Position Moves

July 23, 2009

I do not question Mike Nelson's ability to coach. I think, in the long run, that he will figure out who is best suited for each position. Having said that, I still don't understand a couple of the position moves.

The Gang Green blog states that Eddrick Gilmore has been moved to defensive tackle. Why? He only weighs 240 or so and he will be battling 300+ pound guards and centers. He did this last year and was not very effective. After he moved back to end he had three sacks. From my observations, he does much better at DE. I'm hoping that Atkinson and (Kelvin) Jackson will have the talent to allow Gilmore to be moved back to his more natural position at end.

The other, as previously announced, was moving Brandon Akpunku to defensive end. AK-47 purportedly possesses 4.5 forty speed but at 215 pounds or less is very small for a DE. Even if he is the strongest man, pound for pound, on the team his speed will be negated on running plays aimed at him. He should be great in obvious passing situations but that will happen far less than half of the time. He seems tailor-made for the job of blitzing linebacker. He's got a ton of potential but I'll be surprised if it's at defensive end.

NT03 · July 23, 2009

If Gilmore is not on the outside I have no faith in winning anything more than 2 games ( Army & WKu)

Edited July 23, 2009 by NT03

BIG DAWG · July 23, 2009

Akpunku I would be willing to wager will not be an every down DE. I am thinking that he will get most of his play on 2nd and long and 3rd and long downs. There will be a lot of rotation at DE.

I am with you on the whole Gilmore thing. I have always thought that if this guy could get his crap together in the classroom, he would be a STUD at DE. I have heard and read things stating that his is now at about 275lbs...once again there is going to be a lot of rotations

I really think the thing that Nelson is going to try and do is to provide several different packages up front, mixing and matching players and taking advantage of their individual abilities.

The same thing goes with Cantly...this kid is 300+ lbs, but he is being moved to DE.

I am kind of buying into his philosophy that if you don't have the traditional D-linemen at each position, you need to develop hybrid packages to create havoc.

If you think about it...it is almost like smaller schools that choose to go to the spread on offense. It is hard for them to just line up toe to toe and beat you in a traditional Pro Set, but they have a chance to put up points in a spread attack.

We will see...this is what we all wanted...a guy with experience at this level...this guy has been incredibly successful employing this same process of playing players out of the traditional positions

H-towngreen · July 23, 2009

I think AK-47 will be fine at D-end. As stated he will not be an everydown player, expect a lot of rotating in and out. I said this earlier but I expect something from the Washington? kid out of Cedar Hill. Kid had like 22 sacks his SR year. Hopefully at some point he can put on the lbs to be a d-end but for now he is mentioned as a hybrid LB.

I truly hope that Gilmore does not play DT anymore, I understand he was forced to last year, but end is natural position. I think it really all depends on what Atkinson and Jackson bring to the table. Draylon Ross has the potential to be a stud he just needs to put it all together.

Now Cantly is an interesting kid. Has the size and speed to play either position. It will be interesting to watch how he progresses to say the least.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · July 23, 2009

In some defensive systems, you don't ask for high production from your interior defensive linemen. What they want in those is for the tackles to occupy their linemen and create holes for the linebackers and strong safety to make plays. Kansas State used this of system back in the 1990s under the Stoops brothers, Brent Venables, and Jim Leavitt.

In these systems, the interior linemen become unsung heroes. They don't get much in the way of statistics. If the players buy into it and are effective at being able to control their offensive linemen, it's very effective. The other piece of the puzzle is that the linebacker and safety have to be very discipled in their assignments and reads. It's a high risk, high reward type of defensive play that creates alot of man situations in the secondary.

But, it doesn't matter. If the interior linemen are creating holes for blitzing linebackers and safeties to pour through, you mess up the opposing offense's timing...and you can pile up alot of sacks if the linebackers get really good at hitting their holes. You have to have very unselfish players at DT/NT to pull off this kind of defense. When it works, it's beautiful to watch.

In the end, I don't think it'll be a problem. Deloach is more than capable of developing linebackers and Nelson has a long history of producing good defensive lines. If these guys think Eddrick can do what they are asking him to do, then he probably can. The play of the front seven is what has me excited about the upcoming season.

Harry · July 23, 2009

They have looked at Eddrick before at defensive tackle because he is so tall and long armed that he can really passrush as well as disrupt the short passing game by batting down balls and causing hurries. His length affects the QB's vision of the field. He has the frame to carry more weight and I think 240 is way off, I have heard some say he is as much as 280 right now but we will have to see that holds come two-a-days. Ditto Lonnie's point on DeLoach, he knows what he is doing.

Will to Win · July 23, 2009

I trust Coach DeLoach and Coach Nelson more than _efensive Coach Men_oza and Coach Drake!

TIgreen01 · July 23, 2009

I do not question Mike Nelson's ability to coach. I think, in the long run, that he will figure out who is best suited for each position. Having said that, I still don't understand a couple of the position moves.
The Gang Green blog states that Eddrick Gilmore has been moved to defensive tackle. Why? He only weighs 240 or so and he will be battling 300+ pound guards and centers. He did this last year and was not very effective. After he moved back to end he had three sacks. From my observations, he does much better at DE. I'm hoping that Atkinson and (Kelvin) Jackson will have the talent to allow Gilmore to be moved back to his more natural position at end.
The other, as previously announced, was moving Brandon Akpunku to defensive end. AK-47 purportedly possesses 4.5 forty speed but at 215 pounds or less is very small for a DE. Even if he is the strongest man, pound for pound, on the team his speed will be negated on running plays aimed at him. He should be great in obvious passing situations but that will happen far less than half of the time. He seems tailor-made for the job of blitzing linebacker. He's got a ton of potential but I'll be surprised if it's at defensive end.

Well, Kelvin Jackson isn't showing up on the roster as of yet....anything to that?

Charlie NT 73 · July 23, 2009

I think Coach Nelson will use multiple players in his line ups and player

combinations, depending on what the opponents offense will be

trying to accomplish. Having players like Gilmore and Cantly, that

can play both DE and DT, will increase the options Coach Nelson,

and Coach Deloach have to develop a defensive game plan

against any opponents offense. Speed on the corners, strength

in the middle, with multiple players. If a big monster DE is needed, then

Cantly can move to DE. If a tall DE is needed, then Gilmore is there.

Need more speed on the corner, AK47 fits the bill. Bulk up the middle,

in comes Jackson. Need a dominate DT/NG, you have Atkinson, Ross.

I think the DL rotation will be a huge asset this season, which not only

helps the players to keep fresh, but, will be able to provide other options,

and players to use for different offensive situations.

I think Coach Nelson will be a master at puting the right guy in the

right place, at the right time, on the DL.

LongJim · July 23, 2009

Speed.

LongJim · July 23, 2009

"Speed and quickness. Quickness and speed."--Barry Switzer

LongJim · July 23, 2009

Quickness.

July 23, 2009

Well, Kelvin Jackson isn't showing up on the roster as of yet....anything to that?

Could be. Vito reported that he completed his associate degree as well as Atkinson and Weber. Apparently Atkinson and Weber reported in during the summer since they have numbers assigned. To me, that means either Jackson needed some time off before reporting (and could be working out on his own) or injury or financial stress at home will force him to forego his college football career. I fear the latter.

July 23, 2009

By the way, thanks guys. I had almost forgotten that we have coaches with the acumen to design player sets for certain situations.

BIG DAWG · July 24, 2009

Well, Kelvin Jackson isn't showing up on the roster as of yet....anything to that?

He is listed on the roster as #91

eulessismore · July 24, 2009

He is listed on the roster as #91

Finally, someone asked a football question, and someone answered it. Well played, and I'm taking your word on it!

Green P1 · July 24, 2009

I may be dead wrong, but I'd assume that as soon as the new/young DT's are able to prove themselves Gilmore moves back outside.

Edited July 24, 2009 by Green P1

NT03 · July 24, 2009

I may be dead wrong, but I'd assume that as soon as the new/young are able to prove themselves Gilmore moves back outside.

I sure hope so

Travis · July 24, 2009

Could be. Vito reported that he completed his associate degree as well as Atkinson and Weber. Apparently Atkinson and Weber reported in during the summer since they have numbers assigned. To me, that means either Jackson needed some time off before reporting (and could be working out on his own) or injury or financial stress at home will force him to forego his college football career. I fear the latter.

Jackson has been here. I have talked to him on campus a month ago.

Edited July 24, 2009 by Travis

GrandGreen · July 24, 2009

It seems to me if you are writing a blog on a player like the one on Gilmore, you could at least state his current weight, it seems very pertinent in the context of the article. TD recently stated he was 6'6 270. Not that Dodge doesn't frequently overstate size of his players at least compared to what are supposedly accurate measurements used on the roster. If Gilmore is truly over 270 he should be able to be very effective at defensive tackle and may have lost some of the quickness that made him a good defensive end.

With the predominance of the spread offensives, most teams are going to quicker defensive lineups. While Akpunka is at the low end of the weight scale, lots of teams now have linebacker sized defensive linemen on the outside. Putting Gilmore at dt follows that trend, and as I've wondered on previous posts, what is the future of all those 300 lb. plus linemen NT recruited last year. Cantly remains apparently the exception to the rule, it seems if he is quick enough to play de, he would be even more suited for dt if he has adequate strenght to play the position. It appears that most of the defensive lettermen returning havn't impressed the coaches enough to figure into the line rotations. That could change but it appears that only Ross and Gilmore really are being considered as possible starters at this point. It looks like Ross and Gilmore at dts with Cantly and Akpunka at de's with the possibilities of jucos Atkisson, Jackson and Weber being in the rotation. I also wouldn't count out freshman Tyler Washington at de.