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I generally don't post anything I hear on the rumor mill. But I got an e-mail from someone who I can't recall ever giving me information that turned out to be false, so I'm inclined to believe much (if not all) of this. He told me some things we can expect to see during spring ball.

1. Rock Dennis - there's an effort being made to get him an extra year because of the shoulder injury that cost him his first season at SMU.
2. Youri Yenga at linebacker (which has been reported/speculated many times)
3. Ryan Smith at safety.
4. Shaun Moore at safety.
5. More experimentation with a 3-4 defense because of personnel (and personnel moves). SMU used the 3-4 some last season (as virtually every team does), but they're at least considering using it more.
6. Patrick Fleming getting looks at defensive end and linebacker (remember, he was recruited as a receiver/tight end, so an errant throw in his direction could well get picked off - teammates have raved about his hands.)
7. Bryan McCann playing cornerback and receiver.
8. Justin Smart moving back to defensive end.
9. Kellis Cunningham working with the safeties (and still kicking off).
10. Jimmy Chase back at offensive tackle.

Justin Willis at QB. (can we post wishful thinking here too?)

jtstang wrote:Justin Willis at QB. (can we post wishful thinking here too?)

No! It could be mistaken as an expectation.


That said, a recent conversation with a person I consider a good eye for defense recommended some of the above. I think we will give consideration to a variety of possibilities in the off season to see if the D can be improved.

Scoops wrote:9. Kellis Cunningham working with the safeties (and still kicking off).

Seems odd. But could this stem from the fact that he laid a hellacious tackle on a returner late this season?

Scoops wrote: 9. Kellis Cunningham working with the safeties (and still kicking off).

I realize he got the hit of the year (on kick off coverage), but we don't need any more smurfs in the secondary.

Bergermeister wrote:

Scoops wrote: 9. Kellis Cunningham working with the safeties (and still kicking off).

I realize he got the hit of the year (on kick off coverage), but we don't need any more smurfs in the secondary.

Thus my starting comment of "seems odd". I was trying to be kind.

Big Hoss wrote:

Scoops wrote:9. Kellis Cunningham working with the safeties (and still kicking off).

Seems odd. But could this stem from the fact that he laid a hellacious tackle on a returner late this season?

I think that was the one highlight of the year - it was definitely the best play and the best tackle by a Mustang in 2008.

jtstang wrote:Justin Willis at QB. (can we post wishful thinking here too?)

no way, j/a

Scoops wrote:I generally don't post anything I hear on the rumor mill. But I got an e-mail from someone who I can't recall ever giving me information that turned out to be false, so I'm inclined to believe much (if not all) of this. He told me some things we can expect to see during spring ball.

1. Rock Dennis - there's an effort being made to get him an extra year because of the shoulder injury that cost him his first season at SMU.
2. Youri Yenga at linebacker (which has been reported/speculated many times)
3. Ryan Smith at safety.
4. Shaun Moore at safety.
5. More experimentation with a 3-4 defense because of personnel (and personnel moves). SMU used the 3-4 some last season (as virtually every team does), but they're at least considering using it more.
6. Patrick Fleming getting looks at defensive end and linebacker (remember, he was recruited as a receiver/tight end, so an errant throw in his direction could well get picked off - teammates have raved about his hands.)
7. Bryan McCann playing cornerback and receiver.
8. Justin Smart moving back to defensive end.
9. Kellis Cunningham working with the safeties (and still kicking off).
10. Jimmy Chase back at offensive tackle.

McCann playing receiver? I like that.
I like the move on Smart too. I wouldn't have said that before this last year, but (and props to Stallion), Smart's speed is an issue at LB...not as much at DE...and if his weight is increasing, then he should be able to hold his own. We'll see.

And for the record, I wondered aloud about the 3-4 defense last year (with modest criticism) because of DT depth, or lack of it.

Would still like to see a 3 star+ DT come our way...I've been wondering "what-if-we-had-Haywood-and-Bonds now instead of then".

...prediction by necessity-eventually Taylor Thompson will move inside to DT if we stay in a 4-3 alignment. A permanrnt move of Smart to DE makes the move more likely. I'm predicting without any inside information that it will probably even happen by next year.

You've said that before, but I have a hard time believing it. The coaches have talked since they signed Taylor about how he could be an absolute monster at 280 or 290, but he's such a big guy while still lean and fast, I can't imagine they'd want to pork him up enough to slide him inside.

Awesome notes, though, Scoops. Talk about earning your nickname!

At a school like SMU, playing CUSA, I'll take all the 6-7, 290 lean sophmore DTs that can run that you want to give me. Its the 6-0, 300 pound fat boys that can't run at DT that bother me.

But what about the 6'7" 290 DE that can run? Especially in CUSA where there is so much Spread/Passing

White Helmet wrote:But what about the 6'7" 290 DE that can run? Especially in CUSA where there is so much Spread/Passing

Yeah, we need someone that can intercept that shuttle pass.

Big Hoss wrote:

Scoops wrote:9. Kellis Cunningham working with the safeties (and still kicking off).

Seems odd. But could this stem from the fact that he laid a hellacious tackle on a returner late this season?

It probably stems from the fact that he played safety in high school.