Everyone,
I would love to hear everyone's final prediction for starting skill positions.
QB: (top 3)
RB: (top 3
WR's: (top 3)
Also throw in the starting 5 on the OL.
You can also clarify if you think the top 3 will be one group for William and Mary and already change by the Ohio State game.
I could see Beamer starting Trey or JC for game one but changing it by game two for instance. He has always seemed to have a seniority thing...but that seems to be changing, especially at WR.
Here are my picks:
QB-Brewer, Leal, Motley
RB-Williams, Mackenzie, JC....Edmunds sits due to injury recovery
WR-Standford, Ford, Byrn
OL-Gibson, Teller, Farris, Conte, Mclaughlin
There will be a prize to the winner...whoever gets the most picks correct, I will buy you (2) tickets to UVA's bowl game this year. (wink, wink)
Comments
QB: Brewer, Leal, Motley
RB: JC, Trey, Shai (I suspect that Trey will be the starter once he is healthy
WR: Stanford, Ford, Phillips
OL: Gibson, Teller, Farris, Conte, McLaughlin
You hit it on the head brother, my picks are the same:
QB-Brewer, Leal, Motley
RB-Mackenzie, Coleman, Williams (Trey sits due to injury....or used very sparingly)
WR-Standford, Ford, Byrn
I know the coaches keep saying that they will go with the best talent available....but I have a feeling JC will be the second back for the William and Mary game just because of loyalty. (IMHO the freshman backs are the best on the team. Caleb will also get a few touches!
Should Trey not play until he is healthy? Hearing about his limp and loss of burst worries me.
If it's something that could be made worse by playing/carries an increased injury risk to the area, no question he should sit. If it's something that's just limiting his performance and will get better with time regardless, I see no problem giving him a few carries per game until he's fully healthy to keep him in the flow of things and help ease him back into playing. That's an excellent question for Mike Goforth.
Broken bones heal, but it takes time, and the amount of stress/work that is required to be a Division 1 RB is tremendous. Beyond that, there can be a psychological toll when returning from an injury.
I wish nothing but the best for Trey, but I've always been more than a little skeptical of the 'he'll be back in X-weeks' statements.
If it takes some more time for Trey to heal, he should get it.
That last line is one of the funniest things I've seen this still-very-young weekend. Nicely done.
I think you're spot on with everything except RB. I think we'll see a better JC than we saw last year, simply because he's healthy now. So my picks are:
QB: Brewer, Leal, Motley (I mean, c'mon)
RB: JCC, McKenzie, Williams (not a knock on Williams, but McKenzie has been tearing it up)
WR: Stanford, Ford, Byrn (The paper boy will be even more open for deliveries with a legit deep threat lining up next to him)
OL: Gibson, Teller, Farris, Conte, McLaughlin
TechHokie took my picks, so I want half the UVA bowl ticks.
Agree with previous sentiments on Edmund's injury, and I'll stir the pot one better:
Stipulated: A healthy and 100% Edmunds stays at RB, but,
If Edmunds has lost a step permanently due to injury, does that reopen the prospect of him making a move back to the defensive end of things?
Granted, it's an uphill battle, but if he no longer has the burst needed at RB, he is, for all intents and purposes, buried in the depth chart and has no pro-prospects.
Does he need that same burst to be a top LB, and would he have a better shot at the pros if he made the move?
I'd go with:
No
Snowball's chance in hell
No
Absolutely not
And, no.
As fans, we need to get behind Trey, not hope he gets sent to a brand new position. He's what, a sophomore?
With our crowded backfield, our lack of depth and need for someone to step up at LB, I think it's a fair question. We all want the kid to crush it wherever he lines up, but there is nothing wrong with bringing up the question. Especially, if it benefits the team the most.
Andy said it best in the live chat yesterday: if the injury causes him to lose a step at RB, what makes anyone think he'll be successful as an LB? No chance that he moves to LB; the ship has sailed. No way the coaches waste his redshirt year learning RB, just to have him have to adapt to Bud's complex schemes. Even though he played LB in HS, if they switch him he may never see the field again because he'll have so much catching up to do.
With the emergence of Clarke and especially Motuapuaka, as well as the talented guys coming up behind them, I'd say there isn't a need for Edmunds on defense. Plus, the spring after his r-So year is pretty late to make such a big change, especially when you're moving into a Bud Foster defense as a linebacker.
But yes, you can have half of the UVA bowl tickets.
This. 100% agree and expect big things from JC this year. Have always been impressed with his desire and toughness (may not break a lot of tackles but he about knocks himself unconscious running at the holes or lack thereof) when healthy.
Brewer, Leal, Motly
JCC, Shai, Juice (That being said, if after 3 or 4 weeks JCC isn't showing anything he goes to ST's and tries to make a name there)
Stanford, Ford, Byrn (with Phillips coming in series 2)
Line looks good
Hey, how can we pick when coaches appear to be having a problem? They see the guys every day and we are supposed to pick them? :-)
Hey, I've been pretending I look like Tom Selleck all my life.
You don't say...I told this gal I just took this selfie the other day. "It is not that great", I told her. "I had no sleep after working all night at an orphanage."
Brewer, Motley (Moves above Leal after week 1), Leal
JC, Shai, Juice (Edmunds in top three if healthy)
Stanford, Ford, Byrn
Gibson, Teller, Farris, Conte, McLaughlin
Prediction: A big reason why McLaughlin moved to the right side to to create a vacancy at left tackle for Teller to move in 2015. When Teller was moved to oline a year ago, French predicted that McLaughlin would eventually move to RT and let Teller be LT.
2015 oline: Teller, Smith, Gallo, Conte, McLaughlin
I've got a better question....
Who are the top 3 at those positions when we head into the ACC Championship against FSU??!?
I'll buy the winner tix to LOLUVAs Spring Game!
QB: brewer, Leal, Motley
RB: JC, William's, Trey
WR: Ford, Standford, byrn, Phillips
4 wide to start the game! GO HOKIES!
Except Shai McKenzie may be our RB#1. He's in the top 3 for carries. I'll put JCC #4 as he will play on 3rd and long packages for pass pro and passing game knowledge
Late to the party so we know how the QB situation is going to be, but the RB situation is just as important to me if not more so. I see it as TechHokie does with Coleman "starting" and McKenzie followed up by Williams. I think Coleman starts the first couple of series before Shai gets in the mix, and if he shows us something...I think #4 will be riding some pine save for obvious passing downs.
I'm more concerned about where you got this awesome (Walt/Jesse) gif, and what it's all about.
That, and the usual - where the heck to deliver the legs to an excellent post. (agree with all your picks)
Thanks Coach Mcguirk....you can give me some legs right here!
Great responses...If Edmunds isn't healthy, I think we may be seeing a heavy load of Williams and Mckenzie as the first few games play out.
Remember when Ryan Williams burst on the scene against Alabama a few years back...I think the RB spot is up for the taking if someone comes out strong.