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I wanted to start a new

I wanted to start a new thread about the future of this team...but I don't have enough points to start my own thread...and this is the best opening I'm going to get.

The first "All-Hoke" team.  2014.  Not next season, but the next.  It won't be a true "All-Hoke" team...as it will include some redshirted players from Rich Rod's last full class, and some Rich Rod commits from Hoke's first half-class...but it's close to an "All-Hoke" team.  How good will it be?

*Keep in mind that the 2014 class (Michael Ferns and co.) will be true freshmen on this squad.

 

*OFFENSE*:

QB: S. Morris(So./Fr.), R. Bellomy(Jr.)

… Shane should be the starting QB of this team.  No one seems to have a clue about D. Gardner’s medical R.S; and I think it’s irrelevant here – Shane’s going to be the best QB of this group.  It might even be his second season as our starting QB.  That means we should be full-on into Borges’ Pro-Style offense at this point.  Let’s hope that Shane is at least half as good as we all hope he is.

PB: D. Smith(So./Fr.), W. Shallman(So./Fr.), T. Rawls(Sr.), J. Hayes(Jr.), D. Johnson(So.)

SB: D. Norfleet(Jr.)

FB: S. Houma(Jr.), *J. Kerridge(Jr.)

…This will be Hoke’s first season without F. Toussaint.  I haven’t been one bit impressed with T. Rawls thus far, so I think that D. Smith or W. Shallman (or D. Green, a ’14 stud) is the leader in the clubhouse to replace him.  I like both, and behind what should be a great OL, I think that we could have one of the best power-running games in the nation outside of Bama/LSU at this point.  I also expect D. Norfleet to be the D. Sproles of college football at this point.

WR: (?)D. Gardner(Sr.), J. Chesson(So.), R. Miller(Sr.)

WR: J. Robinson(Sr.), J. Dukes(So./Fr.)

WR: A. Darboh(Jr.), C. York(So./Fr.)

…This is somewhat of an area of concern.  If Gardner gets his medical redshirt and continues to develop, that helps.  But none of these other receivers have much sex-appeal.  Most of them could be more than solid, and some of them could be great.  Still, L. Treadwell and/or a ’14 stud committing would be a big, big deal.

TE: D. Funchess(Jr.), J. Butt(So./Fr.), J. Paskorz(Sr.)

TE: A. Williams(Jr.), K. Hill(So./Fr.), *C. Eddins(Sr.)

…This should be a real position of strength.  D. Funchess looks like a future All-American and high NFL draft pick.  J. Butt has a ton of potential.  A. Williams – should he remain a TE – is going to be a great blocker.  And K. Hill makes some interesting personnel groupings possible.  Looking good!

LT: K. Kalis(So.), E. Magnuson(So.), *K. Mateus(Sr.)

LG: K. Bosch(So./Fr.), B. Bars(So.), *J. Burzinski(Sr.)

C: P. Kugler(So./Fr.), J. Miller(Jr.)

RG: D. Dawson(So./Fr.), C. Bryant(Jr.), *R. Glasgow(Jr.)

RT: C. Fox(So./Fr.), L. T-Tillman(So./Fr.), B. Braden(So.)

…This should be another position of strength.  It’s hard to tell who will emerge at this point.  But it’s safe to bet that a great OL should emerge out of the group.  Nine 4-star or better recruits in the group, all with at least one season of experience.  Looking good!

 

*DEFENSE*:

NT: O. Pimpkins(Jr.), M. Hurst(So./Fr.), R. Ash(Sr.)

3T: H. Poggi(So/Fr.), C. Henry(So.), M. Godin(So.), K. Wilkins(Sr.)

SE: B. Beyer(Sr.), C. Wormley(So.), T. Strobel(So.), K. Heitzman(Jr.)

WE: F. Clark(Sr.), M. Ojemudia(Jr.), T. Charlton(So./Fr.)

…This should be another position of strength.  F. Clark looks like a future All-American and high NFL draft pick.  B. Beyer is a great player who I think could bulk up to get on the field at the same time as Clark.  Pimpkins and Poggi are both real-deal studs who could emerge.  And there is just a TON of greath depth behind all of them!  Looking good!

SLB: J. Ryan(Sr.), B. Gedeon(So./Fr.), K. Ringer(So.)

MLB: J. Bolden(Jr.), M. McCray(So./Fr.), R. J-Stone(Jr.)

WLB: J. Ross(Jr.), M. Ferns(Fr.), D. Morgan(Sr.), A. Poole(Jr.)

…This should be another position of strength.  J. Ryan should be a 4th year starter, and J. Bolden and J. Ross should be 3rd year starters.  Plus, we’ve got three – IMO – real-deal studs behind them in Gedeon, McCray and Ferns.  AND some great depth behind THEM!  Looking good!

FC: B. Countess(Jr.), T. Richardson(Jr.), J. Lewis(So./Fr.)

BC: R. Taylor(Sr.), G. Conley(So./Fr.), C. Stribling(So./Fr.)

NB: R. Douglas(So./Fr.), D. Hollowell(Sr.)

…This should be another position of strength.  Countess and Taylor are both basically going to be 3rd year starters.  R. Douglas is taylor-made for the nickel-back position.  And there’s just a TON of super talented depth behind them.  Looking good!

FS: J. Wilson(Jr.), J. Clark(So.)

SS: D. Thomas(So./Fr.), A. Gant(So.), J. Furman(Sr.)

…This should be another position of strength.  Wilson is a 2nd or 3rd year starter with a ton of talent.  D. Thomas is a real-deal 5-star talent.  Clark and Gant provide great depth.  L. McQuay could very well be a part of this group as well.  Looking good!

 

*SPECIAL TEAMS*:

K: M. Wile(Sr.)

P: K. Allen(So.)

LS: S. Sypniewski(So./Fr.)

R: D. Norfleet(Jr.)

…This should be another area of strength.  More than enough talent at each spot – and Norfleet could be an All-American candidate as a return man.

 

*OVERALL*:

…This is going to be a team that has an elite, elite level defense.  Not quite at the current Bama/LSU level, but close, and certainly the best in the B1G.  That’s what this team is going to be known for.  It’s going to be a team that’s able to run the ball very well as well.  Again, not quite at the current Bama/LSU level, but close, and certainly the best in the B1G.  The passing game is sort of the x-factor.  It could be above average, it could be great.  Who knows?  We’ll have to wait and see.  But one thing is certain – D. Green, L. Treadwell, L. McQuay, these are all very, very important recruits.

Color me not

Color me not impressed.

 

First thing that stands out is his lack-luster effort.  I don't care if it's lower division football or not.  You play hard.  There are several running plays where he doesn't even attempt to block.  Several where he half-arse blocks, when he should be able to bowl over those little kids.  He gives up way too early on a lot of balls thrown to him.  Makes very little effort to make tackles after picks, instead appearing to whine.  And, he seems to be a bit of a dick too.  His teammates don't seem to eager to celebrate him.  And that unsportsmanlike conduct after the TD was deplorable.

Secondly, doesn't seem that fast, doesn't seem to have the best hands, very unpolished.

Seems like a wasted scholarship out of desperation if you ask me.  Coaches could work wonders, of course.  But I'll be surprised if he pans out.

I love that someone asked

I love that someone asked this question...I think about it all the time...and it seems like it'd be "relatively " simple. 

First things first, all intangibles aside, bottom line, college football success really  is about 90% talent, i.e. recruiting.  There are a lot of great coaching staffs at the highest level, and these staffs more or less cancel eachother out IMO.  So recruiting is issue #1 to me.

...Put y ourself in the mind of an elite 5-star prospect.  What's y our #1 concern in picking a school?  Really , it's probably  getting to the next level, the NFL.  So, let's put together a program that has an advantage over all others in that regard.  IMO, in college football, there's no money  better spent than money  spent on assistant coaches.  The first thing I'm doing is stealing a top notch NFL strength and conditioning staff.  The second thing I'm doing is stealing a top notch NFL offensive and defensive coordinator.  The third thing I'm doing is filling out the rest of my  staff with NFL position coaches (and preferably  coaches with NFL play ing experience at those positions). 

...Put y ourself back in the mind of an elite 5-star prospect - or in that of his parent's - what's y our #2 concern in picking a school?  Really , it's probably  having a good job if football doesn't work out for y ou.  So, let's put together an unrivaled - borderline illegal - sy stem of cooperative, successful alumni.  Let's make sure these guy s are getting great jobs after football if football doesn't work out.  Instead of asking these ubber successful alumni to make multi-million dollar contributions to the program, let's simply  ask them to give some of these great men jobs after football.  In the end, it's probably  actually  a lot cheaper for the alums.

...So now what's our angle? Y our a 5-star QB prospect. Y ou're going to be trained by a top notch NFL strength and conditioning staff here. Y ou're going to be play ing in a top notch NFL offensive coordinator's sy stem. Y ou're going to be coached by a former NFL QB coach, who play ed QB in the NFL too. Is there another school that's going to give y ou a better chance of making it to the next level than that? And is there any thing more important to y ou?  And if football doesn't work out for y ou're going to be guaranteed a great job.  That's some pitch.  That's going to bring in some incredible talent.  And that's 90% of winning in this game.  That's how I'm setting up my  program. y 

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