WEDNESDAY PRACTICE notes

[mrydel]

The last Championship Team at SMU had two strings of quality Offensive Lineman which were substituted as a Unit for one series in each quarter. If you have that kinda quality then you have absolutely no problem rebuilding your offensive line each year. SMU had some kids who didn't start until they were Seniors who made All SWC in their first full year of Starting as Seniors.

And it attracts good running backs, and makes good running backs even better.

[Stallion]

Yep but the days of SMU getting good, highly recruited running backs may be in suspension with June Jones. SMU will have to be really resourceful to find a Top RB maybe by transfer or develop RBs that probably didn't have many other options. The Run and Shoot doesn't attract the Blue Chip kids. I'm really getting a tad concerned about that position next year although I think Butler could be a nice player-not sure about depth.

[One Trick Pony]

I believe that the difference between good teams and great teams is
an O-line with depth. They have the power to make average quarterbacks look good, and good ones champions.

[mrydel]

I agree that we will not be a draw for top RBs, but the same draw can be for all skill players if you have a strong, seasoned, deep offensive line. Receivers like time to run routes, QBs like time to throw, etc. It all revolves around a strong line with depth to hold throughout the entire 4 quarters.

[Stallion]

see Texas Tech.

[PonyPatrol]

Tech always seems to have a nice RB used for drawas and as another receiving option out of the backfied More of a scat-back type...regardless, they've had some good talent at the position. Seems we're looking for more of a bruising blocker, fullback, converted TE type. I don't think we need to scour the country for blue chips to fill that role.

[mrydel]

Personally I would rather be scouring the country for blue chip prospects, and having a chance to get them.

[Top25in5]

There are serious depth concerns after at RB after the departure of Mckinney and Martin. Butler should be very solid but need more depth and more of a blocking presence to compliment butler. Look for JJ to convert a player from another position to fill that void because I do not think the answer is in this years recruting class and so far not in Next years...but I think we are getting ahead of ourselves..We kick off the 2008 season in about 2 weeks!!!

[PonyPatrol]

Personally, I would rather be realistic with our recruiting efforts. Jones has a history of creating running backs from existing players on the roster. Two '07 nfl draft picks from hawaii were RB's. Nate Ilaoa, converted WR and Reagan Mauia, coverted DT.

It appears like JJ is already trying to build that depth with players like Goldthorpe, a converted DE.

Let's use our time scouring the nation for blue chips on positions of greater need, ie QB, WR, OL. We're only gonna get so many...

[mrydel]

Right now we are the last place team in one of the worst conferences in the nation. I would say we could use some blue chip help any where we could find it. No where in the NCAA guidelines does it say you are limited to contacting only so many quality recruits. Why skimp on one position just because you are recruiting a stud for another. I do agree that Jones tends to convert linemen or TEs to RBs. I would just prefer that the lineman or TE be a quality player rather than a cast off from his original position.

[DallasDiehard]

Yep but the days of SMU getting good, highly recruited running backs may be in suspension with June Jones. SMU will have to be really resourceful to find a Top RB maybe by transfer or develop RBs that probably didn't have many other options. The Run and Shoot doesn't attract the Blue Chip kids. I'm really getting a tad concerned about that position next year although I think Butler could be a nice player-not sure about depth.

At the moment, I would say next year's depth chart will start with Butler, but also will include Goldthorpe and Chris Frazier.

[Garret]

Right now we are the last place team in one of the worst conferences in the nation. I would say we could use some blue chip help any where we could find it. No where in the NCAA guidelines does it say you are limited to contacting only so many quality recruits. Why skimp on one position just because you are recruiting a stud for another. I do agree that Jones tends to convert linemen or TEs to RBs. I would just prefer that the lineman or TE be a quality player rather than a cast off from his original position.

Nate Ilaoa was mentioned earlier in this thread, so I thought I should point out that he was a very highly recruited player out of Virginia. He had offers from schools such as Virginia Tech, Miami, Oklahoma and BYU. He was recruited as a slot receiver since he was 170-175 pounds after high school...he gained a little bit of weight in college and became the ideal back in JJ's offense--strong, great blocker, fast, good moves in the open field, excellent catching ability.

Here is an article and a quote about Nate:

http://www.the700level.com/2007/04/nate_ilaoa_a_bi.html

As an aside, I covered Nate Ilaoa in high school, in Virginia. Dude was a 5-9, 175-pound shifty little scatback. A beast in his own right, but definitely not 255. Hard to imagine it's the same guy.