Returning starters

[HuskerTrucker]

Bet we have some surprises next year as to who is starting. One thing with Bo, everyone has to compete for a job, and everyone has a shot to win it - unlike BC.

[eliot1171]

You think AJ Blue will be back to 100%

[zoogs]

Bet we have some surprises next year as to who is starting. One thing with Bo, everyone has to compete for a job, and everyone has a shot to win it - unlike BC.

 

Yep. Under BC, if you were fourth string, that was that. He just didn't like you enough to play you.

[esadat152]

we do return 10 on O and on D we return 6 full time starters but 9 guys that have started at least one game....

I thought I read it was nine guys who started at least five games. Maybe not?

 

Didn't Chris Williams leave the team?

[zoogs]

Both correct (Williams and the 5 games thing). On the flip side that number does include future likely reserves such as Anthony West, and doesn't include future big contributors like PJ Smith and Jason Ankrah.

[blackshirts5115]

You think AJ Blue will be back to 100%

its Anthony Blue.. and i talked to him a few weeks ago. said he's 100% and expects to compete for a starting job. i think hagg moves to FS and our four corners playing in the dime defense are Prince, Dennard, Gomes, Blue.

[zoogs]

Hagg's already a safety who also happens to be our nickelback...but with what we lose at safety, maybe he goes back full time? Seems like a different job though and coaches love utilizing Hagg's talent the way they have for the past two years.

 

Prince is going to be impossible to unseat and Dennard is unlikely...but Blue is only going to be a junior next year, correct? He could very well work his way into serious PT rotation the way we play our DBs. Gomes is "just" a dimeback but you'd never know it the way he owns the highlight reels. I'm rootin' for Blue. He showed a lot his freshman year and I've always wanted to see him back there in the mix.

[caveman99]

Hagg's already a safety who also happens to be our nickelback...but with what we lose at safety, maybe he goes back full time? Seems like a different job though and coaches love utilizing Hagg's talent the way they have for the past two years.

 

Prince is going to be impossible to unseat and Dennard is unlikely...but Blue is only going to be a junior next year, correct? He could very well work his way into serious PT rotation the way we play our DBs. Gomes is "just" a dimeback but you'd never know it the way he owns the highlight reels. I'm rootin' for Blue. He showed a lot his freshman year and I've always wanted to see him back there in the mix.

The NB also has to play a bit like a LB on running plays, that is why moving Hagg back to Safety isn't a foregone conclusion. As good as Gomes is, he isn't physical enough to play the NB the way Hagg has played it this year. I think moving Hagg back to Safety makes a lot of sense, but given the importance of the Nickel Package in the Big XII it may preclude that. I am not sure Blue or someone else can fill Hagg's NB role as well either so if Hagg doesn't move, I think he will have a hard time unseating Gomes from the DB spot.

[bhunt7]

QB - Zac Lee, Cody Green, Latravis Washington

RB - Roy Helu, Rex Burkhead, Tray Robinson

FB - Tyler Legate, Tray Robinson

WR - Niles Paul, Curenski Gilleylen, Antonio Bell

WR - Brandon Kinnie, Khiry Cooper, Will Henry

TE - Mike McNeill, Chase Harper, Dreu Young, Ben Cotton

LT - Mike Smith, Jermarcus Hardrick, Mike Moudy

LG - Keith Williams, Brent Qvale

C - Mike Caputo, Quentin Toailoa, Cole Pensick (DT)

RG - Ricky Henry, Brandon Thompson

RT - Marcel Jones, DJ Jones, Andrew Rodriguez

*Red Cat- Taylor Martinez, Rex Burkhead

 

I'm thinking Zac Lee will put up better numbers next year. It would have been ideal for Green to redshirt last year. He looked very antsy whenever he was put in the game as there were false starts and he just didn't looked very composed. I wish he could redshirt next year but that won't happen. Roy and Rex will probably be 1A and 1AA like Roy and Lucky were a few years ago. Tray will play a lot still. I'm betting he'll play some FB again next year like he did against Texas. Niles should finish his career strong and Kinnie should build off of how he finished this season. I'm not sure what's gonna happen with the TE position but there is so much talent there. Hopefully the line plays better than last year. I can't wait to see what this year’s class can do up front. Hardrick, Moudy, and Rodriguez should all be big time difference makers in the near future. Moving Pensick to center would really help with our depth there. I don't think he has a legit shot at playing on the DL. Rex looked good running the Red Cat against Zona and Taylor would be an upgrade since he can also throw.

 

Quentin Toailoa is no longer a part of the team so there is no way he will be the back up Center. The other option you listed is Pensick, but I don't see him moving next year. You may not think he has a shot of playing on the D-Line, but Carl P. was recently gushing over him and Randle so they apparently see more in him than you do. It will be interesting to see where he is in 2011 though with all of the D-Line recruits coming in. Don't forget Ash or Sirles for the O-Line, both were highly praised repeatedly with Qvale this year by the coaches. They will make their presence known and I expect to see 1 on the 2-Deep next season. I think Jemarcus Hardrick gets one of the starting Tackle Spots, if he gets the RT spot then I think Marcel Jones takes over at LT.

 

I knew Quentin Toailoa had the injury problem but I didn't expect him to leave the team. We are pretty thin at Center and not so much at DT (Crick, Moore, Stein, Randle, the two recruits (Guy and Rome) and possibly at times Cam Meredith). Yea Carl said some good things about Pensick and Randle but there was similar talk about Kyler Reed at Linebacker last year and he ended up moving back to tight end. What do you think will happen and what do you think should happen at Center?

[Crymsonsteel]

QB - Zac Lee, Cody Green, Latravis Washington

RB - Roy Helu, Rex Burkhead, Tray Robinson

FB - Tyler Legate, Tray Robinson

WR - Niles Paul, Curenski Gilleylen, Antonio Bell

WR - Brandon Kinnie, Khiry Cooper, Will Henry

TE - Mike McNeill, Chase Harper, Dreu Young, Ben Cotton

LT - Mike Smith, Jermarcus Hardrick, Mike Moudy

LG - Keith Williams, Brent Qvale

C - Mike Caputo, Quentin Toailoa, Cole Pensick (DT)

RG - Ricky Henry, Brandon Thompson

RT - Marcel Jones, DJ Jones, Andrew Rodriguez

*Red Cat- Taylor Martinez, Rex Burkhead

 

I'm thinking Zac Lee will put up better numbers next year. It would have been ideal for Green to redshirt last year. He looked very antsy whenever he was put in the game as there were false starts and he just didn't looked very composed. I wish he could redshirt next year but that won't happen. Roy and Rex will probably be 1A and 1AA like Roy and Lucky were a few years ago. Tray will play a lot still. I'm betting he'll play some FB again next year like he did against Texas. Niles should finish his career strong and Kinnie should build off of how he finished this season. I'm not sure what's gonna happen with the TE position but there is so much talent there. Hopefully the line plays better than last year. I can't wait to see what this year’s class can do up front. Hardrick, Moudy, and Rodriguez should all be big time difference makers in the near future. Moving Pensick to center would really help with our depth there. I don't think he has a legit shot at playing on the DL. Rex looked good running the Red Cat against Zona and Taylor would be an upgrade since he can also throw.

 

DE - Pierre Allen, Jason Ankrah

DE - Cameron Meredith, Josh Williams

DT - Jared Crick, Chase Rome, Thaddeus Randle

DT - Baker Steinkuhler, Terrence Moore

Diesel - Josh Williams, Jason Ankrah

Will - Lavonte David, Mathew May

Mike - Will Compton, Alonzo Whaley, Matt Holt

Buck - Sean Fisher, Eric Martin, Thomas Grove

CB - Prince Amukamara, Andrew Green, Lazarri Middleton

CB - Alfonzo Dennard, Anthony West, Anthony Blue

Nickel- Dejon Gomes, Dijon Washington

Dime - Lance Thorell, Anthony Blue

7B - Anthony West, Eric Hagg

SS - PJ Smith, Eric Hagg

FS - Rickey Thenarse, Austin Cassidy, Harvey Jackson

 

K & P - Alex Henery

 

The DLine won't be as good as last years but there will be a major improvement as far as depth. I'm not sure who Phil's replacement will be in the Dime but there are some pretty good options. Hopefully Compton can improve the way Dillard did this season. Lavonte could also be that guy but I haven't seen much from him yet. The secondary will be stacked again. PJ Smith will make a solid starter. Hopefully Rickey T is back and healthy next year.

Your forgetting about Braylon Herd in the mix at RB, as he is too good to keep off of the field as he adds something the other RB don't have. All out speed in the open field

[Crymsonsteel]

You think AJ Blue will be back to 100%

its Anthony Blue.. and i talked to him a few weeks ago. said he's 100% and expects to compete for a starting job. i think hagg moves to FS and our four corners playing in the dime defense are Prince, Dennard, Gomes, Blue.

I can't believe you have written Off Ricky Thenarse as he has been granted a medical hardship

[caveman99]

Quentin Toailoa is no longer a part of the team so there is no way he will be the back up Center. The other option you listed is Pensick, but I don't see him moving next year. You may not think he has a shot of playing on the D-Line, but Carl P. was recently gushing over him and Randle so they apparently see more in him than you do. It will be interesting to see where he is in 2011 though with all of the D-Line recruits coming in. Don't forget Ash or Sirles for the O-Line, both were highly praised repeatedly with Qvale this year by the coaches. They will make their presence known and I expect to see 1 on the 2-Deep next season. I think Jemarcus Hardrick gets one of the starting Tackle Spots, if he gets the RT spot then I think Marcel Jones takes over at LT.

 

I knew Quentin Toailoa had the injury problem but I didn't expect him to leave the team. We are pretty thin at Center and not so much at DT (Crick, Moore, Stein, Randle, the two recruits (Guy and Rome) and possibly at times Cam Meredith). Yea Carl said some good things about Pensick and Randle but there was similar talk about Kyler Reed at Linebacker last year and he ended up moving back to tight end. What do you think will happen and what do you think should happen at Center?

Well I have seen Ash listed as a possibility to play at Center or Guard so maybe they groom him to play behind Caputo. You are right that Center is really a position of need. I think Pensick would be good there, but the way Carl has talked about him I just don't see this happening in time for 2010. What I think may happen is that he sees all of the studs coming in this Spring and realizes during the season that he isn't as good as Rome, Randle, Moore, etc. and a move to Center would be a better move for him. He could be a player in 2011 that way. Who knows though, he could be much much better at DT than we are giving him credit for.

[caveman99]

You think AJ Blue will be back to 100%

its Anthony Blue.. and i talked to him a few weeks ago. said he's 100% and expects to compete for a starting job. i think hagg moves to FS and our four corners playing in the dime defense are Prince, Dennard, Gomes, Blue.

I can't believe you have written Off Ricky Thenarse as he has been granted a medical hardship

Ricky will have his chance, and I liked what I saw from him this year before his injury, but coming off an injury like that is tough. Blue didn't really make any noise on the 2-Deep this year, coming off of the injury he had played a big part in that IMO.

[C N Red]

DE - Pierre Allen, Jason Ankrah

DE - Cameron Meredith, Josh Williams

DT - Jared Crick, Chase Rome, Thaddeus Randle

DT - Baker Steinkuhler, Terrence Moore

Diesel - Josh Williams, Jason Ankrah

Will - Lavonte David, Mathew May

Mike - Will Compton, Alonzo Whaley, Matt Holt

Buck - Sean Fisher, Eric Martin, Thomas Grove

CB - Prince Amukamara, Andrew Green, Lazarri Middleton

CB - Alfonzo Dennard, Anthony West, Anthony Blue

Nickel- Dejon Gomes, Dijon Washington

Dime - Lance Thorell, Anthony Blue

7B - Anthony West, Eric Hagg

SS - PJ Smith, Eric Hagg

FS - Rickey Thenarse, Austin Cassidy, Harvey Jackson

 

1. Eric Hagg will play FS ...IMO

2. You have Andrew Green as the back-up CB is Prince...which I agree...but then you dont have him as a nickel, dime or the 7th back position...if he is our 3/4 best corner don't you think he will be our Dime or 7th back...

 

this is what i think

 

CB- Dennard, Prince

S- Hagg, Smith

Nickel- Gomes

Dime- Blue-Green, West

7th- Whoever is behind the Dime back...

 

just my thoughts

 

West better not be anywhere near the field unless everyone is hurt. I also think you take Hagg and put him in a safety position where he isn't matched up on a receiver so often. Unless he gets better, his coverage was not very good this year, but his run stopping talent is hard to find so I'm not sure what to do with him. Just hope his cover skills get better which they should with another offseason in the system. I'm excited to see Andrew Green and see what he can do also.

[knapplc]

I like the idea of Hagg at Safety. Best use of his skills, IMO.