Positions Grades

[ojaipony]

Since I'd rather be thinking about Mustang football than work right now, I thought I'd try to get your opinions about how we grade out by position this year. Would be nice to revisit in about 3 weeks.

So here goes my opinions at this time. Please post away ...

QB: A+

I will assign this grade until/unless GG shows me otherwise. I also think we have adequate depth with CP and GK based on reports out of the 7on7. Hope we can redshirt Burcham.

RBs: A+

Best RB in the conference with Wimbley and KC at depth (I'm very excited about KC getting on the field this year to see what he can do ... has the size and was very highly recruited - we should see some glimpses of his potential this year I hope).

WRs: B+

DJ is arguably the best in the conference. I would grade this higher but we don't have a lot of PROVEN talent (I have high hopes for Johnson, Keenan, and Thompson). I would grade this lower, but we have pretty good depth here now which we haven't had (Loftin, Fuller?, Holleman and, hopefully, Dieter lives up to the hype if he doesn't redshirt).

OL: B-

I am cautiously optimistic here. We DO have experience with McJunkin, Collins, and Gottschalk. Add in Lowe and I think we will be pretty good here. The key is depth, injuries, and the gelling/chemistry that needs to develop quickly with this group in August. I hope they are all hanging out together, eating together, etc over the summer.

DL: B

Pit is the man. Hunt is the man (we hope he can play at a high level every down all season long). But I'm very concerned about the other DE spot. Unfortunately, it looks like Holloway isn't ready yet (I had high hopes for him).

LB: A

I would give this an A+ but would like to see more speed out of the Rogers position. I think he's good but the weak link in an otherwise dominating (hopefully) LB corps that should be the best in the conference.

CB: B

Acker is good (would like to see him be more of a ball hawk this year). Richardson seems to have the wheels but does he have the skills? Also, where is Middleton? Seems like he is a stud, but no mention of any real major splashes yet - we'll see in August I guess.

Safety: C

Most concerned at this position of the entire team quite frankly. I know we have some experience here but speed seems to be an issue. I would like to see Roundtree step up and be the man (seems to have the size and the will, does he have the speed, brains, and the cover skills needed?)

Special Teams: B-?

I have no idea. I think we should field a pretty good coverage team with all the young, talented LBs we have on the roster. Hover seems to be improving based on some reports we've seen. Longoria seems to have the potential to be a strong punter for us (and gives us one more strong cover guy). I have no idea about the return game, though, especially punt return. Could someone like a Daijuan Stewart not redshirt and have a strong year returning for us? I don't know.

What say you?

[ClickClack]

QB: C

RB: B+

WR: B

OL: C

DL: B

LB: A-

CB: B-

Safety: C+

Special Teams: C-

[AusTxPony]

Didn't we WIN the TCU game last year against a good defense with basically the same receivers that will be starting this year? JJ had a damn good game, but I have to believe GG will be better and certainly a more confident runner to avoid sacks. So the WR grade may be a bit too low. It's really the Oline play that has to be up to par.

[ClickClack]

Didn't we LOSE to Southern Miss and Tulsa Scoring 3 and 7 Points respectively with most of the same receivers coming back this year? It works both ways..

DJ is outstanding, but after that its all unproven.

[ponyboy]

I'd give the secondary a C until proven otherwise. Other scores I agree with.

[Pony4Life]

QB: B
Nobody has seen Gilbert take a hit yet, and who knows what we have behind him.

RB: A
As long as Zach Line is healthy, the Ponies are pretty stacked at the position. Wimbley will be far more comfortable as a backup now that he has a year at the position, Dugal is a beast of a blocker and Nlemchi might have the most raw talent of all of them.

WR: C+
Losing Cole Beasley, Brad Haynes and Terrance Willkerson is tough. Darius Johnson has huge talent but is inconsistent, and I'm interested to see what he can do when he's not a complementary target. Jeremy Johnson should break out this year. Keenan Holman bounces back after being injured most of last season.

OL: C
The ultimate wild card. McJunking is the only returner with real starting experience, although Collins has had a lot of spot duty over the years and Free has had a little. Gottschalk is coming back off a back injury, which can be rough on a lineman, and who knows what we have in Stavion Lowe.

DL: B
Everyone is excited about The Greatest Athlete in the History of the World (Margus Hunt), but it's still only entering his fourth season of football, so there will be times when he looks unblockable, and there will be times when he looks average -- hopefully more of the former than the latter. Torlan Pittman is very underrated and underappreciated at nose tackle, where Spike is a good backup.

LB: A
If there's any position that would get an A, this is it.

DB: B-
Acker is on the cusp of becoming a star at cornerback, and Smith is a proven, solid vet at strong safety. Everyone says Richardson is going to be a stud, but we haven't seen it yet. Lot of question marks at free safety.

Special teams: Incomplete
Hover probably returns at placekicker, but who punts? Loftus or Longoria? Richardson does kickoff returns, I expect, but punt returns? Who knows?

[ClickClack]

How could you possible say DJ3 is Inconsistent?

[Pony4Life]

No questionL DJ3 can make some catches that no other receiver I can remember at SMU making. But he also can drop a pass that looks very catchable, that's all. I remember Cole Beasley dropping one should-be catch in his entire career. Emmanuel Sanders -- I can't remember any. DJ3 has loads of talent -- we all can see that. But I'd like to see more consistency, that's all.

[MustangIcon]

No questionL DJ3 can make some catches that no other receiver I can remember at SMU making. But he also can drop a pass that looks very catchable, that's all. I remember Cole Beasley dropping one should-be catch in his entire career. Emmanuel Sanders -- I can't remember any. DJ3 has loads of talent -- we all can see that. But I'd like to see more consistency, that's all.

Was that the would be game winning TD pass at home versus Tulsa a couple seasons ago that hit him in the chest and 75% of the posters on this board could have caught? He definitely had a lot more than a single dropped pass.

Disclaimer- If I am misrembering the dropper of the TD passversus Tulsa- please correct me. Regardless, Beasley dropped his fair share of balls too.

[SMU89]

Everyone on our sideline = A

[Big Easy Pony]

There has to be a way to tie the grade for quarterbacks to the performance of the offensive line.

[AusTxPony]

Actually it takes a TEAM on Offense. If any cog falters, then every position suffers. Therefore, we're just grading potential based on past performance and perceived talent.

[westexSMU]

Speaking of getting KC on the field at RB some, I think it is important to get some of these other running backs some experience as Zack, as good as he is, has gotten hurt in past seasons and we have ended up with other backs on the field with little or no experience. KC brings a change of pace and a little better speed.

[ojaipony]

Speaking of getting KC on the field at RB some, I think it is important to get some of these other running backs some experience as Zack, as good as he is, has gotten hurt in past seasons and we have ended up with other backs on the field with little or no experience. KC brings a change of pace and a little better speed.

I completely agree with you there, westex. This is why I was so disappointed with the Darryl Fields situation (he had all the tools). Anyway, I hope KC gets a lot of playing time this year (and lives up to his recruiting potential) as a sub for Line and gets the experience needed for the future of our running game. I don't see Wimbley ever being a guy who gets the load of carries here so would be good to see if KC is our "future" now ...

Of course, it all depends on game time situations, etc. but I'd like to see about a 70/20/10 split (Line, KC, Wimbley ... something like that). As for season ending yardage, wouldn't it be cool to see Line get about 1,200 or so, KC about 500 and Wimbley about 200?

[AusTxPony]

As a coach, I would find it difficult to sub for the ever-depndable ZLine (football smarts and blocking for Oline slipups). Only in games we have put away or his getting a serious ding would I risk it.