This Will Be The Best Class In A Long Time

[BigWillie]

Stars wise? Yes.

 

Need wise? Still need to fill some holes at DE, DT and LB.

Willie you really feel De is a need? NU took five DE last year and Allen is the only loss from this year.

I personally feel Walker Ashburn could easily be a Jared Tomich type player. Not well sought after, but has an extreme high motor. He was the Louisiana State Title Game MVP as a junior and played at a highly competitive high school, plus with his dad's job with the Saints he's been around the game so his knowledge should be great.

I think getting a DE would be nice but not overly a need. Besides next year almost could be the year of the DE in the recruiting world.

Agree about a DT and LB though. I think a TE would be very helpful as well.

 

There have been a few guys I have not heard a peep about on the field wise, and Walker is one of them. Take from that what you want. I have heard that Lincoln isn't what he expected it to be as well, so he may be unhappy here, I'm not completely sure.

 

Ankrah and Williams have been given a chance to shine this year, and both have produced very little. I have heard good things about Vestal though, at least.

 

Regardless, none of those guys are great rushers from the edge, and more than anything, that is what we need. Would have been outstanding to land Owa last year, because he is exactly what we need in this defense off the edge.

[Danny Bateman]

Stars wise? Yes.

 

Need wise? Still need to fill some holes at DE, DT and LB.

Willie you really feel De is a need? NU took five DE last year and Allen is the only loss from this year.

I personally feel Walker Ashburn could easily be a Jared Tomich type player. Not well sought after, but has an extreme high motor. He was the Louisiana State Title Game MVP as a junior and played at a highly competitive high school, plus with his dad's job with the Saints he's been around the game so his knowledge should be great.

I think getting a DE would be nice but not overly a need. Besides next year almost could be the year of the DE in the recruiting world.

Agree about a DT and LB though. I think a TE would be very helpful as well.

 

There have been a few guys I have not heard a peep about on the field wise, and Walker is one of them. Take from that what you want. I have heard that Lincoln isn't what he expected it to be as well, so he may be unhappy here, I'm not completely sure.

 

Ankrah and Williams have been given a chance to shine this year, and both have produced very little. I have heard good things about Vestal though, at least.

 

Regardless, none of those guys are great rushers from the edge, and more than anything, that is what we need. Would have been outstanding to land Owa last year, because he is exactly what we need in this defense off the edge.

Well, by the same token, BigWillie, Owa isn't exactly wreaking havoc off the edge for UCLA this year either. So who knows... he did have scouts drooling, but he also has a lot to prove yet as well.

 

Don't forget Ankrah and Williams were both big time recruits not too long ago. Though my hopes of Williams becoming a big time rusher off the edge are beginning to dwindle, I still hold high hopes for Ankrah. We all heard how he repped with the ones last year, which said he had enough Frosh potential to get worked in with Barry Turner and Pierre, who were both very decent players at one point (if they somewhat regressed as they've had their respective injuries).

 

Hopefully Jason is just getting a taste as a RSFr., and the light will click soon. I don't know, I haven't followed him personally in games, it's quite hard to keep an eye on who's getting rotated into the game when you're watching TV. If anything, even if Ankrah never reaches his potential, we can still hope for Cam to continue progressing and for us to get decent amount of production from a Williams/Ankrah/??? platoon at the other end. Vestal is highly regarded, as you've said... kid physically looks like a grown man at this point. And we can always hope for Okuyemi or Ashburn to sneak up on us after being quiet their first few years to contribute.

 

I think moving Martin to DE will help out our corps there tremendously. He is just a FREAK athletically that was having trouble grasping the intricacies of being a linebacker in our system. Hopefully, putting him at end and having his only responsibility be to set the edge and get after the QB should let him just pin his ears back and go. Obviously there's more involved than that, but I could see him being an absolute terror. We all know he likes to hit.

[BigWillie]

 

Well, by the same token, BigWillie, Owa isn't exactly wreaking havoc off the edge for UCLA this year either. So who knows... he did have scouts drooling, but he also has a lot to prove yet as well.

 

Owa already has more TFL and sacks than Williams and Ankrah do - in their careers - combined. Neither Ankrah or Williams have even a single TFL in their career, which is needles to say, sad.

 

It's actually quite sad to watch how he has been used at UCLA. Getting starts, then little run afterwards. Would have to wonder if Skippy promised him he'd be a starter as a freshman and that is his way to keep his promise.

 

Either way, Owa would have came here and been a situational rusher as a freshman, which is exactly the role we would have needed from a DE.

[Danny Bateman]

 

Well, by the same token, BigWillie, Owa isn't exactly wreaking havoc off the edge for UCLA this year either. So who knows... he did have scouts drooling, but he also has a lot to prove yet as well.

 

Owa already has more TFL and sacks than Williams and Ankrah do - in their careers - combined. Neither Ankrah or Williams have even a single TFL in their career, which is needles to say, sad.

 

It's actually quite sad to watch how he has been used at UCLA. Getting starts, then little run afterwards. Would have to wonder if Skippy promised him he'd be a starter as a freshman and that is his way to keep his promise.

 

Either way, Owa would have came here and been a situational rusher as a freshman, which is exactly the role we would have needed from a DE.

Well, to offer up some proof that not all guys have popping stat lines their frosh years, look at this dude's freshman stats:

 

9/0

2

1

3

1-9

1-9

3

 

(Games/Starts)

Tackles:(Unassisted)

(Assisted)

(Total)

(TFL-Yds)

(Sacks-Yds)

(QB Hurries)

 

Those are Carriker's freshman stats. Most would agree he's the best DE we've had since Demorrio Williams. Just something to back up my point.

 

I agree 100% with you, though, about how we would've used Owa. Would've been a nice new weapon for our D, coming off the edge. Coulda just let him pin his ears back and go. Hopefully that's how we'll use Martin, although if he can really set the edge and play the run well (we know he can lay the wood), I think he could definitely be a full-time starter. Again, depends on mental aspect.

 

Oh well. Football wise, NU definitely woulda been better for Owa's development (and championship hopes). I guess lifestyle and Nigerian wise, UCLA trumps us.

[BigWillie]

 

Well, to offer up some proof that not all guys have popping stat lines their frosh years, look at this dude's freshman stats:

 

9/0

2

1

3

1-9

1-9

3

 

(Games/Starts)

Tackles:(Unassisted)

(Assisted)

(Total)

(TFL-Yds)

(Sacks-Yds)

(QB Hurries)

 

Those are Carriker's freshman stats. Most would agree he's the best DE we've had since Demorrio Williams. Just something to back up my point.

 

I agree 100% with you, though, about how we would've used Owa. Would've been a nice new weapon for our D, coming off the edge. Coulda just let him pin his ears back and go. Hopefully that's how we'll use Martin, although if he can really set the edge and play the run well (we know he can lay the wood), I think he could definitely be a full-time starter. Again, depends on mental aspect.

 

Oh well. Football wise, NU definitely woulda been better for Owa's development (and championship hopes). I guess lifestyle and Nigerian wise, UCLA trumps us.

 

That's always easy to bring up a certain few players and say they could turn out like this player. But unless Ankrah or Williams develop a 6'6 290lbs frame with freakish athleticism to boot, it's tough to compare that given situation. Even more that Ankrah and Williams are getting quality PT due to our substitution patterns and are producing very little.

 

Granted they are young, but even with youth you expect flashes of their ability, and neither have done that yet at anytime. No pressure on QBs, no stability in the run game, nothing. In fact, the Kansas game exposed a bit how weak our backup lineman are, as they were all pushed around when the starting 4 needed a breather. Even worse when we changed up our scheme a bit to allow our DL the ability to get upfield and produce more pressure.

[EZ-E]

I think if we can grab a DE/DT in this class of the calibur of Peat, Heywood, or Wilson, I think you take them. Other than that from a shear numbers perspective I don't see it as that big of a need on our roster until next cycle. Please remember, we are talking about a lot of young guys. Ankrah, Williams, Vestal, Ashburn, Rome, Guy, Okeyumi, and all of the 6? that we brought it last year are just true freshmen. A long ways to go in their careers.

[EZ-E]

 

Well, to offer up some proof that not all guys have popping stat lines their frosh years, look at this dude's freshman stats:

 

9/0

2

1

3

1-9

1-9

3

 

(Games/Starts)

Tackles:(Unassisted)

(Assisted)

(Total)

(TFL-Yds)

(Sacks-Yds)

(QB Hurries)

 

Those are Carriker's freshman stats. Most would agree he's the best DE we've had since Demorrio Williams. Just something to back up my point.

 

I agree 100% with you, though, about how we would've used Owa. Would've been a nice new weapon for our D, coming off the edge. Coulda just let him pin his ears back and go. Hopefully that's how we'll use Martin, although if he can really set the edge and play the run well (we know he can lay the wood), I think he could definitely be a full-time starter. Again, depends on mental aspect.

 

Oh well. Football wise, NU definitely woulda been better for Owa's development (and championship hopes). I guess lifestyle and Nigerian wise, UCLA trumps us.

 

That's always easy to bring up a certain few players and say they could turn out like this player. But unless Ankrah or Williams develop a 6'6 290lbs frame with freakish athleticism to boot, it's tough to compare that given situation. Even more that Ankrah and Williams are getting quality PT due to our substitution patterns and are producing very little.

 

Granted they are young, but even with youth you expect flashes of their ability, and neither have done that yet at anytime. No pressure on QBs, no stability in the run game, nothing. In fact, the Kansas game exposed a bit how weak our backup lineman are, as they were all pushed around when the starting 4 needed a breather. Even worse when we changed up our scheme a bit to allow our DL the ability to get upfield and produce more pressure.

 

In the Mizzou game I thought that Randle and Moore looked quite good. Did not hear too much out of Ankrah and Williams though. But as you noted, they are still young.

 

Ankrah was coming on very nicely and then hit a wall in the fall from what I heard.

[Danny Bateman]

 

Well, to offer up some proof that not all guys have popping stat lines their frosh years, look at this dude's freshman stats:

 

9/0

2

1

3

1-9

1-9

3

 

(Games/Starts)

Tackles:(Unassisted)

(Assisted)

(Total)

(TFL-Yds)

(Sacks-Yds)

(QB Hurries)

 

Those are Carriker's freshman stats. Most would agree he's the best DE we've had since Demorrio Williams. Just something to back up my point.

 

I agree 100% with you, though, about how we would've used Owa. Would've been a nice new weapon for our D, coming off the edge. Coulda just let him pin his ears back and go. Hopefully that's how we'll use Martin, although if he can really set the edge and play the run well (we know he can lay the wood), I think he could definitely be a full-time starter. Again, depends on mental aspect.

 

Oh well. Football wise, NU definitely woulda been better for Owa's development (and championship hopes). I guess lifestyle and Nigerian wise, UCLA trumps us.

 

That's always easy to bring up a certain few players and say they could turn out like this player. But unless Ankrah or Williams develop a 6'6 290lbs frame with freakish athleticism to boot, it's tough to compare that given situation. Even more that Ankrah and Williams are getting quality PT due to our substitution patterns and are producing very little.

 

Granted they are young, but even with youth you expect flashes of their ability, and neither have done that yet at anytime. No pressure on QBs, no stability in the run game, nothing. In fact, the Kansas game exposed a bit how weak our backup lineman are, as they were all pushed around when the starting 4 needed a breather. Even worse when we changed up our scheme a bit to allow our DL the ability to get upfield and produce more pressure.

 

In the Mizzou game I thought that Randle and Moore looked quite good. Did not hear too much out of Ankrah and Williams though. But as you noted, they are still young.

 

Ankrah was coming on very nicely and then hit a wall in the fall from what I heard.

Yikes... I had not heard that about Ankrah EZ. It would certainly support BigWillie's argument that Ankrah might not be ready to break out for a while. I was totally unaware he wasn't still doing well in practice. That's too bad... As I said, I had higher hopes for him than Williams.

 

Anyone can surprise us at any time, though. It's just like the whole "Great player that was a 2 star recruit" argument. Just b/c a kid isn't highly spoken of or doesn't garner gushing practice reviews early on doesn't mean it won't click later on. Hopefully, just by the law of averages, one of those many guys we've taken the last two years pans out and becomes a stud on the line. Rome is producing some of the same chatter Ankrah did last year... coulda played this year if we needed him type talk.

 

I'd like to reiterate my high hopes for Martin's switch to end. Kid is absolutely a physical specimen. Any word on how he's doing at end so far? If not, we're supposed to see a bit of him this weekend.

[MinnwiscowaSker]

ESPN just released new rankings and we're #10. Get a few more of those highly-sought after guys and this could be our best 'star class.'

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Lookin good!

[jimindallas]

23 seniors, 16 verbals. 7 more to go (could be 25 if underclassmmen leave) if all verbals remain firm.It is going to be interesting leading up to signing day.