Class of 2018, who steps up?

[GIFRRO]

I know he's not 2018 but I hope dismuke gets it going bevabec watching him the last few years he sure has mass potential. Looks fast and is a hitter. I think he could play like Antono Reed at the end of last year

 

[AzHusker]

Katerian Legrone: Very important that he join Stohl as a threat at TE. We did not threaten the middle of the field anywhere near enough last year.
This needs to improve to the level seen with UCF's tight ends (30-40 catches) to enhance the big play aspect of the running game.
.

We don't have a Jordan Akins, that's for sure

Stoll is serviceable run blocking and catching short, possession-type passes, but he will never threaten down the field (can be easily covered by LB's). Hoping Legrone has some wheels (and of course, can block too). Let’s not forget Hickman...and this staff gives opportunity to all players, not just the upperclassmen.

 

[ShortSideOption]

I know he's not 2018 but I hope dismuke gets it going bevabec watching him the last few years he sure has mass potential. Looks fast and is a hitter. I think he could play like Antono Reed at the end of last year

He's a good dark horse candidate to start. They gave him a lot of opportunities last year to prove himself.

 

[Deleted member 4942]

We don't have a Jordan Akins, that's for sure

Stoll is serviceable run blocking and catching short, possession-type passes, but he will never threaten down the field (can be easily covered by LB's). Hoping Legrone has some wheels (and of course, can block too). Let’s not forget Hickman...and this staff gives opportunity to all players, not just the upperclassmen.

Azhusker

I think their maybe a Jordan Akins on the roster, we just haven't found/developed him yet.
Legrone and Hickman are two viable candidates.

Plus Martinez needs the growth as a QB to find the TE in the middle of the field, its a harder read than some of the others in Scott's system. Confidence that your O-line is going to give you the time to make that read is important as well .

in 2019 imagine opponents having to defend the deep middle, backing the safeties (both of them out of the box) with the kind of speed we will have at RB and the Duck-R position: can you say "Big Plays all Day"! Our time of possession will be last in the Big Ten while we lead the Big Ten in scoring LOL.
GBR

 

[AzHusker]

Azhusker

I think their maybe a Jordan Akins on the roster, we just haven't found/developed him yet.
Legrone and Hickman are two viable candidates.

Plus Martinez needs the growth as a QB to find the TE in the middle of the field, its a harder read than some of the others in Scott's system. Confidence that your O-line is going to give you the time to make that read is important as well .

in 2019 imagine opponents having to defend the deep middle, backing the safeties (both of them out of the box) with the kind of speed we will have at RB and the Duck-R position: can you say "Big Plays all Day"! Our time of possession will be last in the Big Ten while we lead the Big Ten in scoring LOL.
GBR

Definitely true that about Martinez making use of the TE - and of course the OL giving him time to do so. And with some of the speed freaks at WR dragging off the coverage, it can only help open up that middle of the field zone.

 

[Discoverer27]

Trying to get some real football discussion going here with football being over. While everyone is excited for signing day, it got me thinking about how everyone likes the "shiny new toy" we are bringing in, but typically it's the guys that are in year 2 with the program and have had a chance to be in our S&C program that are going to "surprise" us and help us out. Not the true freshmen.

We had 25 commits for the 2018 class... Willie Canty, Will Jackson, Greg Bell, Justin McGriff, and Dominick Watt are all no longer with us, or didn't make it here. That takes us down to 25. Unfortunately, we also had 7 season ending injuries in that group. However, with our strength staff and the doctors we employ, along with modern medicine, hoping they bounce back even better than they were. Unfortunately, I am going to be leaving Martinez and Pickering off as they already start. But who are you expecting big things from in year 2 with our team?

Miles Jones and Maurice Washington - Gone is Greg Bell. That's fine, don't need anyone that takes his ball and goes home. While he was trying to convince Frost to let him back on the team, Washington slowly asserted himself and should enter 2019 as the #1 back. If he takes the leap most year 2 guys do, watch out. As he has a QB that knows how to distribute the ball. Hoping that he is healed from his knee injury. Miles Jones also shut himself down with his injury. This will be an interesting one to watch. At RB, if you don't practice/play, you are recruited over in a hurry. But this kid has the tools to be very good in our offense.

Jaron Woodyard, Katerian Legrone, Mike Williams, and Andre Hunt - Gone are Justin McGriff, Dominick Watt didn't make it, and we are going to figure out if we like LeGrone at TE or WR this spring. LeGrone is someone we are excited about. Jaron Woodyard is the best chance for a senior to start in 2019 on offense. The staff badly wants Mike WIlliams to be consistent based on his work in the weight room, and if Hunt can be consistent he could be the dark horse here. Long story short, sounds like consistency is the key. Sometimes that's not difficult to correct, other times it's a career-ending issue.

Will Farniok and Cam Jurgens - Gone is Willie Canty. Will Farniok seems to be the forgotten man at OL, and he could surprise quite a few people. Center is going to be a dog fight. Especially when you throw 4 star Cam Jurgens shifting down to center in the mix. When he was recruited, you remember me saying I liked him better at OLB, but if he had to be a TE, he would be our blocking guy. I never once thought about shifting him to OL, but this staff may have found something. I still have a hard time believing that putting on 50 pounds, learning the point position and the scheme, and getting everyone in the right call is a tall task to be starting for 2019. However, more than one staffer isn't ruling it out.

Tate Wildeman and Casey Rogers - Lost no one due to grades or transfer, but unfortunately lost both of these guys to season ending injuries so not a ton of info. I was pumped for Wildeman coming out of high school. But i've also heard that Rogers may have the highest ceiling. Good news is we return a ton of DEs to let these guys "get right" for 2020 while gaining experience when they are healthy in 2019.

Caleb Tannor, David Alston, and Breon Dixon - We "lost" Jean-Baptiste to Ohio State. But Tannor is the guy i'm interested in seeing what happens year 2. His quickness/speed just couldn't translate to Power5 football until we put some mass on him. Alston was a bit injured this past fall. If Dixon can get off the field stuff ironed out, he has the best upside. I watched that guy murder people at practice (should I use that since everyone takes my stuff literal? He didn't murder 50 people I guess). This is a big year for these 3, and a massive spring.

Cam Taylor and Braxton Clark - I'll be curious to see how Cam Taylor looks year 2, excellent chance to really get better in year 2 considering he was a QB in high school. Braxton Clark is another guy we need to see what we have, he shows flashes of being an absolute stud. But the common theme with young guys is consistency.

Cam Jones, CJ Smith,and Deontai Williams - You have to assume that Deontai Williams will be manning one of the safety spots next fall. I would caution people, that knowing where to be is the most important piece, so if he gets that ironed out, pencil him in. If he doesn't, there's a chance Pola-Gates or Smith/Jones could overtake him. Smith and Jones both suffered season ending knee injuries, so it's tough to say what we have. We had what Frost thought was a top safety class in the nation in 2018, but with 66% of them getting injured, i'll be curious how we get out of it.

So what say you? Who are you looking to have step up? I say Tannor on my end, with honorable mention going to Deontai Williams, Cam Taylor, Andre Hunt, and Jaron Woodyard.

I followed Cam Jones recruitment pretty close and read quite a few articles about him. I think he would have got some playing time last fall if he hadn't gotten hurt. Pretty sure he is a hitter.