Two Deep:2010...why not?
by Ghost of Mark Randall on Nov 30, 2009 8:13 PM CST
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PrintSeasons over, tough one to swallow in 2009. Sure there is a lot to be decided in the coming months but as in all sports, next year is already on my mind.
So what are we working with? Assuming only what we have on board at this very moment I've got a two deep to run up the flag pole. I'm going to ignore the possibility of incoming recruits because right now that is too up in the air to speculate.
With that in mind, I'm wondering what everyone else thinks. Here's mine:
Offense
QB
RB
1. Toben Opurum/Rell Lewis(deserves a shot, proved it against the Tigers
2. Deshaun Sands/Porter(both reportedly had good redshirt years)
WR
Wilson(needs to figure something out in the offseason though)
Ingram
WR
McGriff
WR
Daymond Patterson(move this kid back)
McDougald(also in 4 reciever sets and on D) Beshears(slot man like Patterson)
TE
Tim Biere(needs to be in the game and part of the plan early and often)
LT
Hawk
Spencer(excited to see this guy develop)
LG
John Williams(move the earth mover back to guard, he wasn't recruited for DT)
Spikes
C
Hatch
Capra(program guy, appreciate his work but there is better talent on this roster)
RG
Marrongelli
Spikes(backup in two spots, hell RT as well if you'd like, played great at guard vs. NU and UT)
RT
Thorson
Wolfe
Defense
DE
Quinton Woods(anyone know anything else we have coming back here?, come on Geneo stick around)
Sellers
DE
Laptad
K Young(I think he'll be ready to make an impact)
DT
Jamal Greene(has the talent just needs to apply it)
Darius Parish(another position change needing undone)
DT
Travis Stephens(if he's even still around)
Richard Johnson Jr(A little off this season but had a good '08)
LB
Huldon Tharp(pack on a few pounds and he's our best at this spot
No Clue for the backup
LB
Springer(he'll be 100% healed and we need a man in the middle, Dudley isn't cutting it)
Again, backup ??
CB
Anthony Davis(best option here, In my opinion got screwed this year by impatience)
Patmon(heard his name mentioned in preseason it seems)
CB
Rubles(liked his game against UT and gets Harris back to the Nickel Safety)
Greg Brown(Reported to be one of the fastest on this team, we need speed)
Safety
Safety
Prinz Kande
Bradley Mcdougald(this assumes its a part time role, I'm not convinced he doesn't go defense full time)
Safety(Nickel)
Chris Harris(this is where he belongs)
Ryan Murphy(another victim of the impatience bug that was going around, he's an athlete)
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I could see Williams staying at DLine...
he was pretty good but he doesn’t help our problem of zero speed in our front four. I’d also like to see Zlatnik move back to defense but that again puts us in a situation of all bulk and no speed. I hope we see Travis Stephens in a uniform next year but I’m concerned he may go the way of Vernon Brooks.
As far as linebacker this current situation with the coach could leave us in a very bad spot there again next year. Right now, my confidence in the defense improving is not great.
Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.
The defense is definitely a huge concern.
Look at the talent we have in the program on offense. I think next year we should be focusing 95% of our recruiting efforts on defensive players and offensive linemen. If a stud offensive skilled position player falls into our lap, of course take him. But pursue other things.
I've been saying this for months
Agree 100 %
by Andrew Clark on Nov 30, 2009 9:45 PM CST up reply actions
In my opinion, you can't do that.
Sorry, but the KU’s of the world have to tak the best talent available, regardless of position. We’re not a good enough program tha we can “focus” on any one position or even several positions.
Sawin' wood - damn, blade just broke
I don't think you entirely follow what I'm saying.
If you know a stud receiver/RB/QB is interested, go talk to them. But don’t pursue those types of players otherwise. Instead, spend all of your energy on guys that are willing to play D, and hopefully, are FAST. There are so many players out there, I don’t believe our talent level would be different, just what they are good at. It does us no good to have 10 great receivers if we have no one who could cover one of them.
or...
…Or no one good enough to give the QB time to get the ball to them.
…Or no one good enough to stop the opposing defense and get the ball back.
maybe josh richardson can come around at LB
said to have great potential when he came out of high school but who knows
My thoughts
Spot on about more opportunities for Biere and Lewis. We start using them more against MU and BAM they look real good. Where the flick was this all year? You mean to tell me that a limping Jake was better than the Rell Lewis I saw on the field against MU all season? Bullshirt.
The trend with yanking players immediately for one mistake is another reason I’m starting to warm up more and more to Mangino leaving. Too often we’d see guys play well for a stretch and then immediately lose PT for the next 4 games for a few bad mistakes. This is NOT the way to develop players and get some continuity for your team which is especially important for the defense.
Interested to see how our young guys in the secondary perform. Losing Stucky will obviously hurt but I’m optimistic that our D can still improve. If we just improve the pass rush a bit more (which we did all year but losing Max O will hurt), find some continuity and playmakers at LB (an older Tharp will help here) and the secondary gels we should have a faster D next season.
On offense if the line continues to improve and mature (which I thought it did all year long) we could have a very balanced attack with Toben being spelled by Rell and some D Sands (just like BMac – Sharp a la 2007 maybe) with some speed and young talent at WR and Biere looks to be coming into his own as a consistent weapon at TE to go along with his blocking. With a solid line and playmakers all over, its going to come down to QB play. Pick can run sure but I need to see a lot more from him passing wise to feel good.
Let's remember that Rell Lewis
looked awesome against an exhausted MU D in the 4Q. Bringing in fresh legs at RB was a nice coaching move (yeah, I guess Mangino does make those on occasion).
Not taking anything away from Rell, just keeping it in prespective.
Sawin' wood - damn, blade just broke
Perspective
And it would have been nice to have those fresh legs earlier in the season when Sharp was injured and Opurum was worked to the point of exhaustion.
One more thought
Special teams ABSOFRIGGINLUTELY MUST improve. MU started on the 40 every drive and we started from the 3. This seemed to be a trend all year, no returns off punts, mostly poor KO returns, poor coverage, sporadic FG (and extra point at times) kicking. Must be addressed during the offseason.
This 2 deep makes 1 BIG assumption
Everyone returns.
My bet is we lose one starter during the coaching change. Maybe two. That’s not unusual.
I could easily see McDougald transferring. Especially if the new coach tries to make him play D. Remember, the reason he chose KU over Ohio State is because OSU insisted he play safety. Where KU promised him he could play WR. The kid has no interest in defense. He only did it this year to help a struggling team.
Also, do we even know when Toben will play football again? That hit he took at Texas looked gruesome.
Also, experience counts for a LOT on th OL. As such, I don’t see a 2 year starter in Spikes becoming a career back up.
Also no Dorsey at the 2 deep DT? Kid started a couple games this year.
I think we should give Rubles a chance at safety with his size, speed, and hitting ability.
Sawin' wood - damn, blade just broke
That McDougald story isn't entirely true...
I know that’s the story the announcers loved to plug throughout the year but there is much more to why he is at KU. I’d also be somewhat surprised if he had that big a problem playing D that he would transfer. I could be wrong but that’s the impression I get from several teammates of his.
Toben will play football again, there was a chance he’d be healthy enough to go in a bowl game had we won in Arrowhead. He was on the sidelines in a splint.
I like the thought of Rubles at Safety as well, that is a bit intriguing.
Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.
Wasn't it something also to do with a fight
He got in a fight in High School and that incident soured OSU on him too?
Sawin' wood - damn, blade just broke
something like that...
It was “a mutual parting of ways” after he had committed to OSU. Regardless of how it went down, he’s a good kid and I’m glad Kansas was the beneficiary.
Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.
He was caught with some of that demon herb
Something “strict disciplinarian” Mark Mangino has no problem with. To be fair though, neither does the rest of Lawrence, really.
RODD TEESING, my arch-nemesis! Give us back our TODD, you rapscallion!
by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Dec 2, 2009 1:03 PM CST up reply actions
Defections
If the team can survive Mangino’s calous personality, the next coach, whomever Lew picks, is real unlikely to run anybody off.
I forget where I found out about this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAcKiMy0Gp4
but it was interesting to see Iowa State and Coach Rhoads in the locker room after the Nebraska game.
It reminded me, by contrast, of the OB, and how Mangino wouldn’t let the players celebrate with him. That was shortly before telling the nation that we had mediocre players, and were just fortunate they played together the way the coaches drew it up. IMO, that was the beginning of the slide.
I’m excited to see next year all the latent talent that has been rusting on the sidelines.
LB's
Any word on all the JUCO LB’s, etc. that have been visiting lately? Who they are even?
Sort of a diversion from all the talk of recruiting (or not) a coach.
unfortunately we're not looking very good with any of them...
Lavonte David ended up committing to the Huskers and a guy by the name of Gilchrest is committed to Houston today. Both would have been in the mix for immediate playing time but no coach is handicapping us a bit with only 6 more days till these guys can sign.
Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.
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