Better safety play

#2
#2
Hoping Turrentine and Walker take over next year. Both are likely quicker than the two we are playing now. Slaughter is good in the slot. Then we just have to swing at every juco and transfer corner until we find the right guys
 
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#3
#3
Why aren't we developing our back end players better? Should Banks shake things up a bit? Odd to say, but we're a cover corner and one lockdown safety from a national title run.
 
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#4
#4
Vol*n*teer said:
Why aren't we developing our back end players better? Should Banks shake things up a bit? Odd to say, but we're a cover corner and one lockdown safety from a national title run.
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If it were all about development schools like Vandy would have as good of a shot at a title as anyone else. Development only goes so far. We lack talent.

Our entire roster has only 3 4* Dbs. For perspective SC has that many 4* freshmen dbs
 
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#5
#5
Maybe, but Vandy’s offense is so bad that the defense can hone in on the run. Passing was predictable. That makes the safety’s life much easier.
I don’t think the safeties are bad as much as the scheme just isn’t productive . They sit back in outer space and don’t get beaten deep, but they are also super passive and our rush is inconsistent. South Carolina was an problem with the pass rush more than anything. He had forever to throw and in the SEC, if a QB gets seven seconds to throw, nobody is going to look good in the defensive backfield.
 
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#6
#6
Vol*n*teer said:
Why aren't we developing our back end players better? Should Banks shake things up a bit? Odd to say, but we're a cover corner and one lockdown safety from a national title run.
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Our current DBs are serviceable, @ best. If the front four don’t get pressure, then an accurate QB will have a Heisman like performance against TN defense.

The current DBs lack speed, quickness, agility, instinct and overall athleticism. Plus they are not consistent tackling in space. That may be because they are one step behind the receiver, which against goes back to quickness.

The DB position is one of the most difficult positions to learn/play as there are numerous variations of man and zone schemes.

Has Martinez and Banks developed the DBs or revised schemes to fit the players’s strengths? I don’t know the answer, but I would bet money that Heup has asked himself those two questions. Only he knows the resolution beyond recruiting.
 
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#7
#7
We have plenty of bodies at safety (and star) position to compete with one another but no difference makers unfortunately. Maybe better coaching could improve pursuit angles, tackling and anticipation or maybe they just need more time in film room. I don’t know. At safety, I’ve seen enough of McCollough and Flowers to know they weren’t the answer. Flowers has finished his college career. McCollough can come back another year. Others may merit more assessment. Some combination of Slaughter, Walker and McDonald may be okay at safety so long as our pass rush improves a lot. Maybe Thomas after spending a year learning can get into rotation.

Too often we had had to play guys who more suited for safety at corner which was a big problem this year and they were often exposed. The only corners on the roster IMO are Hadden, Turnage, Burrell and Dee Williams. Williams never got an opportunity to play defense, Burrell got hurt early (and was targeted a lot early on this year and last year), Turnage (off and on hurt) and Hadden is really only proven to be good at talking. Both Turnage and Hadden may be versatile enough to play any DB position. We really need 2 CBs from the portal along with the incoming frosh. May be something only recruiting can remedy.
 
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#8
#8
I thought corner was bad but our safety play is sometimes like a Three Stooges show. One safety messed up a play this year goes for a half assed tackle on the receiver and ends up tackling our own defender. It’s like these guys don’t even look at who they’re tackling sometimes they just duck their heads and submarine at the ankles of anything close to them.
 
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#11
#11
Anyone here remember Teddy Gaines?
He was a CB put into the rotation too early as a Freshman.
Spurrier targeted him in 1999 and 2000. Spurrier was so good at finding our weakest link in the secondary. Busted coverage after busted coverage.
Teddy went into the Swamp in 2001 and effectively covered his man and rose to the occasion. He was targeted and played a good game.
He had rocky years until his growing pains and hard work made him an effective SEC corner during his senior year.
Teddy was a project that was thrown into the deepend too soon.
We have far too many projects in the secondary today. Our team cannot afford to wait until they progress into effective players. They need to be molded now into effective corners and safeties.
We do not have one game changer in the secondary.
Wesley Walker is the only one showing consistent glimmers of hope.
 
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#13
#13
Rocky Top T said:
Wesley Walker is much better than Flowers, now if we can get McCullough off the field we might get better safety play!
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Flowers is terrible. I hate to say that because he’s been here through it all but he is ungodly slow and never in a good position. So slow he can’t take a good angle ever.
 
#14
#14
Vol8188 said:
Hoping Turrentine and Walker take over next year. Both are likely quicker than the two we are playing now. Slaughter is good in the slot. Then we just have to swing at every juco and transfer corner until we find the right guys
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Ideally Walker and Slaughter are our safeties next year with an elite transfer in at 1 corner and either Matthews or Gibson becomes the second coming of Cam Sutton or Alonte Taylor as freshmen then McDonald at the star on early downs with Turnage there on passing downs. I haven’t really seen much from Turrentine to think he will be a difference maker on the backend and Charles and Hadden have been major disappointments. Maybe Dee Williams can make a big jump in the off-season too. A lot of people were high on Hadden in the preseason and he showed some promise early on. Not sure what has happened since then though
 
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#15
#15
Don't understand why McDonald doesn't move to SS and Walker/Slaughter to STAR. Obviously injuries change things but McDonald is plenty big enough for safety but not quick enough for STAR. Charles might be better on slot guys too and put Turnage and Hadden as starting CB
 
#16
#16
Rocky Top T said:
Wesley Walker is much better than Flowers, now if we can get McCullough off the field we might get better safety play!
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That's Martinez for you he plays the older guys the safer guys instead of most talented. Hopefuly changes are made in secondary next year but doubt it
 
#17
#17
DaddyChad said:
Tennessee was a horrible matchup for them. What they did well we shut down the best. Defense definitely brought it though, props to them this game.
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Only bc their coach is a moron. Not saying they would have beat us or anything like that. But he started the QB who can't throw. Benched the only passing threat they had .
 
#18
#18
Rootyvol1998 said:
Flowers is terrible. I hate to say that because he’s been here through it all but he is ungodly slow and never in a good position. So slow he can’t take a good angle ever.
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I really like and appreciate him for being faithful and the best we have had back there. But, he's been outta position a ton. I think he was the one who tackled the DB on that ridiculous lame duck that the Mizz QB floated down there for a TD.
Reminds me of some of those Dooley DBs we had with ton of reps and some really good plays. But, constantly got beat by decent opponents. When the Pro Day rolled around they were running 4.7+ 40 times. Cannot coach that up to stop Julio Jones etc etc.
 
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#19
#19
Vol*n*teer said:
Why aren't we developing our back end players better? Should Banks shake things up a bit? Odd to say, but we're a cover corner and one lockdown safety from a national title run.
Click to expand...
We are three corners, three safeties, and two nickel backs away. The secondary needs size and speed. The ability to make stopping tackles. It's not there currently.
 
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