Predict the opening day starters

[Duff Man]

Lang is a wild card for the success/depth of the DL. Obviously a lot rides on Javier making a big jump from last year, but Lang has true blue chip talent and size. If he's ready to go, it should change the outlook of the DL, IMO.

It would certainly mean true, quality depth. Every one of the starters needs to be spelled more (even if it worked out in 2016).

 

[onealcd]

McMillan and Fontenot are better than Evans. Also, Viska not starting? That's a joke. He's are best WR (yes, I think he's better than Winfree).

Viska is a starter though if you read the depth chart.

 

[DHawk]

Is Moretti likely to start at RT?

 

[Duff Man]

Is Moretti likely to start at RT?

Haigler is entrenched at RT. Moretti will likely split with Kaiser this year at LT.

 

[FlatironsBuff]

Yeah, it's hard to see for yourself, but I think that was a common point of emphasis from many during last season and I feel like Chev made some comments about it as well. Regardless, there seems to be a refusal from the staff to bench Seniors in favor of underclassmen, regardless of scenario. There was no reason Shenault and Winfree shouldn't have been playing over Fields and Bobo in the second half of the season, or even KD over Ross. I'm not saying a full blown replacement of all three, but there should have been more of a time share than there was.

There has to be thought given to letting seniors play if you think they are close to the same level. Part of selling recruiting is seniors getting a shot at the NFL. That’s hard to do if you bench them. It may have been invites only, but it matters when recruiting if you can point to severalnof the graduating players that were signed to get shots on NFL teams.

I think there are a lot of moving parts to failed plays. Blocking by the OL, Montezes reads, routes ran, catches etc. Coaches see them in practice every day and may not have felt that there was much to gain by sitting 2 and 3 year starters in their senior season.

 

[BatBuff]

There has to be thought given to letting seniors play if you think they are close to the same level. Part of selling recruiting is seniors getting a shot at the NFL. That’s hard to do if you bench them. It may have been invites only, but it matters when recruiting if you can point to severalnof the graduating players that were signed to get shots on NFL teams.

I think there are a lot of moving parts to failed plays. Blocking by the OL, Montezes reads, routes ran, catches etc. Coaches see them in practice every day and may not have felt that there was much to gain by sitting 2 and 3 year starters in their senior season.

Early playing time is a better sell imo (especially when none of the OL are going to get drafted this year).

 

[vinniew_11]

Early playing time is a better sell imo (especially when none of the OL are going to get drafted this year).

OL is one position where a RS or even a GS followed by a RS year is best so they can put on functional weight and strength. Unless you get a blue blood recruit.

 

[Bliff Cranch]

Yeah, it's hard to see for yourself, but I think that was a common point of emphasis from many during last season and I feel like Chev made some comments about it as well. Regardless, there seems to be a refusal from the staff to bench Seniors in favor of underclassmen, regardless of scenario. There was no reason Shenault and Winfree shouldn't have been playing over Fields and Bobo in the second half of the season, or even KD over Ross. I'm not saying a full blown replacement of all three, but there should have been more of a time share than there was.

One or the other of these statements is true: HCMM inexplicably favors playing upperclassmen over more talented underclassmen, or the underclassmen just haven’t been (or aren’t) as talented and don’t deserve to play. Given his 0.397 win percentage thus far, that’s a very sobering reality either way.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

One or the other of these statements is true: HCMM inexplicably favors playing upperclassmen over more talented underclassmen, or the underclassmen just haven’t been (or aren’t) as talented and don’t deserve to play. Given his 0.397 win percentage thus far, that’s a very sobering reality either way.

Well, we saw Shenault and Winfree make plays last year when given the opportunity. I don’t think there’s really a question in my mind that both were/are better players by mid season than our Senior WRs, but they just kept rolling the Seniors out there each week.

 

[Bliff Cranch]

Lang is a wild card for the success/depth of the DL. Obviously a lot rides on Javier making a big jump from last year, but Lang has true blue chip talent and size. If he's ready to go, it should change the outlook of the DL, IMO.

Honest question - when he plays, will Lang have his hand in the dirt? At 6’7” it seems odd that he’d be down in a three-point stance. Or does it not matter?

 

[BuffsNYC]

Well, we saw Shenault and Winfree make plays last year when given the opportunity. I don’t think there’s really a question in my mind that both were/are better players by mid season than our Senior WRs, but they just kept rolling the Seniors out there each week.

Unless the freshmen couldn’t be trusted to execute the playbook and were only in for plays they knew.

 

[onealcd]

Unless the freshmen couldn’t be trusted to execute the playbook and were only in for plays they knew.

Definitely should have shrunk he playbook then because those guys made plays in one on one situations that others couldn't. I am sure it was a difficult situation though, those seniors battled through some difficult times and came out firing in 2016 so it was probably hard as a coach to send them out by benching them but those backups absolutely deserved more snaps in anything.

 

[Bread]

McMillan and Fontenot are better than Evans. Also, Viska not starting? That's a joke. He's are best WR (yes, I think he's better than Winfree).

Gotta ask what you see that makes you absolutely certain he’s better than Winfree? He certainly flashed last year we can all agree on that, but he didn’t score a touchdown compared to Winfree’s 2 and you’re automatically saying he’s better than Winfree? You’ve seen 9 plays from this guy at the college level and he obviously won’t keep a 19 YPC with more playing time

 

[CUAviator]

OL is one position where a RS or even a GS followed by a RS year is best so they can put on functional weight and strength. Unless you get a blue blood recruit.

Blue blood may refer to:

• Hemolymph, circulatory fluid colored blue by hemocyanin, a respiratory protein evident in most molluscs and some arthropods
• Nobility, a social class

Blue chip may refer to:

• Blue chip (sports), collegiate athletes who are targeted by professional sports teams (or high school athletes targeted by colleges)

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

Unless the freshmen couldn’t be trusted to execute the playbook and were only in for plays they knew.

As onealcd says, if that's the case, shrink the playbook. I'd rather have Freshman executing a smaller playbook than Seniors not being able to execute a larger one.

 

[vinniew_11]

Blue blood may refer to:

• Hemolymph, circulatory fluid colored blue by hemocyanin, a respiratory protein evident in most molluscs and some arthropods
• Nobility, a social class

Blue chip may refer to:

• Blue chip (sports), collegiate athletes who are targeted by professional sports teams (or high school athletes targeted by colleges)

For the love of God. Blue Blood can also refer to a link to the top schools who churn out D1 ready OL. Grammar nazis.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

For the love of God. Blue Blood can also refer to a link to the top schools who churn out D1 ready OL. Grammar nazis.

Grammar was fine; reference was slightly off. Blue Blood is typically referred to the actual elite program (USC, Ohio State, Bama, etc), while Blue Chip is referring to the player.

 

[Heywood]

Good Lord. Off-season sucks. Just a little bit to go ladies and gentlemen, don't commit Harry Caray just yet.

 

[buffaholic]

Lang is a wild card for the success/depth of the DL. Obviously a lot rides on Javier making a big jump from last year, but Lang has true blue chip talent and size. If he's ready to go, it should change the outlook of the DL, IMO.

I think there is little doubt that Lang is ready to go. He looked very good this spring. I think Antwine is going to be just about as ready as well, so we will see both those guys quite a bit, including on the inside on those passing dows that Hawg1 has mentioned.

 

[Katie]

Gotta ask what you see that makes you absolutely certain he’s better than Winfree? He certainly flashed last year we can all agree on that, but he didn’t score a touchdown compared to Winfree’s 2 and you’re automatically saying he’s better than Winfree? You’ve seen 9 plays from this guy at the college level and he obviously won’t keep a 19 YPC with more playing time

I would have to agree with Buff bat. Laviska is legit. Winfree works hard and is a great athlete, but Laviska is a little taller, faster and a tad more athletic (based on the 2 practices I watched this Spring). They are both awesome and I look forward to seeing them ball out this season.

 

[Bread]

I would have to agree with Buff bat. Laviska is legit. Winfree works hard and is a great athlete, but Laviska is a little taller, faster and a tad more athletic (based on the 2 practices I watched this Spring). They are both awesome and I look forward to seeing them ball out this season.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Laviska will be great, but I don’t see anything that makes me say 100% he is already better than Winfree. And to your point Winfree is actually taller (6’3” compared to 6’1” Viska) and faster (4.46 compared to a granted recruiting report 4.59 forty time) and both are freak athletes, I wouldn’t say Viska is more athletic with any certainty. Equally yes, not necessarily more so.

 

[Katie]

Don’t get me wrong, I think Laviska will be great, but I don’t see anything that makes me say 100% he is already better than Winfree. And to your point Winfree is actually taller (6’3” compared to 6’1” Viska) and faster (4.46 compared to a granted recruiting report 4.59 forty time) and both are freak athletes, I wouldn’t say Viska is more athletic with any certainty. Equally yes, not necessarily more so.

Freak athletes is the PERFECT term. Ill take either one on any day. We are loaded at receiver.

 

[lvbuff]

Blue blood may refer to:

• Hemolymph, circulatory fluid colored blue by hemocyanin, a respiratory protein evident in most molluscs and some arthropods
• Nobility, a social class

Blue chip may refer to:

• Blue chip (sports), collegiate athletes who are targeted by professional sports teams (or high school athletes targeted by colleges)

Is blue blood related to bleeders vis a vis off spring from siblings?

 

[Gary Indiana]

Is blue blood related to bleeders vis a vis off spring from siblings?

 

[lvbuff]

**** off

 

[Buffnik]

The thing I like about our receivers this year (including our TEs) is that they present bigger and more physical targets for Montez. A QB's best friends are guys who can catch balls that are off target and who are open even when covered. Too much the past few years has been reliant on using speed over the top on plays that were slow to develop.

 

[lvbuff]

Like this?

 

[Duck Dog]

The thing I like about our receivers this year (including our TEs) is that they present bigger and more physical targets for Montez. A QB's best friends are guys who can catch balls that are off target and who are open even when covered. Too much the past few years has been reliant on using speed over the top on plays that were slow to develop.

Amen, and true for all levels of the game from Pee-wee to Pro. I can remember being so frustrated in 2015 because it seemed that Sefo had to execute near perfect throws for the offense to function. On the other hand, I'd watch a mid-level SEC game and it seemed like their passing offenses were less sophisticated and relied on chucking the ball up to some stud athlete WR and letting him go get it.

 

[FLounder]

Amen, and true for all levels of the game from Pee-wee to Pro. I can remember being so frustrated in 2015 because it seemed that Sefo had to execute near perfect throws for the offense to function. On the other hand, I'd watch a mid-level SEC game and it seemed like their passing offenses were less sophisticated and relied on chucking the ball up to some stud athlete WR and letting him go get it.

Spruce and P-rich bailed out QBs out a lot. Hell bobo bailed them out.

 

[hawg1]

Amen, and true for all levels of the game from Pee-wee to Pro. I can remember being so frustrated in 2015 because it seemed that Sefo had to execute near perfect throws for the offense to function. On the other hand, I'd watch a mid-level SEC game and it seemed like their passing offenses were less sophisticated and relied on chucking the ball up to some stud athlete WR and letting him go get it.

That’s been true of SEC in past years. Good QB conference this year.