'08 GA DT Omar Hunter (Florida Verbal)

[johnnd05]

That would pretty much mean williams is replacing Laws.

No, it would mean that Williams was replacing Kuntz, and Kuntz replacing Laws.

I see plenty of "potential" in Hunter as well, just not potential to start as a true freshman.

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

Let's face it guys, enough about Omar this, and Omar that.... he's winning 3 Heismans in his career and that is only because he is going pro in his 4th!!

 

[mikejND]

I'll say this... If Omar doesn't start, there better be some new and improved defensive line play from the other guys in the spring.

 

[johnnd05]

I'll say this... If Omar doesn't start, there better be some new and improved defensive line play from the other guys in the spring.

Sorry to drag this on and on, but ... when you demand "new and improved defensive line play from the other guys", do you mean Kuntz and Williams, the two guys currently at the top of the depth chart at Omar's position? I think they've clearly played well enough to keep themselves ahead of a true freshman, especially one who won't even be an early enrollee.

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

I think Kuntz and Williams have done a GREAT job thus far, and I honestly think Omar will not start because John is right about growing into your body and a position... however, even on the bench I still think Omar wins the Heisman.... and if he doesn't, then the Heisman ballots are rigged.

 

[Get Nasty]

JohnB......

Ok answer this then. If Kuntz and Brown are not part of the problem who is because our defense other then UCLA and PSU has been pretty terrible? I think Kuntz and Brown are part of the problem with john ryan, brockington, zibby, and somewhat lambert.


Don't attempt to use a new defense as an excuse because that is BS. We can't tackle, we can't make plays behind the LOS other than our frosh or Laws That has very little to do with a defensive scheme and more with winning 1 on 1 battles.

 

[Get Nasty]

Also, you said it is more like Kuntz replacing Laws and Williams replacing Kuntz. From your logic that means we have a significant downgrade at 2 DL positions from this year. Our D-line is already pretty bad so we are in real trouble on the line. I believe Hunter would be an upgrade from day 1 over Brown, kuntz would be a loss moving to the edge replacing laws, and we would in my opinion improve with Williams at NT. I know Hunter is a nose tackle but you get the best players on the field. He is just as athletic and strong as brown but weights 40lbs more and a much better 1st step. How can you keep that off the field. The DLine in the 3-4 is not very complicated, it should not take hunter long to know the plays.

 

[mikejND]

Get Nasty I completely agree. I just don't see a legitimate argument that would keep him from playing A LOT of minutes. I think Ian Williams has a bright future, but Omar Hunter steps on campus as our most talented defensive lineman. He was once clocked as running a 4.7 forty. And I won't get into strength numbers for Johnny's sake. I do understand the arguments, but our run defense is horrible right now, not to mention we're losing Laws. I'm just not confident from what I've seen right now. Ian Williams is very productive, and so is Pat Kuntz, but they are not doing what the NT is supposed to do in the defense. But Omar has to be on the field.

 

[johnnd05]

JohnB......

Ok answer this then. If Kuntz and Brown are not part of the problem who is because our defense other then UCLA and PSU has been pretty terrible? I think Kuntz and Brown are part of the problem with john ryan, brockington, zibby, and somewhat lambert.

Don't attempt to use a new defense as an excuse because that is BS. We can't tackle, we can't make plays behind the LOS other than our frosh or Laws That has very little to do with a defensive scheme and more with winning 1 on 1 battles.

I take it that I'm supposed to be JohnB, so ...

OF COURSE Kuntz and Brown (and Hand and Stephenson) are part of the problem. That's been the point behind my arguing that despite the fact that Kuntz has played really well, he's been UNDERSIZED and OUT OF POSITION and will benefit from a move to defensive end. The nose guard in a 3-4 is supposed to be huge, and Kuntz is a good 30 lbs. under where he needs to be, and so he can't handle being regularly double-teamed by offensive linemen.

Moreover, and to repeat myself once again, the starting lineup I was imagining doesn't have Justin Brown in it, though obviously I could be wrong there. I figured that John Ryan would be the starter at RDE, where he's already played a bit this year and has actually started at least once. So bringing up Brown is really irrelevant to my argument, and in fact is doubly irrelevant because HE DOESN'T PLAY THE SAME POSITION AS HUNTER.

Also, you said it is more like Kuntz replacing Laws and Williams replacing Kuntz. From your logic that means we have a significant downgrade at 2 DL positions from this year. Our D-line is already pretty bad so we are in real trouble on the line. I believe Hunter would be an upgrade from day 1 over Brown, kuntz would be a loss moving to the edge replacing laws, and we would in my opinion improve with Williams at NT. I know Hunter is a nose tackle but you get the best players on the field. He is just as athletic and strong as brown but weights 40lbs more and a much better 1st step. How can you keep that off the field. The DLine in the 3-4 is not very complicated, it should not take hunter long to know the plays.

I don't think that replacing Kuntz with Williams at nose tackle will be a downgrade; in fact I'm pretty sure it will be a substantial improvement, for all the reasons I enumerated above about Kuntz's difficulties. Williams had FIFTEEN TACKLES in the last two games, playing as a backup - he's clearly got the size and the strength to get the job done, and he's also got loads of talent. There's little doubt, though, that Kuntz - or damn near anyone else in college football, for that matter - would be a downgrade from Laws, but whaddaya gonna do when you have to replace an All-American?

IMO, Hunter will see the field in 2008 in very much the same kind of role that Ian Williams has played this year: occasionally spelling the starters, playing in the late stages of blowouts, and being a primary backup in case of injury. That's just about all you can ask from a freshman defensive lineman.

 

[johnnd05]

Get Nasty I completely agree. I just don't see a legitimate argument that would keep him from playing A LOT of minutes. I think Ian Williams has a bright future, but Omar Hunter steps on campus as our most talented defensive lineman. He was once clocked as running a 4.7 forty. And I won't get into strength numbers for Johnny's sake. I do understand the arguments, but our run defense is horrible right now, not to mention we're losing Laws. I'm just not confident from what I've seen right now. Ian Williams is very productive, and so is Pat Kuntz, but they are not doing what the NT is supposed to do in the defense. But Omar has to be on the field.

Mike, I think you're a really good poster, but this kind of statement (the bolded one, that is) is just silly. Aside from a bunch of grainy highlight reels, none of us have even SEEN Hunter play. I have NO DOUBT that he'll be really good, and soon. Nor do I have any doubt that he'll get some significant minutes right off the bat, just like Ian Williams did. But there is NO WAY that he will be "our most talented defensive lineman" right from the start. Sorry, but this is the kind of thinking that had us all expecting Clausen and Allen to lead us to 8-10 wins this year.

 

[mikejND]

Johnny that's a fair assesment, and your probably right. I should've rephrased my words differently when I said talent, I meant athletic ability.

 

[johnnd05]

Johnny that's a fair assesment, and your probably right. I should've rephrased my words differently when I said talent, I meant athletic ability.

Sounds good, and you may be right about that. Williams is pretty damn good too, though.

 

[mikejND]

Also let me say I agree with your lineup of Williams at NT, and Kuntz at Defensive end. I just don't like Ryan's or Brown's work ethic, hopefully they prove me wrong and step up. I put the others in the same boat as Omar, they are unproven until this point.

 

[SoCalDomer]

I agree with John that we need to be careful aobut setting up the incomers as saviors of the program or placing too much expectation on them. I welcome them all to the team and hope each can contribute in addition to get the most out of the experience.

 

[Get Nasty]

JohnND

JohnND

Brown is better than John Ryan at DE so that statement is mute. Ryan is so bad, i just laugh when I see him on the field because I know we have kerry neal behind him not playing. Not going full speed or physical in practice is why players like brockington, ryan, start. THey know where they should be so they are mentally sharp in practice but have no physical talents and get abused during the games.


Kuntz, WIlliams, Hunter has a chance to be good.

Kuntz, Williams, Brown/Ryan has a chance to be close to as good as this years bad dline.

Hunter from day 1 will have more size, strength, speed, quickness than Ryan or Brown and he weighs 40-50 lbs more. The dline in a 3-4 is not complicated so there won't be much of a learning curve for Hunter. I know the speed of the game is different but Ryan and Brown have not adjusted to it and done anything the past 2 years so why do you have hope for those 2 next year?

What really bothers me is whoever is going to replace Zibby next year will have no experience. I don't believe McCarthy other passing nickle situations can play SS and give good run support.

I would like to see a starting lineup of

Kuntz, williams, hunter
Smith, Smith, Crum, Neal
Walls, Bruton, Brown (he is listed at 2), Mcneil/Lambert/Gray (whoever wins that battle)

I remember when John Ryan got offered a scholarship and comitted to ND. The whole cleveland area was shocked because he wasn't even that great in HS. Now that he's starting just shows how bad the d is this year.

 

[mikejND]

I actually really like McCarthy, but I would be okay with Sergio Brown.

 

[SoCalDomer]

I'm not a mod so don't go jumping me here, but let me suggest this discussion is well beyond Omar Hunter at this point. Carry on if you must.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

Ya think?

Socal is absolutely correct, and props. This thread is solely for info/discussion on Omar. Let's try and keep that intact.

 

[SoCalDomer]

I didn't go tattle on you guys, so don't neg rep me. Stoney just seems to follow me around. Something about me being a trouble maker.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

That calls for negative reps.

 

[johnnd05]

Okay, well let me try to focus this on Hunter, then. (I'll leave aside what you say about Ryan, since you may well be right - I've seen some say, though, that he might improve a lot if he's moved to defensive end.)

I think it would be incredibly unwise to (1) start a true freshman along the defensive line, (2) start a true freshman along the defensive line when he's not playing his natural position, and (3) slow a true freshman's development by having him practice and see the field at a position other than the one he was recruited to play. For all those reasons, I don't think Hunter should - or will - be a starter in 2008. I've been wrong plenty of times before, but I have trouble imagining I'm mistaken about this one.

 

[Get Nasty]

I agree 100% that I don't think a true frosh should be starting unless they are out of this world good, and more specifically at a position that isn't their natural spot. BUT, for the sake of the team you have to get the best players on the field, especially when you don't have the experienced talent you would like. Also, i'll take experience at a position close to theirs over no experience and riding the pine.

Look at Young his frosh year at RT, he's a natural LT but played right and I believe that experience will help him in the long run ( I think Weis made a huge mistake not switching him over in spring before this year though, our oline has been jumping back and forth every game so no one has been consistent).

Wenger (natural center, started at guard). I believe the experience he got at guard and the little bit he will now get with sully out at center will be very important for next year even though guard isn't his natural position.

I agree that I wish we wouldn't need Hunter to start from day 1, but I believe we do because of no one to play the 3rd d-line spot succesfully.

If we had experienced players with maybe slightly less talent then Hunter I would take that, I just think Hunter has soo much more talent then Brown or Ryan that he will have to play a lot early. Maybe not start game 1, but be playing solid time game 1, not game 5 or 6 like Williams.

 

[OCIrish]

Let's not forget Cwynar possibly enrolling early, not to mention, Wade putting weight on as well. I think, give these kids another year in the system, they'll improve. Hunter probably won't start at the season's beginning, however, if he's as good as advertised, and he progresses well, who knows. I'm not against playing the best, frosh or not.

 

[johnnd05]

Quote of the week

Quote of the week

(Via the Roundup.)

From a Gainesville Times column in praise of the Buford Wolves, who gave up 89 total yards on Saturday against defending state champ Dublin's vaunted wing-T attack:

I about left the couch when Buford's 310-pound lineman Omar Hunter chased down Dublin's 180-pound quarterback and grabbed him by the back of the jersey for another teammate to come in and finish the tackle.​

See, now THAT'S the kind of kids Notre Dame manages to get: not just physically dominant, but selfless as well. Bring the pain, Omar. Bring the pain.

 

[johnnd05]

Scout has some nice video up of Omar from last week's semi-state game:

<embed src="http://lads.myspace.com/videos/vplayer.swf" flashvars="m=23784271&v=2&type=video" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="430" height="346"></embed>

Damn.

 

[johnnd05]

Man in the middle

Man in the middle

(Via the Roundup.)

Irish commit <strong>Omar Hunter's</strong> Buford (Ga.) Wolves team faces off against Lovett in the class AA state finals on Saturday, and the matchup has been pretty widely discussed in the Georgia media. Here are a couple of the best Hunter-related quotes.

<em>From an AJC <a href="http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/highschool/stories/2007/12/12/hsburford_1213.html" target="_blank">article</a> on the Buford defense:</em>
<blockquote><span class="template"><span class="body">"For every shutout we get, we can come in here the next Monday and brag to the offense," senior defensive tackle Omar Hunter said. "Like, 'Yeah, we get our job done on this side of the ball, and y'all can't even move the ball [from midfield]. We have to give it to you in the red zone.' " </span></span></blockquote>
<em>From a Gainesville Times <a href="http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/article/1902/" target="_blank">column</a> on the Wolves' winning attitude:</em>
<blockquote><font>I'm not entirely sure what I expected from a team on its way to the state championship game, but it wasn't what I saw from the Wolves after the [semifinal] game.</font>

Waiting to do my interviews, I thought the small hallway crammed with teenage football players would be packed wall-to-wall with noise, cheers and the sounds of pads being bumped together in celebration of the statement game to end all statement games.

Instead, a calm, collected group of Buford football players dressed in white jerseys with nary a mark on them walked back to their makeshift locker room and got changed.

Then, the Wolves made their way back out, bags packed, and got ready to watch Lovett and Cook in the day's second game.

Like a hitman researching a mark.

The Wolves left whatever excitement they felt from their most recent win on the field.

"Our goal is not to beat Dublin in the Dome," Wolves senior Omar Hunter said. "It is a state championship."</blockquote>
<font>Good stuff. Get in there and tear it up, Omar!</font>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/highschool/stories/2007/12/12/bufordprep_121209.html"><img src="http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/06/45/05/image_6305456.jpg" height="287" width="410" /></a></p>

 

[NDsuperfan09]

According to the rivals main board he will be visiting Florida Jan 11th. If he switches his commitment he will be rooming with Justin Trattou

 

[KamaraPolice]

Ok, I remember this stuff from last year. As soon as the season ends and the All-American games let kids talk with one another, the rumors go crazy.

So does anyone know how solid Omar is? Is this something that should make someone throw their hat at the wall and kick the desk?

 

[johnnd05]

According to the rivals main board he will be visiting Florida Jan 11th.

Is this for real???

 

[NDsuperfan09]

Is this for real???

Yep, and another guy from the USC site said Omar called their mods saying he will end up somewhere other than ND. Check the Rivals main board.