Justin McGriff moved to OLB
- Thread starter WestCoastCornhusker2
- Start date
I know his dad had 493 career homers and hit .284
I'd say it's usually not a good sign when a player changes positions twice in his first year. I don't think his speed is that good, which is why he was first moved from WR to TE.
He was recruited to be a TE, but practiced at WR due to the depth at TE. He also had been practicing at OLB the latter half of the fall. I don't think it is the typical position switch we've seen in the past.
That's good to hear. Certainly seems to have the frame to fit at OLB and we really need to find some pass rushers.
Also, - he redshirted this fall, so he still has 4 years to play.
Fast for a WR and fast for an OLB are different metrics. He went from being an offensive tweener to now being a defensive tweener. He played DE in high school did he not?
You never know, Freedom turned into a solid DE. Cody Glenn was a solid LB, Bobby Newcombe was a good WR/PR, Tony Veland was a hell of a safety.
This staff turned Griffin from a nice little story about a guy with one hand who gets to play college football but wasn't really playing to a legit NFL prospect. Maybe they'll hit on something.
Or maybe he rides pine for two years and transfers. Guess we'll find out.
Maybe he should enroll in the Devine Ozigbo School of Speed and Performance.
Also look at how many LB's transferred once Frost took over. (Roberts, Hampton, Ward, Tanner, any others.)
In addition to recruiting QB rushers, I'd be pissed if the staff isn't looking in every nook and cranny of the roster to find a guy who can get to the QB before they throw the ball. McGriff is 6-6 and has to have decent speed for guy that size. Devine is an example of what can be done if a kid dedicates himself to getting better.
The calculus changes for the defense once it is able to field a couple of kids who can make the opposing QB sweat.
SJB switched from WR to CB and is still on an NFL roster.
Recruited as a QB, I think, but too talented not to get him on the field. His freshman year was Frost’s senior year. So he played WR and KO and Punt returns (I think).
As a sophomore he won the starters job for 3 games I think, then Crouch took over and never looked back. I think he injured his knee in the loss to a&m, and when he did come back Crouch was already a star. Newcombe then returned to WR for the rest of his career.
So the Crouch/Newcombe saga is ancient history, vaguely remembered by tribal elders? Man, I am old.
If you think that your that old,Have a seat and I’ll tell you the saga of Van Browson and Jerry Tagge..RollingLaugh
I believe Newcombe injured his knee in the season opener vs. Louisiana Tech, then returned to dazzle against Washington.
I feel old because I DO remember it clearly! Newcombe played very well in the '98 opener vs LaTech but twisted a knee late in the game. Crouch played pretty the next game (or two?) but then got dinged up, too. Newcombe returned to play extremely well in a rout of UW, the only game he and DeAngelo Evans played together while reasonably healthy. Newcombe's knee deteriorated over the next month until they finally sat him for the remainder of the season. Crouch played pretty well the remainder of the season but was hampered by a sub-standard OLine and lack of a great I-Back (Evans' health had deteriorated, too, and he sat the second half of the season). Newcombe won a controversial QB battle during the fall '99 camp despite Crouch having the better stat line for most of the scrimmages. Then Crouch runs over the Iowa DB, scores three TD's in 7 minutes vs Cal, and the rest, as they say was history.
I feel like an old man telling stories around the fire.
Did we lose to a&m at least? Did I get that right? I seem to remember a late int that Newcombe through as we were making a comeback... but maybe I am misremembering.
We were down 28 to 7 before putting bobby in the shotgun and letting him throw. Closed to 28 to 21 and were driving when he threw the pick.
That is correct. Got down big, made a furious comeback attempt that fell short.
They got everything on the internets these days. Video quality makes it look like this game happened in 1963 but it's from 98.
Not sure why it's such a bad video, they usually look better than this even at 420p.
You forgot Monte Christo in there somewhere.
Dennis Claridge, Joe Orduna, Frosty Anderson...seems like just yesterday.
Funny, I was just thinking about Joe Orduna the other day and how he was so good at jumping over the line on the goal line. No one does that anymore.
Not true. I saw that in a game just a couple of weeks ago. Can't remember if it was college or pro and I about fell out of my chair when I saw it.
Definitely need some depth at LBer. I just hope McGriff doesn't turn in to one of those last minute class additions who eats a scholarship for 4 years without really contributing much.
Rare occurrences in comparison to 30 years ago. Seems like something that happened in almost every game you may catch once a season these days.
OK, I rephrase, "you don't see it nearly as often these days." Jumpin Joe got off the ground, they taught them to do it then, times have changed. Better?
Newcombe was only a WR as a freshman because TO stated he had too much talent to sit, he wanted him on the field.
I'm a bit sad. I was really high on this kid on offense, expecially considering the lack of a clear 2nd option next to JD.
Hopefully this pans out and he's SJB 2.0
Hopefully this pans out and he's SJB 2.0
You didn't mention Crouch's trip to Omaha.
You forgot about the part of the story where Crouch ran back home to Omaha like a little baby when he didn't get the starting quarterback job. Frank raced up to O to talk Crouch into coming back. Frank names Crouch the starter I believe before Newcombe hurts his knee. Newcombe is never the same after the injury. He was electric before the injury.. Crouch is easily my least favorite Husker (I know. He won the Heisman) and No. 2 is not even close.
McGriff is actually extremely athletic with excellent body control. The staff was seriously expecting and considering him for playing time at WR in the Spring, and even up until fall camp.
But as more and practices occurred, a theme started to develop with McGriff:
The dude has terrible hands. He would get open. He was good at exploiting his size vs smaller defenders. He was physical at the point of attack, and really possesses excellent body control vs. Coverage. McGriff also understood leverage and how to block on the perimeter. But the kid drops the football. Walters and Frost didn't have time for the drops.
Give the coaches some credit here. They didn't try and waste away seasons hoping the kid could somehow find extra stickem. They quickly identified a major weakness and determined it probably won't change going forward.
He is long, lean, and certainly athletic enough to play OLB with the proper physicality..... Oh, and he just had to get a hand in the way of the football on defense.
But as more and practices occurred, a theme started to develop with McGriff:
The dude has terrible hands. He would get open. He was good at exploiting his size vs smaller defenders. He was physical at the point of attack, and really possesses excellent body control vs. Coverage. McGriff also understood leverage and how to block on the perimeter. But the kid drops the football. Walters and Frost didn't have time for the drops.
Give the coaches some credit here. They didn't try and waste away seasons hoping the kid could somehow find extra stickem. They quickly identified a major weakness and determined it probably won't change going forward.
He is long, lean, and certainly athletic enough to play OLB with the proper physicality..... Oh, and he just had to get a hand in the way of the football on defense.