Things became a bit clearer today out of camp with the announcement of some redshirts for the season, but I think we should approach this with a healthy amount of skepticism. They have not shown us that they won't waste a year for the player by giving him a pittance of snaps. Darius Robinson and Justin Parker both received ~70 snaps or so last year, which I consider largely a waste of a year for a player to the longer-term detriment of the team.
- Dabo has said that Adam Humphries will avoid a RS at WR. With Peake and Bryant both getting snaps, along with Watkins, Jones, Hopkins, Craig, and McNeal playing, along with the common use of a TE (both Allen and Ford) as one flexed-out TE, in a 3-wide set, just how are they going to get Adam Humphries the ~150 snaps to make a development year worthwhile? Seckinger is the only one to take the RS, and we think he grows into another Brandon Ford someday....this along with the fact that we have Hopper coming in. The offense will only get 80 snaps per game when its clicking. Do we need that many receivers to rep in practice?
- Eric MacLain will redshirt, with Ford and Allen as the pass threats ahead of him. Darrell Smith has been praised as a blocker, and we still have Traylor and Sam Cooper. This one is a no-brainer and good idea.
- Its not announced as definite, but Tony McNeal will take the RS year. Morgan Roberts is one I might leave the RS off of so I don't have to have him 5 years on scholarship. Cole Stoudt will be the #2.
- Colton Walls and Lateek Townsend are taking the RS. B.J. Goodson is on the bubble, but the smart move is to RS him too if he's only getting Justin Parker-numbers of snaps this year. Steward and Anthony will play.
- SS Robert Smith is likely to avoid RS'ing just because of depth at that position. Garry Peters is also likely to compete at FS/SS.
- DeShawn Williams is likely to avoid RS at DT, and eventually will take the 0/1-technique spot behind Thompson and Shatley. I could see him as a guy who you could flip/flop between the nose and the 3-tech, while Shatley is a nose all the way. Grady Jarrett I would give the RS to change his body composition. I think playing Jarrett would be a declaration that Tra Thomas and Josh Watson are not gonna get it done. Maybank will RS to lose jello, and Rod Byers needs the year of development too.
- Joe Gore will RS, but for medical reasons. He'll be at OT eventually. Shaq Anthony's pass blocking stood out on his HS film, and we hear that has been the same thus far, but his run blocking and strength need to be elevated and he'll RS. Spencer Region will RS for the same reasons Jarrett and Maybank should.
- Ryan Norton is a unique case where we need another C badly, and need Cloy to be able to spell others at G. I always think an OL should get a RS, but we may have little choice but play him.
- Cortez Davis will very likely RS, and I think he put some muscle on and ends up at FS next spring.
- Ammon Lakip's RS totally depends on Catanzaro's performance. Benton can't do it, he's not accurate enough.
- It was announced that the Long-snapper is again on scholarship. We do not know for sure who went off to give him that, because by our count we were already at 85. I suspect Kantrell Brown, but do not know for sure.
- Its obvious that Sammy Watkins will play, but why is Dabo talking about him like he's been anointed already? Tell me he's the next Spiller after we see him do something. You don't have to pimp him up before he's ever seen the field Dabo.
What do you think of the decisions at key positions?