When I talk to people about spring practice..

[57stratdawg]

Two positions come up pretty regularly: TE and S. I think some of you are going to be pretty surprised at our S position this year.

Having said that, Shaq Wiggins would be a big time addition for us. We could mix and match our corners and feel good about the backend of the D all the way around.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

I'm ready to see the JUCO guys and the LBs. We have one known commodity at LB - Leo. We don't know what we have in Green, Sweat, Thompson. Jung is ok and Harris' injury history gives pause. I'm ready to see who we got and who's gonna play

 

[Snog]

We only go as far as the OL takes us.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

If we stay healthy our OL won't be an issue. We have what some people call a 1st round LT in Rankin's, Jenkins was a stud at LG, and Calhoun will be a decent C. Story can play RG and was decent last year as a freshman(?), and we'll have someone step up at RT, which is basically our only question mark. Don't believe the message board 17wads that hate Mullen and Hevesy and have an agenda.

 

[57stratdawg]

I agree. I think they are better pieces to work with on this OL than most of Mullen's. Im hopeful one of our younger players steps up at RT, because I want us to leave Jenkins at LG.

 

[coach66]

Rosie says Louisville giving us a hard time over Shaq but he expects us to work

it out it sounds like.

 

[coach66]

Yep, we are gonna be a large, physical presence potentially. It should be fun.

nm

 

[Snog]

I'm not going off internet chatter, I'm going off on field product. Other than 2 games last year, it was awful. I'll believe all this "potential" when I see it.

 

[engie]

it out it sounds like.

Do they have an actual say in the matter if he is a graduate transfer? I guess maybe it's a special case since he actually transferred in there from Georgia, making this his second school change.

 

[Hoover Dawg]

If we stay healthy out OL won't be an issue. We have what some people call a 1st round LT in Rankin's, Jenkins was a stud at LG, and Calhoun will be a decent C. Story ran play RG and was decent last year as a freshman(?) and we'll have someone step up at RT which is basically our only question mark. Don't believe the message board 17wads that hate Mullen and Hevesy and have an agenda.

lulz

 

[engie]

I'm not going off internet chatter, I'm going off on field product. Other than 2 games last year, it was awful. I'll believe all this "potential" when I see it.

It really wasn't. And I challenge you to show me statistically where it was. All anyone remembers of OL play is when it's bad rather than what it actually is. By the end of the year, that was one of Mullen's better OLs.

 

[Chesusdog]

They got better but there was some pretty bad play the first few games.

 

[Hoover Dawg]

We also lost 3 starters off of it.

 

[Wizard.sixpack]

Do they have an actual say in the matter if he is a graduate transfer? I guess maybe it's a special case since he actually transferred in there from Georgia, making this his second school change.

What would that matter? If he is a grad transfer they don't have a say where he goes. He has already graduated correct?

 

[engie]

What would that matter? If he is a grad transfer they don't have a say where he goes. He has already graduated correct?

I think the initial transfer means the grad transfer requires them to sign something, if I am reading the fine print right... Basically just adds the one piece of paper...

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

We only go as far as the OL takes us.

no, we will go as far as our defense takes us.

 

[Wizard.sixpack]

oh ok didnt realize that was the case.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

We return three starters
And if you think our OL is such garbage, then why does it matter how many we lost? You can't have it both ways.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

Did they?

They got better but there was some pretty bad play the first few games.

Did they get better or did we play some putrid rush defenses towards the end? Probably a little bit of both, but I'd say more of the latter.

 

[Hoover Dawg]

When a bad OL loses senior starters, it gets worse. The exceptions are like 1% (Bama) and JUCOs. Common freaking sense, it's not a 'both ways' deal, it's one way.

Unless Champion and Phillips break out, there's little chance this line gets better than last year.

 

[Hoover Dawg]

Well, to be fair, many defenses appear to be putrid compared to Alabama. Auburn and LSU were the other two good ones we played last year, and all 3 kicked our asses predictably. So it depends on expectations. Is our line good enough to get us to 6-6 or 8-4? Sure. But we ain't going 10-2 with that bunch. Maybe 2018.

 

[engie]

We have a possible first round left tackle. That goes a long way toward masking other OL deficiencies. Ask Ole Miss. And Rankin certainly wasn't what he has now become at the start of last year...

 

[Hoover Dawg]

I really hope you're right about our talent, because if you are, I'd be more willing to drink the koolaid, because stats alone don't cut it for me. But Mullen's offense leans more on the OL than Freeze. Either way the results are usually about the same, in terms of record/success. Freeze will pick off someone like Alabama but lose to Arkansas, while Mullen is more consistent.

Connelly comes out with his previews and accounts for returning talent, very curious to see if he sees what you see.

 

[Drebin]

It really wasn't. And I challenge you to show me statistically where it was. All anyone remembers of OL play is when it's bad rather than what it actually is. By the end of the year, that was one of Mullen's better OLs.

Is there anything you are not an expert on? I'd like to know so I can feel good about winning an argument with you.

 

[engie]

We "lost 3 starters" -- but in reality, Jenkins, Calhoun, and Story have all started games and Williams was playing ~ 40% of snaps before the injury. We definitely lost 3 starters but bring back 4 guys with starting experience plus Williams. We need a center that can snap and a right tackle that can block -- and we can rock and roll. The guard spots and LT have already proven they can play IMO. And the guy that's going to be snapping the ball has proven he can block from a guard spot, just now has to prove he can do it from center. And we have to avoid ANY injuries, because if any of those guys go down, we fall apart in a hurry. That's being seen this spring.

 

[engie]

Is there anything you are not an expert on? I'd like to know so I can feel good about winning an argument with you.

No. Best to just avoid arguing with me**

 

[philduckworth]

We "lost 3 starters" -- but in reality, Jenkins, Calhoun, and Story have all started games and Williams was playing ~ 40% of snaps before the injury. We definitely lost 3 starters but bring back 4 guys with starting experience plus Williams. We need a center that can snap and a right tackle that can block -- and we can rock and roll. The guard spots and LT have already proven they can play IMO. And the guy that's going to be snapping the ball has proven he can block from a guard spot, just now has to prove he can do it from center. And we have to avoid ANY injuries, because if any of those guys go down, we fall apart in a hurry. That's being seen this spring.

Williams was not playing 40% of the snaps. He was on the FG team primarily.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Williams was not playing 40% of the snaps. He was on the FG team primarily.

Maybe we were kicking a lot of field goals.