Shoop: Kongbo 'is on a mission'

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kamoshika

kamoshika

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"I think that's the exciting thing about this year," Shoop said on Friday. "People see some of the guys that graduated --- Vereen, Barnett, LaTroy Lewis, guys like that --- but I'm really excited about this group." He's really excited about one prospect in particular: Redshirt junior defensive end Jonathan Kongbo.

"I said this to you guys all spring and summer when we talked," Shoop said. "Kongbo is on a mission...He had a good bowl game and has worked as hard as he could since January, getting stronger, getting faster, getting more explosive," Shoop said. "He's had a great spring, a great summer."
http://tennessee.247sports.com/Bolt/Bob-Shoop-says-Jonathan-Kongbo-is-on-a-mission-this-season-105317514
 
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#4
#4
Not falling for the Kongbo hype two years in a row. Everybody raved about him last season and he wound up being a big disappointment in every regard. I'll be the first to jump on the bandwagon if he turns it all around, reaches some of that potential and becomes a stud this year. Holding pattern though until he does.
 
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#5
#5
Id love nothing more than if all of our dline guys played to their potential. Would be incredibly dominant

Taylor
Kongbo
Tuttle
Phillips
Kmac
Vickers
Etc
 
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#6
#6
KBVol said:
Not falling for the Kongbo hype two years in a row. Everybody raved about him last season and he wound up being a big disappointment in every regard. I'll be the first to jump on the bandwagon if he turns it all around, reaches some of that potential and becomes a stud this year. Holding pattern though until he does.
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Not every player can be perfect their first time playing a college season. Sometimes it takes longer for other players to progress than others. Doesn't mean they're a bust or a disappointment. I just don't think it's fair to Kongbo considering he was basically forced to play DT last year. He needs to be at DE where his natural position is.
 
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#8
#8
KBVol said:
Not falling for the Kongbo hype two years in a row. Everybody raved about him last season and he wound up being a big disappointment in every regard. I'll be the first to jump on the bandwagon if he turns it all around, reaches some of that potential and becomes a stud this year. Holding pattern though until he does.
Click to expand...

One big difference is that coaches warned you over and over and over again last year to measure all that. Nobody listened. After all, some recruiting service rated him 5*. :-/
 
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#9
#9
VolFreakJosh said:
Not every player can be perfect their first time playing a college season. Sometimes it takes longer for other players to progress than others. Doesn't mean they're a bust or a disappointment. I just don't think it's fair to Kongbo considering he was basically forced to play DT last year. He needs to be at DE where his natural position is.
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Agree. Though slightly disagree with the natural position thing. I think Jonathan Allen improved his draft stock immensely by being able to play both inside and outside. Same thing could apply to Kongbo if he has the ability to move positions on the field to augment the line.

Needs some additional weight for that though. Good weight that is.
 
#10
#10
DocVOLiday said:
Id love nothing more than if all of our dline guys played to their potential. Would be incredibly dominant

Taylor
Kongbo
Tuttle
Phillips
Kmac
Vickers
Etc
Click to expand...

Johnson.

There is a lot of potential firepower in that group. I mean a lot. Maybe this the yr where it happens.
 
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#11
#11
livefaith said:
One big difference is that coaches warned you over and over and over again last year to measure all that. Nobody listened. After all, some recruiting service rated him 5*. :-/
Click to expand...

I thought I recalled hearing the coaches, the players, the media, and everybody else rave about him. I personally was in wait and see mode last year and was on record saying I wasn't expecting much from him as a JUCO transfer with very limited experience ..... and that's what we got.

I hope blows up this fall. But I honestly think we'll see more out of Darrell Taylor, maybe even Kyle Phillips (I love that kid). We'll see. Hopefully they all play out of their minds and our DE play is something special.
 
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#13
#13
KBVol said:
I thought I recalled hearing the coaches, the players, the media, and everybody else rave about him. I personally was in wait and see mode last year and was on record saying I wasn't expecting much from him as a JUCO transfer with very limited experience ..... and that's what we got.

I hope blows up this fall. But I honestly think we'll see more out of Darrell Taylor, maybe even Kyle Phillips (I love that kid). We'll see. Hopefully they all play out of their minds and our DE play is something special.
Click to expand...

Everyone was excited by his measurables and the way he looked in a uniform. If you were careful enough to read between the lines you would see that all the coaches saying he had a long ways to go with technique, being its only been a few years since he learned how to play.
 
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#14
#14
KBVol said:
Not falling for the Kongbo hype two years in a row. Everybody raved about him last season and he wound up being a big disappointment in every regard. I'll be the first to jump on the bandwagon if he turns it all around, reaches some of that potential and becomes a stud this year. Holding pattern though until he does.
Click to expand...

Amen. I don't see it. At this point the praise is unfounded.
 
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#15
#15
VolFreakJosh said:
Not every player can be perfect their first time playing a college season. Sometimes it takes longer for other players to progress than others. Doesn't mean they're a bust or a disappointment. I just don't think it's fair to Kongbo considering he was basically forced to play DT last year. He needs to be at DE where his natural position is.
Click to expand...

Not calling him a bust, but I am saying that he was a disappointment last year, imho, in every way possible.....both his play and his attitude were poor and unexpected. I understand that he was playing out of position.....but so was Kyle Phillips and he embraced it for the good of the team.....while Kongbo selfishly resisted it and threatened to leave the program.

So, as much as I'd like to see him greatly improve and really have a huge impact this year, I'm keeping my powder dry until I see that both Kongbo's attitude and play are much better.
 
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#17
#17
mitzustu said:
Amen. I don't see it. At this point the praise is unfounded.
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Hmmm, I think we saw a turning point for him last year during the final 2-3 games and bowl game. The step from JC to the highest level of college football can be a shock to some. I think we saw him relying on his size and natural ability too much early last year but he now knows that technique, additional work and teamwork makes a huge difference at this level.

I expect a big year from him.
 
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#18
#18
Fellas, one note to put 2016 in perspective:

Kongbo only started 2 games: Vandy, and Nebraska. He played defensive TACKLE (not END) in both those games. And wouldn't have started those two games if we hadn't been so badly devastated at the DT position. In other words, he was just helping out where he could, even if he didn't know the position very well at all.

Add that to his massive experience base of one year of HS football, and one year at Arizona Western College. That's it. He played 2 years of football, lifetime, before donning orange for us.

Not gonna give Kongbo a thumbs-down in 2016, regardless of how much the community collectively mouth-breathed over his hype.
 
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#19
#19
smokeyman said:
everyone was excited by his measurables and the way he looked in a uniform. If you were careful enough to read between the lines you would see that all the coaches saying he had a long ways to go with technique, being its only been a few years since he learned how to play.
Click to expand...

qft.
 
#20
#20
KBVol said:
I thought I recalled hearing the coaches, the players, the media, and everybody else rave about him. I personally was in wait and see mode last year and was on record saying I wasn't expecting much from him as a JUCO transfer with very limited experience ..... and that's what we got.

I hope blows up this fall. But I honestly think we'll see more out of Darrell Taylor, maybe even Kyle Phillips (I love that kid). We'll see. Hopefully they all play out of their minds and our DE play is something special.
Click to expand...

I read / heard some of the coaches raving about him from a physical standpoint. But, at least as many times they would say "but remember, he's never trained / played an SEC down, and has a lot to learn etc". Those things are what made me measure that he would have a year or so of transition to the big leagues.

He was close on a lot of big plays last year, plus he played out of position a ton due to our injury problems. Lock him into his natural position, with strong surrounding support in the middle, plus a 1.5 yr of S&C ... and I believe he'll make a serious impact in 17'.
 
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#21
#21
Smokeyman said:
Everyone was excited by his measurables and the way he looked in a uniform. If you were careful enough to read between the lines you would see that all the coaches saying he had a long ways to go with technique, being its only been a few years since he learned how to play.
Click to expand...

That's the way I read it. 2016 wasn't really surprising to me. Thought, he might crack DE as a starter at some point. But, when the interior DL broke down, he bacame little more than a band aid then.

Some on here claim he's a natural DT, mainly due to his size. I'm no expert, but I don't see that at all. His build, movement, and athleticism scream edge rusher, not trench filling run stuffer. His feet look light and agile instead of strong and stable. The interior guys need that girth, grit, and sheer solid strength to take on doubles and hold up, or shed blockers and stuff runs. Kongbo looks like a big thoroughbred horse rather than a normal sized clydesdale.

I aint quitting may day job. So, he probably becomes an AA at the DT slot. :crazy:
 
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#22
#22
DocVOLiday said:
Id love nothing more than if all of our dline guys played to their potential. Would be incredibly dominant

Taylor
Kongbo
Tuttle
Phillips
Kmac
Vickers
Etc
Click to expand...

The talent level is there, let's hope they can pull it all together.
 
#23
#23
He better be on a flipp'n mission this year. It's HIS turn! I'm getting fed up with the talk... JUST DO. if you do, everyone will sit up and take notice. stop talking ... just DO. Get the job done.
 
#24
#24
IluvdoubleD's said:
He better be on a flipp'n mission this year. It's HIS turn! I'm getting fed up with the talk... JUST DO. if you do, everyone will sit up and take notice. stop talking ... just DO. Get the job done.
Click to expand...

Right? It's time for all these "highly touted" players we signed to play here to finally step up and show us what they can do!

Kongbo
Phillips
Taylor
Bird
Gaulden
McKenzie
Tuttle
Picou
Kelly Jr
Bates
Johnson
George
Wolf
Johnson
Richmond
Dormady (or Guarantano)

etc, etc.

ALL of these players were big time recruits. It's THEIR time! I'm ready start seeing the fruits of our coach's recruiting labor!
 
#25
#25
" Not falling for the Kongbo hype two years in a row ".......
" I personally was in wait and see mode last year and was on record saying I wasn't expecting much from him as a JUCO transfer with very limited experience ...."

You did but didn't fall for it? lol









jk
 
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