Starting Line up Predictions for next year..

[Irishknight1023]

Is Nuss an offensive line or defensive lineman? He's listed as a d-lineman and he has a very good frame for a 3-4 end.

----He started there this year out of need, but during the course of the season Weis moved him back to his expected college position in OL.

 

[piyachi]

Safeties - fair enough
Williams - It's not a knock on Kuntz, but it seems the move was out of necessity to put him at NT... we shall see
5th years - It was posted over at rocks house, just took their word for it, so yea I guess it is only opinion - maybe the presser will give some answers - oh and we do need Brown, so good call
big stew - so hard to tell where he lands with the 'horizontal depth'

Grimes, despite the drops had 10 catches in the last 3 games as opposed to Parris' 5 - doesn't prove much but he looked more the part of a starter to me

 

[jonesman]

Piyachi,
Great job on your line-up. I believe you are about right on. As for some of the rebuttles that Irishknight gave. Here is a little info for you. One CW did state that Kuntz is moving to DE which we expected and Ian will man the middle. He is much more of a natural NT than Kuntz. Second, Grimes is way outperforming Parris. He made some great catches at Duke and Stanford. Do you remember the diving TD catch at Duke made by Grimes?? How about Parris' drop for a sure first down at Duke that killed a drive?? Sorry, Parris played himself out of the lineup. As for safety, CW also said that we Harrison Smith was performing exceptionally in practice and will be on the field alot in 2008.

 

[crazyman33]

Just thought I'd bump this thread back up. Does Deion crack the starting lineup? Can Floyd?

 

[Mattmags]

i hate to predict freshman starters before they have really proven themselves in practice and so forth, but i honestly do see floyd starting in the first game. if not, he will see a lot of early playing time. other players i think will eventually start later in the season to injuries and so forth but floyd is the only one i can see starting right now.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

'Starting' is such a relative term when you are talking about WR's, it all depends on the formations you run to open the game. Seeing Floyd in person, he is big and fast NOW. Seeing him blow by Cissoko looked effortless. He will see the field a lot, although he technically may not 'start' out of respect for (and talent, by the way) Grimes. At least not right away. Can you imagine what A-HA (combo homage to 80's 1-hit wonders as well as nifty acronym for our RB trio),Ragone and Tate could do with the middle of the field with Floyd and Kamara on the ends? Not to mention Deion Walker (whom I admit I know nothing about-I am putting the replay of the UA game on DVR tonight), Parris, and the like.

I know we are all repeating the same thoughts in our own different way, but it's exciting. It's hard to look at that 2008 schedule and not go 'Hmmm........,' now isn't it?

Now about that D....

 

[Irishknight1023]

By the first game no freshman will be starting IMO. Duval emerged toward the end of the year and he was rated just as high and his ceiling is just as high. Golden made freakish catches and with another year in the system he'll become a more reliable WR. Parris went through alot of growing pains, but still was the most productive this season. Grimes had the dropsies toward the end of the year, but I see him being a #3 guy this year and a very solid one. Everytime West is out there he makes a nice play. Not to mention the guys who haven't seen the field yet. I'd say Floyd will have to do exactly what Kamara had to do this year which is work his way up as the year progress, especially if he's not an EE. I for one think and have thought that Floyd is another notch above Deion so I don't think Deion will overtake anybody, not in the beginning anyway. Goodman will be the truth, but I don't see him starting as a frosh.

 

[tko]

maybe some of this talent can be on special teams and give us some upside there. charlie needs to visit blacksburg for some special teams lessons.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

By the first game no freshman will be starting IMO. Duval emerged toward the end of the year and he was rated just as high and his ceiling is just as high. Golden made freakish catches and with another year in the system he'll become a more reliable WR. Parris went through alot of growing pains, but still was the most productive this season. Grimes had the dropsies toward the end of the year, but I see him being a #3 guy this year and a very solid one. Everytime West is out there he makes a nice play. Not to mention the guys who haven't seen the field yet. I'd say Floyd will have to do exactly what Kamara had to do this year which is work his way up as the year progress, especially if he's not an EE. I for one think and have thought that Floyd is another notch above Deion so I don't think Deion will overtake anybody, not in the beginning anyway. Goodman will be the truth, but I don't see him starting as a frosh.

I don't think the learning curve will be as high with the incoming crop of WR's as it was with Duval and Golden, IK. Charlie was trying to install an entirely new offense with a different style of QB to open the season in 2007, one that did not involve many go-up-and get-em-type plays that DK and Golden excel in. We are not going to have to worry about the what-ifs of 2008. We know we are going to have a pocket passer with a big arm, and the playbook will be written to take advantage of that.

Agreed that a freshman probably will not start in the opener. All the same, that's the game where we need to get our key freshmen some minutes. Floyd and D-Walk 2:Electric Boogaloo may get a few opportunities to open the year.

 

[Echo Insanity]

the player i am most anxious to see come next year is golden tate. the sky is the limit for him if he can become a more smooth route runner.