraki Guice who was a two way player last season will compete with talented 2004 signee Donnie Perrin out of Houston as well as others that include University of Alabama transfer Tony King. The other corner will be manned by Greg Fassit out of New Orleans. Fassit reminds me so much of former GSU and NFL great Albert Lewis...in other words, Fassit has All-American ability.
The kicking game should be bolstered by the stong punting leg of Tim Manual who was a true freshman last season. The kickoffs will most likely fall to a recent juco signee Kicker from Romania who has been reportedly booming kickoff out of the back of the endzone. That's gonna mean fewer runbacks and potentially better defensive field position.
I think our defense will be solid...the question will be depth and the defensive schemes/play calls from the sideline. I wasn't impressed with the defensive coordination last season...BUT I'm gonna see how it changes now that Coach Palmer has been with the guys for a full season and a spring practice session. Hopefully they have a better feel for what he wants and how they fit into the defensive schemes.
The linebacking corp will be lead by returning leading tackler Dimitri Carr. Carr had a breakout season last year after having signed three seasons ago as a 195 lb high school all-state linebacker. Coming out of spring the other two starters were Joshua Bester a former strong safety at the weakside and David Hicks who is projected to have a huge fall. They will have to hold off a strong challenge from Michael Gilbert (also a former SS who plays the weakside) and Arkansas Transfer Luke Jackson from West Monroe on the strong side. Tim Wilson provides depth at both the middle and stong side linebacking position.
Our DB's have to replace Mike Daigre who played as a graduate student last year and was an inspirational leader and physical presence at SS. He will be replaced by either AJ Bocard or former Houston Prep standout Zaire Wilborn who also plays free safety behind returning starter Jermaine Mills out of McKinley High in Baton Rouge. We lost sophomore starter Lewis Carter to a torn ACL... former part-time starting wide receiver Baraki Guice who was a two way player last season will compete with talented 2004 signee Donnie Perrin out of Houston as well as others that include University of Alabama transfer Tony King. The other corner will be manned by Greg Fassit out of New Orleans. Fassit reminds me so much of former GSU and NFL great Albert Lewis...in other words, Fassit has All-American ability.
The kicking game should be bolstered by the stong punting leg of Tim Manual who was a true freshman last season. The kickoffs will most likely fall to a recent juco signee Kicker from Romania who has been reportedly booming kickoff out of the back of the endzone. That's gonna mean fewer runbacks and potentially better defensive field position.
I think our defense will be solid...the question will be depth and the defensive schemes/play calls from the sideline. I wasn't impressed with the defensive coordination last season...BUT I'm gonna see how it changes now that Coach Palmer has been with the guys for a full season and a spring practice session. Hopefully they have a better feel for what he wants and how they fit into the defensive schemes.
Texas Southern Fan
Well-Known Member
All I going say is we don't have the talent to play a 3-4 defense.
Devil's Gun Trigger Man
onward and upward son!
coaching and conditioning, coaching and conditioning, coaching and conditioning, coaching and conditioning, coaching and conditioning, coaching and conditioning, coaching and conditioning.......................u get where I'm going with this???
sibiur
New Member
"The kickoffs will most likely fall to a recent juco signee Kicker from Romania who has been reportedly booming kickoff out of the back of the endzone."-Mike Bigg
Well, Mike, his leg is not QUITE that strong, but it's getting there. His fg range could make for a very short field for Grambling. With GSU putting up some points, he should be one of the top scorers in the conference.
And he's from Transylvania specifically, Mike, and says he can't wait to sink his teeth into some SWAC competition.
Well, Mike, his leg is not QUITE that strong, but it's getting there. His fg range could make for a very short field for Grambling. With GSU putting up some points, he should be one of the top scorers in the conference.
And he's from Transylvania specifically, Mike, and says he can't wait to sink his teeth into some SWAC competition.
MD, CEE Dog, & Mr. SWAC, I can never understand why your quarterbacks struggle, especially with the defense y'all have at A&M. I would imagine going against them in practice that your qb's would be battle tested by the time the season starts.
Is it play calling, or the qb's that you recruit are not cut out for the offensive system that's run at A&?
The last good qb I saw at A&M was in your initial year in the SWAC, and you had that option quarterback. He wasn't the best of qb's, but he made good decisions with the ball.
Coach, man please. Again, I don't know why SOME of you GSU people think you're the only one's that will improve, but it's time you, and the rest of the myopic crew get off that high horse, and come back down to earth. There's a reason you haven't been the Birmingham in 2 years.
NICE
Is it play calling, or the qb's that you recruit are not cut out for the offensive system that's run at A&?
The last good qb I saw at A&M was in your initial year in the SWAC, and you had that option quarterback. He wasn't the best of qb's, but he made good decisions with the ball.
Coach, man please. Again, I don't know why SOME of you GSU people think you're the only one's that will improve, but it's time you, and the rest of the myopic crew get off that high horse, and come back down to earth. There's a reason you haven't been the Birmingham in 2 years.
NICE
MACHIAVELLI
Chairman/C.E.O.
D-NICE said:
Probably the same way SOME of you SU people think that same exact thing.
Dr. Phreeze
It is I...Yes it is...
Jag-BR said:
Kneegrow please. Pot......Kettle......Black
MACHIAVELLI
Chairman/C.E.O.
Jag-BR said:
exactly
Mr. SWAC
F*** THE LAKERS!!!!!!
D-NICE, the overall problem is the offensive coordinator position or a lack thereof. Coach Cooper when at A&M was a defensive specialist, but wanted to run the offense hisself as well as Coach Jones does now. We've had OCs in the past, but by title only. Coach Jones has been managing the offense all 3 years so far, and it's just not working. This past spring you saw how excited we were that AJ was finally getting a real OC. Having this OC allows Coach Jones to manage the whole ship, as to where he won't lose focus dealing with the QBs and offense all day and during games. Also, we are in need of a QB coach. Usually most OCs can handle that tasks as well. It takes a QB to reach a QB, IMHO. In 2003 we had a QB coach, and that was our best offensive year in the SWAC. The QB coach left to go to FAMU and be a part of Billy Joe's staff, and you can easily tell the difference from 2003 to 2004s' offense in not having one. Our QBs struggle, because there is no one around to develop them AS THEY NEED TO BE DEVELOPED.D-NICE said:
But..... We got an OC now, and Coach Jones can finally worry about managing the whole game. Remember our Homecoming last year against Southern. A lot of coaching mistakes late in the game after we had came back cost us the lead and ultimately the game. If the QB I expect to win the starting position this year gets it, the SWAC will be in trouble.
MACHIAVELLI
Chairman/C.E.O.
Mr. SWAC said:
I hope DNice sees this....
Mr. SWAC
F*** THE LAKERS!!!!!!
Also, like MD said we have some great QBs on campus. It's just those other things mentioned above that have hurt us. For example, Chris Gunn (the QB from 2000-2002) was a great QB in high school. His only knock was his size. He got to A&M and wasn't productive like we needed him. He left the team before the 2003 season started and transferred to UNA were he shared the starting QB position for that year. NOW, he plays arena football for the local team Huntsville Raptors.
Another Example:
In 2002 we got a transfer D1A QB from Cincinatti. His name is Rod Stevens. He got minimal playing time in 2003 and wasn't happy about being the 4th string QB behind Johnny Keith, Tim Robinson, and one other kat I can't remember right now. Anyway, to make a long story short, he transferred to a JUCO in Mississippi where he passed for over 1,500 yards, and won MVP honors in the JUCO All-Star game. Where is he now. If you look in Street & Smith's magazine you will see him listed under Newcomer of the Year honors for the MEAC, by way of NCA&T.
This says one thing to me, talent at the QB position is not our problem. It's developing them. But as I said in my last post, that all looks to be finally changing this year.
Another Example:
In 2002 we got a transfer D1A QB from Cincinatti. His name is Rod Stevens. He got minimal playing time in 2003 and wasn't happy about being the 4th string QB behind Johnny Keith, Tim Robinson, and one other kat I can't remember right now. Anyway, to make a long story short, he transferred to a JUCO in Mississippi where he passed for over 1,500 yards, and won MVP honors in the JUCO All-Star game. Where is he now. If you look in Street & Smith's magazine you will see him listed under Newcomer of the Year honors for the MEAC, by way of NCA&T.
This says one thing to me, talent at the QB position is not our problem. It's developing them. But as I said in my last post, that all looks to be finally changing this year.
MACHIAVELLI said:
You hope I see what?
If you're referring to Mr. SWAC's post, I did, and I'm glad he repsonded to my question. I didn't smack A&M, and he responded to a honest question in a honest way in the spirit of this thread. He gave an honest crititque. Maybe you should take note.
NICE
