True Freshman- Redshirt or Play?

[Drew]

I have no idea on any of this and I think ideally Diaco would like to redshirt everyone that comes in but I'm gonna give it a guess. Having said that I could see the following play out:

Some form of game action this year: Tahj Herring, Jay Rose, Eddie Hahn, Nick Zecchino, Quayvon Skanes and possibly AJ Garson

Most likely Redshirts IMO: Cam DeGeorge, Donovan Williams, Nate Hopkins, Ryan Gilmartin, Noel Brouse, Nino Leone, Ja'Kevious Vickers, Tyler Coyle, Keyion Dixon, Brett Graham

 

[TheDoggPound]

I don't think Vickers or Hopkins are getting redshirted, Marriner transferring sort of forces them to suit up earlier out of necessity.

Eddie Hahn will likely be RS candidate. Dixon and Skanes are our #5, 6 WR. They both likely don't RS.

 

[TheDoggPound]

Forgot about Lemelle and I suppose Coney would be ahead of them as well so nix what I said about the WR, but Skanes has an outside chance for returning purposes probably. I personally want Dixon on the field asap though.

 

[Excalibur]

I don't think Vickers or Hopkins are getting redshirted, Marriner transferring sort of forces them to suit up earlier out of necessity.

I would think that one will redshirt but not both.

 

[Exit 4]

Whoever can return punts will get on the field. We might need an RB to step up and we may see a true frosh play corner. That would be my guess for this year. I'm excited about many of these kids, most notably Vickers, Skanes, Hopkins and Coyle.

My darkhorse kid is Donaldson for PR.

 

[TheDoggPound]

I would think that one will redshirt but not both.

Maybe so but we would be 1 injury away from burning who ever does get RS'd out of the 2 of them (which is likely to be Vickers).

 

[rich1122]

I don't think Vickers or Hopkins are getting redshirted, Marriner transferring sort of forces them to suit up earlier out of necessity.

Eddie Hahn will likely be RS candidate. Dixon and Skanes are our #5, 6 WR. They both likely don't RS.

Agreed here. We have 2 RB's. That's it. We are a running team. Maybe both Frosh in the mix.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

These are all wild guesses but if I had to guess, Skanes has the best opportunity to get on the field as a punt returner.

 

[Lewconn]

IMO - Nick Zecchino, Quayvon Skanes and either Hopkins or Vickers will for sure be playing this year...

 

[Excalibur]

Maybe so but we would be 1 injury away from burning who ever does get RS'd out of the 2 of them (which is likely to be Vickers).

Agree that a single injury changes things entirely. Absent that injury I just feel like the staff will want to keep the red shirt on one of these guys , probably Vickers.

 

[kris1]

Agreed here. We have 2 RB's. That's it. We are a running team. Maybe both Frosh in the mix.

I think Jason Thompson will be the next man up at the RB position behind Newsome and Johnson.

 

[Palatine]

If a freshman is good enough to start, you owe it to the team to play him.

The most likely to play are guys who ca make a difference to special teams, Skanes and Zecchino.

 

[ktuck911]

I have no idea on any of this and I think ideally Diaco would like to redshirt everyone that comes in but I'm gonna give it a guess. Having said that I could see the following play out:

Some form of game action this year: Tahj Herring, Jay Rose, Eddie Hahn, Nick Zecchino, Quayvon Skanes and possibly AJ Garson

Most likely Redshirts IMO: Cam DeGeorge, Donovan Williams, Nate Hopkins, Ryan Gilmartin, Noel Brouse, Nino Leone, Ja'Kevious Vickers, Tyler Coyle, Keyion Dixon, Brett Graham

I'd swap Hopkins and Garson... Hopkins is now the biggest RB we have... and with us losing Marriner, if he shows will in Fall camp, he's easily gonna get some carries... I'd go even farther and throw our RB true frosth, Vickers, in the mix... same situation for him.. he shows well in the Fall, he'll see the field... We're too thin depth chart wise at RB not to potentially get these young pups into live game action... I don't see any of the walk on RBs playing... if they play they should have a scholly...

I just looked at our RB depth chart... We have ONLY 4 scholly RBs... 4... They're all playing....

44 bartone rick Rick Bartone 70 5-10/203 Running Back 1 FR Derby, Conn. Derby (walk-on)
11 hopkins nate Nate Hopkins 73 6-1/225 Running Back 1 FR Flower Mound, Texas Marcus
3 johnson ron Ron Johnson 71 5-11/220 Running Back 5 JR Naples, Fla. Palmetto Ridge
22 newsome arkeel Arkeel Newsome 67 5-7/185 Running Back 5 JR Ansonia, Conn. Ansonia
48 thompson jason Jason Thompson 67 5-7/185 Running Back 4 RS SO Shelton, Conn. Shelton (walk-on)
24 vickers ja'kevious Ja'Kevious Vickers 70 5-10/193 Running Back 1 FR Belle Glade, Fla. Gales Central
28 wilson tahj-anthony Tahj-Anthony Wilson 70 5-10/214 Running Back 2 RS FR Long Island, N.Y. Valley Stream South (walk-on)

 

[ktuck911]

I think Jason Thompson will be the next man up at the RB position behind Newsome and Johnson.

no way.. He better have a scholly before week 1 if that happens

 

[ktuck911]

Forgot about Lemelle and I suppose Coney would be ahead of them as well so nix what I said about the WR, but Skanes has an outside chance for returning purposes probably. I personally want Dixon on the field asap though.

If all goes well for him in camp, I predict Lemelle will finish out his playing career here in the slot providing production we thought we'd see from him by now... SR year, you stuck around, nows your time to finish strong young man...

 

[Excalibur]

no way.. He better have a scholly before week 1 if that happens

Thompson's bio shows him as having earned a scholarship.

 

[huskymedic]

no way.. He better have a scholly before week 1 if that happens

Thompson's bio shows him as having earned a scholarship.

K - not sure I understand the thought process but in any respect, Excalibur is correct. JT received his scholarship at the end of winter conditioning along w/ Vitale, Rishell and Marinan.

 

[ktuck911]

Thompson's bio shows him as having earned a scholarship.

OK, make that 5 scholly RBs... I still predict all 5 will play (barring injury), but I hope our 3 veterans kill it so we can redshirt at least one of the true froshes...

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

These are all wild guesses but if I had to guess, Skanes has the best opportunity to get on the field as a punt returner.

*fair catcher. You could put Mykal Myers out there to "return punts" for all it matters. Don't really see burning a redshirt for that sole purpose.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

*fair catcher. You could put Mykal Myers out there to "return punts" for all it matters. Don't really see burning a redshirt for that sole purpose.

Well I'm hopeful that we have solved some of the depth issues across the entire roster to field an adequate PR unit this year. And if Skanes is up to the task he'd be the first competent PR since Nick Williams. Last year we didn't compete on specials because we:

A) didn't have the depth

B) didn't have a competent returner

and

C) our style of play wasn't conducive to taking risks in the PR given A and B

 

[ktuck911]

Well I'm hopeful that we have solved some of the depth issues across the entire roster to field an adequate PR unit this year. And if Skanes is up to the task he'd be the first competent PR since Nick Williams. Last year we didn't compete on specials because we:

A) didn't have the depth

B) didn't have a competent returner

and

C) our style of play wasn't conducive to taking risks in the PR given A and B

+++10000000%

We NEED a return game, plain and simple... We can match up with the opposing teams at the other phases all game long, but without this, this determine whether we can potential finish with at least 7 wins, possibly more, or no more than 6 tops... I don't think I can take a 2nd year in a row with us simply having a guy stand back there for punts to fair catch the football, nothing more... That was kinda embarrassing to say the least...

 

[ktuck911]

*Don't really see burning a redshirt for that sole purpose.

I do.. that was one of our Achilles' heal these past few seasons under HCBD

 

[ktuck911]

Hey, does anybody know how Tyler Davis is coming along? He's one kid I've rooted for from the start but lost track of him... When he committed he pretty much rallied the other recruits in his class together... He got an early jump on campus and has now been thru 2 Spring Practices while basically being only a RS Frosh... I'm hoping he starts making some noise in the coming season, just in case....

 

[Drew]

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Hey, does anybody know how Tyler Davis is coming along? He's one kid I've rooted for from the start but lost track of him... When he committed he pretty much rallied the other recruits in his class together... He got an early jump on campus and has now been thru 2 Spring Practices while basically being only a RS Frosh... I'm hoping he starts making some noise in the coming season, just in case....

Looks like you got your wish with this one.