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Biggest coaching move impact...

TheySoSensitive

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Will be Hood back to helping the DBs.

Obviously technique wasn't Clink's strength as a coach but he is an elite recruiter so having Hood back there to clean the issues up we had last year back there is going to be huge. Every unit Hood has coached has been disciplined and improved significantly from the following year.

I'm all for anything that allows Clink and Big Dog more time out on the road recruiting. Expecting a big haul from Michigan this year, hopefully Smith lives up to his expectations as a recruiter as well and we may finally start becoming an elite recruiting staff rather than a staff with an elite recruiter. Gran, Hinshaw, Clink, Marrow, and Smith are all SEC level recruiters and you hear White's name starting to be mentioned. We may have something special here if we can keep this bunch together for a while.
 
Will be Hood back to helping the DBs.

Obviously technique wasn't Clink's strength as a coach but he is an elite recruiter so having Hood back there to clean the issues up we had last year back there is going to be huge. Every unit Hood has coached has been disciplined and improved significantly from the following year.

I'm all for anything that allows Clink and Big Dog more time out on the road recruiting. Expecting a big haul from Michigan this year, hopefully Smith lives up to his expectations as a recruiter as well and we may finally start becoming an elite recruiting staff rather than a staff with an elite recruiter. Gran, Hinshaw, Clink, Marrow, and Smith are all SEC level recruiters and you hear White's name starting to be mentioned. We may have something special here if we can keep this bunch together for a while.
I gotta believe you are correct, but I also believe a huge upgrade was made with Smith and his ability to teach as well as recruit. I never had much confidence in Thomas for any faze of the game. Stoops is doing all the right things to make our Cats true competitors. GBB!
 
I agree with you both, I think this is the best staff that Stoops has had so far. This staff has the potential to be the best ever at UK. The ones the Fear had were every good and some of the ones that followed were pretty good. As far as recruiting goes they are one of the best here and may be the best. If Smith and White start doing what a few of the others are doing then look out.
Thank you TheySoSensitive foe starting this post off with such insight on these guy's. FB is my favorite although I never played and am not as up on everything as most of the posters here, it is still my favorite. I was a BB fan for years and got hooked on FB in 1966 when Green Bay was playing Dallas in the ice bowl. I knew nothing about the game but was hooked for life. I have followed UK most all my life in BB.There was no UK FB news very much in those days. So FF is all I had till I went into the US Air Force and got to follow all of the NFL games. Now I am a college UK FB fan for life.

GBB
 
Hoping for the same from Hood and Smith. Think we especially struggled in zone coverage last year. Our guys are cover guys do better when locked up on a man. But when in space we were just pylons waiting for the QB to throw around. Love to see us teach these guys that even in zone you are still cover guys and need to aggressively match up to anyone that comes in your zone and not just stand there reacting to a throw. Usually too late for that as QB is throwing to a spot with WR in motion and or guys standing still.

Heard a report that our WR were still struggling getting off the line clean and Smith is working on that.
 
Think we especially struggled in zone coverage last year. Our guys are cover guys do better when locked up on a man.

Have to disagree with that point Soup. IMO the tallish corners don't have the hips to man up with some of the better SEC receivers which is why we see so much zone.

Love to see us teach these guys that even in zone you are still cover guys and need to aggressively match up to anyone that comes in your zone and not just stand there reacting to a throw.

I agree here, they have to do a better job of anticipating the route and the throw, and that will result in better coverage.
 
I can acc
Have to disagree with that point Soup. IMO the tallish corners don't have the hips to man up with some of the better SEC receivers which is why we see so much zone.



I agree here, they have to do a better job of anticipating the route and the throw, and that will result in better coverage.
I can go with you on that. They did struggle in man as well but not as much as freshman and not early last year either. They actually locked up pretty good for a while during those times but really dropped off. I was hoping that was due to a lack of aggressiveness and felt they played more aggressive and focused more in man coverage because they really looked lost a lot in zone and really didn't cover anyone, it was pitch and catch.

I will say I was never sold on the taller guys at that position as that really only seems to help on longer fly type routes which are few and far between. Like to see quick and agile for the rest.
 
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This is a perfect description of our secondary play he last two years.
Afraid so and IMO could be said for most zone defenses. Guy standing in a spot really does nothing to hinder the ability to throw if they aren't moving or reacting to WR before the release. I don't care if you have 10 back there, if they are just standing basically in one spot it's easy to throw around/between just like practice.

It's why I hate to see LB's back there hopping up and down trying to get in the way. They get in the way 1 time out of 50 and I'd much rather see them rush 50 times and see how many times we can hit the QB or rush him or knock down a pass.
 
We actually had pretty good coverage much of the time last year. The DBs would NEVER turn to look for the ball.

If he can just get them doing that, we'll improve a ton
 
Back to the subject, I'm hoping White makes a huge difference. The OLBs are some of the best athletes on team. If White can teach them proper technique and tricks of the trade from a coach with years of NFL experience. We could have some studs setting the edge and rushing QBs.
 
Some pretty good opinions all over this thread so far. I like it. I'll just add that the D line looks much improved on paper with the weight gains, addition of Paschal, and hopefully quality depth with Carter and McCall in reserve rolls. As bad as the defense was at times last year, I still think it's safe to say we should not only improve, but actually may be pretty damn good. The potential is there for this to be a pretty special year. Whichever qb is the starter just has to not be terrible and I think we have a punchers chance at 8 or 9. Still not ready to set my expectations there but I feel like this team has as much talent as any UK team I can ever remember.
 
Back to the subject, I'm hoping White makes a huge difference. The OLBs are some of the best athletes on team. If White can teach them proper technique and tricks of the trade from a coach with years of NFL experience. We could have some studs setting the edge and rushing QBs.
Agree with that. This defense needs a more effective front 7. I think the biggest keys will be maturations of Bohanna, Paschal, Taylor, Carter, Looney, Daniel, King.
 
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Some pretty good opinions all over this thread so far. I like it. I'll just add that the D line looks much improved on paper with the weight gains, addition of Paschal, and hopefully quality depth with Carter and McCall in reserve rolls. As bad as the defense was at times last year, I still think it's safe to say we should not only improve, but actually may be pretty damn good.
With 10 starters and almost all key reserves returning on our defense, there is bound to be improvement. What this defense needs is a pass rush. If Paschal is the guy who gives us a real pass rush, our secondary will suddenly look much better. And count me as a fan of Kash Daniel, who has more athleticism and speed than we have had at the Mike linebacker position in a long time.
 
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Folks shouldn't sleep on the upside of our younger kids like Abadi-Fitzgerald. We are deeper up front than I can ever remember.

Jack OLB:
Denzil Ware (SR)
Jordan Wright (rFR)
Kengera Daniel (SR)
Jaylin Bannerman (rSO)
Chris Whittaker (rFR)

DT:
Adrian Middleton (SR);
Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald (rFR)
Kordell Looney (SO)
Jerquavion Mahone (FR)

NG:
Quinton Bohanna (SO)
Phil Hoskins (JR)
Tymere Dubose (SR)
Marquan McCall (FR)

DE:
T.J. Carter (JR)
Josh Paschal (SO)
Calvin Taylor (JR)
Davoan Hawkins (FR)

Sam OLB
Josh Allen (SR)
Jamar “Boogie” Watson (SO)
Chris Oats (FR)

Mike LB:
Kash Daniel (JR)
Alex King (rFR)
Jamin Davis (rFR)
Drew Schlegal (rSO)

Will LB:
Jordan Jones (SR)
Jamin Davis (rFR)
DeAndre Square (FR)
Ashtan Pierre (FR)
 
Which begs the question. How did the DBs have 28 pass break ups and 9 interceptions without turning their heads?

You can face gaurd and get a lucky pass breakup. But turning and looking for the ball will turn some of those into picks
 
You can face gaurd and get a lucky pass breakup. But turning and looking for the ball will turn some of those into picks

NEVER?!?!?!

I just gave you ample evidence your statement was incorrect and yet you continue down this road. Have you been to practice? Have you seen the coaches teach the technique of watching the receiver, swiping down with an arm on theirs and turn to look for the ball?

... or perhaps they don't which is evidently what you believe.
 
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Some pretty good opinions all over this thread so far. I like it. I'll just add that the D line looks much improved on paper with the weight gains, addition of Paschal, and hopefully quality depth with Carter and McCall in reserve rolls. As bad as the defense was at times last year, I still think it's safe to say we should not only improve, but actually may be pretty damn good. The potential is there for this to be a pretty special year. Whichever qb is the starter just has to not be terrible and I think we have a punchers chance at 8 or 9. Still not ready to set my expectations there but I feel like this team has as much talent as any UK team I can ever remember.

That's about where I'm at. We have the numbers to go 3 deep with the defensive line for the first time that I can remember. That will make the DBs job easier and should result in an overall improvement of the defense, perhaps a significant one.
 
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It's amazing that Abadi-Ftizgerald has already added so much weight. I wonder if he will end up in the 290-295 range in another year or so?

If so, that's amazing consider he was a long/lean DE in high school. He may end up being the surprise of the 2017 class.
 
NEVER?!?!?!

I just gave you ample evidence your statement was incorrect and yet you continue down this road. Have you been to practice? Have you seen the coaches teach the technique of watching the receiver, swiping down with an arm on theirs and turn to look for the ball?

... or perhaps they don't which is evidently what you believe.

You do realize there are numerous ways passes are broken up?

Corners can get break ups on slants, etc. Safeties can on numerous deeper routes. But neither of those require looking back for the ball.


Looking for the ball is a ball skill that corners need when defending fades/gos/ deeper routes. Our corners were terrible at getting their head around to find the ball. Lonnie Johnson was the only one that would.
 
The biggest reason for DBs to turn and look for the ball is to avoid the PI penalty. The problem is if the DB doesn't time the turn of the head perfectly, the receiver can easily gain a step on the DB with disastrous consequences.
 
We actually had pretty good coverage much of the time last year. The DBs would NEVER turn to look for the ball.

If he can just get them doing that, we'll improve a ton
This is a very naive statement, but not a surprising one from our fanbase...

Just a guess, bigblueinsanity, but do you also believe that "we NEVER throw the ball?!"
 
Folks shouldn't sleep on the upside of our younger kids like Abadi-Fitzgerald. We are deeper up front than I can ever remember.

Jack OLB:
Denzil Ware (SR)
Jordan Wright (rFR)
Kengera Daniel (SR)
Jaylin Bannerman (rSO)
Chris Whittaker (rFR)

DT:
Adrian Middleton (SR);
Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald (rFR)
Kordell Looney (SO)
Jerquavion Mahone (FR)

NG:
Quinton Bohanna (SO)
Phil Hoskins (JR)
Tymere Dubose (SR)
Marquan McCall (FR)

DE:
T.J. Carter (JR)
Josh Paschal (SO)
Calvin Taylor (JR)
Davoan Hawkins (FR)

Sam OLB
Josh Allen (SR)
Jamar “Boogie” Watson (SO)
Chris Oats (FR)

Mike LB:
Kash Daniel (JR)
Alex King (rFR)
Jamin Davis (rFR)
Drew Schlegal (rSO)

Will LB:
Jordan Jones (SR)
Jamin Davis (rFR)
DeAndre Square (FR)
Ashtan Pierre (FR)


We lose a LOT of great players on D this year.

But we have a LOT of great young talent returning after they graduate, the upgrade in depth is phenomenal.
 
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I agree with you both, I think this is the best staff that Stoops has had so far. This staff has the potential to be the best ever at UK. The ones the Fear had were every good and some of the ones that followed were pretty good. As far as recruiting goes they are one of the best here and may be the best. If Smith and White start doing what a few of the others are doing then look out.
Thank you TheySoSensitive foe starting this post off with such insight on these guy's. FB is my favorite although I never played and am not as up on everything as most of the posters here, it is still my favorite. I was a BB fan for years and got hooked on FB in 1966 when Green Bay was playing Dallas in the ice bowl. I knew nothing about the game but was hooked for life. I have followed UK most all my life in BB.There was no UK FB news very much in those days. So FF is all I had till I went into the US Air Force and got to follow all of the NFL games. Now I am a college UK FB fan for life.

GBB


Nice post, I agree with it BUT Collier had THREE Hall of Fame caliber assistant coaches, all future long time successful Head Coaches, Shula the most famous, Ford and Arnsberger, hope I got the names right.
 
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This is a very naive statement, but not a surprising one from our fanbase...

Just a guess, bigblueinsanity, but do you also believe that "we NEVER throw the ball?!"

Naive? Did you watch any of our corners in one on one cocecove last year?
 
We lose a LOT of great players on D this year.

But we have a LOT of great young talent returning after they graduate, the upgrade in depth is phenomenal.
If we have a lot of great players on D then they have some proving to do. Our D sure didn't look like it had a lot of great ones last year after the early part of the season. I am as exciting as anyone about the upcoming season, I always am but there are very few on our D that don't have a lot to prove.
 
If we have a lot of great players on D then they have some proving to do. Our D sure didn't look like it had a lot of great ones last year after the early part of the season. I am as exciting as anyone about the upcoming season, I always am but there are very few on our D that don't have a lot to prove.

I think UK has players that are great at certain aspects of the game, UK's edge guys are great at creating pressure on the qb, but not near that level against the run. Their presence rushing the passer will be tough to replace, but against the run not so much. UGA's were the opposite, great against the run, but couldn't get consistent pressure on the qb. Carter will be a high draft pick because he tore the combine up, ran a 4.46 40, vertilced 39" and long jumped nearly 11 ft, at 6'5" 250 lb he can cover most backs in man and may eventually become a good pass rusher, but that size and speed is rare.
 
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I think UK has players that are great at certain aspects of the game, UK's edge guys are great at creating pressure on the qb, but not near that level against the run. Their presence rushing the passer will be tough to replace, but against the run not so much. UGA's were the opposite, great against the run, but couldn't get consistent pressure on the qb. Carter will be a high draft pick because he tore the combine up, ran a 4.46 40, vertilced 39" and long jumped nearly 11 ft, at 6'5" 250 lb he can cover most backs in man and may eventually become a good pass rusher, but that size and speed is rare.
Totally agree..

1. Ware/Allen are very good edge pass rushers but both are pretty bad vs. run.
2. Our interior LB are just picking daisies in left field in passing game....neither can sniff out a slant pass over the middle to save their lives..
3. Our safeties are pretty good in run support and tackling on short passes....but they blow so many assignments on deep stuff...very hot and cold play.

I'm hoping this year we can minimize the negative plays and at least play as good to our strengths.
 
Totally agree..

1. Ware/Allen are very good edge pass rushers but both are pretty bad vs. run.
2. Our interior LB are just picking daisies in left field in passing game....neither can sniff out a slant pass over the middle to save their lives..
3. Our safeties are pretty good in run support and tackling on short passes....but they blow so many assignments on deep stuff...very hot and cold play.

I'm hoping this year we can minimize the negative plays and at least play as good to our strengths.

It's no easy task finding guys who excel in all areas, they become AA instead of all SEC.

I thing UGA has the players to replace the 2 OLB who graduated without losing very much, probably better pass rushers. But we don't have a Roquan Smith ready to step on the field, we got faster ILB, bigger ILB, more physical ILB, but no one who puts the complete package together like he was. Even losing Chubb and Michel, Smith is by far the biggest loss.
 
If we have a lot of great players on D then they have some proving to do. Our D sure didn't look like it had a lot of great ones last year after the early part of the season. I am as exciting as anyone about the upcoming season, I always am but there are very few on our D that don't have a lot to prove.

We have FOUR players on the defense that had a good chance to be drafted BUT chose to return for another year of improvement from THESE coaches, almost sure to improve their chances of being drafted, their last chance for romance. They had ALREADY proved a lot, and I'm sure they expect to AND will prove even more this year, otherwise why come back?

And we have a ton of young talent coming up on defense, many of them freshmen that redshirted this year, a luxury that prior coaches could't even think about. How about two of the brightest stars among all the SEC freshmen at a critical position, the DL, Bohanna (ONLY a two star, COACHED UP) and Paschal (only a four star, lol), that emerged this year, with a nose guard coming next year that is rated even higher than Paschal.

Who are we going to lose on defense that can't be replaced?
 
I really hope some of our players have a great season in 18 and it could happen.Paschal certainly is capable of a great year along with some others, I might add I would put L Johnson in the group that is capable.But to say ANY of our guys on D had a really great season in 17,, I didn't see it.
 
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I think UK has players that are great at certain aspects of the game, UK's edge guys are great at creating pressure on the qb, but not near that level against the run. Their presence rushing the passer will be tough to replace, but against the run not so much. UGA's were the opposite, great against the run, but couldn't get consistent pressure on the qb. Carter will be a high draft pick because he tore the combine up, ran a 4.46 40, vertilced 39" and long jumped nearly 11 ft, at 6'5" 250 lb he can cover most backs in man and may eventually become a good pass rusher, but that size and speed is rare.

Carter sounds like he has about the same specs as Bud Dupree did, but Bud was about 265# when he graduated. The thing that jumped out at me about Bud as a commit is that he was 220# and had about a 40 inch vertical, hard to fudge those. Then he added at least forty five pounds and IMPROVED his vertical at the combine by an inch.

I was impressed by several things in Joker's first class, first our normal allotment of one four star, (or less) in Faulkner, alas, no big deal. Then, at the last minute, (almost literally) he added THREE 5.7s to the ONE he had recruited earlier, Sanders. Alas, the three 5.7s did practically nothing.

Then the thing that really struck me was two 5.6s, Bud with his vertical and Paschal, 6' 4" and 240#, with an amazing shuttle time, not much more than 4.0, better than most DBs. Bud a great career, VERY high draft pick, and Paschal a very good career------and he is continuing to pay dividends.

If your guy gets drafted higher than Bud there will be only one reason for it, IMO, he went to Georgia and Bud went to UK.
 
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Carter sounds like he has about the same specs as Bud Dupree did, but Bud was about 265# when he graduated. The thing that jumped out at me about Bud as a commit is that he was 220# and had about a 40 inch vertical, hard to fudge those. Then he added at least forty five pounds and IMPROVED his vertical at the combine by an inch.

I was impressed by several things in Joker's first class, first our normal allotment of one four star, (or less) in Faulkner, alas, no big deal. Then, at the last minute, (almost literally) he added THREE 5.7s to the ONE he had recruited earlier, Sanders. Alas, the three 5.7s did practically nothing.

Then the thing that really struck me was two 5.6s, Bud with his vertical and Paschal, 6' 4" and 240#, with an amazing shuttle time, not much more than 4.0, better than most DBs. Bud a great career, VERY high draft pick, and Paschal a very good career------and he is continuing to pay dividends.

If your guy gets drafted higher than Bud there will be only one reason for it, IMO, he went to Georgia and Bud went to UK.

Carter was pretty lean coming out of HS too, was a good BB player on a verry good team in Georgia, I think they won state championship in the highest classiication at the time. He still looks lean, really long guy, but imo, he just isn't a physical guy. He seldom got out of position, seldom missed a tackle, set the edge well, a good player but not the player you would expect with all his physical tools. Maybe I am./was expecting too much. We signed a clone of him this class, 6'5" 225, sub 4.5 guy, but a much better pass rusher in HS than Carter was, He will probably play this fall, not sure how much because he isn't an EE, is running track so he won't gain much weight until that's over. Quite a few will play from the 18 class, we will only have 3-4 sr seeing much playing time, lots of soph and jr. with a few frosh thrown in, likely will cost us some games.
 
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Carter was pretty lean coming out of HS too, was a good BB player on a verry good team in Georgia, I think they won state championship in the highest classiication at the time. He still looks lean, really long guy, but imo, he just isn't a physical guy. He seldom got out of position, seldom missed a tackle, set the edge well, a good player but not the player you would expect with all his physical tools. Maybe I am./was expecting too much. We signed a clone of him this class, 6'5" 225, sub 4.5 guy, but a much better pass rusher in HS than Carter was, He will probably play this fall, not sure how much because he isn't an EE, is running track so he won't gain much weight until that's over. Quite a few will play from the 18 class, we will only have 3-4 sr seeing much playing time, lots of soph and jr. with a few frosh thrown in, likely will cost us some games.


"6'5" 225, sub 4.5 guy, but a much better pass rusher in HS than Carter was"

Geez, we will trade you two three stars for him.
 
"6'5" 225, sub 4.5 guy, but a much better pass rusher in HS than Carter was"

Geez, we will trade you two three stars for him.

Carter was one of those guys who was a camp warrior, much better on the camp scene than the field, just wasn't very physical, improved but still not a physical player. Anderson, the 18 guy is, his 5A team was probably the best team in Georgia last fall, several P5 signees on it, and will be more in 19. That doesn't mean he will be better than Carter in Athens, but I think he will be a better pass rusher. Otis Reese was the best defensive player in Georgia last year, imo, but wasn't ranked the highest he is suppose to play S, but he is going to be huge for a S.
 
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I agree with you both, I think this is the best staff that Stoops has had so far. This staff has the potential to be the best ever at UK.
I agree. Part of being a successful head coach is being an effective program manager. All head coaches have to deal with losing assistant coaches off their staff and hiring replacements. Most of Stoops’ coaching hires have been upgrades. Losing Derrick Ansley hurt. But for the most part, our staff keeps getting better.
 
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