Spring practice source

[kso_FAN]

Depending on the developement at QB and WR, I think our offense could be really good.  

We all know Thomas is a stud, but a big key will be his knowledge of the position.  Keep in mind, he had never played RB before last year and showed up in August.  He is much better now with his footwork and ability to read blocks, etc in our zone running scheme.  He will be tough for defenses to stop.  While Powell is getting some reps at #2, I think Hubert will probably shake out there, or even Robinson in the fall.  Powell is a lot like Valentine in that he is in the right spots and makes the right reads, but I think younger talent will eventually overtake that and we simply have some options there that the coaches like, especially Hubert.  Plus you have a very good FB coming back in Wilson.

Offensive line should be much better after another year with Dickey.  Plus we will be huge, the 5 starters are all listed at 300 or better, so its going back to more of the old Snyder model, mixing inside and outside zone (but not stretch) with some power.  

WR definately has the talent, but the better players are the unproven guys in Smith and Harper.  Smith has size and speed and Harper looks like a monster at 6-3, 235.  Then you've got the group of JUCO SRs and hopefully the next Banks in Thompson.  I really think this group could end up being a strength of the offense if we can find someone to get them the ball.

TE is solid, but very young.  Andre McDonald is a huge target, 6-8 280, but pretty raw.  Tannihill is a more "normal" 6-3 250.  Those 2 got most of the work, and the talent is there, but they will make some mistakes as they develop.

At QB, there is definately a top group with Lamur, Klein, and Coffman.  Lamur and Klein seem to get most of the reps.  By all accounts Lamur is the most talented, but has the least grasp of the offense.  Klein is up and down, which isn't unexpected, but I'm impressed that he has a pretty decent burst and some speed running the ball.  Plus he is a very big guy at 6-5, 230.  

I really think if QB develops into even a decent player and the young WR transfers play like they are capable, this should be one of the top 4 offenses in the league.  

[steve dave]

this should be one of the top 4 offenses in the league

 

[kso_FAN]

this should be one of the top 4 offenses in the league

 

There are some contigencies there, but there is some legit hope for the offense.  IMO.

We'll see on the defense, but it certainly won't be Prince-bad.

[kstatefreak42]

Well said _fan

[catzacker]

Cosh's Personality = Aggressive, passionate, on the verge of being out of control imo

DL - Looks much better, Harold looks unstoppable at times, guidry/boyd/kibble all look good on the interior

LB - Hrebec looks pretty good, Bumpas looks like he could play some snaps at olb/de, Terrel could possibly make some waves, and Jerrel Childs looks to be gaining some ground at lb (o coaches didn't seem too excited to lose him

okay, so is this relative?  good compared to whom?  Matt Butler?  It's been stated/speculated that we're going to a 3-3-5 look...and I'm not sure if our blocker-magnet LB's can handle that. 

cosh's personality may be aggressive, but his defensive units at nearly every stop he's been at have been unimpressive at best. 

[kso_FAN]

Collin Klein is getting the most reps with the first unit.  Lamur was getting the second most reps witht the 1's and the most with the 2's.  It looks like Sam is trying to get caught up and understand things more clearly.  DT looks as legit as ever and looks to be included into the offense in some new and dynamic ways.  Offensive line looks to be getting better and seems to have an attitude, this is helped by the seeming emergence of Andre McDonald (kid is enormous and can manhandle defenders but seems to struggle with hands and concentration).

Defense looks to be working with some new schemes this year and taking on more of Cosh's personality.  It looks like a variation of the 3-3-5 will be utilized at times and it looks like we may walk up into 4 man fronts and drop ends back into 3 man fronts to cause confusion (it looks as the Bumpas, Felder, and Terrel were working in both 2 and 3 points).  Emmanuel and Tysyn are still dinged and it looks like Ty Zimmerman has finally moved to safety and looked pretty decent.

This team can win between 6-9 games this year and should be pretty damn good offensively (btw Harper and Smith =   ) and look for William Powell to do some things.

I'm not sure what the scheme will be, but it was mainly an even front (4 down) with 3 LBs and 4 DBs.

Cosh's past has not been 3-3-5, its more of a 4-3/3-4 morph with what he has called the LEO position, a DE/OLB morph who can play out of a 3 point stance, stand up D-end (which we did some last year), or back at LB depth off the LOS.  

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/24/AR2008082401928.html

[felix rex]

this should be one of the top 4 offenses in the league.  

[catzacker]

just to stem the tide of positivity, at maryland, under Cosh, ACC rank...

Year Ru Def  PaDef  ScorDef
08      10      9        9
07      10      5        6
06     10      8        9

[kso_FAN]

just to stem the tide of positivity, at maryland, under Cosh, ACC rank...

Year Ru Def  PaDef  ScorDef
08      10      9        9
07      10      5        6
06     10      8        9

Defense is definitely the biggest question with this team, followed by special teams IMO.

I think there is some talent in the defensive front, but not so sure about depth.  We'll have to hope some of the guys coming in can play a little bit.  I also think we have some talent in the secondary, but it will be really young and inexperienced.  LB is probably the biggest question mark on the team, and we'll have to hope some playmakers (or at least 1) develops there.  I don't think we have to fear being as bad as Prince's last couple years b/c those teams combined poor talent with an even worse scheme.  Talent-wise we may not be a ton better now, but we won't be nearly as deficient in our scheme.  Of course its nearly impossible to be less sound than those 2 teams at the D1 level.

[LickNeckey]

_Fan is right with his assessments about seeing mostly even fronts with the utilization of a Leo (think of a Derrick Thomas type that will play both end and backer).



However in Cosh's past he has had significant 3-3-5 experience.  Cosh switched SC (after Strong left for Florida) from a 3-3-5 to more of a 4-3 look.  However at Maryland he insalled the 3-3-5 stack as his base and used 4 man fronts against run heavy formations.

[kso_FAN]

However in Cosh's past he has had significant 3-3-5 experience.  Cosh switched SC (after Strong left for Florida) from a 3-3-5 to more of a 4-3 look.  However at Maryland he insalled the 3-3-5 stack as his base and used 4 man fronts against run heavy formations.

Thanks, I didn't go back that far. 

[catzacker]

do we really have the DL to run any variation of a 3 man front?  seriously?

[kso_FAN]

do we really have the DL to run any variation of a 3 man front?  seriously?

IMO it will be run more like a traditional even front and played as a 1 gap defense. 

And no, we don't have a plug NG to run a traditional odd front scheme. 

Further, I probably wouldn't consider a 3-3 stack in the same way I would look at a traditional odd front like a 3-4.  For example, in a 3-3 stack you are going to stunt your front almost every play and play your LBs and secondary off of that, essentually keeping them all as 1 gap players and using one of the safeties to fill the extra gap.  You are not going to ask your front 3 or your NT to be 2-gap players like you might in a 3-4. 

[Trim]

do we really have the DL to run any variation of a 3 man front?  seriously?

IMO it will be run more like a traditional even front and played as a 1 gap defense. 

And no, we don't have a plug NG to run a traditional odd front scheme. 

Further, I probably wouldn't consider a 3-3 stack in the same way I would look at a traditional odd front like a 3-4.  For example, in a 3-3 stack you are going to stunt your front almost every play and play your LBs and secondary off of that, essentually keeping them all as 1 gap players and using one of the safeties to fill the extra gap.  You are not going to ask your front 3 or your NT to be 2-gap players like you might in a 3-4. 

  (first one used for HFIQ talk I think)

[LickNeckey]

However the more i learn about Burns the more i think he wants to lock/press and bring the house.

If we have the ponies that could be fun to watch.

[Panjandrum]

do we really have the DL to run any variation of a 3 man front?  seriously?

IMO it will be run more like a traditional even front and played as a 1 gap defense. 

And no, we don't have a plug NG to run a traditional odd front scheme. 

Further, I probably wouldn't consider a 3-3 stack in the same way I would look at a traditional odd front like a 3-4.  For example, in a 3-3 stack you are going to stunt your front almost every play and play your LBs and secondary off of that, essentually keeping them all as 1 gap players and using one of the safeties to fill the extra gap.  You are not going to ask your front 3 or your NT to be 2-gap players like you might in a 3-4. 

I really hope so because, frankly, this is college, and I say keep it simple.

You only have a limited number of hours every week with these guys.  Use a 1 gap defense that's easier to understand than a 2 gap.  That way, if you are really deficient at a position, you can only be killed in one gap as opposed to two (like we were).

I get why people want crazy defenses, but this is college football; it's not rocket science.  Play a simple, 1 gap defense, teach them to run to the ball and tackle, and try to keep them out of the end zone and kicking field goals.  You don't have to reinvent the wheel for God's sake.

[kso_FAN]

However the more i learn about Burns the more i think he wants to lock/press and bring the house.

If we have the ponies that could be fun to watch.

Burns is a trip. 

[Panjandrum]

However the more i learn about Burns the more i think he wants to lock/press and bring the house.

If we have the ponies that could be fun to watch.

Darious Thomas will be fine.  He impressed me for being a true freshman last year.

The combo of Garrett/Sweeney scares the crap out of me.

I really wish we had Josh Moore back for one more year.  Moore/Thomas would have been a really nice duo.

[kso_FAN]

I really hope so because, frankly, this is college, and I say keep it simple.

You only have a limited number of hours every week with these guys.  Use a 1 gap defense that's easier to understand than a 2 gap.  That way, if you are really deficient at a position, you can only be killed in one gap as opposed to two (like we were).

I get why people want crazy defenses, but this is college football; it's not rocket science.  Play a simple, 1 gap defense, teach them to run to the ball and tackle, and try to keep them out of the end zone and kicking field goals.  You don't have to reinvent the wheel for God's sake.

This is true, but when you are talent/size deficient (and we are) sometimes you have to have wrinkles.  

And the 1 gap/2 gap discussion really doesn't apply to Prince, especially the last 2 years.  We were so unsound just in alignment that philosophy/scheme didn't really matter.  

[Panjandrum]

I really hope so because, frankly, this is college, and I say keep it simple.

You only have a limited number of hours every week with these guys.  Use a 1 gap defense that's easier to understand than a 2 gap.  That way, if you are really deficient at a position, you can only be killed in one gap as opposed to two (like we were).

I get why people want crazy defenses, but this is college football; it's not rocket science.  Play a simple, 1 gap defense, teach them to run to the ball and tackle, and try to keep them out of the end zone and kicking field goals.  You don't have to reinvent the wheel for God's sake.

This is true, but when you are talent/size deficient (and we are) sometimes you have to have wrinkles.  

And the 1 gap/2 gap discussion really doesn't apply to Prince, especially the last 2 years.  We were so unsound just in alignment that philosophy/scheme didn't really matter.  

My comment on 1 gap/2 gap was more general. 

If I were a DC, I'd just feel comfortable knowing that when the ball is snapped, these kids just need to know what gap they need to cover.  They don't have to make a decision.  They don't have to think as much.  They just do what they're supposed to do.

I get that you need to have a wrinkle now and again.  I just don't like using them all that much because, typically, the more you wrinkle, the higher the risk.  That's my observation.

[Kat Kid]

_Fan is right with his assessments about seeing mostly even fronts with the utilization of a Leo (think of a Derrick Thomas type that will play both end and backer).



However in Cosh's past he has had significant 3-3-5 experience.  Cosh switched SC (after Strong left for Florida) from a 3-3-5 to more of a 4-3 look.  However at Maryland he insalled the 3-3-5 stack as his base and used 4 man fronts against run heavy formations.

I would be in favor of this.

[catzacker]

do we really have the DL to run any variation of a 3 man front?  seriously?

IMO it will be run more like a traditional even front and played as a 1 gap defense. 

And no, we don't have a plug NG to run a traditional odd front scheme. 

Further, I probably wouldn't consider a 3-3 stack in the same way I would look at a traditional odd front like a 3-4.  For example, in a 3-3 stack you are going to stunt your front almost every play and play your LBs and secondary off of that, essentually keeping them all as 1 gap players and using one of the safeties to fill the extra gap.  You are not going to ask your front 3 or your NT to be 2-gap players like you might in a 3-4. 

how do you get to a 1 gap without blitzing or brining the hybrid every time?  I don't like any situation in which our one advantage (Harold) ends up being double teamed or easily schemed into a double team.  If I understand how the stack or stack like defenses work, you essentially have to have all 11 players in concert...as you said, everyone plays off what you do with your stunting...which, imo, can lead to just as unsound or out of position play from your LB's.  Which isn't as big of a deal when you have athletes that can make up for it.  

[kso_FAN]

how do you get to a 1 gap without blitzing or brining the hybrid every time?  I don't like any situation in which our one advantage (Harold) ends up being double teamed or easily schemed into a double team.  If I understand how the stack or stack like defenses work, you essentially have to have all 11 players in concert...as you said, everyone plays off what you do with your stunting...which, imo, can lead to just as unsound or out of position play from your LB's.  Which isn't as big of a deal when you have athletes that can make up for it. 

Yeah, essentually you are sending some sort of blitz, but we are in 4 down/even front most of the time from what I've seen.  I think built within the scheme though you can allow for moving the hybrid around if necessary.  But again, functionally what we'll see will look like a 4-3 on the majority of our snaps.

[felix rex]

I really hope so because, frankly, this is college, and I say keep it simple.

Agreed. Best example of this is SLamur and the playbook (would be a solid children's book title, btw).

[Pete]

(would be a solid children's book title, btw).

Would SLamur be capable of reading it?