What Players are Key to a Successful 2011 Season?

FightingIrishLover7

FightingIrishLover7

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With the indefinite suspension of Michael Floyd, I was wondering who you guys thought would be key to a successful 2011 season.

My Two Cents.

Offensively,

1) Cierre Wood - There is no secret that running the ball is key to success in football, but with the departure of Allen and Hughes, Cierre has a big role to fill.

2) The QB - Not sure who will win the competition, but whoever does will need to play well and lead this team to success. Kelly needs a QB, and he'll find the right one.

Defensively,

1) Manti Teo - All he needs to do is continue to dominate, while gradually get better and better. He can lead this defense.

2)Louis Nix - What's the most important position in a 3-4 defense imo? The nose tackle. With Ian Williams departing, Nix must step up and be he man. Kelly questions his endurance, hopefully he can get more plays in with Sean Cwynar and Tyler Stockton tagging in for him.

What are your opinions?
 
Riddickulous

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Offense:

- The OL: They have the size. Now I want to see some huge holes for the running backs.
- The QB: Obvious.
- Theo Riddick: Without Floyd, he will need to take a bigger role.

Defense:

- EVERYONE!!!!!
 
Ironman8

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Secondary wise, would love for either Lo or Bennett to really step up and be a quality 3rd CB for us this spring. Will be a tough initial transition for Bennett but I think he has all the tools to be very good. I'm also looking for Slaughter to have a big year, hopefully staying healthy.
 
J

johnnykillz

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"What Players are Key to a Successful 2011 Season?"

The rhetorical question.


Now, the obvious answer:

ALL of them.
 
Ironman8

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Tweet from Tyler Stockton. If he could step up on the D-line and create some quality, impactful depth, I will be a really happy man.

tstock92 Tyler Stockton

My life couldn't get better. I live the best life ever #springball
Click to expand...
 
irishandy

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Just to name a few (I made a top 15 list of players who need to have an impact in spring for a successfull season).
On defense:
Aaron Lynch and Louis Nix- both important to our front 7 who can quickly get to the ball and stop the run.

On offense:
Tyler Eifert- he fills in big shoes with Rudy gone and competition for TE should be tough with Alex Welch and Ben Koyack competing for playing time.
Andrew Hendrix- if Crist goes down, I see Hendrix taking over. Hendrix needs to be ready when called upon and not look like our back up QB's last year.

My other players include: Dayne Crist, Darius Fleming, Cierre Wood, Chris Watt, Kendall Moore, Ishaq Williams, Theo Riddick, Jonas Gray, Everett Golson, Harrison Smith, and David Ruffer.
 
IrishLax

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On defense its Zeke Motta/Jamoris Slaughter: If either one of them pulls a Harrison Smith of the last couple games and transforms into a heady playmaker our defense is going to be outrageously good. Fleming, Te'o, Cwynar, KLM, EJ, Smith, Calabrese, Blanton, Gray are all known commodities and we know whoever ends up at the other OLB spot is going to be good. Along those same lines, you have to think EJ or KLM really taking the next step towards being a difference maker would also be huge for us. With Nix you know that Cwynar is VERY solid so if he beats out Cwynar then you know he's on the path to being a four year starting stud, and if he doesn't then you know we're still in very good shape. So you have to think the play of our other safety and our #3 QB is going to make or break whether this is an elite defense or very good defense.

On offense it is every single freaking WR: Cierre Wood is already playing solid and should get only better, our OL is (mostly) a bunch of vets, our TE situation is great. Our WRs are a huge question mark besides in the slot. TJ Jones, Goodman, Walker, Smith and Massa all have a lot to prove and need to take it to the next level. Being a serviceable or "solid" player is no longer good enough... you have to be dominant. Right now I'm not convinced any of them have that take-over-the-game skill set... but I'm anxiously waiting to be proven wrong.
 
Ironman8

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Another Stockton quote:

tstock92 Tyler Stockton

The journey to a great season begins tommorrow! Time to go to work! I'm ready to compete! #goirish
Click to expand...
 
G

GBdomer

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Deion Walker, and Zeke Motta. No doubt i believe those two positions are an area of uncertainty. I also think punting the ball will be a big part of this spring practice. Every time Ben Turk punted the ball last year i closed my eyes.
 
IrishInFl

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It was nice to see Golson with an option pitch. He may find his way on the field.
 
aubeirish

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Yea, looks like they are giving reps equally to all four. Nothing we didn't expect I guess.
 
rtrn2glory

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TerryTate said:
Defense got me fired up on that video clip on und.com
Click to expand...

Agreed

Couple things I noticed:

1.KLM, looks huge maybe just me, but he definitely benefitted from the winter workouts
2.Lynch looks already to be in the two deep, pretty impressive for a guy with no snaps.
3.Offense is very naked without Floyd out there.
4.Hendrix looks like a stud, and I've never been on his bandwagon, but he looks like a gorilla in pads and a load to take down.

Really excited about today's practice and looking forward to more.

Again, hate to be annoying, but anybody with a remote idea on a a time table for a ruling on Floyd?? This has really bugged me the last few days...thanks for the help
 
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jason_h537

jason_h537

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rtrn2glory said:
4.Hendrix looks like a stud, and I've never been on his bandwagon, but he looks like a gorilla in pads and a load to take down.

Really excited about today's practice and looking forward to more.

Again, hate to be annoying, but anybody with a remote idea on a a time table for a ruling on Floyd?? This has really bugged me the last few days...thanks for the help
Click to expand...

No timetable on Floyd and Hendrix is fighting an uphill battle. Rees and Crist are running the Ones and from reports i have read both are clearly way ahead
 
jason_h537

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Offense
QB: Obviously
RB: Jonas Gray? Cam Roberson, we need quality depth at TB to protect the QB

Deefense
NT: Louis Nix and Cwyner are very important
CB: Robert Blanton needs his swagger back and there is no proven player in the 2nd tean
 
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