Did we just see the future at DE?

W

WinOneThisCentury

Well-Known Member
Spearman got several snaps at DE. He's one big 17 year old with alot of speed. I have to think he's going to outgrow the linebacker spot, maybe by next year. He looked really good there...he's got a good speed rush around the OT, and he made step outside and shot to the inside and made a great play on the draw play. I said last week in a thread I thought he would end up at DE. Now I'm thinking if not next year...certainly his junior year. He's got a bright future.

Kudos to Phil Parker for not wasting his freshman year and figuring out a way to use him. I think it was brilliant.
 
While he has a lot to learn (he ran up field a bit too much on a couple of rushes), you can't deny the speed that he brings. I hope we see more of that 3rd down D next week. A lot of teams are going with similar looks and it puts a ton of stress on the OL to pick up the correct defender.
 
We may need him worse at OLB. Either way, can't wait to see him get big playing time next year.

I like seeing the coaches try things like the 3-4 look with 5 and a half LBs on the field.
 
ICHawk24 said:
We may need him worse at OLB. Either way, can't wait to see him get big playing time next year.

I like seeing the coaches try things like the 3-4 look with 5 and a half LBs on the field.
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I would agree that he'll be needed at LB next season. Kinda worried about that position group next season but can't dwell on that now. This DL group does a good job eating up blockers and his speed at LB makes sense.

I really liked that combo of the 3 regular LBs with Spearman & Meier on 3rd down passing situations today. May as well get the speed on the field against guys like Colter.
 
Xerxes said:
I would agree that he'll be needed at LB next season. Kinda worried about that position group next season but can't dwell on that now. This DL group does a good job eating up blockers and his speed at LB makes sense.

I really liked that combo of the 3 regular LBs with Spearman & Meier on 3rd down passing situations today. May as well get the speed on the field against guys like Colter.
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I think Alston, Collins, and Perry is probably what we see next year at LB.
 
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Spearman has lots of potential. Hopefully he and Meier are the answer to getting some more pressure.

DL is turning into a strength for the next few years.
 
Why not play him like a hybrid LB/DE. Maybe we see a Clay Matthews type of linebacker with more of the 3-4 defense. You never know right? Ha.
 
hawkfarmer said:
Why not play him like a hybrid LB/DE. Maybe we see a Clay Matthews type of linebacker with more of the 3-4 defense. You never know right? Ha.
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this is how leroy smith was used, basically. iowa ran a 5/2 Defense with the 5 being the hybrid DE/LB you reference. smith was not a big DE at all, but very fast and able to effectively be a hybrid player. i think spearman could do the same thing. we saw chad greenway with his hand on the line a lot too in his senior year.
 
ibahawkeye said:
I'm not sure if Spearman will end up at LB or DE but I'm confident in saying he will be GOOD at either.
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Amen! Agreed. It seems to me like we saw the future of our front 7 during the jNW game. If you just look at the top 6, I think the starters will be Ott and Hardy outside and Big Carl and LTP inside, and Coleman being the 3rd player inside, getting nearly as many snaps, and Meier subbing in on the DE. McMinn getting healthy will certainly help. Maybe the light comes on for Melvin Spears, too.

THEN, we could see the emergence of Jaleel Johnson and Faith Ekakitie on the inside.

I do believe we saw the future of the 3rd down pass-rushing defense, with Spearman's hand on the ground, along with Nate Meier on the outside.

LB next year? Alston is just about a lock, don't you think? After that? Collins and Spearman and Perry look to be the 3 candidates for the other 2 positions. I think on obvious passing downs that Nico Law could be an option as the cover LB. He certainly hits hard enough and is probably faster than any of our other LBs ... and it might be one way to get him on the field other than special Teams. (Laron Taylor from Cass Tech is someone I am rooting for here, along with John Kenny and Josie Jones - maybe a couple years down the road for them)

The back 4 has a lot of candidates for the 4th position, after Lomax & King as CB's and Lowdermilk at one safety position. Lile, Gair, Mo Fleming, Draper (let's hope Mich State was just a bad day), Rucker, Mabin & Warfield. Plenty to pick from in that list as teh nickel back, as well.

Back to the original topic, I do think Spearman will be a person that they will find a way to get on the field. Don't care if it is DE or OLB.
 
Kenny may be in the mix at LB as well. Let's see what a winter with Doyle does to Spearman. That may tlee the tale. He will play somewhere, that's for sure.
 
My undestanding is that Spearman is 6'3" and 230 right now and he's 17 years old. Typically you can look at a guys frame and say, well, he's going to add 25 "Doyle" pounds very easily. I thought the same thing when I saw Blythe. He went from 275 to 300 really really fast. Now Spearman is a different body type obviously...but I could see him 240 or 245 with just good pounds next year. It's how much speed he maintains which will tell you LB or DE. I personally think he plays LB next year, but I think he's a DE waiting to happen.

Watch the inside move he makes to tackle the back on the draw against NW...that was all natural instinct and ability. He would be very disruptive at DE. I really like this kid...he could be very special.
 
dave3912 said:
Next season is a long ways away but Reggie is #2 at OLB right now and he has a ton of upside.
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If OLB is referring to Kirksey's spot I think that would be a huge waste of talent. That is all we need is this guy running with wideouts downfield instead of near the line of scrimmage creating havoc.
 
Ok...let me get this right...so the coaches do something creative with our defense in preparation for NW. They also put a young kid in at an unnatural position for him to get his feet wet when the bullets are really flying for real. In my opinion, it was a pretty big gamble that he may not perform well. Everyone has complained that we are too predictable and can't stop teams like NW...so we do...10 points, and now everyone is complaining that it took too long to get creative. It's an evolution guys...it's not like they have been standing pat all year...Meier and Alston at DE, now Spearman, next 5 LB's in a game, next LTP doing some sort of white man's break dance in front of the line of scrimmage. Jesus, give the coaches credit without all your baggage about how you've been wronged.

I'd hate to be your husbands...nothing is ever good enough for you.
 
WinOneThisCentury said:
Ok...let me get this right...so the coaches do something creative with our defense in preparation for NW. They also put a young kid in at an unnatural position for him to get his feet wet when the bullets are really flying for real. In my opinion, it was a pretty big gamble that he may not perform well. Everyone has complained that we are too predictable and can't stop teams like NW...so we do...10 points, and now everyone is complaining that it took too long to get creative. It's an evolution guys...it's not like they have been standing pat all year...Meier and Alston at DE, now Spearman, next 5 LB's in a game, next LTP doing some sort of white man's break dance in front of the line of scrimmage. Jesus, give the coaches credit without all your baggage about how you've been wronged.

I'd hate to be your husbands...nothing is ever good enough for you.
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You are correct. I absolutely loved what they did with the personnel and formation and they do deserve credit for this.

My sour grapes comment really relates to my distaste over the years with personnel decisions and the lack of accountability through on the field performance. I strongly believe that there is more talent on this roster than typically plays on Saturdays in impactful ways. Does it take a rocket scientist to look at guys like Powell, Spearman, LeShun Daniels, Fleming, Lile, (there are a few others), etc. and say he we have to get some of these guys on the field? Yes some of these guys are young and will make some mistakes but they have playmaking potential which this program desperately needs and when combined with the vets that are actually getting it done we might have something here.

That is where my sentiments come from. The great coaches recognize and understand talent. They make the hard calls to get it on the field as soon as possible even if that means an upper classman who is not getting it done loses some or all playing time. I want all players on notice that nothing is given it is earned and kept through performance. Competition makes everyone better.
 
WinOneThisCentury said:
Ok...let me get this right...so the coaches do something creative with
our defense in preparation for NW. They also put a young kid in at an unnatural position for him to get his feet wet when the bullets are really flying for real. In my opinion, it was a pretty big gamble that he may not perform well. Everyone has complained that we are too predictable and can't stop teams like NW...so we do...10 points, and now everyone is complaining that it took too long to get creative. It's an evolution guys...it's not like they have been standing pat all year...Meier and Alston at DE, now Spearman, next 5 LB's in a game, next LTP doing some sort of white man's break dance in front of the line of scrimmage. Jesus, give the coaches credit without all your baggage about how you've been wronged.

I'd hate to be your husbands...nothing is ever good enough for you.
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First off, "everyone" is not saying this...don't generalize.

And secondly, nice line. Spiteful, a bit truthful, but still good.

SpecialKHawk said:
You are correct. I absolutely loved what they did with the personnel and formation and they do deserve credit for this.

My sour grapes comment really relates to my distaste over the years with personnel decisions and the lack of accountability through on the field performance. I strongly believe that there is more talent on this roster than typically plays on Saturdays in impactful ways. Does it take a rocket scientist to look at guys like Powell, Spearman, LeShun Daniels, Fleming, Lile, (there are a few others), etc. and say he we have to get some of these guys on the field? Yes some of these guys are young and will make some mistakes but they have playmaking potential which this program desperately needs and when combined with the vets that are actually getting it done we might have something here.

That is where my sentiments come from. The great coaches recognize and understand talent. They make the hard calls to get it on the field as soon as possible even if that means an upper classman who is not getting it done loses some or all playing time. I want all players on notice that nothing is given it is earned and kept through performance. Competition makes everyone better.
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Dude, you have "some" good points, but poor judgement in "harping" repetively about the same opiniated premise in
various threads. You are exploiting, and maybe answering for yourself, your own words against your own statements elsewhere.

I would venture that many of these "young" kids are finally fully understanding and getting the playbook and the "feel" of the game, and are slowly, and justifiably, getting some valueable gametime minutes. This doesn't just happen in a few weeks or months in a learning setting of a classroom, much moreso on a playing field.

This is in complete opposition to how you have ascertained elsewhere, your personal disgruntalment, that the backup guys are not seeing the field. You are caught in your own loop.
 
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