Is Anthony Hitchens the real deal?

W

WildTurkey

Well-Known Member
Or does he average 13 tackles a game because he is a step behind the guy he is covering? Sometimes average players rack up a lot of tackles because they are out of position. (Shada.. Sorry Adam lover's.)

I don't think that's the case with Hitchens. His coverage needs some work but you can see he has the speed of a safety flying to the football. He has been a welcome additon to the linebacking core even bringing a bit of a mean streak to the defense. I can't wait to see what this guy does next week. Keep tearing it up Hitch!
 
Yes, he's always around the ball. His problem is sometimes he doesn't make the play once he gets there but his speed and instincts are top notch.
 
He will get much better. When he starts taking better angles on tackles, he's going to be very special. He's running on pure athleticism and instinct right now.
 
He's playing the Will. That explains a fair amount of it. Kirksey racked up 110 tackles from that spot a year ago, and now has 37 through six games. That's not an indictment against Kirksey; he's playing the Leo, where pass coverage comes at a higher premium than tackles, and he's playing it well. But the Will always racks up a lot of tackles in Iowa's defense. I do think Hitchens is pretty damn good, though.
 
tm3308 is right that its somewhat a reflection of his position, and Kirksey is evidence of that. I thought Hitch left some plays on the field during the first 2 or 3 games, but he has impressed me since then.
 
ICHawk24 said:
tm3308 is right that its somewhat a reflection of his position, and Kirksey is evidence of that. I thought Hitch left some plays on the field during the first 2 or 3 games, but he has impressed me since then.
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It is a reflection of the position he plays, but also Hitchens plays the position with a VERY aggresive style. Almost reckless at times, as he can miss tackles by not wrapping up. But, because of this style he has also had some nice TFL's in some big moments. Anthony has an infectious playing style that seems to be rubbing off on the rest of the defense. Him and Gaglione have really turned up the physicality of this unit. Love it.
 
Adam Shada racked up a lot of tackles because he was the best Iowa CB in run support that I can remember.
 
I'd probably say Spievey was the best in run support. 123 tackles in two years and he was a lockdown corner at the college level, so it wasn't because he was out of position.
 
ICHawk24 said:
tm3308 is right that its somewhat a reflection of his position, and Kirksey is evidence of that. I thought Hitch left some plays on the field during the first 2 or 3 games, but he has impressed me since then.
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I think this is the most accurate - Hitchens was a liability against NIU, he was a step or two slow for the scheme. I think he has gotten more comfortable in the position and scheme and is playing faster. His level of comfort is also showing up more in his hitting. He was catching guys from behind and grabbing in the first couple of games, now he is reading and reacting much quicker and laying solid hits. It was the right move to put Kirksey at the Leo, he is the better athlete to play in space. Best game from the backers at MSU - very fun to see the progress in the front seven this year. Now if we could just move Reese Morgan over to coach the passing game...
 
Weak side backer is supposed to make a lot of tackles in cover 2. It's good that he's making them, he seems quite athletic (unlike someone next to him), so it's no surprise. Refreshing!
 
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