Do we know why Pickering didn't play?

[johnson86-1]

May have missed this already, but I saw that he didn't play. Are we trying to preserve his redshirt? Or was he suspended? Or is he just down the depth chart?

I know people said he wasn't ready, but I just assumed he'd get some playing time since we needed to get guys ready because of suspensions.

 

[coach66]

He is supposedly in need of more conditioning and weight lifting to be ready to

compete. No since in throwing him out there if he isn't ready and able to contribute and waste a year.

 

[RPOdawg]

IMO him and Russell have to play. Are they 100% SEC ready? Probably not. But with our lack of depth on the d line i think we have to get them in the rotation somehow. Russell on 3rd downs and Pickering to give guys like Lovett and crumedy a breather. It’s not ideal and I’d love to redshirt both, but this year has to be a “all Hands on deck” type mentality on the defensive front. They are both blue chip prospects, they should be able to contribute. I know Moorhead mentioned in his press conference that’d he’d like to get some more guys in the rotation up front. I’m hoping he’s was talking about these two.

 

[kired]

I know nothing about these guys... so I'm not comparing them to these two but... when Quay Evans and Nick James showed up 6 or 7 years ago, we needed help on the d-line so everyone wanted to see them play. Then we realized they literally couldn't run on & off the field without getting winded. So it is possible for lineman to be so out of shape they are completely worthless - especially when they get caught with a hurry up / no huddle offense and can't come off the field.

 

[Rupert Jenkins]

Where did we hear Pickering need to get in better condition and stronger ? I thought he was spose to be a beast. That's disappointing if true. I figured he was the next Jeffrey Simmons. Damn.

 

[aTotal360]

They would have zero impact in an SEC game.

 

[Nunya.sixpack]

He spent the game on the phone with huge freezus?

 

[RPOdawg]

They would have zero impact in an SEC game.

They both had offers from every school in the SEC. They could each play 10 or so snaps a game. You can’t tell me James Jackson is better than Nathan Pickering. You just can’t.

 

[Cooterpoot]

Pickering and Russell aren’t so out of shape they can’t play. That’s false.

 

[Dawgcap]

I’m not too worried at this point. Maybe he wasn’t ready, maybe someone was lighting a fire to get more effort in the film room and practice. Just because a player is talented doesn’t give him guaranteed reps.

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

I know nothing about these guys... so I'm not comparing them to these two but... when Quay Evans and Nick James showed up 6 or 7 years ago, we needed help on the d-line so everyone wanted to see them play. Then we realized they literally couldn't run on & off the field without getting winded. So it is possible for lineman to be so out of shape they are completely worthless - especially when they get caught with a hurry up / no huddle offense and can't come off the field.

Nick James would sub in, play a single snap and sub out. It was amazing to watch for sure.

 

[Drebin]

Where did we hear Pickering need to get in better condition and stronger ? I thought he was spose to be a beast. That's disappointing if true. I figured he was the next Jeffrey Simmons. Damn.

Pickering is not close to the caliber player Simmons is. That doesn’t mean he won’t be a good player for us and it’s not a slight in the least. Simmons is a once in a generation beast.

 

[Diggin Out Yo Wife]

Where did we hear Pickering need to get in better condition and stronger ? I thought he was spose to be a beast. That's disappointing if true. I figured he was the next Jeffrey Simmons. Damn.

Pickering was the 73rd rated player and 6th best DT. Typical 4 star level recruit.

Simmons was like the 18th best player and in a loaded DT class, and a bonafide 5 star blue chipper. There's a difference between those guys.

 

[msu86]

Pickering was the 73rd rated player and 6th best DT. Typical 4 star level recruit.

Simmons was like the 18th best player and in a loaded DT class, and a bonafide 5 star blue chipper. There's a difference between those guys.

And that was an extreme under evaluation for Simmons. He was at the very least a top 5 player in the country....maybe top 2 or 3 in that class.

 

[RPOdawg]

And that was an extreme under evaluation for Simmons. He was at the very least a top 5 player in the country....maybe top 2 or 3 in that class.

This is true. They aren’t close in comparison. But damn, Pickering should be able to fill a gap 10 or so plays a game. They have to contribute imho

 

[Diggin Out Yo Wife]

This is true. They aren’t close in comparison. But damn, Pickering should be able to fill a gap 10 or so plays a game. They have to contribute imho

The problem is, you're going to end up with a stacked freshman class if you do that. Lovett, Crumedy, Young, Robinson are redshirt freshmen. Love will also likely be in that group, if he doesn't get cleared for this year and has to take a redshirt. You don't really want to add Pickering to that list, unless he proves he absolutely must play. So, that being known, your depth needs to come from Autry (out for now), Jones and Jackson.

As far as Russell, we are loaded at DE, no point in playing him.

The solution is to move some of our DEs to DT to utilize talent. The longer this does not happen, the more I will start questioning JoMo's and Shoop's competence.

 

[dog12]

This is true. They aren’t close in comparison. But damn, Pickering should be able to fill a gap 10 or so plays a game. They have to contribute imho

If Pickering was currently good enough and ready to play, then he would play.

I would assume that our coaches can properly evaluate Pickering at practice and competently determine whether he is good enough to play.

 

[TheStateUofMS]

I'm thinking our defense as a whole did not take ULL seriously. They threw the kitchen sink at us play book wise. All sorts of misdirection that confused us in our pretty basic defense. I'm sure Pickering and Russell would have been confused as well, BUT that's not saying much. I would have liked to see them in there.

Their misdirection and TE/RBs lined up in the backfield running routes back across the formation wasn't something we prepared for or adjusted too.

I'm hoping the silver lining from this game is our D had a gut check.

 

[johnson86-1]

Pickering and Russell aren’t so out of shape they can’t play. That’s false.

So is Pickering just not expected to make it in the two deep, even with the suspensions, so they are redshirting him? Or alternatively he could make the two deep but he is not enough of an improvement to burn his RS when it will put us in a similar position down the road where we lose all our DT experience with one class?

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

I know this may sound crazy, but hear me out. Maybe ... juuuust maybe... the coaches know who they want/need to play, so we could focus our worries elsewhere (like the egg bowl jerseys**).

 

[Diggin Out Yo Wife]

I know this may sound crazy, but hear me out. Maybe ... juuuust maybe... the coaches know who they want/need to play, so we could focus our worries elsewhere (like the egg bowl jerseys**).

genespage.com

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

I'm thinking our defense as a whole did not take ULL seriously. They threw the kitchen sink at us play book wise. All sorts of misdirection that confused us in our pretty basic defense. I'm sure Pickering and Russell would have been confused as well, BUT that's not saying much. I would have liked to see them in there.

Their misdirection and TE/RBs lined up in the backfield running routes back across the formation wasn't something we prepared for or adjusted too.

I'm hoping the silver lining from this game is our D had a gut check.

I’m hoping we got some conditioning in that game. 96 degrees gonna be tough. I almost feel like we should exercise some ball/clock control so we don’t get winded again.

 

[HumpDawgy]

I would think this would have been one of the four games he would play and not burn his redshirt, especially with the suspensions.

 

[johnson86-1]

I would think this would have been one of the four games he would play and not burn his redshirt, especially with the suspensions.

Well, if he's out of shape, they may be thinking there will be opportunities later in the year where he can get more out of it.

Or alternatively, if he is good enough right now to help with depth in the 4 games he does play, they may be saving him for some of the games we're going to be playing in 95+ degree heat rather than use him in 78 degree AC.

 

[TheStateUofMS]

I would think this would have been one of the four games he would play and not burn his redshirt, especially with the suspensions.

This is most likely the case. Keep the redshirt option still on the table until it's evident we need him. We may need him after this week.

 

[RPOdawg]

Apparently Joe Moorhead reads the pack. He said today he will get Pickering and cam young in the rotation this week. I’ve got plenty of more bright ideas, coach. DM if interested.

 

[Rupert Jenkins]

I'm all for redshirting guys and getting them ready to dominate but considering the situation I figured we needed the bodies on the D line. And if we indeed need them this year they definitely need to be in games getting experience before they have to play against Alabsma or LSU

 

[RPOdawg]

I'm all for redshirting guys and getting them ready to dominate but considering the situation I figured we needed the bodies on the D line. And if we indeed need them this year they definitely need to be in games getting experience before they have to play against Alabsma or LSU

This. We don’t really have the luxury of just redshirting guys on the D line this year, ready or not. We need bodies, and Pickering was highly touted. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to contribute.

 

[Rupert Jenkins]

I sure remember him getting high praise during recruiting and us worrying about him jumping ship for Auburn or somewhere else. We will see him soon no doubt.

 

[Cooterpoot]

So is Pickering just not expected to make it in the two deep, even with the suspensions, so they are redshirting him? Or alternatively he could make the two deep but he is not enough of an improvement to burn his RS when it will put us in a similar position down the road where we lose all our DT experience with one class?

They planned to redshirt him from day. He plays with no technique and he needs a year in a weight program. He’s lightening quick off the snap and will be a beast next year. He’ll play his 4 games. Russell May end up playing (I have my doubts). We need speed off the edge and he’s quicker than our big DE, who probably should be playing with his hand down.

 

[kphall11]

Apparently Joe Moorhead reads the pack. He said today he will get Pickering and cam young in the rotation this week. I’ve got plenty of more bright ideas, coach. DM if interested.

He said in postgame after ULL the USM game would be one of the four games all freshman would play if opportunities presented themselves.

 

[patdog]

With all the suspensions, I'm not counting on there being many games with opportunities for redshirting players to play. We didn't lose many starters, but losing Autry and Gay is close to the worst combination of 2 players we could lose. I'm hoping this doesn't cost us a win, but after Saturday, I'm not as confident as I was before then.