Fall Insights

So Anthony has been nice enough to add me as a writer on his blog. I thought I would spend my first commentary updating everyone on what I am seeing/hearing on the position battle front. Here is what we are seeing so far this fall:

Quarterback: Weis has announced to the press that he will not let anyone know who the starter will be until Georgia Tech. This is definitely not surprising. From what I can tell, this remains a three way battle, with Sharpley and Jones the most likely to play against Tech. I have a feeling Weis may start the year using both of these guys in different situations (I am sure he will settle on one guy by year end). I think Clausen sits early, perhaps because of his elbow (still no idea how serious that is, but he hasn’t thrown hard in front of the media…. Again, take that for what its worth), perhaps to preserve his confidence, or perhaps to lend experience to the tough part of our schedule. Stay tuned, this one will be debated until the first game.

Running Back: This is going to be a really fun year to watch this year. Travis Thomas has something to prove and has supposedly looked superb this fall. James Aldridge is also gaining confidence and getting his step back. Freshmen Armando Allen and Robert Hughes have also impressed, with Allen showing his speed and ability to be a difference maker and Hughes proving to be the biggest, most physical back in the stable. Junior Jabbie, the spring game star, is also one still in this mix. Honestly, Darius Walker leaving opened the door for a great spring/fall competition and these guys have all stepped up. Mike Haywood claimed that all five would play in some capacity (see special teams for a few) against Georgia Tech. I think this could prove to be the deepest backfield we have had in years. If these guys can build off of their immediate experience, I think some combination of these five will not only be more exciting, but more productive than Darius last year.

Fullback: Asaph Schwapp is back and seems to be about 99%. Last year’s injury v. Penn State seemed to be holding him back in spring practice, but his confidence and physical play appears to have returned this fall. Luke Schmidt will definitely see the field this year and offer a changeup to Schwapp’s style. Schmidt is taller and faster than the typical fullback and will provide a different look at the position. I wouldn't be surprised to see him lining up with Schwapp in the backfield in some situations.

Wide Receiver: During spring practice I claimed that the wide receivers would surprise this year. I am standing by this statement and truly believe that these guys will overachieve. David Grimes and George West appear to be the two starters entering the season, and while they may not look like Samardzija and McKnight, I think they will be solid. Remember that Weis saw a lot of success with small, disciplined receivers in New England. Also, D.J. Hord is back and is rumored to be showing the speed that made us think he was going to be a key contributor prior to his achilles injury. Also, freshman Duval Kamara brings a much needed big body to the field. He is going to be dangerous red zone weapon and really has shown the most natural hands on the team this preseason. Robby Parris is the second biggest body on the team and should be a solid contributor as well. Add in Gallup Jr., Jackson and Golden Tate (another freak athlete who is switching positions but will find his way on the field this year) and there is no lack of depth or talent in this group. Again, watch for these guys to surprise.

Tight End: John Carlson is back and should be the ultimate safety weapon for whichever QB is in there. Expect to see a lot of Konrad Reuland on the field as well as Will Yeatman in our 2 TE sets. Both guys have developed nicely and should contribute this year (I am hearing specifically that Reuland will have a breakout year). Mike Ragone, the stud freshman recruit, is still small and needs to build up his frame a bit, but could see time early because of his speed. Weis has made a huge point this fall in pointing out speed and eluding to his desire to use it this year.

Offensive Line: This is going to be an overly young group this year. Paul Duncan and Sam Young should serve as our starting tackles, Mike Turckovich and Dan Wenger should serve as our starting guards and John Sullivan will anchor the line at center. Get used to a rotation here though as offensive line coach John Latina is expecting to use eight guys here this year (three tackles, three guards, two centers) to keep people fresh and maintain flexibility. This strategy hasn’t been used during the first two years of the Weis regime, due to lack of depth. We are starting to see the recruiting classes of the past few years come to fruition here. While this group will have its growing pains, I would bet that they will be significantly improved over last year (especially in the run).

Defensive End: Trevor Laws will anchor the left side of our line. His move to the outside should actually be a good thing in my opinion. Playing in the trenches the last few years has put him against a lot of double teams and limited his pass rushing ability. Expect to see him build on his past success on the outside. Past Laws, this position remains a question mark. Dwight Stephenson should start on the right side, but Paddy Mullen and Kallen Wade will also see some time this year. Don’t be surprised to see Andrew Nuss play in some situations as well. Even though the freshman is moving over from the offensive line, he is a man child and I can see Brown wanting to get him on the field.

Defensive Tackle (Nose Tackle): This is another position where there are question marks. Patrick Kuntz will start here and has looked good this fall. However, while he is lean and fast, he is definitely undersized. Ian Williams looks the part and has also impressed, so expect to see him on the field as well. Sadly, we still lack depth here (especially after the Chris Stewart experiment failed) and the D line could prove to be a weakness this year.

Linebacker: I am actually really excited about this crop of LB’s. Toryan Smith and John Ryan will start on the outside and look like beasts. These guys are much bigger and more physical than in past years (thanks to the 3-4 switch and recruiting). Maurice Crum will take one of the inside spots this year (he was the most underrated player on our team last year in my opinion). Scott Smith, Anthony Vernaglia and freshman Kerry Neal will battle for the other spot. Also, watch my darkhorse Brian Smith here. I love watching film on this kid and think he is going to be a very good back. He could see some playing time here and impress.

Defensive Back: We should be looking much better here this year. We are building some awesome depth across all of the DB positions. Tommy Z is back and has a chip on his shoulder. I wouldn’t bet against him being back to his old self again as the shoulder is good again and he has lost some of the weight that slowed him down last year. David Bruton will be a force at safety as well and has really built up a bit while maintaining his speed. Ray Herring and Kyle McCarthy (along with freshman Harrison Smith) will provide needed depth here. At corner, Terrail Lambert and Ambrose Wooden are back. I think Lambert will prove to be a solid cover guy this year, as he improved a great deal last year. Wooden reminds me of Brock Williams in the fact that he has the stats but just can’t seem to put it all together. Raeshon McNeil and Darrin Walls will see a lot more of the field this year as well. Munir Prince will be fun to watch develop here, as a lot of smart people feel he has a better chance of utilizing his unique speed on the D side of the ball. Unfortunately, Gary Gray (freshman recruit) who was supposed to play early is out for the year. To give all of you guys an idea of how far we have come, Leo Ferrine, another cornerback, played quite a bit in nickel packages two years ago. This year he is third string. There is a ton of young talent here.

That should fill you in on what I am seeing and thinking at all of our positions. There is no question we are getting more talented. It should be a blast to watch us play this year and if we can gain experience and make it through the early part of our schedule relatively unscathed, this could be a BCS team. That said, I do think 8-4 is realistic. I am sure Anthony will add his opinion and would like to hear what the rest of you are thinking as well.

Final thoughts: Recruiting is still looking great this year. We still need to grab a killer wide receiver (Michael Floyd would do nicely) and maybe one more offensive lineman (Trevor Robinson). Past that, I feel like the team did a superb job, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If Corwin Brown can coach like he can recruit, things are looking up. Ok, look forward to your comments.