The Unofficial Furman Football Page

Pride in the ranks of #Paladins defensive line. -- MD
https://wellpilgrim.wordpress.com/2024/ ... sive-line/

FurmanATT wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 03, 2024 11:41 pm

Pride in the ranks of #Paladins defensive line. -- MD
https://wellpilgrim.wordpress.com/2024/ ... sive-line/

Monte.. ATT. I want to thank you for these articles. THANK YOU

FurmanATT wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 03, 2024 11:41 pm

Pride in the ranks of #Paladins defensive line. -- MD
https://wellpilgrim.wordpress.com/2024/ ... sive-line/

Thanks Monte, but I think your headline is a little misleading. If the “depth” you are talking about is players with little to no PT then ok. Stephens and Jackson are good players but besides that not much to hang your hat on. The seven players mentioned besides Stephens and Jackson have 2 solo tackles and 7 assisted tackles in their careers.

Hunter’s take is pretty much the same.
https://furmanpaladins.com/news/2024/8/ ... -line.aspx

apaladin wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 04, 2024 12:19 am

FurmanATT wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 03, 2024 11:41 pm

Pride in the ranks of #Paladins defensive line. -- MD
https://wellpilgrim.wordpress.com/2024/ ... sive-line/

Thanks Monte, but I think your headline is a little misleading. If the “depth” you are talking about is players with little to no PT then ok. Stephens and Jackson are good players but besides that not much to hang your hat on. The seven players mentioned besides Stephens and Jackson have 2 solo tackles and 7 assisted tackles in their careers.

As I have highlighted to you before, virtually all of the "big name" defensive linemen for Furman the last 5+ years played extensively as freshmen.

You can go pick a name of key defensive linemen for Furman over the last several seasons and you'll find that most of them played as freshman or straight off the scout team. That is, all the "experienced" guys you know started as "inexperienced" guys you didn't know.

Besides, I think you are confusing "talent" with "experience."

Having a bunch of talented players that are going to rotate into the game would be considered "depth."

Ok but isn’t game experience different than practice time? Just hoping you are correct and the talent will outweigh the inexperience.

CCH is a straight shooter. When he says we are a little thin at a particular position, i believe him. When he says the DL is a strength on this team, I believe him.
Bu

Are people going to hyper analyze every single position and whine about the depth? We lost a lot of guys from last year…it happens. I think some peeps just like to complain so that if the team has an off year they can say “ I told you so.”

apaladin wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 04, 2024 11:17 am

Ok but isn’t game experience different than practice time? Just hoping you are correct and the talent will outwegh the inexperience.

That's a fair question. Here are my unofficial thoughts on that:

1. Not all positions are the same in terms of experience gap.

While not of it is "easy," many people believe that positions like running back and interior defensive line are more simple to transition from high school to college - they are physical positions, for sure, but demand less in terms of decision-making and recognition.

A defensive tackles job, for instance, is typically to get lined up right and hold the space on the field he's assigned to hold. You do not necessarily need 30+ starts under your belt to do that effectively.

2. We rotate a lot defensively and have individual packages for opponents and game situation.

This dials back the experience gap even more, in my opinion. Guys aren't expected to play 60+ snaps against every offensive front an opponent can throw at them. They play half that. In many instances, they may be primarily used in just certain situations.

For instance, Matt Sochovka, arguably Furman's best defensive lineman, was not primarily on the field on third downs or passing situations. His best use was a run stuffer. The less likely the team was to be running, the more likely Sochovka wasn't out there.

3. A lot of these guys would have been already playing.

I've said this a few times, but COVID-era rosters were an odd mixup. We had guys still playing that, in most years, would have already graduated and moved on.

So, if this was 2003 and not 2023, there's a good chance the freshman DT would have already been playing. He's talented enough. He's ready. In 2023, he's just not necessarily going to supplant a 6th year senior.

4. Game experience is different from practice experience.

That's true, but that does not mean we have guys ill prepared to be in the games. Many of these guys have been in the program 3+ years. They've spent years working against the SoCon's best offensive line. They are mentally ready. Physically ready. It's their time.

apaladin wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 04, 2024 12:19 am

FurmanATT wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 03, 2024 11:41 pm

Pride in the ranks of #Paladins defensive line. -- MD
https://wellpilgrim.wordpress.com/2024/ ... sive-line/

Thanks Monte, but I think your headline is a little misleading. If the “depth” you are talking about is players with little to no PT then ok. Stephens and Jackson are good players but besides that not much to hang your hat on. The seven players mentioned besides Stephens and Jackson have 2 solo tackles and 7 assisted tackles in their careers.

You're right, but what I meant by the head was that Clay expects to rotate a lot of linemen again. Much depth must be cultivated in many areas. -- MD

apaladin wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 04, 2024 12:24 am

Hunter’s take is pretty much the same.
https://furmanpaladins.com/news/2024/8/ ... -line.aspx

Absolutely correct. I rearrange and try to add a bit. I won't know more until I see more. -- MD