Dear Friends,
We have Tre'Shown Fields and Bryce Kemp as tight ends according to the spring game roster. Are they not good enough? Both are listed as Junior-Sophomore according to the roster. They don't have experience, as far as I know, but I don't see the desperation here.

(08-17-2017 07:27 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
We have Tre'Shown Fields and Bryce Kemp as tight ends according to the spring game roster. Are they not good enough? Both are listed as Junior-Sophomore according to the roster. They don't have experience, as far as I know, but I don't see the desperation here.

I assume Kemp is now the first tight end. Isn't flowers a walk-on? Wonder if Oakes will get a shot as a true freshman. With the depth this team has at receiver the offense will still have a lot of options.

Sounds like an opportunity for those two defensive players to finally see the field. I would not expect them to be involved with the passing game but more so as blockers.

How severe is bushman's injury? Is it a season-ender or just a few weeks?

Kemp is now the guy, can't expect a 225 pound high school kid to be anywhere near ready to play at this level. As I've said before, Kemp can play, just not in a traditional, primarily blocking role. He could be effective as more of a pass catching slot type TE, but wouldn't expect him to just step into Buschman's role and be even an average blocker. Might now be an opportunity to figure out how to get more of these RB's on the field at the same time. Use the extra back to help chip and block instead of the TE.

Really dropped the ball not adding a Juco guy.

Time to adapt, and the coaches to earn their $$$$. May be a big problem........May be a silver lining in the whole thing.

The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it!

(08-17-2017 10:01 AM)EagleTough Wrote:  Kemp is now the guy, can't expect a 225 pound high school kid to be anywhere near ready to play at this level. As I've said before, Kemp can play, just not in a traditional, primarily blocking role. He could be effective as more of a pass catching slot type TE, but wouldn't expect him to just step into Buschman's role and be even an average blocker. Might now be an opportunity to figure out how to get more of these RB's on the field at the same time. Use the extra back to help chip and block instead of the TE.

Really dropped the ball not adding a Juco guy.

Time to adapt, and the coaches to earn their $$$$. May be a big problem........May be a silver lining in the whole thing.

The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it!

Yep. Agree with you.

If the TE can't chip and help the weak OT (presumably RT), then we'll need to hold in a blocking back.

Otherwise, run Roback run.

I don't want to sound like a 'debbie downer' but we can see some achilles heels on the offense at positions which are dependent (co-dependent), i.e., OT and TE. We don't have two stud OTs who don't need blocking help from a TE.

PREDICTION: We'll see a lot of blitzing this year.

(08-17-2017 11:43 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(08-17-2017 10:01 AM)EagleTough Wrote:  Kemp is now the guy, can't expect a 225 pound high school kid to be anywhere near ready to play at this level. As I've said before, Kemp can play, just not in a traditional, primarily blocking role. He could be effective as more of a pass catching slot type TE, but wouldn't expect him to just step into Buschman's role and be even an average blocker. Might now be an opportunity to figure out how to get more of these RB's on the field at the same time. Use the extra back to help chip and block instead of the TE.

Really dropped the ball not adding a Juco guy.

Time to adapt, and the coaches to earn their $$$$. May be a big problem........May be a silver lining in the whole thing.

The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it!

Yep. Agree with you.

If the TE can't chip and help the weak OT (presumably RT), then we'll need to hold in a blocking back.

Otherwise, run Roback run.

I don't want to sound like a 'debbie downer' but we can see some achilles heels on the offense at positions which are dependent (co-dependent), i.e., OT and TE. We don't have two stud OTs who don't need blocking help from a TE.

PREDICTION: We'll see a lot of blitzing this year.

EMU has enough experience and talent on offense that they could really hurt a team that goes blitz heavy.

Lets not forget that Johnnie Niupalau at 6'0, 215 was a solid blocker at WR last year.

(08-17-2017 11:56 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Lets not forget that Johnnie Niupalau at 6'0, 215 was a solid blocker at WR last year.

Agree, but he's an outside WR which doesn't really address the TE, OT, pressure on QB issues.

Buschman done for the year, by the way.

Excited to see Keen and a new look offense this year!

(08-17-2017 02:47 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  

(08-17-2017 11:56 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Lets not forget that Johnnie Niupalau at 6'0, 215 was a solid blocker at WR last year.

Agree, but he's an outside WR which doesn't really address the TE, OT, pressure on QB issues.

Buschman done for the year, by the way.

Excited to see Keen and a new look offense this year!

Keen has a couple options. Niupalau at WR maybe be the answer to a
WR who can block.

Keen can:

1). Take another OL who is faster than a tortoise and used him mostly to block. That would signal a running play.

2). Go with all wideouts and presumably have a FB to block.

3). Go with all wideouts; no FB. Period. That would be crazy. Like Mouse Davis' offense????

Wonder if they are going to ask for another year for Buschman. I guess the good news is that Moon and Andrews will at least get some decent reps before regular season. I believe Andrews played TE in high school.

(08-18-2017 04:10 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Wonder if they are going to ask for another year for Buschman. I guess the good news is that Moon and Andrews will at least get some decent reps before regular season. I believe Andrews played TE in high school.

What scare me: neither has played a down at EMU???

http://emueagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7...h=football

Names are now on the backs of the uniforms. I like that.

(08-18-2017 05:30 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(08-18-2017 04:10 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Wonder if they are going to ask for another year for Buschman. I guess the good news is that Moon and Andrews will at least get some decent reps before regular season. I believe Andrews played TE in high school.

What scare me: neither has played a down at EMU???

http://emueagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7...h=football

True

I have a 'conspiracy theory'... There is something in the water (southeast MI) which effects TEs.

Seems the Lions have five (5!!!) TEs who sat out practice yesterday.

Guess one has to go west to Ann Arbor to see healthy TEs. Oh, my.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/...104696150/

(08-18-2017 05:33 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  Names are now on the backs of the uniforms. I like that.

I like that too and I think the players deserve that.

(08-18-2017 09:18 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(08-18-2017 05:33 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  Names are now on the backs of the uniforms. I like that.

I like that too and I think the players deserve that.

And the fans in the stands AND... (drum roll) the fans at home watching the game.

I have usually noticed that when unis don't have numbers on the backs the TV guys have trouble identifying players. "The EMU blocker made a nice block to spring Vann loose." Get a lot of 'generic' comments, like that or "the defensive back tipped the ball..."

This isn't like the NFL where the TV guys know these players by heart.

Dear Friends,
What will the names on the jerseys do to program sales? How much money is made from the sale of programs? I don't know the answers to those questions, but I do know that the programs have jumped in price. I'm old-fashioned when it comes to something like programs. I like the fact that I can look up information on players, coaches, schedules, etc.

Shaq Jones, Rashon Davis, and Kharmi Mackey no longer on roster. Good players, ugh.

Tyler Lyle now a FB instead of LB

(08-18-2017 01:37 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Shaq Jones, Rashon Davis, and Kharmi Mackey no longer on roster. Good players, ugh.

Tyler Lyle now a FB instead of LB

Why?

(08-18-2017 01:47 PM)emu79 Wrote:  

(08-18-2017 01:37 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Shaq Jones, Rashon Davis, and Kharmi Mackey no longer on roster. Good players, ugh.

Tyler Lyle now a FB instead of LB

Why?

Mackey never even showed up.

Mackey = greyshirt; agreed upon before signing day.