Plugging Holes W/Recruiting

[thekob]

It appears that part of the problem on D is due to recruiting, more specifically timing.

On the DL, we didn't get in the guys we wanted to due to academics.

In the secondary, did we have any academic casualties, or was it due to guys leaving that we hadn't planned on?

It appears that we're getting solid recruits on the DL in '15, including several JUCO's who should be able to contribute right away. It seems that it's a rare DL that can be a difference maker on the DL, so the others might just help out for depth.

It seems like we have some decent DB's coming as well, but non-JUCO's. Can true freshman DB's contribute right away?

I figure our current freshman DB's will show out later on in the season (hopefully) but are now experiencing some growing pains. Also, ATM's recruiting showed with so many of their true freshmen contributing...their WR's are everything that you expect/hope for when you recruit a 5*.

[lilhornet]

Marquavis Lewis and Dante Sawyer are the two JUCO DE's we have committed right now and they both are going to contribute right away. They'll provide what we are missing in sheer TALENT and SIZE there. Shamiek Blackshear and Arden Key are going to be great, especially getting after the passer. Blackshear is according to some, the closest thing we can get to a Clowney 2.0; he feels like he is underrated and I hope he proves the critics wrong. Him and Key are both playing in the UA All American game.

The DB's we brought in are talented but all four of them (Green, Smith, Harris Jr, Lammons) all are either not physically ready or mentally ready to play. We've seen freshmen DB's come in and contribute immediately but those guys were one of the above and the only two who had significant impacts their freshmen years were Holloman and Gilmore. Mark Fields could very well play right away next season, it all depends if he grasps the system. Plus Smalls will be on campus in January.

FWIW, If Wideman comes in as a DT, he gets here in January he could provide us with a body at DT who can get after the QB. D.J Jones would be icing on the cake and would be a huge get! He is my annual flip target of this season.

Next year our Defense will be better, both physically and mentally. Hopefully, it yields a different result then what we saw last night.

[LegalCock]

The froshie DB's will probably be good by next season. It's just rediculous to have mulitple froshies starting game one against an offense like A&M's. Our offense HAD to sustain long drives and grind out clock to give us a chance.

[thekob]

Originally Posted by LegalCock

The froshie DB's will probably be good by next season. It's just rediculous to have mulitple froshies starting game one against an offense like A&M's. Our offense HAD to sustain long drives and grind out clock to give us a chance.

That's what I figured as well on both points. It takes a real stud of a true freshman DB to come in, grasp the scheme and start. Ideally they'd at most be counted on to contribute but we don't have that luxury. Hopefully they'll do good against ECU since I wouldn't think that their WR's are as talented as A&M's (hopefully, I know their QB is legit).

We also suffered on D from lack of a run game. Scoring quick or doing a quick 3 and out didn't give the D much of a break to talk to the coaches or grab a breath.

[LegalCock]

Yeah I remember Gilmore getting abused a fair amount as a froshie too, but not like this.

[thekob]

Originally Posted by LegalCock

Yeah I remember Gilmore getting abused a fair amount as a froshie too, but not like this.

Yup. I figure though that he had a better group around him. I don't think it was a matter of picking on one freshman, it seems like just a matter of picking on the secondary as a whole.

[cockyness11]

A&M had a bunch of freshman in their secondary who played like seasoned veterans last night. Truth of the matter is as of right now, our defense isn't equipped to beat a team like the aggies because we simply do not have the horses to put pressure on the QB or the dbs big enough to fight off blocks against wr screens They have an up tempo offense that throws it sideline to sideline and sweeps off the edge. Our strength is our lb core and more equipped stopping offenses like Georgia or bama, downhill running teams. I think we will beat ecu because of the talent differences alone, but this defense needs to get something figured out because at the end of the year we face another offense just as good as the team we saw last night. If we had the recruits come in last year as we do this year it would of been a whole different ball game last night. Those recruits not making it in hurt us worse then I thought it would.

[cockyness11]

My dad told me this was a really bad match up for us right before kick off and I got pissed off and hung up the phone, but he called it. He also said ecu will put points up on us if we try to defend them in a 3-4 scheme because it is a scheme used mostly to stop running teams and pro style offenses and not spreads and wr slips and screens. Whammy is not the one to blame because this scheme is used when ur strength is your linebacker group. He just simply don't have the players to run the defense he wants too. He saw that our Linebacker group is our strength and so he adjusted the best way he could. Recruiting is what hurt us last night

[lilhornet]

Originally Posted by LegalCock

Yeah I remember Gilmore getting abused a fair amount as a froshie too, but not like this.

I wouldn't even say abused, he got beat at times but like you said nothing like this.

[roosterdude21]

Originally Posted by cockyness11

My dad told me this was a really bad match up for us right before kick off and I got pissed off and hung up the phone, but he called it. He also said ecu will put points up on us if we try to defend them in a 3-4 scheme because it is a scheme used mostly to stop running teams and pro style offenses and not spreads and we slips

After spending countless hours in the spring and summer months implementing the defense, Ward contended the 3-4 scheme is here to stay.

"I don't think it's the system," Ward said. "Whether we're in the 4-2-5 or the 3-4, we have to tackle and play in space and we have to find a way to get to the quarterback. Regardless of what defense we're in, it's the same deal." - See more at: https://southcarolina.rivals.com/con....xaj5tVvR.dpuf

[cockyness11]

Originally Posted by roosterdude21

After spending countless hours in the spring and summer months implementing the defense, Ward contended the 3-4 scheme is here to stay.

"I don't think it's the system," Ward said. "Whether we're in the 4-2-5 or the 3-4, we have to tackle and play in space and we have to find a way to get to the quarterback. Regardless of what defense we're in, it's the same deal." - See more at: https://southcarolina.rivals.com/con....xaj5tVvR.dpuf

I didn't see that. I believe we should go back to our normal defense after this recruiting class comes in because if we don't we r gonna have a major problem playing teams like the aggies and Clemson every year

[thekob]

Originally Posted by cockyness11

A&M had a bunch of freshman in their secondary who played like seasoned veterans last night. Truth of the matter is as of right now, our defense isn't equipped to beat a team like the aggies because we simply do not have the horses to put pressure on the QB or the dbs big enough to fight off blocks against wr screens They have an up tempo offense that throws it sideline to sideline and sweeps off the edge. Our strength is our lb core and more equipped stopping offenses like Georgia or bama, downhill running teams. I think we will beat ecu because of the talent differences alone, but this defense needs to get something figured out because at the end of the year we face another offense just as good as the team we saw last night. If we had the recruits come in last year as we do this year it would of been a whole different ball game last night. Those recruits not making it in hurt us worse then I thought it would.

Which freshman DB's did they have? I just remember Watts with the big hit on the would be touchdown.

I'm seriously wondering how much of an effect not getting our freshman DB's in and started in summer practice hurt us as well....remember, they were the guys that did "too well" on a standardized test and had to retake it before being cleared by the NCAA.

Those DL recruits not making it really did hurt, but looking at the '15 commitment list, we should be good to go....if they stick.

[thekob]

Originally Posted by cockyness11

I didn't see that. I believe we should go back to our normal defense after this recruiting class comes in because if we don't we r gonna have a major problem playing teams like the aggies and Clemson every year

Yep, AFTER this recruiting class. I doubt we would've done the 3-4 if we had gotten those recruits in. I wonder how much of it is that we can only afford to have 3 down instead of 4...is the cupboard really that bare?

[GamecockInHell]

I thought Sawyer had to go two years in JUCO before he could come?

[cockyness11]

Your right, it was only their safety watts who is a true freshman, but he looked better then their two junior DBS who kept getting called for pi. I think a major hiccup last night was we wasn't getting a good jam on the recievers at all because their a timing based offense and we didn't disrupt that at all last night. If u go back and watch the game as well, their Qb hardly ever had to go through his progression because is first or second read was wide ass open. That is a very serious problem for us

[lilhornet]

Originally Posted by GamecockInHell

I thought Sawyer had to go two years in JUCO before he could come?

Only have to be in JUCO a minimum of three semesters.

[cockyness11]

If we do keep this 3-4 scheme then we definitely need to be recruiting bigger DBS who can shed blocks, tackle in space, and jam recievers while covering on an island man to man. Also, massive dlinemen for gap sealements and filling for our linebackers to be able too contain the edge for sweeps and sideline running plays. Need more bulk then a Surrat or Dixon brothers have in the middle for this sort of scheme. You can't just plug and play that's for sure

[cockyness11]

losing wideman hurt a lot

[HeadCockFan]

Originally Posted by cockyness11

losing wideman hurt a lot

yep

We have fast guys, we have big guys. We have no fast big guys.

[b381l]

Originally Posted by cockyness11

If we do keep this 3-4 scheme then we definitely need to be recruiting bigger DBS who can shed blocks, tackle in space, and jam recievers while covering on an island man to man. Also, massive dlinemen for gap sealements and filling for our linebackers to be able too contain the edge for sweeps and sideline running plays. Need more bulk then a Surrat or Dixon brothers have in the middle for this sort of scheme. You can't just plug and play that's for sure

I appreciate what Whammy tried to do....in theory he was right.....but to get our younger players (1st and 2nd year players) to understand the 3-4 and the 4-3 just was a bad idea over a short period of time. The loss of Thomas, Wideman and Sawyer really is hurting us......but there's nothing we can do about it now.
The 3-4 was a complete disaster last night....I hope we toss it, go back to the 4-3 and play nickel in passing situations.

And for all those trying to blame this on the recruiting, we signed 21 of 22, exactly what players did we not pursue and sign, and which ones of Thomas, Wideman, Sawyer, Smalls or Ritchie were we going to pass on to take those other players.....at the time when a lot of this was happening, the coaches didn't know with a certainty which players were not going to make it.

cockyness11, never argue with Dad.....lol.