Neff Giwa (6-7 305 freshman OL)....a former rugby player
- Thread starter rockingamecock
- Start date
I worry about him adjusting to our weather. The Irish tend to sunburn easily.
Let that dude run the ball in goal line situations! Will be incredibly hard to stop.
Harbor has world class speed and played football in high school. He's been here 3 years and is outside the top 10 WRs at SC. in fact, I question whether he's in the top 20 at the current date. Do you honestly think the Irish rugby player can walk in here and become good enough to make the 2 deep of an SEC program? I don't.
This is where coaching really matters... the only way he should see time on the field is if we actually have a good O-line coach.
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A good OL coach would tell Beamer to forget about this guy. What good OL coach wants to teach an Irish rugby player how to play OL in the SEC? This guy has never played football before. If he really wants to play college football, he should go to a D2 school where his size alone will give him some advantage.
Of course, Beamer, being an OJT head coach will probably sign him let him live out his football fantasy.
Beamer said he had to pull him aside and explain what a kickoff is, so I don't think he's close to contributing.
UGA had a French rugby player who walked on and ended up starting at LB back when Dooley was the coach. He had quite a few sacks, I think he held the sack record for a while. Of course, he was much more athletic and speedy than an OL type guy.
I too think defense would be easier to learn.
The Eagles drafted a player on defense who had never played a down of football in his life. Seems like he's going to make the 53 man roster.
Let’s just imagine he’s going to be the 2026 story! Number one NFL draft pick. Highest graded OL in SEC history! There, doesn’t that feel better.
Go Cocks!
Go Cocks!
I get so confused some times by the comments on this board. Aren't ALL freshman o-line players considered prospects and not anticipated to contribute for the first couple of years because the o-line system is hard to learn and they need to develop into large enough men? And you all are knocking him because he won't be a starter day one? In 30+ years, I don't recall a single true freshman ever doing that here.
Have you all ever played, had a child play, or even watch top rugby players or programs? Especially teams from europe, new zealand or even Fiji (athough they are 7's mainly). Whether 15 or 7's I would put a rugby players athleticism against any sport. 15's plays two 40 minute halves, non-stop with very few stoppages other than for scrums (when they huddle together to re-start after a penalty mostly) or line-outs (when the ball goes out of bounds and they have to throw it back in to resume play). The forwards are non-stop running and full contact (below the shoulders) during the entire time.
My son played on back-to-back state championship teams here, where his senior team were monsters. Many of the forwards came over from the football team at the request of the football coach to help with agility and footwork. Their school of less than 500 students lost by one point to the eventual national champion in the club division out of Northern VA/DC that drew on a pool of about 3 million students. This was their only loss of the season.
I have not seen this player, but having seen other rugby players of similar size, my guess is he will easily be one of the most athletic o-line player out of the gate. Yes, he will need coaching on hand techniques, but his footwork should be just fine. I would argue that the exact same could be said every year about the vast majority of our 5th year players.
Have you all ever played, had a child play, or even watch top rugby players or programs? Especially teams from europe, new zealand or even Fiji (athough they are 7's mainly). Whether 15 or 7's I would put a rugby players athleticism against any sport. 15's plays two 40 minute halves, non-stop with very few stoppages other than for scrums (when they huddle together to re-start after a penalty mostly) or line-outs (when the ball goes out of bounds and they have to throw it back in to resume play). The forwards are non-stop running and full contact (below the shoulders) during the entire time.
My son played on back-to-back state championship teams here, where his senior team were monsters. Many of the forwards came over from the football team at the request of the football coach to help with agility and footwork. Their school of less than 500 students lost by one point to the eventual national champion in the club division out of Northern VA/DC that drew on a pool of about 3 million students. This was their only loss of the season.
I have not seen this player, but having seen other rugby players of similar size, my guess is he will easily be one of the most athletic o-line player out of the gate. Yes, he will need coaching on hand techniques, but his footwork should be just fine. I would argue that the exact same could be said every year about the vast majority of our 5th year players.
Rugby players are definitely great athletes, that is not part of the debate. The issue is, he has never played American football on any level, not even sandlot. He doesn't only need to learn the OL position and the basic plays and concepts, he needs to learn the rules of the game and the objects of the game i.e. first downs, points for the various ways of scoring, penalties, etc..
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