C-USA Position Previews: Linebackers

[Harry]

North Texas: The Mean Green ranked in the cellar in nearly every defensive category last season. North Texas allowed 40+ in seven of its 10 games — a feat which it cannot afford to replicate if it hopes for bowl eligibility in 2021. Stopping the run was quite the calamity as opponents stomped on the Mean Green for 270 yards per game. In order to fix that, they hired journeyman coach Phil Bennett to run the defense and Jim Gush to coach the linebackers. Middle linebacker K.D. Davis led the team in tackles in 2020 and he’ll be expected to do the same at the heart of the defense. Outside linebacker Larry Nixon III finished third on the team with 53 tackles and is expected to retain his starting role. The other slot in the 4-3 scheme is likely reserved for Tyreke Davis or Jordan Brown, who split time at outside backer during the COVID-riddled season.

Read more:  https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2021/7/6/22561814/conference-usa-position-previews-linebackers-c-usa-2021-defense-uab-louisiana-tech-fau-rice-marshall

[97and03]

Sad we return three starters and are still considered one of the worst. 

[BillySee58]

41 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

Sad we return three starters and are still considered one of the worst. 

I found it interesting that we didn’t add any linebackers through the portal or JUCO ranks.

In the secondary we returned 4 starters, almost 5 counting guys who split starting duties (Gaddie, Sanders, Stout, Whitlock, John Davis) and we still added 3 transfers who were D1 starters at their previous schools (Thornton, Faulkner, and Francis).

On the defensive line we returned all of our starters but still went out and got 3 transfers there as well in ACU starting DE Kameron Hill, JUCO DT Kelvin Hutchings, and Arkansas transfer DT Enoch Jackson.

The fact that we got multiple DL transfers and multiple secondary transfers makes me wonder if Bennett and Gush feel relatively confident in the linebackers. No reason KD and Tyreke Davis should be anything other than above-average starting CUSA linebackers. 

[meangreen11]

46 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

No reason KD and Tyreke Davis should be anything other than above-average starting CUSA linebackers. 

I just think they are too small but that is just my opinion.  You have to have guys that can physically match up with opposing running backs and can cause some physical fear to keep them out of their comfort zone.  We don't have that as far as I can see.

[greenminer]

29 minutes ago, meangreen11 said:

I just think they are too small but that is just my opinion.  You have to have guys that can physically match up with opposing running backs and can cause some physical fear to keep them out of their comfort zone.  We don't have that as far as I can see.

You can offset lack of size with some creativity and speed.  Sometimes all you need is that first guy to hang on until help arrives.

Ideally, yes! the bigger the better.  But a little bit of speed, football IQ, and a lot of attitude can hit harder than a guy with a few extra inches and pounds.

Lastly, this discussion always reminds me of what Patterson did at TCU: moving guys from smaller positions closer up front.  Came up with ways to utilize their speed, despite being smaller than the guy on the other side of the ball.

[MeanGreen_MBA]

58 minutes ago, greenminer said:

You can offset lack of size with some creativity and speed.  Sometimes all you need is that first guy to hang on until help arrives.

Ideally, yes! the bigger the better.  But a little bit of speed, football IQ, and a lot of attitude can hit harder than a guy with a few extra inches and pounds.

Lastly, this discussion always reminds me of what Patterson did at TCU: moving guys from smaller positions closer up front.  Came up with ways to utilize their speed, despite being smaller than the guy on the other side of the ball.

If you have the D-line eating up all of the O-line blocks….small and speedy LB’s should get lots of tackles at the LOS. The is what a 4 man line can do. Our 3 man line left big uglys going down and pushing our LB’s out of position. I believe PB knows what he is doing and can dominate at this level. 

[BillySee58]

1 hour ago, meangreen11 said:

I just think they are too small but that is just my opinion.  You have to have guys that can physically match up with opposing running backs and can cause some physical fear to keep them out of their comfort zone.  We don't have that as far as I can see.

Conference USA 1st team all conference linebackers last year were:

• Tavante Beckett - 5’10” 214 lbs

• Blaze Alldredge - 6’2” 220 lbs

• Kristopher Moll - 6’2” 225 lbs

KD Davis is listed at 5’11” 229 lbs and Tyreke Davis is listed at 5’10” 220 lbs. They are pretty in line with what size you typically see at 2nd level linebackers today. Including the good ones.

[MeanGreen_MBA]

1 minute ago, BillySee58 said:

Conference USA 1st team all conference linebackers last year were:

• Tavante Beckett - 5’10” 214 lbs

• Blaze Alldredge - 6’2” 220 lbs

• Kristopher Moll - 6’2” 225 lbs

KD Davis is listed at 5’11” 229 lbs and Tyreke Davis is listed at 5’10” 220 lbs. They are pretty in line with what size you typically see at 2nd level linebackers today. Including the good ones.

Hopefully PB will polish those chunks of coal into diamonds. I would love a couple of 5’10” 230 lbs diamonds. 

[GrandGreen]

Linebackers are all about quickness and recognition skills.  Size is not that important assuming that the LB is big enough not to get frequently run over. 

When NT offensive line was rated the 9th best in the conference, the Underdog dynasty rankings were exposed as worthless. 

 

[97and03]

Their size is fine. Their positioning and decision making was problematic. Often saw them shooting into a gap as the opposing RB shot out of a different one for big yards. 

[GrandGreen]

14 hours ago, 97and03 said:

Their size is fine. Their positioning and decision making was problematic. Often saw them shooting into a gap as the opposing RB shot out of a different one for big yards. 

I think the problem was more to do with the defensive scheme, NT was trying to run.  Players were frequently just in bad positions to make any stops.  Runners would break the line of scrimmage and there was no lbs close.