What an amazing season we had this year, and we still have a bowl game to look forward to. From my perspective, Norvell exceeded my expectations as a first year coach. With that said, can anyone post the returning 2-deep for 2017? In looking at our recruiting needs, our priorities needs are:
1) Secondary
2) O-Line (OTs)
3) D-Line (DT and DEs)

(11-26-2016 09:50 AM)NDTiger Wrote:  What an amazing season we had this year, and we still have a bowl game to look forward to. From my perspective, Norvell exceeded my expectations as a first year coach. With that said, can anyone post the returning 2-deep for 2017? In looking at our recruiting needs, our priorities needs are:
1) Secondary
2) O-Line (OTs)
3) D-Line (DT and DEs)

If you look at our early verbals - there are a bunch of DB's already committed. Hope we can hang on to most. Signed and redshirted a few good ones last year too. We'll be younger, but with better pure talent. Norvell has taken it up a notch in recruiting. Very impressive.

QB: Ferguson, Davis/Moore
RB: Dorceus, Taylor, Henderson,
TE: Dykes/Magnifico
WR: Miller, Pollard, Williams
WR: Mayhue, Jones
WR: Craft, Coxie
LT: Tate, Dill
LG: Woodard, Collins
C: Kiser
RG: Kuhn, Liofaele
RT: Eze, Neville

NT: Gentry, Tate
DT: Wilson, ?
DE: Johnson, Suttles
Rush LB: Dillon, Huff
ILB: White, Aiken
ILB, Avery, Hart
Coverage LB: Hall, Porter
SS: Rupert, ?
FS: Cook, ?
CB: J. Collins,?
CB: ?, ?
Punter: Smith, Jacobs
Kicker: Smith
Long Snapper: ?

The secondary will be the weak link next year as it will be full of newcomers. Good news is that a lot of the newcomers will be bigger that what we have had. Just need experience and coaching.

Trevor Morgan was really reliable as a long snapper. Hopefully, we aren't overlooking that spot as it was an important cog to the success of both Smith and Eliot.

The OL was really good at the end and 4 of the the starters should come back to their same spots next year. Hopefully, they can develop some depth this offseason with some of the returnees. According to 247, 3 of our top ten recruits are OL (Eze, Dale, Hill) so maybe one or more can contribute right away.

Of course, there is the circumstance of folks transferring. I wonder if we will lose Proctor (WR), Robinson (LB), Slade (WR), Oglesby, & Prewitt (discipline issues). Depth at WR & LB seemed to similar situation as RB last year.

Please note: I don't know any of these players who I think might consider transferring. They are good players who didn't play much this year and it seems the depth chart is set ahead of them. I can't blame a kid if he wants to go somewhere else and get legitimate playing time.

Any kids of note redshirt this year that will be potential impact guys next year?

I didn't realize how many secondary guys we lose

Cook and Rupert are the only two returning that got significant PT.

I guess Pardner will move up as well

http://www.ourlads.com/ncaa-football-dep...phis/91050

From this, it appears Memphis should return 8 on offense (17 from two-deep) and 6 on defense (13 from two-deep).

As noted above, they lose a lot from the secondary.

Pardner was a graduate transfer...Tigers are losing Maulet, Lanier, Morley, Northern, Nelson, Ross, Pardner, & Jordan.

Possible RS that might push for playing time:
John Tate, DT - My guess is that he backs up Gentry at NT
Tim Hart, LB - Schad said he might push for playing time though we are deep at LB.
Josh Perry, DB - A signing day surprise who should be in DB rotation
Tyrez Lindsay, DB - Schad has mentioned him before as possible backup safety next year.
Thomas Pickens, DB - Local product who has good size. He may back up Austin Hall next year.
Jacobi Francis, DB - Smallest of the DB redshirts and I assume he will get opportunity to compete at nickel spot.
Dalonte Coxie, WR - Late signee who was originally committed to LSU. Big WR who should get some reps next year.
Jonathan Timmons, OL - Local product who may be a couple of years away but you may see him on special teams.


Guys who aren't freshmen but might step out of the shadows:
Jamil Collins, CB - Played some snaps at CB when Maulet was dinged up in Temple game.
Emmanuel Cooper, DT - Primarily played NT in garbage time this year but seems to have a good motor.
Cortez Crosby, DT - Was injured most of year. Played some several years ago. He has been a little bit of enigma.
Darian Porter, LB - He played a good bit in 3rd down packages this year. He along with Avery, White, & Aiken gives us really good depth.
Tauvaga Ho Ching II, OL - Late enrollee as a juco. With year in weight room, may have better chance to be involved.

I remember last year that Schad mentioned Ty Northern doing well in Spring. When Hall went down, he stepped up and has done well. Before this year, he had been primarily a special teams contributor. It will be interesting who makes that kind of jump this year.

Three of those red shirt DB's are 6' 2" or 6' 3".

How good will the kicking game be under Smith next year?

I thought Mayhue and Craft were seniors?

(11-27-2016 01:57 PM)WColt45 Wrote:  I thought Mayhue and Craft were seniors?

Mayhue is a RS JR. Craft was a true Sr; however they are pursuing a medical RS for this season.

We have also signed a very good Kicker for next year.

The kicking camp he went to rated him 5* and the #3 kicker in HS.

Memphis is the new Kicker U.

How is Brady Davis progressing. Word on the street is the Dude can wing it

(11-27-2016 06:46 PM)memphisike Wrote:  How is Brady Davis progressing. Word on the street is the Dude can wing it

With the way Riley has progressed, Davis is going to have a hard time finding the field but since he will have been a redshirt, he'll still have 3 yrs to play, so maybe, eventually.

(11-27-2016 07:01 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(11-27-2016 06:46 PM)memphisike Wrote:  How is Brady Davis progressing. Word on the street is the Dude can wing it

With the way Riley has progressed, Davis is going to have a hard time finding the field but since he will have been a redshirt, he'll still have 3 yrs to play, so maybe, eventually.

Davis can throw the ball and has a grasp of the playbook, however Riley got the leg up by playing all year and will be really really tough to beat out.

If Eze keeps improving, then I've seen people say he is a potential 1st round pick. He's raw. He's the incoming RT everyone wanted.

I keep telling y'all ~ Nehemiah Augustus, LB, Patterson, La, roommate of Pop Williams. He has talent, heart and desire, and character.

(11-27-2016 06:30 PM)holyterror Wrote:  Memphis is the new Kicker U.

Puntkicker U...as Wilbur would say.

Looks like they are in on a few JCs as well (24/7 listing) and would have to imagine they will dabble in the grad trans market too.