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With camp three weeks away, this should be one of the most interesting one in recent memory. Besides the messiah Jones, floating down from the football heavens, to rescue us from the pigskin abyss, there should be more position battles than I can remember.

QB- everyone knows the contestants by now.
RB- DeMyron should start, unless he starts the tippy toeing.
OL- imteresting battle between Kelvin Beachum and Vincent Chase. Not to mention a few backup roles.
WR- besides one wideout with Aldrick Robinson, and one slot with Sanders, lots of unsettled business here folks.
DL- tackles probably set with Serge and Handy, backups will be Parham and Dollens? Thomas? freshmen?
DE- starters coming out of the spring are Yenga and Anthony Sowe, probably set there for opening day. Key battles for backup spots remain though. Jordan Johnson, Adrian Dizer, Taylor Thompson?
LB- another interesting spot.
The spring starters were Bonilla, Smart, and Fleps. Now you add Odiari (I hope),Victor Jones, and Julian Herron in the mix.
DB- spring starters were Derrius Bell, Brian McCann at the corners With Tim Crosby providing backup. Tyler Jones and Rock Dennis at the safety positions. K J Ellis and De'Von Bailey were backups. Now you add in Bennie Thomas, Deyon McElroy, and rumors have it, that Bryce Hudman could come back. Will Banjo figure into the mix?

Lots of questions here folks, lets discuss!

Truly will be an interesting camp. I'm still in denial about Mapps being gone. His set of strengths really seemed to match what a Run n Shoot back ought to be. Kind of like Taurean Henderson at TT. At the very least it should open up some holes for the big man Demyron. And he can catch too!

KnuckleStang wrote:Truly will be an interesting camp. I'm still in denial about Mapps being gone. His set of strengths really seemed to match what a Run n Shoot back ought to be. Kind of like Taurean Henderson at TT. At the very least it should open up some holes for the big man Demyron. And he can catch too!

I would think Whittington or Lee would be able to fill in nicely.

KnuckleStang wrote:Truly will be an interesting camp. I'm still in denial about Mapps being gone. His set of strengths really seemed to match what a Run n Shoot back ought to be. Kind of like Taurean Henderson at TT. At the very least it should open up some holes for the big man Demyron. And he can catch too!

1. Mapps was at the parade in highland park,
2. I thought the ideal R&S back was a large back so he can block?

ALEX LIFESON wrote:QB- everyone knows the contestants by now.
RB- DeMyron should start, unless he starts the tippy toeing.
OL- imteresting battle between Kelvin Beachum and Vincent Chase. Not to mention a few backup roles.
WR- besides one wideout with Aldrick Robinson, and one slot with Sanders, lots of unsettled business here folks.
DL- tackles probably set with Serge and Handy, backups will be Parham and Dollens? Thomas? freshmen?
DE- starters coming out of the spring are Yenga and Anthony Sowe, probably set there for opening day. Key battles for backup spots remain though. Jordan Johnson, Adrian Dizer, Taylor Thompson?
LB- another interesting spot.
The spring starters were Bonilla, Smart, and Fleps. Now you add Odiari (I hope),Victor Jones, and Julian Herron in the mix.
DB- spring starters were Derrius Bell, Brian McCann at the corners With Tim Crosby providing backup. Tyler Jones and Rock Dennis at the safety positions. K J Ellis and De'Von Bailey were backups. Now you add in Bennie Thomas, Deyon McElroy, and rumors have it, that Bryce Hudman could come back. Will Banjo figure into the mix?

Lots of questions here folks, lets discuss!

QB race is as wide-open as it has been in years.

Don't see DeMyron Martin tip-toeing with this offense. In the previous offense, he was sent on sweeps or other outside runs much too often. I'm under the impression this offense is designed to utilize his skills better — either send him up the middle, or get him outside on swing passes, in which case he'll be headed upfield by the time he gets the ball, rather than running sideways and looking for a space through which he can turn upfield, so he'll already have his shoulder pads squared up.

Don't forget Thomas and DeGroat at DT .... also a position where a true freshman might have to play. At DE, there's also Patrick Fleming and Andrew Ellison.

Lots of new faces in the secondary: surely the JUCO guys (McElroy and Thomas) will get a shot, as will Crosby. I'd bet this also is an area when one or more freshmen get some playing time. Banjo has looked good — although again, you can't tell much without pads and helmets and coaches — as has Ryan Smith.

The linebackers intrigue me. Smart, I think, looks like a lock (at least based on the way he played in the spring), but aside from that, who knows? Will Bonilla was the MVP last year and word is the coaches were thrilled with the progres Pete Fleps made this spring. Then you have Odiari and his hype, and Victor Jones. Should be some interesting battles in August.

Nice picture of Smart on the Photo of the Day.
Dude looks like a total beast.

He's borderline terrifying in person.

As long as he has a Mustang on each side of his helmet, he can wreak as much havoc as he likes!

If you all think the position battles were settled at the spring game and the freshmen aren't in the mix, watch out. JJ has said over and over that this freshmen class will be a huge contributor. He also said that 15 of these players would not get red-shirted. With that in mind these are the freshmen I have picked to make the team this year.

QB's: Bo Levi and Braden
RB's: None
WR's: EJ Drewery is a lock; also BJ, Cole Loftin, Cole Beasley and Quincy Whittington. (Bryce Lundy could round this out with no freshemen in this group redshirting). Two of them could possibly start.
O-Line: Josh Emshoff
D-Line: Evan Huahlulu, Taylor Thompson (starting); Kevin Grenier, Torlan Pittman
LB's: Victor Jones
DB's: Chris Banjo,

I'm sure I've left some out, but I'm up to 15.

Huahulu, Emshoff, Braden Smith and Grenier will not touch the field this year unless there are a series of injuries. Drewery is no lock-he's going to have to prove he can raise his level of play from the midget league to Division 1A. He may play since we have very little at certain WR positions. The fact that so many freshman are being counted on should be cause for concern not great excitement because there really ain't very many sure things in this class. Its a Traditional Coaching Saying that you lose a game for evey true freshman you rely upon to play key roles on your team-and that generrally holds true even for the Dickersons and Craig James' of the world. Playing 15 freshman from a mediocre at best recruiting class is not a positive sign for your program-its a sign of recruiting failures of the past.

pony warrior wrote:If you all think the position battles were settled at the spring game and the freshmen aren't in the mix, watch out. JJ has said over and over that this freshmen class will be a huge contributor. He also said that 15 of these players would not get red-shirted. With that in mind these are the freshmen I have picked to make the team this year.

QB's: Bo Levi and Braden
RB's: None
WR's: EJ Drewery is a lock; also BJ, Cole Loftin, Cole Beasley and Quincy Whittington. (Bryce Lundy could round this out with no freshemen in this group redshirting). Two of them could possibly start.
O-Line: Josh Emshoff
D-Line: Evan Huahlulu, Taylor Thompson (starting); Kevin Grenier, Torlan Pittman
LB's: Victor Jones
DB's: Chris Banjo,

I'm sure I've left some out, but I'm up to 15.

I don't see any way in heck that it makes sense to have both of these guys play this year. You have Willis and Turner both who will be playing. Therefore, I think at most you see 1 frosh QB not redshirt, if any at all...

pony warrior wrote:If you all think the position battles were settled at the spring game and the freshmen aren't in the mix, watch out. JJ has said over and over that this freshmen class will be a huge contributor. He also said that 15 of these players would not get red-shirted. With that in mind these are the freshmen I have picked to make the team this year.

You don't think that - aside from the gray shirts - they'll all make the team?

Stallion wrote:Huahulu, Emshoff, Braden Smith and Grenier will not touch the field this year unless there are a series of injuries. Drewery is no lock-he's going to have to prove he can raise his level of play from the midget league to Division 1A. He may play since we have very little at certain WR positions. The fact that so many freshman are being counted on should be cause for concern not great excitement because there really ain't very many sure things in this class. Its a Traditional Coaching Saying that you lose a game for evey true freshman you rely upon to play key roles on your team-and that generrally holds true even for the Dickersons and Craig James' of the world. Playing 15 freshman from a mediocre at best recruiting class is not a positive sign for your program-its a sign of recruiting failures of the past.

Yawnnnnn.... This class is a lot of things. Mediocre is not one of them. No, it's not what Urban Meyer and Pete Carroll pull in, but it's not a bad class.

Dismissing for a second the fact that none of us can say who will or will not "touch the field," I would bet that Huahulu has a chance to play this year. We're relatively thin at DT, and he has impressed this summer .... with his strength in the weight room, his flexibility and his mobility.

I was being kind in calling it mediocre

no ur just wrong, not mediocre