Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Jordan Rodgers might be at half-speed in spring, and other news from new player profiles


Just went through everybody’s updated profiles, which you can access by clicking on each name on the new roster. Here are some clues about who may or may not be returning next season:

RODGERS TO TAKE IT SLOW IN SPRING
According to the profile for Jordan Rodgers, the junior college transfer, who sat out last season with a shoulder injury, will “participate on limited basis in 2011 spring drills.” Which means Larry Smith is going to get every possible chance to keep his starting quarterback job heading into the preseason.

READY TO SHINE
These redshirt freshmen got particularly high praise in their profiles, evidence that they could be ready to shine when they finally see the field:
• Vince Taylor: Would have almost certainly played last season if he hadn’t suffered a hand injury in the preseason. By the time he was ready to play, fellow freshman defensive tackle Jared Morse had already burned his redshirt, a bunch of sophomores had were proving serviceable, and the season was headed down the toilet. In retrospect, the Dores wasted way too many freshmen last season in minor roles. Taylor could be a star, and it’s a blessing that he has four years of eligibility left.
• Chris Boyd: The Dores need receivers in a bad way, and Boyd was impressive on the scout team last fall.
• Kyle Woestmann: The highly touted end impressed in the fall and could push for a starting job.

NOT RETURNING?
• Jamie Graham: We’ve been saying for months that the redshirt senior is allegedly graduating this semester and leaving the team, but then we were surprised to see him listed on the new roster. But there’s no summary on his profile and no notes for 2010, which leads us to believe he may be finished playing football after all.
• Ryan van Rensburg: The redshirt senior was honored on senior day, but popped up on the new roster. Except he’s got no summary or notes for 2010 on his profile, which may mean he’s gone after all.
• Justin Cabbagestalk: The redshirt sophomore is still listed on the roster, but his profile said he’s suffered yet another knee injury and his career is over.
• James Kittredge: We mentioned yesterday that the sophomore is now being listed as a defensive lineman, but he started last season at that position and unlike every other underclassman he has no updated summary and no notes for 2010. Maybe it was just an editing error.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen on your comment on "wasting freshmen in minor role's". The offensive side of that staff simply didn't know what they where doing. The defensive side knew they where going to get thrown under the bus (turn overs,poor field position etc.), due to the idiots on offensive. So they just panic,and torched redshirts.In hope's they could keep there jobs. And didn't play the freshman enough to justify it. Everyone of those guys needs to go to the NCCA and request an additional year for coaching stupidity! Ok last venting over last year. I have moved on.

Anonymous said...

I agree with anonymous. Last season, it was hard to watch this offensive coaching staff. It was no secret that they were the worse position coaches in the SEC. In coaching circles, Caldwell and Hand were very well respected, after that.....CJF seems to have a wealth of young talent on both sides of the ball to shake out in Spring Practice. I would be really surprised if LS is the starter regardless of wether Rogers is hurt or not. I think the new staff likely saw enough film of LS to know that it needs to take it's lumps, if need be, with a new qb. Dimon, is Brady Brown expected to push for playing time at wr or at TE ? He seems to be buried on the depth chart and suddenly we appear to be much stronger (yet untested) at wr for next season. I expect Boyd, Mathews, and Krause to have a really good year if we get decent qb play. Go Dores. Cant't wait till spring practice!

Dimon said...

So who's going to start at quarterback if Rodgers is still injured? While I wouldn't be surprised if Thourogood is the starter by season's end, I don't think he'll start on opening day. Larry Smith is going to get the coaching he's lacked over the past four years and he just may respond to that.

As for Brown, he's still listed at wide receiver and his profile basically says he didn't play last season because he needed strength training. Needed strength training to play wide receiver? Doesn't sound like a candidate for TE, especially with the depth we're building there.

even more anonymous said...

"Larry Smith is going to get the coaching he's lacked over the past four years ..." Amen to that!