Which newcomers will impact the game?

JCloned · 08-28-2007, 06:20 AM

Which newcomers do you expect to impact the game Thursday? I wrote an article with six that I think will impact the game against Kent State on my blog.

Link.

Second question, Which newcomer will make a game changing play first?

brianhos · 08-28-2007, 06:38 AM

I am hoping the newcommers on the offensive line make the biggest difference. That and the defensive line, can I vote for like 8 people?

JCloned · 08-28-2007, 06:56 AM

That would be cheating Brian. However, I agree that it all starts there, but I think Dedrick is the key newcomer on offensive line.

brianhos · 08-28-2007, 07:02 AM

That is where we were weakest last year.

kentkel · 08-28-2007, 07:13 AM

The newcomer with the greatest impact...GENE CHIZIK!

I know that you are referring to player(s). I have this feeling that JJ Bass will turn some heads.

brianhos · 08-28-2007, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by kentkel

The newcomer with the greatest impact...GENE CHIZIK!
I know that you are referring to player(s). I have this feeling that JJ Bass will turn some heads.

I am kinda hoping he dosen't. I would love to see Scales finally get that injury bug off his back and get some solid games. The poor guy deserves a break for once.

kentkel · 08-28-2007, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by brianhos

I am kinda hoping he dosen't. I would love to see Scales finally get that injury bug off his back and get some solid games. The poor guy deserves a break for once.

I, too, hope that Scales can get it going! I really am pulling for him. I hope that both backs can bring something unique to the table in order to keep defenses "on their toes."

JCloned · 08-28-2007, 08:59 AM

Allen Bell, Kent State driving in first half. Edelman is scrambling under pressure from Parker and Lyle. Bell steps in front of the receiver and shows of his 4.38 speed as he flys 70 yards down the sideline for the score.

JCloned · 08-28-2007, 12:41 PM

Just had a buddy at work tell me that his bet is Alexander Robinson breaking a big run. He is telling me, and I have no earthly idea if he knows what he is talking about, that Robinson is going to be the surprise starter Thursday. I am betting on Scales, but stranger things have happened

pulse · 08-28-2007, 12:50 PM

Most definitely Coach Chizik.

JCloned · 08-28-2007, 02:53 PM

I think Chizik has alread impacted far more than this game. Kudo's to the students as well. Perhaps they will be the player of the game when we play at home. Wow I am getting even more pumped!!!!

sdsmith4 · 08-28-2007, 03:46 PM

Here are my six in order of importance

1. Doug Dedrick
2. Ben Lamaak
3. Jamicah Bass
4. Allen Bell
5. Jesse Smith
6. Brandon Johnson
If you are going to include people who have never made an impact on a cyclone game I definitely have to include Lamaak and Johnson instead of Franklin and Lyle, I think we will see both a little bit on thursday, but they aren't going to have an impact on the game like all six of those guys I have listed who havn't been contributors before. Dedrick, Lamaak and Johnson are very important to our success, if they produce the Cyclones will produce, Bret can pass, J.J./Jason/Alex and Jason can all run. They are essential and will be on the field for most every play that is why they are so important. Johnson is the elder statesman of those three, a junior who has never started a game on the O-Line, he started as a lineman, moved to defense and moved back, so he has some experience but not a lot. Lamaak has one year in a big program and Dedrick has no big college experience, but I think if these guys pan out the way it sounds like they might they might be the key to our future for the next 3 or 4 years, that is what makes them so important.

Bass is important because he has to carry part of the load of picking up the yardage and also meeting the expectations of the cyclone faithful, the guy has sort of been pegged as the savior for the Cyclone running game, when the truth is the savior for the Cyclone running game is going to be Dedrick, Stephens, Johnson, Schmeling and Lamaak if we have a running game this year.

Bell isn't going to be in every play at corner, I think we will see Devin and Zac plenty in there, but he is an important piece of controlling the opponents passing game, I think this will be the weakness of the defense since I feel pretty good about what we have at LB and DL, we are very very very young back here in the two deep, that is why Bell, along with Sandvig and McDowell are very important cogs.

Jesse Smith is important because I think we have proof that the two guys beside him can play with the big boys, Banks and Bowen. Smith has to step in and replace the production of one of the Big 12's other tackle leaders in Tyrone McKenzie and also has to step up with the loss of Carper for the season, granted Bibbs/Raven/Garrin and Schmidgall will also be important here, but Smith is the starter he has to prove that he can play with these guys and isn't just the starter because we have nothing else right now.

JCloned · 08-28-2007, 05:07 PM

I debated putting Lamaak, Johnson & Dedrick as "one" of my newcomers, but ultimately chose Dedrick, b/c as you read he is the guy protecting Bret's blindside and for a quartberback who was getting happy feet problems, getting comfortable is important.

CyCloned · 08-28-2007, 08:42 PM

I am voting for Bass. Just a hunch this guy is going to break a few long runs thursday night. Mac's better teams always had a real game breaker on offense; JJ Moses, Troy, Seneca. This team needs someone like that and he looks like the man to me.

sdsmith4 · 08-28-2007, 08:49 PM

yea I ultimately agree with you and that is why I had Dedrick at the top, but I think Lamaak and Johnson are equally as important in that they will be helping open the holes for the backs and to be a truly successful team we need to be able to run, so that is why they are just as important and in my mind more important than Franklin and Lyle because they will be playing pretty much every down whereas Wallace and Chris will just be used on occasion, Lyle is probably going to be the third or fourth end so he will be in there but not enough to have a incredibly huge impact and Wallace is battling with guys like Todd, R.J., Marquis, Euseph and Milan for playing time, all of which have played quite a bit and Wallace really isn't in the best shape so he won't be in there on a lot of consecutive downs. I look for Wallace next year to be more of an impact player given the loss of Todd and Milan.