Offensive Depth - is there a position where an injury would terrify you?
I'm geeked about this offense and about the depth on that side of the ball. I'm thinking we're VERY safe from a collapse even if the injury bug strikes at a few positions.
QB - McCaffrey is a stud. His future might be brighter than Shea's present. Milton also has a bright future, but he needs another year under his belt before being a viable option, IMHO.
Outside WR - We have three guys that will likely be in the league in a year or two. We did pretty good last year with only two available. I guess Ronnie Bell is also on the outside, and he'll have a great career, for sure.
OL - Across the board, we've got what SHOULD be capable backups. The only position where we'd probably notice a major step down would be Center, but that's because Ruiz is one of the best in the country.
FB - R.I.P. We've got 'em if we need them, which isn't looking likely.
Other positions, I have some actual concerns.
TE: I don't know how the TEs will be utilized in this offense, but we only have two returning players with actual game experience. I'd be sweating if one of them goes down.
RB: Will this O have the 3-4 RB-by-committee approach? If so, we have two RBs with game experience, one true freshman stud who we are placing a very large amount of hope upon, and an under-the-radar RS frosh who has been a "sometimes RB" since arriving in the program. I think we could withstand one injury, but it'd be dicey.
Slot: Why, Oliver? Why??? Dude was going to be a stud, and he was getting decent playing time last year for a RS frosh. F*** Iowa. Now, our depth chart is three true freshmen! Not great, Bob!
I feel like if slot prospects were totally to all be in over their heads -- and the Sainristil buzz seems to indicate otherwise -- DPJ and Tarik are both capable of going slot (and will anyways in a lot of 3 WR sets when they want both plus Collins on the field at once). TE usage could also mitigate that concern as well.
RB probably where I wouldn't want to see a season-ender.
Only SICK TWISTS make a thread like this one.
I agree.
I was thinking ANY position on my next honeymoon......
Oliver Martin wasn’t a slot receiver. Not all white receivers are slots. Not all receivers under 6’2 are slots. Edit: Also, I would bank on DPJ playing a good amount in the slot this year. That’s the clear way to get him, Nico, and Black all on the field in 11 personnel.
I mean, RB is the clear answer here. I agree that we have good depth everywhere else. One of ZC, CT, or Tru goes down and RB looks pretty spooky. At that point you’re talking about using BVS there somewhat frequently or maybe making Giles Jackson a true tailback.
Which is why I dont get our running back recruiting for 2020 so far, we only have Corum committed. We dont have a lot of depth at running back for this year or next year. The position takes a pounding and you need multiple talented players on the roster.
It's July, plenty of time until signing day. Step away from the keyboard.
That's why I said so far. If we land Toafili or Berger then I'll be glad to be incorrect on my early thoughts.
I don’t think Berger is a great prospect and I don’t think our staff is very high on him either.
Plenty of time, but the class is full.
Well if both CT and ZC pan out, which it sounds like they will, then there won’t be many carries for anyone for 3 more years. IF we hit on those two, then our depth chart isn’t super appealing right now.
That being said, we aren’t necessarily done recruiting RB and it isn’t necessarily true that Corum is the only one committed right now. Dennis could theoretically be a guy that grows into an RB. We are also on Lawrence Toafili and Kyle Edwards in the 2020 class.
We will see. Seems like we have our eyes on some studs in 2021 in Donovan Edwards, Cory Kiner, this white kid from North Carolina, etc, but that means we need to avoid injuries there for a year.
I thought I was hearing good things about Hassan Haskins as well.
Evans is expected back for 2020. If he was on the roster now, I don't think we'd be that worried about RB depth.
The main issue with our current RB situation isn't the number of players, it's the lack of experience. That's not a situation you can fix by just adding more recruits next year. It's unlikely to even be an issue in 2020.
RB similar to DT in that it's a question mark this year but should be deep in 2020.
RB is the answer. Although you never want to lose your QB.
Losing Shea would suuuuuuck...but I am comfortable with McCaffrey stepping in, especially since I think he’s going to be involved in the run game regardless.
It still makes me want to punch a hole through a wall that Pep thought it’d be a good idea to not have DPJ, Nico and Black on the field at the same time. What a loser.
In fairness, there weren’t many games where that was even possible during Pep’s tenure, given Black’s health and Nico’s redshirt. The list is basically our last 5 games out of the 26 games with Pep on staff. Still, more would’ve been better.
But is DPJ athletic enough to play the slot???
/S
On offense it has to be RB. Here's an exercise to prove it: Name two RBs on the roster other than Turner, Charbonnet and Wilson.
RIP Lucas Andrighetto
RB depth is too thin. One season ending injury away from really being screwed. And go figure, RB take the most pounding over the year besides maybe O Line, that doesn’t sound like a recipe for success. O’Maury Samuels being a dumbass really hurt us.
and Kareem Walker being a bust hurt ... but getting a 2nd chance at Miss St
How much did O'Maury Samuels show on the field? I don't like him being a dumbass, but losing him doesn't really change anything. We'd be screwed if we needed him unless he made a big step forward.
We have a lot of options to carry the ball. The issue is that none of them have had much playing time other than Wilson and Mason. They aren't #1 backs. We've got two candidates for that role and a bunch of complementary pieces including Jackson, Sainritsil, BVS.
The way I see the new offense is in dual threat options being utilized more, the way we wanted Chris Evans to be used and the way OSU uses their H-back. We shouldn't see a traditional RB out there all the time.
No, telling AJ Dillon he was a LB really hurt us.
I remember there were alot of people in these parts, pissed we went away from him. And now, think of how many would have traded Walker and O'Samuels for Dillon... ugh.. so many flameouts we're having.
That falsehood about Dillon choosing BC over Michigan because we wanted him as an LB needs to die. He was recruited as a RB in a class with 2 other RBs(plus actively pursuing Najee Harris) and the previous class had high 4 star Walker and Evans who looked like a future star that fall. Dillon wanted to be the #1 back on his team so he chose BC which was offering him that.
Not Michigan's fault unless you wanted them to stop recruiting Harris and drop Samuels.
As a former kicker, you left an important position out! I think we'll be pretty solid there too. Sounds like 2 deep.
Yeah. It's called "running back".
Yes, reverse cowgirl. Imagine that injury.
Gives a new meaning to "offensive depth"
Let’s not go there. The offense already lost Peters.
Center
I feel pretty comfortable with Spanellis filling in should Ruiz get hurt.
I hope you are right!
Concussion .....to the OC :(
Losing Charbonnet would be very bad. He is our only gamebreaker in the back field. If someone was other than just serviceable back there it would showed by now.
Turner is going to be good.
Agreed. Way too early to start writing him off.
Let me rephrase. Serviceable can go a long ways. Deveon was serviceable to very good. Im talking someone that is hiring an agent the day after his 3rd playoff.
Any position. I don’t like this post.
Depends on timing in the middle of a tight game my answer is QB. If McCaffery has a full week of first team reps I'm far less concerned and then I'll say Black because I'd feel awful for the guy.
There is no concern here, if Shea goes down... McCaffrey looks the part, and plays the part. He is a future star, and is ready. Looks like a young and green Brady to me.
Wow, no pressure kid! :-)
I'm Bob.
We'll be fine.
One of the tackle positions... The backups should be fine, but we haven't ever seen them play! Lets please just give them one more year to develop before they hit the field in prime time.
Why was Martin going to be a stud? He got passed by a true freshman
Someone correct me if I am wrong but I feel like injuries to any of the Big 3 WR would hurt quite a bit. I am expecting (hoping) the pass game will lead the offense and for that, especially if we are moving away from FB, we really need/want the Big 3 to be mostly healthy. Sure, the offense could operate fine without one of them but I feel that would weaken what I am otherwise hoping will be an aggressive offense.
Ronnie Bell and Nate Schoenle have proven to be decent players,So they can step in and make plays.
Plus going to a "speed in space" offense and adding 3-4 Freshen with track speed or elite quickness/agility ,cant hurt.Yes these are true freshmen heading into a physical BIG10 .but you only need to get these guys in the right one-one match up and it can be a quick 6
Bell and Schoenle might be servicable vs. MTSU.