Why not JT Floyd at deep safety?
Recognizing the he hasn't played there before and the risk of experimenting in the 11th game of the season, doesn't Floyd seem worth considering as an option at safety? Although on the smallish side for a safety, he seems like he would have the speed and quickness to play deep safety, despite being slowish for a corner. When he did play, he seemed like a decent tackler, and given the alternatives, if his coverage skills are good enough to see the field at corner, shouldn't his coverage skills be good enough to see the field at safety? With all that said, I trust that the coaches know their personnel.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:59 PM ^
I would rather see Vlad, Kovacs, Williams and Smith over JT...he isn't ready at corner, let alone safety.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:02 PM ^
Its strange that we haven't seem more of him out there in this defensive backfield depleted season. Does anyone remember how much RichRod and his coaches were hyping him up when he signed!? Guess they can be wrong sometimes.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:59 PM ^
Corners that are too slow move to safety; are slow safeties moved to linebacker or are linebackers generally/ideally faster than safeties?
I'm speaking in generalities, as far as HS players switching position in college, I realize that there are size differences between the positions that play a factor in these moves.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:05 PM ^
I think Floyd will be a safety once we get some depth at corner. If not in 2010, then by 2011.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:10 PM ^
That's interesting. Is he a big kid? Aren't safeties typically a bit bigger than CB's?
You know, I never thought Floyd played poorly when in there.
Another question: What do you think of Woolfolk's play, and will he stay at corner? Or do you see, with the (hopeful) emergence of younger guys, he and Floyd atsafety?
November 13th, 2009 at 3:14 PM ^
But negbanged for asking questions?
November 13th, 2009 at 4:14 PM ^
How the hell did you get them all back? Don't get me wrong, I'm for it...
November 13th, 2009 at 3:43 PM ^
Safeties are typically bigger than corners, but it goes both ways. He's too slow to play corner, but it's easier to add a few pounds and become a safety than to magically add a couple tenths of a second to your 40 speed and play corner.
I think Woolfolk has played pretty well at cornerback. If we had decent safety play, I think we could play more man coverage because there would be a cleanup man back deep. But with the weaknesses in the deep middle, I think Robinson has chosen to play a little more zone than he ideally would. Woolfolk is better in man than in zone because he's a physical player.
I honestly don't know where Woolfolk should play next year. It depends on if Warren leaves and if Turner can play CB, but either way, we shouldn't worry about the position Woolfolk is playing - my concern is the strength of the position where he's NOT.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:13 PM ^
One of the silver linings to this season, I think, is that Woolfolk has turned out to be a pretty solid player.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:20 PM ^
He got beaten deep in the WMU game (his first ever game at safety) and he got run over by Larry Caper in the MSU game (with a bum shoulder), but other than that, I've been very pleased with what he's done. He's versatile, fast, tough, and a pretty intelligent player.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:13 PM ^
This gets asked often. Floyd isn't big enough to play safety.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:38 PM ^
Floyd is 6'1", 183.
Mike Williams is 5'10", 188.
Troy Woolfolk is 6'1", 193.
Five to ten pounds is not going to prevent him from playing safety, especially when he has 1 or 2 years to add that weight.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:45 PM ^
Looks like you're the dick now, eh?
November 13th, 2009 at 7:25 PM ^
J.T. Floyd is horrible, and it doesn't matter where we put him.
November 14th, 2009 at 9:03 AM ^
Well personally i know him very well. And he actually made a transition from safety to corner coming from hs to college. Which he has great vision for back there and can cover more field than you think at safety. But in the end its coach robinson's decision
November 14th, 2009 at 10:18 AM ^
Good question. Why come no J.T. Jonathan Jim Bob "J-Tizzil" Floyd?