I don't understand some of the angst on the positions (DB, WR, RB) that still have some uncertainty on who will emerge as the starters and impact players. A big reason why the players competing for these positions didn't make an impact previously was that we had NFL players in front of them. We have plenty of experienced talent at these spots.
Receiver - Lippett is an NFL talent who was our go to receiver while the ball was spread around amongst our other receivers last year. But we have six talented and experienced receivers back, six. And receiver is generally a position where players struggle early and begin to emerge their 3rd and 4th years. There is a case to be made that all six could start on most Big Ten teams. We will be fine, the ball may get spread around but we have plenty of playmakers and depth at receiver.
Defensive Back - Dennard, Waynes were first rounders and Drummond should have been drafted. We have had NFL talent in front of the guys who we are now counting on. We have four talented safeties - Nicholson, Williamson, Cox and maybe Meyers (sorry to Meyers but listing him due to Dantonio comments but have no other info to go on so gets a maybe, might be great) with two really good pure freshman. We have four talented upper classman corners - Colquhoun, Edmonson, Copeland, Hicks with Cox being able to play corner or safety.
Our pass defense will be better even if the corners aren't quite as good because for the most part we haven't had problems at corner, it's been in the slot and over the top of our safeties. With an even better defensive line, more speed at linebacker and safety, the improvement with our coverage of the slots and the middle of the field will more than make up for any step back at corner after losing our first round draft pick in Waynes. Not often you have a first round corner so there will likely be a step back, but that can be more than made up if our defensive weakness in covering slots is improved.
Running back - Langford is an NFL back so he was going to get the carries. It is also the one position experience is nice but not required. We have four talented backs, London, Holmes, Scott, Williams, someone will emerge and we will have at least two we can count on to carry the rock.
The great thing about these three positions is we have depth. This is going to be one heck of a season.
Just keep our two signal callers healthy - Cook on offense and Bullough on defense. One of the big strengths of our defense in 2013 was our ability to react on the fly and on the field and adjust on defense. We lost that last year, get that back and the defense will take another step forward.
Receiver - Lippett is an NFL talent who was our go to receiver while the ball was spread around amongst our other receivers last year. But we have six talented and experienced receivers back, six. And receiver is generally a position where players struggle early and begin to emerge their 3rd and 4th years. There is a case to be made that all six could start on most Big Ten teams. We will be fine, the ball may get spread around but we have plenty of playmakers and depth at receiver.
Defensive Back - Dennard, Waynes were first rounders and Drummond should have been drafted. We have had NFL talent in front of the guys who we are now counting on. We have four talented safeties - Nicholson, Williamson, Cox and maybe Meyers (sorry to Meyers but listing him due to Dantonio comments but have no other info to go on so gets a maybe, might be great) with two really good pure freshman. We have four talented upper classman corners - Colquhoun, Edmonson, Copeland, Hicks with Cox being able to play corner or safety.
Our pass defense will be better even if the corners aren't quite as good because for the most part we haven't had problems at corner, it's been in the slot and over the top of our safeties. With an even better defensive line, more speed at linebacker and safety, the improvement with our coverage of the slots and the middle of the field will more than make up for any step back at corner after losing our first round draft pick in Waynes. Not often you have a first round corner so there will likely be a step back, but that can be more than made up if our defensive weakness in covering slots is improved.
Running back - Langford is an NFL back so he was going to get the carries. It is also the one position experience is nice but not required. We have four talented backs, London, Holmes, Scott, Williams, someone will emerge and we will have at least two we can count on to carry the rock.
The great thing about these three positions is we have depth. This is going to be one heck of a season.
Just keep our two signal callers healthy - Cook on offense and Bullough on defense. One of the big strengths of our defense in 2013 was our ability to react on the fly and on the field and adjust on defense. We lost that last year, get that back and the defense will take another step forward.
