Feel free to correct me where I'm WRONG.

QB: DiNucci, Maloney, Johnson ***
***(DiNucci has had some success vs ACC opponents, we've never seen Maloney play, and Johnson is well... Johnson at this point in time - not saying that won't change over Spring practice. end of disclosure.)***

RB: Marshall, Johnson, Sharp, Agyei-Obese
WR: Stapleton, Eldridge, Archie, bunch of young guys
TE: Cheatham, Carlton
LT: Chavious
LG: Bethea, Donahue
C: Patrick
RG: Fornadel, Butler
RT: Jackson

DE: D. Carter, Daka
DT: Mike Greene
DT: Juwan Moye
DE: R. Carter

LB: Maginley
LB: Word, Holloway
LB: Little

CB: Moreland, Carroll
CB: Robinson, McCormick
SS: Oliver, MJ Hampton
FS: Tutt, Adam Smith

PK: Ratke, Gray
P: O'Kelly, McBride
KR: Marshall, Amos
PR: Amos

I think Rondell will move inside and Matt Terell (former UVa guy) will take a spot on the outside (Ankrahs old spot). Houston actually said something along these lines on dining day.

Holloway (if healthy) will be a penciled in starter, with either Word or little beside him (probably word).

IMO, we should actually be pretty scary good next year with the biggest question mark being the starting QB. If we can get solid play I'd say we have just as much talent and a chance to get back to Frisco.

Now, next year's senior class is going to hurt some because of all the RBs graduating and Oliver, Tutt, Moreland, Rashad Robinson too. Ouch

(01-09-2018 02:48 PM)dukesfan4010 Wrote:  I think Rondell will move inside and Matt Terell (former UVa guy) will take a spot on the outside (Ankrahs old spot). Houston actually said something along these lines on dining day.

Holloway (if healthy) will be a penciled in starter, with either Word or little beside him (probably word).

I agree with you on both of these points. Totally forgot about Matt Terrell. Also agree on starting Holloway (and Cardon obviously) if both of their recoveries are successful.

our starting units should be pretty solid and proven everywhere except QB and S with some serious candidates for All American honors (Stapleton, D. Carter, Moreland should be All American type....Robinson, O'Kelly, Marshall should be 1st team All Conference type)

it's the depth we take a step back. the second 22 will have alot of new unproven faces.

what has made our D especially nasty the last few years it the quality ran deep. We simply won't know if that will be the case again next year until we start suiting up and seeing what these newbies got.

Breakout candidates next year IMO:

Maginley
Archie
Fornadel
Amos (as KR)

(01-09-2018 03:07 PM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  our starting units should be pretty solid and proven everywhere except QB and S with some serious candidates for All American honors (Stapleton, D. Carter, Moreland should be All American type....Robinson, O'Kelly, Marshall should be 1st team All Conference type)

it's the depth we take a step back. the second 22 will have alot of new unproven faces.

what has made our D especially nasty the last few years it the quality ran deep. We simply won't know if that will be the case again next year until we start suiting up and seeing what these newbies got.

I disagree about the defense. One thing I noticed during the Natty is that we had absolutely zero depth on the D Line. Those boys we gassed, especially interior linemen, and rightfully so. At LB we lose Hawkins but return Holloway. Plus return Word, Maginley, and Little. Who else played at LB this year that we don't return? At DB we return Tutt and a healthy Oliver, plus everyone else we played this year other than safety (which hopefully we can slide some experienced players in those 2 holes). Overall, not seeing much change in depth on D - plus the addition of Moye and Terrell on the D Line.

My god our defense STILL looks sick! The only question is the interior DTs but everyone else is a known quantity and were solid to excellent. Offense doesn't look so bad either. I see at least 3-4 AA on this team with potential for more.

(01-09-2018 03:16 PM)RollDukes757 Wrote:  I disagree about the defense. One thing I noticed during the Natty is that we had absolutely zero depth on the D Line. Those boys we gassed, especially interior linemen, and rightfully so. At LB we lose Hawkins but return Holloway. Plus return Word, Maginley, and Little. Who else played at LB this year that we don't return? At DB we return Tutt and a healthy Oliver, plus everyone else we played this year other than safety (which hopefully we can slide some experienced players in those 2 holes). Overall, not seeing much change in depth on D - plus the addition of Moye and Terrell on the D Line.

Also lose Brandon Hereford at LB which is significant. That being said, I like our combination of Maginley, Word, Little and a healthy Holloway. Not to mention someone younger is bound to step up, maybe John Kinney or KeShaun Moore (originally said he could be an option at Ankrah's KAT/DE position.

Interior DL is biggest unknown with loss of Robinson and Urquhart. They have been playing forever. I'd assume Moye occupies one of those spots and agree that RonDell Carter primarily played on the inside this past year. Need someone to step up like Mike Greene or Adeeb Atariwa. At DE, Darrious Carter will be a huge strength. If the UVA xfer, Terrell, can step in, then that would be great and maybe compliment a younger guy like Daka, who got a lot of hype coming in.

CB are loaded even if/when Tutt and/or Oliver move to safety. It will be interesting to see if they can play safety as well. I always heard good things about Amos as a safety and not just returner. We also have some good young corners ready to fill in for our rising seniors.

It will be tough to top this year's D, but if a couple guys pan out, it could be nearly as good.

(01-09-2018 03:16 PM)RollDukes757 Wrote:  

(01-09-2018 03:07 PM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  our starting units should be pretty solid and proven everywhere except QB and S with some serious candidates for All American honors (Stapleton, D. Carter, Moreland should be All American type....Robinson, O'Kelly, Marshall should be 1st team All Conference type)

it's the depth we take a step back. the second 22 will have alot of new unproven faces.

what has made our D especially nasty the last few years it the quality ran deep. We simply won't know if that will be the case again next year until we start suiting up and seeing what these newbies got.

I disagree about the defense. One thing I noticed during the Natty is that we had absolutely zero depth on the D Line. Those boys we gassed, especially interior linemen, and rightfully so. At LB we lose Hawkins but return Holloway. Plus return Word, Maginley, and Little. Who else played at LB this year that we don't return? At DB we return Tutt and a healthy Oliver, plus everyone else we played this year other than safety (which hopefully we can slide some experienced players in those 2 holes). Overall, not seeing much change in depth on D - plus the addition of Moye and Terrell on the D Line.

Agree

My bigger concern is interior defensive line and overall defensive line depth.

The Chosen QB will not have to win games for us next year. He should have a solid running game similar to 2016.

(01-09-2018 02:59 PM)jmu-fan-1981 Wrote:  IMO, we should actually be pretty scary good next year with the biggest question mark being the starting QB. If we can get solid play I'd say we have just as much talent and a chance to get back to Frisco.

Now, next year's senior class is going to hurt some because of all the RBs graduating and Oliver, Tutt, Moreland, Rashad Robinson too. Ouch

Did Tutt ever redshirt? I assumed he would be redshirting this year due to his injury and would still have 2 years of eligibility left.

The biggest question marks to me are wide receiver and QB. There's not much behind Stapleton at this point. If he goes down to injury, that group is very weak. Two incoming freshman in Brown and Ravenel could help eventually, but it's tough to be able to count on true freshman. An offense needs wide outs that can take the proverbial top off the defense and we currently don't seem to have that. There's no established QB, of course, at the most important position on the field. D-line could be thin, but it could be because we're not familiar with young players at that position that will provide the depth behind the projected starters that seem adequate.

I'm thinking Oliver possibly to safety but not both him and Tutt. Slide Tutt into the 3 man CB rotation and hope a couple of the 2nd team safeties and underclassmen stand out in the Spring. Just don't remember Tutt being as physical as Oliver, but it has been a while.

I will say, I do wish we had rotated in more often those young safeties. Seemed like we only saw them in the last 5 minutes of a game, if that.

(01-09-2018 05:49 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  The biggest question marks to me are wide receiver and QB. There's not much behind Stapleton at this point. If he goes down to injury, that group is very weak. Two incoming freshman in Brown and Ravenel could help eventually, but it's tough to be able to count on true freshman. An offense needs wide outs that can take the proverbial top off the defense and we currently don't seem to have that. There's no established QB, of course, at the most important position on the field. D-line could be thin, but it could be because we're not familiar with young players at that position that will provide the depth behind the projected starters that seem adequate.

I thought Archie had some decent moments early in the year. I think he'll be a good one. Same with Eldridge. He can be a playmaker in YR2 with us.

and didn't somebody here say the coaches are raving about Floyd, who redshirted? And finding a transfer WR is pretty easy to do, although a mixed bag.

and with better OL play, we can involved the TE more in the passing game. Cheatem and Carlton should both be good in that role.

i think we'll be fine. Finding someone to throw them the ball is the bigger issue.

(01-09-2018 06:05 PM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  I thought Archie had some decent moments early in the year. I think he'll be a good one. Same with Eldridge. He can be a playmaker in YR2 with us.

and didn't somebody here say the coaches are raving about Floyd, who redshirted? And finding a transfer WR is pretty easy to do, although a mixed bag.

and with better OL play, we can involved the TE more in the passing game. Cheatem and Carlton should both be good in that role.

i think we'll be fine. Finding someone to throw them the ball is the bigger issue.

Devin Floyd is supposed to be really good and a playmaker at WR. I think Kyndel Dean was a really highly touted recruit who will likely play WR (IIRC). I look at a guy like Braxton Westfield and wonder if he can step up into Terrance Alls' place. I think Archie or Sims takes over where Miller leaves.

FWIW, the ACC has proposed a change to the redshirting rules for CFB...

http://www.richmond.com/sports/if-new-re...01480.html

With the O-line play, I'm still on the fence on how good they can be. But for a line that graduates 3 starters, we still have a good bit of game experience coming back: Bethea, Patrick, Jackson, Fornadel, Butler and Chavous have all started before.

Gillespie is going to push for playing time at OT. Jeremiah will likely be at another school next year. If you know who I am, you know how I know.

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(01-09-2018 07:09 PM)olderduke Wrote:  Gillespie is going to push for playing time at OT. Jeremiah will likely be at another school next year. If you know who I am, you know how I know.

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Not following. Who's Jeremiah???

(01-09-2018 07:18 PM)Boris Wrote:  

(01-09-2018 07:09 PM)olderduke Wrote:  Gillespie is going to push for playing time at OT. Jeremiah will likely be at another school next year. If you know who I am, you know how I know.

Sent from my VS988 using CSNbbs mobile app

Not following. Who's Jeremiah???

He's a bullfrog.