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Thread: Linebackers - 2018

  1. #1

    Linebackers - 2018

    So, I thought it would be fun to have a thread for the position groups, especially throughout spring ball and fall camp. That way the talk can be a little more focused. I want to do one of these for each group, but I have lost a lot of desire for this type of stuff the last year or two. We will see how it goes.

    Anyhow, Linebackers. LB is a weird position, because our front look is so varied. Last year we started the year running a lot of 5 man front, we traditionally run a lot of 4 man front, but we ended the year running a lot of 3-3 fronts. So, we can have between 1-3 LB'ers depending on the situation.

    What I do like is the versatility we have at the LB position. Look at the players who can play multiple positions (either safety or DE): Chase Hanse, Chris Hart, Bryant Pirtle, Sione Lund. That gives you some versatility (although we don't know if Lund can play this year).

    Players lost: Luafatasaga, Tauteoli, Whittingham, Drews
    Players gained: Chase Hansen, Chris Hart, Sione Lund, Andrew Mata'afa, Bryant Pirtle, Francis Bernard
    Players returning: Moroni Anae, Cody Barton, Zach Boesen, Peter Brown, Rylee Gautavai, Karsen Liljenquist, Devin Lloyd, Ali'i Nuimatalolo, Donovan Thompson

    Projected Starters:

    1 LB: Francis Bernard
    2 LB: Chase Hansen, Francis Bernard
    3 LB: Francis Bernard, Chase Hansen, Donovan Thompson/Cody Barton

    So, we have three at the top: Hansen, Barton, Thompson.

    The next three LB'ers would be...who the heck knows. Here is what is crazy. We have some serious TALENT at the LB position: Barton, Lund, Pirtle, Lloyd, Hart, Mata'afa.

    Our LB spot has become stacked. We are deep there. That is crazy. Just two seasons ago people were lamenting how thin/bad our LB'ers would be. Now, it is a position of strength.

    This is one position where spring ball should be HUGE. Here will be a GREAT opportunity for the second stringers to really make a name for themselves. Chase Hansen will play little to none. Cody Barton will be limited as well. Bernard won't be here until the fall. There is no reason for either to play and risk injury.

    That means there were be lots and lots of reps for younger players to make a name for themselves.

    This is also a huge lost opportunity for Pirtle. Him not being here for spring is rough. That being said, we are so deep at LB, it wouldn't shock me if he plays a lot at DE, especially early and on passing downs.

    I'm not sure if Mata'afa will be here for spring, but he is a four star kid with great bloodlines. It wouldn't shock me if he found himself getting situational play this fall. Sione Lund is another guy with all the potential in the world. But, he is another guy that may or may not be able to play this year (and in a lot of ways, him taking a year might not be a bad thing. Sometimes time is what you need to take the next step).

    Spring will also be huge for Chris Hart, Lloyd, Nuimatalolo and Liljenquist. Hart has been at DE his first three years in the program. Rushing the passer is his strength. Lloyd looked like a man his first year on campus. Would be exciting to see if he has taken any steps forward. Nuimatalolo and Liljenquist need to show if they will be defensive players or special teams players.

    Our LB'ers are really exciting at this point. That being said, we are a long ways from August 30 and Weber State. Hansen could move back to S, Bernard/Pirtle could not make it to campus, Lund could not get permission to play, and an injury could really shake up this group.

    BUT, if things play out how all is hoped, Hansen and Bernard are NFL prospects. Mata'afa, Lund, and Pirtle have NFL potential. Thompson is a Gionni Paul clone. Our LB'ers could be loaded front to back.

  2. #2
    So, is the Bernard thing an assumption, or has something happened?

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
    “It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”

    Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

  3. #3
    I'm probably a little premature with Bernard. Technically it's up to us and WSU, but I'd say it's up to Bernard. If he stays clean, I'd bet he'd end up here. Hence the write up. He met with Whitt last week.

  4. #4
    Interesting how your tune has changed on Bernard. I'd love to have him, but right now we're just speculating on him.

    I don't hold out much hope for Llilenquist or Nuimatololo. They've been here for a year, they are walk-ons; it's hard to see them contributing next year. Hart as well; he gets some downs (as a pass rusher) but it's rare to see someone blossom into a complete player as a senior.

    Basically as of now I see it as (a) Hansen (assuming he is moved, which makes sense) (b) D. Thompson who looked good, but inconsistent in limited reps last year and (c) C. Barton who is dependable but lacks high end athleticism. There are some promising newcomers behind them (Lund, Ma'atafa, Pirtle), but as you point out, they have hurdles to overcome before they see the field (eligibility issues, youth, etc).

  5. #5
    On the new guys, it's always a bit of a crapshoot to see what you get when they show up.

    For some guys, football is fun when you're ripping it up, when your highlight film from JC looks like a track meet, but when you're going up against serious talent, snap after snap, and *everyone* is as talented as you, it becomes not so much fun, and they fade.

    Other guys are grinders who might underwhelm at the beginning, but they keep working, then when the light comes on, they blossom. A great example is Kavika Luatafasaga, who was a 4* out of JC, came in not very prepared, but by the end of his Jr. year he was our best backer.

    Others, like Gionni Paul, are a natural, but have perpetual injury issues.

    I like our experienced guys:

    - Donovan Thompson can run and got on the field enough to prove to me he's got the scheme down.

    - Cody Barton knows the D as well as anyone on the field wearing pads, and almost never is out of position. His ability to "play fast" mentally helps negate the limitations in athleticism, and if you'll remember, he was making key plays late in ball games last year.

    - Chase Hansen is another natural, who +/- 10-15 lbs can play SS or LB. The *only* think I worry about with Chase is injury.

    Of the newbies or the position transfers, we'll have to see. There's definitely some talent coming in, how those players react to life in a top 25% P5 defense remains to be seen.

    (Bernard certainly has the football credentials and talent to be successful, and Whitt's been pretty adept at helping guys who want to steer in a better direction, *if* that's what they want. I'm not counting on Bernard, but it would be fun if he comes here, stays on course, not just for the feel-good story of player redemption, but because it would drive the people in Provo nuts.)

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Applejack View Post
    Hart as well; he gets some downs (as a pass rusher) but it's rare to see someone blossom into a complete player as a senior.
    FWIW, Hart is going to be a junior.

  7. #7
    “It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”

    Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by DrumNFeather View Post
    Sometimes "checking out my options" sounds a lot like "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaasssssssssssseeeeee!"

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Dwight Schr-Ute View Post
    Sometimes "checking out my options" sounds a lot like "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaasssssssssssseeeeee!"
    If my options were SLC or Moscow, Idaho....I'd want SLC too.

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