LBs

[OC Mustang]

I am hearing some good news on our friend, Mr. Fleps. If it wasn't covered before in previous thread, he is indeed eligible this fall...and perhaps for the full four years. I think this guy is going to be a leader on the defense. From what I understand, he is jazzed to be at SMU, and he looks forward to getting after it.

Here are all of the currently listed "linebackers" by recruit or existing roster. I have no idea whether they are up to playing the spot or not...just listing them...surely there is a player or two among them...is McCray any good...he has experience...and the Alexander guy...he only has one year, right? Can anybody comment on whether he can turn it up to play? I like the dimensions of the last 5 guys, whether or not they will turn it on:

Pete Fleps - recruit
Damon Hurst - recruit
Anthony Sowe - recruit
Taylor Bon - recruit
Wilton McCray 6-0 205
Todd Alexander 6-1 200
Kyle Johnston 5-11 205
Trent Sawyer 6-0 215
Heath Burnett 6-2 215
Derek Jones 6-1 218
Brett Johnson 6-1 220
Jack Barnhart 6-2 230
Reggie Carrington 6-2 235
James-Albert Osborne 6-2 230


I personally think that Mario Walker should give LB a try. He has the size and pretty decent speed. If he doesn't gain too much weight, I think he should give it a shot. At Tight End, he won't see much PT behind Kennedy & Chase, and we don't use them effectively as it is (thank you, Coach Burns).

I think Stallion & Billy Joe's worries are certainly justified, but I also think if we are spared some injuries, we will be alright.

[SWC2010]

OC, I'm hoping for the best at LB, too.

As far as Todd Alexander, he is a "Gray Shirt" FR & should be around for a while.

[Recruiting Guru]

I like the cast of linebackers SMU has lined up this year. You never know how recruits will pan out, of course, but there is reason for some hope.

Taylor Bon is a guy I've liked for a while. I have seen a few of his games (on tape, not in person), and from the start, he reminded me of someone, although I couldn't remember who. All of a sudden, I realized: Travian Smith. Smith is a veteran LB with the Oakland Raiders, and to say Bon reminds me of Smith is not to suggest he'll end up in the NFL. But Smith, when he first got to Oklahoma, was a similar player: tall (6'4" or 6'5"), skinny and very fast. Both players can cover a lot of ground in a hurry. But both also run rather upright, and look a little stiff, presenting a large target for blockers. Smith got better about it during his career, playing lower to the ground, and has forged a nice career in Oakland largely because of his athleticism. Smith is probably almost 50 pounds heavier than he was at OU. If Bon can add half that much strength without losing his speed, he could be very good. If needed, he could contribute early on special teams, although ideally, he should get nowhere near the field as a freshman.

I lost track of Pete Fleps after he went to Navy last year, so I'm not sure about the details of why he left the Academy. If the reports posted here about him now being 225 pounds are accurate, then he's been hitting the weights hard and not missing any meals, either (and going through the natural physical maturation that hits at that age, of course). Coming out of Carroll HS, I had him listed somewhere between 200 and 205. He was skinny for a linebacker but ran well. Like the rest of the CHS defense, he was overshadowed by offensive stars like Chase Daniel. Some thought that he would be more effective at safety in college, but his growth over the last year confirms that he needs to stay at LB. Even when overmatched physically by blockers, he showed a fearless edge, taking on much bigger blockers and derailing pulling offensive linemen. In high school, must of his strength was in his legs. If he's added 20-25 pounds in the last year, presumably some of that is in his upper body. Considering the crash-test-dummy mentality he showed at times in high school, he might eventually make an ideal inside linebacker if he continues to get bigger and stronger.

Damon Hurst doesn't look like a linebacker. He's too short, and looks a little round. Then you watch him on film, and the results don't match. He's fast and instinctive, and seems to get up from the bottom of the pile all game long. When dropping into pass coverage, he can run with tight ends and most running backs, although taller tight ends can cause problems. Hurst plays best behind an active defensive line that occupies blockeds; when he's allowed to run to the ball, he makes a lot of plays, from one sideline to the other. When the opposing offensive line gets though to the second layer of the defense and gets locked up on the linebackers, he (understandably) has trouble with blockers who outweigh him by close to 100 pounds. He's a hair slower than ex-Cowboy Dexter Coakley, but he has similar size and instincts.

Anthony Sowe might be the best overall athlete of the bunch, but he also likely will need 2-3 years to make a major impact. All players moving up to the next level, and Sowe is no exception. He played defensive end at DHS only out of necessity (and he played it pretty well). But his size suggests he should have been a linebacker all along. The fact that he played out of position means two things: he will have an adjustment period as he learns to play standing up, rather than with his hand down on the line of scrimmage. But it also means he's used to taking on big blockers, and learned how to use his speed and knowledge to compensate for often huge differences in size and weight. Strap 20-30 pounds on him, as he learns to play linebacker, and he could become a very effective player. On the film I saw, he didn't drop into coverage at all, so that's something he'll have to learn, but he has the athletic ability to do it. He can run with any tight end and virtually any running back he'll see, and he has very long (although thin) arms, factors which should make him effective in pass coverage, and he already has pass rush skills. His added size and strength will help him as he learns to play against the run in his new stand-up position.

[KickedintheDingDing]

Any chance AVERY CLEVELAND did not transfer? and these are pretty slight LBs...hopefully each and every one of them added 10 lbs of muscle without losing ANY speed

[OC Mustang]

Avery Cleveland
No clue...I didn't notice that he was no longer on the roster!
Anyone...anyone...?

What happened to Avery???

[KickedintheDingDing]

:?: Avery Cleveland
No clue...I didn't notice that he was no longer on the roster!
Anyone...anyone...?

What happened to Avery???

Ah..he and Coach had a disagreement over playing time I think...and he quit (as a Soph). I heard he was transfering to a Div1aa school or something.

Hmm...looks to me like he could have started his last two years...

[ponyboy]

Great info, Guru. As always, thanks.

[2112]

Thanks Guru!

[PonyFan]

Anyone else get the sense that our man Guru never sees daylight, spending all day and all night indoors watching film?
Not that I'm complaining -- that's great stuff. Thanks.

[MustangIcon]

Great post Recruiting Guru. Very pleased to hear good reports about these guys. It looks like Hurst will be ready to step in and be a player for us while we have some good, fast linebackers who will probably redshirt this year.

If Fleps is really up to 225 is there any chance he might be a contributor for us this season? I am wondering how a year off from football will translate when he finally puts the pads back on for practice.