Roster/Performance Predictions

[bmayuc]

Ok, time for the yearly guesses that I can look back on from Section 229 and laugh at in December.

Position Group - STARTER, backup... GRADE: low/high

QBs- BRYANT SHIRREFFS, tim boyle, garrett anderson, tyler davis(RS)

I believe that Shirreffs will be a breath of fresh air, effective in the passing game, good in space and rollouts, and excellent keeping drives alive with his feet. Boyle/Anderson act as backups in some capacity, and Davis redshirts and holds a clipboard. GRADE: C+/B-(and everyone does backflips for that)

TBs - RON JOHNSON, arkeel newsome, josh marriner
FB - JAZZMAR CLAX

I think RJ will get 70% of the carries, and arkeel(draws, screens, stretch) and Marriner(3rd down protection, random series) will have very clear roles cut out for them. And I think this group will be very, very good this year. They fit well together, and if they hang onto the ball, will provide us with some serious stability over the next couple years. Jazzmar Clax, as always, provides us with the best name in the game on our roster, as well as stable blocking. Somehow, he is only a RS Jr, though I feel like he has been on campus since I graduated in '07. GRADE: B/B+

WRX - NOEL THOMAS, hergy mayala, frank battle(rs)
WRZ - THOMAS LUCAS, tyraeq beals, aaron mcclean(rs)
SLOT - DHAMEER BRADLEY, Brian Lemelle

I have no idea. This year feels like one of those that will be spectacular at times, with some really bone-headed drops as well. I love Thomas, and think he breaks out and physically dominates at times. But behind that, a lot of question marks. We have heard good things about beals/bradley, which is good because we need options. Lets call this how it is: A complete mystery position. GRADE: D+/C+

TE - TOMMY MYERS, alec bloom, zordan holman, dallas parker(rs)

We have gone from a real shortage here to a well-stocked cabinet quickly. Myers is a good blocker but has had some pretty easy drops last year. Bloom can really catch, as well. But expect serious progression physically from him and bloom. I see alot of size and athleticism in this group, and hope someone really grabs the reins. A good TE is a lifesaver for the QB. We've heard Holman and Parker will play, but I just don't know where they find the snaps. I think one of those two RS this year. Just like the WR, who knows what we get realistically here, so I'll give them a pretty wide range. GRADE: C-/B-

RT - KNAPPE, hopkins, peart(rs)
RG - HASHEMI, shafenaker
C - VECHERY, bokeloh
LG - RUTHERFORD, rugg
LT - LEVY, hopkins, cespedes(rs)

Well, can't be as bad as last year, right? What's that, our best OLineman graduated? Wait, we also lost our most promising young lineman to a season-ending knee injury already? Oh, he was also the Center and anchor of our line, and now we are shuffling people around to compensate? All jokes aside, I expect good progression from the Tackle spots, as Thor and Levy are entrenched and have experience. As for the middle, well, lets hope that Mr. Balis is worth the praise everyone is giving him. If we can at least gain an identity as a tough, aggressive run-blocking team, I'll be satisfied. Need an identity to build from. GRADE: D/C

DE - COLE ORMSBY, kenton adeymi
DT - JULIAN CAMPENNI, mikal myers, felton blackwell(rs)
DE - FOLEY FATUKASI, dan ryslik, phillipe okounam(rs)
OLB/DE - LUKE CARREZOLA, cameron stapleton, nazir williams(rs)

I am really buoyed by this group. The DTs all the way down the line appear to be keepers with good class distribution, size, and skill. Campenni/Foley/Myers will be the best interior in the league, period. If Ormsby/Carrezola/Stapleton/Whoever can be a presence rushing the passer, we have the makings of a stalwart line. I think that guy is Carrezola. He's huge, and can really move. GRADE: B+/A

WLB - GRAHAM STEWART, vontae diggs
ILB - JUNIOR JOSEPH, jon hicks, william richardson(rs)
ILB - MARQUIS VANN, matt walsh, chris britton

Rock Solid. We have done a great job developing depth at LB, while carving out roles very well. Joseph is so instinctive that he is fun to watch, while Vann is just a rock and Graham Stewart just plays like a madman, for better or worse. By rotating in Vontae Diggs, who is crazy athletic, and Matt Walsh, we should stay very fresh all game, a problem the past couple years. If(big if) Stewart/Diggs can generate pressure off the edge while not giving up contain too often, this group could be our best set of LB since the days of younger SIO Moore. here's to hoping. GRADE: B-/B+

FS - OBI MELINFONWU, ellis marder, marshe terry(rs)
SS - ANDREW ADAMS, junior lee, anthony watkins
CB - JAMAR SUMMERS, brice mccallister, aaron garland(rs)
CB - JHAVON WILLIAMS, javon hadley, john robinson(rs)
Nickel - JOHN GREEN, javon hadley

Safeties will be the best, hands down, in our league. Obi is figuring it out in the pass game after being roasted early last year. and he is a straight terror when he's coming downhill in run support. opposing RB/WR better keep their head on a swivel. Andrew Adams is my favorite player on this team. All instinct, all energy. He's our playmaker this year. Throw in a bevy of talented and experienced CBs, and this group has plenty of upside. If the Offense can give them more of a break, and we can find some pass rush, watch out. I think Summers will be all-league this year, FWIW. because of the variables, this group also gets a wide performance range, though because of the excellent of the safeties IMHO they start pretty high. GRADE: B-/A-

P - WAIN, puyol
K - PUYOL, tarbutt
KOS - TARBUTT

Its going to be a wild year with this group. Our kickers are either unproven, or proven inconsistent.
GRADE: D/C

KR - ARKEEL NEWSOME, john green
PR - ARKEEL NEWSOME, brian lemelle

We are in good hands. Tough, fast, shifty, good vision. GRADE: B-/B+


Summary - Just working out all the grades below.

OFFENSE Performance Range : C- (1.86) to B- (2.6)

DEFENSE Worst Case GRADE: B- (2.9) to A- (3.7)


SPECIALS Grade Range: C- (1.8) to B- (2.6)

 

[huskymedic]

Nice write-up.

 

[sportsart]

If your predictions for our defense hold true, and we don't give away too much on offense with turnovers, I think they will be the reason we win 5-6 games.

By the time our leagues schedule starts I think the defense will be a very good one.

 

[Tdaley]

Where is Tyler Samra? He will be one of the starting guards.

 

[Palatine]

How much 3-4 will we play this year? What does the 3-4 front seven look like?

 

[huskysupporter]

Quarterback: D with upside. We have nothing to go by with Shireffs. Could be a flop could be very good.

Running Back: A. Love this group. Iron Johnson moves the chains and Arkeel Newsome is going to be the lightning to Johnsons thunder. Really think Graham Stewart should move to FB where he would thrive

Wide Receiver: D. I like Thomas, but he needs help.

Tight End: F. Blocking was abhorrent last year, and the pass catching was inconsistent. We desparately need a TE who can block. Catching would be gravy.

O Line: F. Show me something. Knappe and Samra improved last couple of games, but this unit needs to show consistency. Too many breakdowns.

D Line: A + Depth and versatility here. I an really excited about this group.

Linebackers: D. Way to inconsistent, way too many mental errors. Need to maintain their responsibilities.

Defensive Backs: D. Adams should be even better, but OBI continued to take horrible angles and got burnt often (move him to OLB!!!!). Corners have potential. This grade could go way up.

 

[SubbaBub]

QB should be judged solely on turnovers and completion percentage. Anything less than 8 and over 60% is tremendous. I'd settle for under 10 and over 55%

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I think your OL projections are off. I think it will be something like this:

RT - Knappe, Hashemi
LG - Samra, Rugg
C - Vechery, Oak
RG - Hopkins, Rutherford
LT - Levy, Gifford?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

You want a quick explanation of our offensive woes since 2009?

OL Recruits by year:

2010 - Cruz, Hansson, McKee, Paull
2011 - Gifford, Hemingway, Nwokeji
2012 - Bryan, Levy, Rugg, Samra
2013 - Hopkins, Schafenacker, Wright

Only Cruz, Levy, and Samra played competent minutes on the OLine. Jury is still out on Hopkins. All of the others either never saw the field, couldn't play, left school, or never set foot on campus.

3 out of 14 recruits on the OL in the last 4 recruiting cycles panned out. I don't care if you have Andrew Luck throwing to Dez Bryant, you're not winning with that.

 

[mikedog10]

Great write-up!

WLB - GRAHAM STEWART, vontae diggs
ILB - JUNIOR JOSEPH, jon hicks, william richardson(rs)
ILB - MARQUIS VANN, matt walsh, chris britton

Rock Solid. We have done a great job developing depth at LB, while carving out roles very well. Joseph is so instinctive that he is fun to watch, while Vann is just a rock and Graham Stewart just plays like a madman, for better or worse. By rotating in Vontae Diggs, who is crazy athletic, and Matt Walsh, we should stay very fresh all game, a problem the past couple years. If(big if) Stewart/Diggs can generate pressure off the edge while not giving up contain too often, this group could be our best set of LB since the days of younger SIO Moore. here's to hoping. GRADE: B-/B+

You mean when Sio and Yawin were learning from Lutrus, 'Bama, and Greg Llyod Jr? It's astounding how good that LB core was, if these guys can close to that, we'll be in great shape!

 

[Nostical]

Nice work but under-graded. This team will destroy on defense. Obi will blossom and dominate. He'll be next year's draft version of Byron Jones. Our O is better than you graded and much better than our opponents expect to see. Watch what happens vs Nova, then come back and regrade.

 

[UConn9604]

I agree with the RB analysis -- but that begs the question, what about Max DeLorenzo? Where does he fit in (if anywhere)?

 

[RedStickHusky]

I have a suspicion Brian Lemelle's going to be the guy that steps up to complement Thomas - IF - we can keep Shirreffs upright.

 

[weyuo]

You want a quick explanation of our offensive woes since 2009?

OL Recruits by year:

2010 - Cruz, Hansson, McKee, Paull
2011 - Gifford, Hemingway, Nwokeji
2012 - Bryan, Levy, Rugg, Samra
2013 - Hopkins, Schafenacker, Wright

Only Cruz, Levy, and Samra played competent minutes on the OLine. Jury is still out on Hopkins. All of the others either never saw the field, couldn't play, left school, or never set foot on campus.

3 out of 14 recruits on the OL in the last 4 recruiting cycles panned out. I don't care if you have Andrew Luck throwing to Dez Bryant, you're not winning with that.

And...... so far this recruiting cycle, not one O-lineman has verballed. It's almost September!

 

[TheDoggPound]

Pretty good write up but Atkins and Lawley are missing at DE - they figure to get some solid PT this season.

 

[Excalibur]

You want a quick explanation of our offensive woes since 2009?

OL Recruits by year:

2010 - Cruz, Hansson, McKee, Paull
2011 - Gifford, Hemingway, Nwokeji
2012 - Bryan, Levy, Rugg, Samra
2013 - Hopkins, Schafenacker, Wright

Only Cruz, Levy, and Samra played competent minutes on the OLine. Jury is still out on Hopkins. All of the others either never saw the field, couldn't play, left school, or never set foot on campus.

3 out of 14 recruits on the OL in the last 4 recruiting cycles panned out. I don't care if you have Andrew Luck throwing to Dez Bryant, you're not winning with that.

That pretty much sums it up. At every other position group, there is at least some reasonable chance that we can get a competent level of play or be as good at or better than we were at the same spot last year. At OL, we are reduced to crossing our fingers and hoping that we improve, and if it doesn't, any improvements at other positions likely won't matter.

 

[Bonehead]

Deshon Foxx (Lynchburg, Va.) was named the Offensive Player of the Year - 2014
Andrew Adams (Fayetteville, Ga.) was named the Defensive Player of the Year - 2014

2015 Predictions
Offense - Ron Johnson (I just liked the way he ran last year and with a year at this level (game slows down a bit) and a little better OL play, I can see big things, especially if QB play is not up to par, which is still a ?.

2014: Played in all 12 games, starting five at tailback as a true freshman...led UConn with 429 yards rushing and three touchdowns...capped the season with 101 yards on the ground and a touchdown vs. SMU (Dec. 6)...punched in two goal-line scores in a win over UCF (Nov. 1)...recorded a season-long 11-yard reception vs. BYU (Aug. 29)...carried eight times for 37 yards vs. Temple (Sept. 27)...posted a season-best 23-yard carry at Tulane (Oct. 11)...rushed six times for 48 yards at Army (Nov. 8)...posted 67 yards on the ground at Memphis (Nov. 29).

Defense - Tough one - Marquise Vann - He was a leader last year and I expect it again this year.

2014: Started all 12 games at linebackers...led the Huskies with 105 tackles...added seven tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks...opened the season with 11 tackles vs. BYU (Aug. 29)...posted nine tackles and 1.5 TFL vs. Stony Brook (Sept. 6)...set career-highs with 14 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss at USF (Sept. 19)...notched 10 tackles at No. 18 East Carolina...had nine stops, 1.5 TFL and 0.5 sacks in the win over UCF (Nov. 1)..had nine tackles and forced a fumble in the season finale vs. SMU (Dec. 6).

 

[businesslawyer]

The entire Offense is a question mark.

The question on D is can we generate any semblance of a pass rush (because we haven't for two years since Trevardo and Sio graduated). If we can get pressure on the QB our D could be really good. And it will have to be.

I am finding it hard to be optimistic in the short term. I'm hoping that the damage P did can start to be undone, but I fear it will be a much longer process.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Junior Joseph said last year was the first he ever played LB.

 

[Sportsman5]

The entire Offense is a question mark.

The question on D is can we generate any semblance of a pass rush (because we haven't for two years since Trevardo and Sio graduated). If we can get pressure on the QB our D could be really good. And it will have to be.

I am finding it hard to be optimistic in the short term. I'm hoping that the damage P did can start to be undone, but I fear it will be a much longer process.

to define that even further I would say the question is whether or not the D line can be as dominant as it has the potential to be. If so, then that opens the door for linebackers to make plays or for the team to drop extra guys into coverage. For this team I think D line is as important for the defense as the oline is for the offense. their success massively effects the rest of the team.

 

[rich1122]

That pretty much sums it up. At every other position group, there is at least some reasonable chance that we can get a competent level of play or be as good at or better than we were at the same spot last year. At OL, we are reduced to crossing our fingers and hoping that we improve, and if it doesn't, any improvements at other positions likely won't matter.

Have to admit that the second half of the season we were much better, especially protecting he QB. I see good things with another year of practice and conditioning

 

[HomeKing93]

Just beat me to it - in the second half of the 2014 season, the sacks allowed went way down. Only 5 in the last 6 games. I hope Cummings will have these guys ready to go to start the season.

 

[bmayuc]

I think your OL projections are off. I think it will be something like this:

RT - Knappe, Hashemi
LG - Samra, Rugg
C - Vechery, Oak
RG - Hopkins, Rutherford
LT - Levy, Gifford?

We'll see... I guess I basically think they will try to get the best 5 guys on the field, somehow. Either way, whoever is out there in whatever position needs to bring the nasty

 

[bmayuc]

Pretty good write up but Atkins and Lawley are missing at DE - they figure to get some solid PT this season.

Maybe, I guess I just haven't heard enough about them, and we are pretty stacked at the position... Gotta figure 90% of the snaps will go to Foley/Carrezola/Stapleton

 

[bmayuc]

How much 3-4 will we play this year? What does the 3-4 front seven look like?

I've written it both ways. the second DE/OLB position, manned by Reuben Frank, should be Carrezola/Stapleton. 3-4 they stand up, 4-3 they put a hand on the ground.