Is Elam Hurt?
- Thread starter UKWinsAgainYep
- Start date
I had high hopes for Elam to contribute early, but it looks like he might be a factor his Senior year only…maybe a little Junior year. Got have some quickness with the mass and power to be a consistent contributor.
Looks like Rivals had the right ranking for Elam afterall. He is coming along like a 3-star player. His time will come next season, but for now will be limited as long as Lewis is healthy.
The way Cory Johnson has played the last two weeks....he isn't coming off the field
#79 from Mizzou is what I would imagine that a true 5 star DL looks like. That young man was hard to handle for a true freshman.
^ correct answer. Elam and Melvin barely played... Stop disparaging our players. Idiots.
When we play Georgia, you'll see Elam/Melvin.
You're the kind of guy that eats crow all year.... You must like it...
I saw Beckner make one play on JoJo and was completely shocked how big he was. Dude is a full grown man at 18, absolutely huge.
Elam committing has meant as much in recruiting as any contribution he has made on the field in two years.
I am starting to think this as well, God knows, we could use help at OT. Schnellenberger always over signed defensive linemen and turned some into O linemen, the ones that weren't quite athletic enough for defense.
Elam has been beaten out by Melvin Lewis. Elam is still not very technique sound.
How is that? You sound like Elam is the only top recruit Stoops has signed. LOL! Elam isn't even the only recruit who picked Kentucky over Alabama. In the end, he must perform like everyone else. Next year, Elam will have to handle the starting nose tackle job. If he can't do it, the job will fall to a true freshman, Kobe Smith. And if that happens, some people will ask why our coaches were not able to develop Elam. I think Elam will be successful. But he is behind schedule, and there is no point now in saying he isn't.
Elam was a highly recruited player that choose to play at the UK not somewhere else. His decision helps us to at least have a chance for our in-state talent to give us a look. Sure we are recruiting better under Stoops but until we got Elam we got very few looks from Kentucky's top prospects. Saban did not play Mount Cody against everybody. He played him based on the other teams offense and that is how Stoops is using Elam.
It's important to note what Elam is as a player. If you're expecting him to ever have a lot of sacks, hurries, knockdowns, tackles, etc, you'll be disappointed. A 3-4 nose tackle's job is to plug the middle and take on double teams. They prevent the o-line from opening holes and getting a push off the line. They free up the LBs to make plays.
Elam is not behind in his development. He is a very specialized player coming into his second year. He is sitting behind a potential NFL player and senior. It is not uncommon at all for sophomore DTs to not play much, especially ones like Elam that came in with weight and technique issues.
In the games he has played against teams that rely on the run game he has done a very good job commanding two blockers and forcing rushers away from his gap assignment. Otherwise known as exactly what his job is.
He hasn't been dominant, but he as lived up to the expectations of people who know what is role in the defense is and understand how long it takes most players of any star ranking to acclimate to SEC football from a physical standpoint. If you thought just because he was a Bama target he was going to come in, drop 50 pounds and build up muscle mass in one summer, become a technical freak, and be an every down player then I can see why you are disappointed, but that's on you.
In the games he has played against teams that rely on the run game he has done a very good job commanding two blockers and forcing rushers away from his gap assignment. Otherwise known as exactly what his job is.
He hasn't been dominant, but he as lived up to the expectations of people who know what is role in the defense is and understand how long it takes most players of any star ranking to acclimate to SEC football from a physical standpoint. If you thought just because he was a Bama target he was going to come in, drop 50 pounds and build up muscle mass in one summer, become a technical freak, and be an every down player then I can see why you are disappointed, but that's on you.
Elam's job is to take on double teams so th LB's can make the plays. Thats what the NT's job is in a 3-4
Not sure what people expected from the kid. How in the world can anyone say he's behind where he's supposed to be at this point of his career? None of us are a part of the coaching staff so how can you even make that claim? I think the only reason people expect more from this kid is the fact he had Bama listed as a possible school to Play at. Even the guys Bama recruit that are rated so high take time to produce. The spot on the field he plays, he will never live up to most people's expectations of him. Most don't understand when they don't see him with 14 tackles and 2 sacks in a game. Those type of fans will never understand what the team needs from this kid
I don't think a lot of us were/are expecting him to be making tackles all over the field. We understand what his job as NT is. However, the kid rarely plays a snap. Hard to 'do your job' when you never put your helmet on. Thus, the question as to why he's not playing. I, for one, thought we'd be seeing more of him by now. He's been in the program for >1.5 years and he's still evidently not good enough technique-wise to see the field. The other NTs have progressed remarkably, imo, and are really a strong position for our team this year thus far. Hope he continues to develop and makes his mark during his career.
Yep pretty much. They are a 0-1 technique player that eats up space. Your 3-4 technique DT's are more athletic.
IMO he still plays too tall - I know his job is to punch the blocker and read the play as a two-gap NT or 1 tech., but he rarely gets push up the field like Johnson and Lewis have been able to do.
No worries though, I expect him to improve and be a "big" factor in 2016
No worries though, I expect him to improve and be a "big" factor in 2016
He actually has incredible quickness and agility for his size. His conditioning looks to be still lacking, because he still starts playing high after just a few snaps. But the players in front of him playing so well is whats keeping him off the field. Its a good problem to have.
That kid will be an absolute monster. He already is. I think youre looking at the next Sapp, Suh, type college DL. I cant believe he could compete like that as a TF. We couldnt even double team him on some plays. We had to run away from him almost all night.
A lot of folks do not understand what a NT does. A NT would struggle against a spread team. Elliott played the right guys and scheme against Missouri. Keep in mind that Lewis came to UK as a JUCO and got a RS. Matt really needed a RS, but he was needed due to depth issues. Matt will be fine as he gets older, gets in even better condition, and works on his technique and bend. Matt has been slower in his development because its taken him some time to get rid of a lot of bad habits (eating, work ethic, etc). Melvin has been a tremendous help to Matt and I think he is now taking it upon himself to do the right things to become the player everyone expects him to be.
Like I told some of you, he is still too fat to contribute.
A shame that he doesn't have the dedication to get to a manageable weight. He does not have the hips nor feet to be a freak like wilfork and be 350lb.
A shame that he doesn't have the dedication to get to a manageable weight. He does not have the hips nor feet to be a freak like wilfork and be 350lb.
Agree 100%. I just wasn't sure if he was hurt because I thought I saw him limp off during Florida game. I usually see Elam do his job and get a pretty good push while plugging the middle. It's kinda funny to me that so many posters are saying he isn't doing that well. I actually think he's played well the past two years. Furthermore, he will be excellent next season. He will play in the NFL.
I think Elam is still playing with too much weight. I think his ideal playing weight would be 330-340. He played pretty well against a run heavy offense in La-Lafayette, and I suspect we'll see him against other run dominant teams. But as others have said, there's no way you take Johnson off the field right now. 11 tackles in a game for a lineman is incredible.
Elam has done a decent job so far of taking on double teams when his number is called and getting his hands up and using his height to get in the way of passes, he needs to continue to do this and he will always be of value to the team. The only problem is right now he is only good in certain situations and needs to attempt to continue to lose weight and exploding off the ball, staying low. Right now he stands straight up on many occasions and looks like it is a pain for him to get down in his stance before the ball is snapped. The guy could really stand to lose another 30 lb's or so and get some more fundamental work firing off the ball to be a better all around d lineman. If somehow he could do that (plus get a little meaner, lol) the sky is the limit for him. That being said, right now he is playing his part and helping out considering we still have great players in front of him.
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