Do we go JUCO to replace George at MLB next year?
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I find it hard to believe Meeks is up to 260. I spoke to him after the Iowa game, and if he's 260 he has gained a good 15 pounds since then. If he can still run, I don't see how 250-260 is too big anyway. The critical question is - can he run? Last year, we had two LBs that weighed 250 plus or minus a few pounds and that seemed to work out pretty well. Whatever happens, I hope that we either find a juco guy, or one (or two) of the young guns steps up to be a physical presence for us. This year, all 3 of our starting linebackers are the size of safeties. I love all 3 guys, and I know that JG has a ton of tackles, but we are getting bullied in the run game. It's tough to battle in the trenches when our guys all weigh 210-220. Heck - the opposing team's starting running back is often bigger than all 3 of our linebackers.
Is the better talent the coaching staff is selling us a bit exaggerated then? If ISU doesn't have RS SO's and JR's ready to step up and fill in at LB, DL, and the safety positions next year (as it appears they didn't this year), does that mean that this "better talent" bit we keep hearing about is all a lie? Guys like Tuftee, Stokes, and Jevohn Miller not stepping up this year raises red flags in my mind, not to mention the total and complete lack of depth at safety behind Washington and Broomfield. What if guys like Kane Seeley, Jared Brackens and Darius White don't pan out? We'll be scratching bottom of the barrel next season if they do not. It's scary to think about.
I don't think we have any better talent than in prior years. If anything it is worse. We certainly don't have a KO on the line, a Knott and Klein at LB or an LJ at CB (.ie. NFL players) among the upperclassmen. You hope we have some among the young guys waiting in the wings but I don't see any sure things. Fans always think we have better talent on the way, but the only time I can remember a noticeable significant jump in talent was when Mccarney built us up from the mess Walden left. Since then, it has had its jumps and dips but overall has been about the same.
No. Our pipeline has plenty of good LB in it. We need to develop them and get them playing time. If we wanted to go Juco anywhere it should be on the OL. I am a JG fan but his in not setting the world on fire this season. In fact he was flat out bad a couple games early and again last week. LB is a difficult position to learn so to bring in one year players does not make sense.
Considering he is listed as "or" for 2nd string MLB and the fact that i've seen him on our kickoff teams, i find that very hard to believe. He is who i project to see the field. I was impressed with him during the spring game.
Hard to believe Meeks has put on 20 pounds already too but its a possibility. An athletic 260 pound DE would be nice. We've had pretty undersized DE's for awhile (exception being Irving).
He's officially a RS this season though, 10 lbs is a lot in a couple weeks but being close isn't out of the question.
I dont care that George leads the big 12 in tackles he is not impressive. I lost tons of respect for him as a player when he could of easily caught the RB for Baylor when he was at the 20 and he completely gave up on the play (Baylor went up like 27-0) at that point. He is such a talker but doesn't do much. You guys remember Tyrone McKenzie and Alvin Bowen each having like 100 tackles each in a season? Yeah, not hard to do when your defensive line is an utter joke and the RB can get to the LB level on every run.
He may be a "good leader" but he misses so many tackles and gets burned in coverage all the time. I think Luke Knott is better and will be a way better football player when it is all said and done. Jacques Washington has a had nice career but last I heard he has "packed it in" for the season basically giving up and is just trying to teach the young guys. Pathetic if true, and I hope thats just a rumor.
He may be a "good leader" but he misses so many tackles and gets burned in coverage all the time. I think Luke Knott is better and will be a way better football player when it is all said and done. Jacques Washington has a had nice career but last I heard he has "packed it in" for the season basically giving up and is just trying to teach the young guys. Pathetic if true, and I hope thats just a rumor.
Kane Seeley is a guy I've been excited about since his commitment. He's got good size and as long as he can run I think he'll be a very serviceable MLB. I'm not saying we need monsters or speed demons, but a mix of size and speed would be good. Size for taking on/shedding blocks and speed to help blanket the middle of the defense. I would also like to credit Luke Knott and Jared Brackens for stepping up and doing everything they have done to help out. Before the season started they both lacked linebacker experience..On top of that playing rather undersized in a league like the Big 12 has got to be challenging.
Size and Speed
Our defense has to be built to stop the run. That sounds counter intuitive in the pass happy Big 12, but a defense has to make an offense one dimensional. We just don't have the size/speed in our front seven to be stout against the run.
Scott has a great motor, but a 225lb DE is going to be pushed around by 300lb tackles. It wouldn't be as big an issue, but Morrisey is by no means a giant. Add to that our 3 LB's are in the 210-220 range.
JUCO might be the answer to plug in along the front seven. Alot depends on how Cousins, Aka, etc develop at DT. I think Mitchell Meyers can be a nice player at one DE. It appears that the move of Irving to DT has been a success, but I would love to see his size at DE.
Similarly, it would be:great if Meeks could be our future MLB and find on the current roster or from a JUCO a OLB in the 230-240lb range with solid speed.
Our defense has to be built to stop the run. That sounds counter intuitive in the pass happy Big 12, but a defense has to make an offense one dimensional. We just don't have the size/speed in our front seven to be stout against the run.
Scott has a great motor, but a 225lb DE is going to be pushed around by 300lb tackles. It wouldn't be as big an issue, but Morrisey is by no means a giant. Add to that our 3 LB's are in the 210-220 range.
JUCO might be the answer to plug in along the front seven. Alot depends on how Cousins, Aka, etc develop at DT. I think Mitchell Meyers can be a nice player at one DE. It appears that the move of Irving to DT has been a success, but I would love to see his size at DE.
Similarly, it would be:great if Meeks could be our future MLB and find on the current roster or from a JUCO a OLB in the 230-240lb range with solid speed.
Give Knott and Brackens another year of experience (they are both 1st year LBs) and another 10-15 pounds (which I think will happen) and that will help. Shouldn't lose too much speed with 10 pounds if it's good weight.
As for MLB, we've got our options, they will just be young options. Seeley, White, Meeks, possibly a JUCO.
Heck you never know how Justin Madison, Brian Mills, or Justin Webster will look as RS Fr.
As for MLB, we've got our options, they will just be young options. Seeley, White, Meeks, possibly a JUCO.
Heck you never know how Justin Madison, Brian Mills, or Justin Webster will look as RS Fr.
These guys are interesting. Madison having played DE in highschool, I wonder how fast he is if he will be effective at LB. Webster, if he didn't lose much speed when he broke his leg, could be physically special at LB as his speed was off the charts. Of course most of that is meaningless if he is mentally there.
Well, the conference will disagree with you once the season is over on George. On JW-I feel like you made that up.
Rogers to LB is one of the dumbest things I have read this season and I have read a lot of dumb things.
Since when does filling the wrong gap, ducking behind blocks, and whiffing on tackles get you all-conference honors?
