Has there ever been a college LB with long hair that was not good? Uh, not likely!
Has there ever been a college LB with long hair that was not good? Uh, not likely!
Just because first, second, or even third year players are not getting PT does not mean they are not being developed. That's why only having 2 good LBs in year 5 of COYCHSH term was such a tragedy. We were HORRIBLE at LB last year and the year before. We were bad this year because of injuries. He puts no emphasis on developing LBs, but does at almost every other position. THEN our fans want to blame the DC.
My point was the jucos are either feast or famine and only 40% of them pan out. You said it was the same with high school guys, but it is not. Also, we don't have 105 men "on the team" we have 85 with 105 on the roster.
The JUCO recruits also depends on a coach having a good JC pipeline going that produces successful JUCO's and is consistent year after year, the JUCO route is not easy. Nothing wrong with using JUCO as long as that coach can recruit good JUCO and develop them so they are getting playing time, a lot of things have to go right for them to work out year after year. Bill Snyder with Kansas State is one of Coaches who is successful with it, but he is apparently a master at picking out the talent, has a constant and consistent pipeline, and the JUCO coaches feed him good players.
Some of the best LB prospects in the state play RB in high school. In fact, the ideal linebacker should have comparable tangibles to a running back.
Have you considered those Dogs?
Bill Snyder gets first pick of an entire state of Jucos. Bill Snyder has always been the exception, not the rule.
We are a 2nd or 3rd picker behind Ole Miss, Miss State, and several other low end P5s. Using jucos is hit and miss. It is not an exact science like it is with Bill Snyder.
I want more:
Tank Landry
Glenell Sanders
Eldonta Osborne
The Fabulous Baker Brothers
so on....
We need some kick-azz LBs!
I believe we had two good ones this year. Having only two hurt our defense when injuries hit.
I understand filling gaps with jucos, but we need to be developing LBs just like we do other positions. For some reason our HC seems to think of LBs in the same way he thinks of special teams.
Granted, he has recruited some high school linebackers that haven't panned out. Face it, we're not going to be able to recruit really good high school linebackers to come here. Those guys get swept away by the bigger programs. Most of what we can get are safeties who need to add weight to play LB. The athletes that we can possibly get as LB's are RB's in high school that need to be convinced to play defense. Either that or you have to go juco.
Have you considered those Dogs?