What is your ideal starting LB core? | Syracusefan.com

What is your ideal starting LB core?

Dino-saur

Dino-saur

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Our Current Options:
Tyrell Richards (R-So)
Andrew Armstrong (Sr)
Lakiem Williams (Sr)
Tim Walton (R-Jr)
Lee Kpogba (Fr)
Juan Wallace (So)
Mikel Jones (Fr)
Kadeem Trotter (R-So)
Geoff Cantin (Fr)
 
You're aware that the roster doesn't get updated with all the incoming players until late July/August.
 
Dino-saur said:
Our Current Options:
Tyrell Richards (R-So)
Andrew Armstrong (Sr)
Lakiem Williams (Sr)
Tim Walton (R-Jr)
Lee Kpogba (Fr)
Juan Wallace (So)
Mikel Jones (Fr)
Kadeem Trotter (R-So)
Geoff Cantin (Fr)
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The staff has historically favored the seniors in these situations. If you believe in history, Armstrong and Williams will start. The linebacker positions at Syracuse require a lot of knowledge and experience. These guys have the most.

I think Armstrong has played some at all 3 LB positions, so my guess is that he will probably fill the role Whitner filled last year at the WILL position. I think Williams has been inside exclusively and will end up there. When we need a SAM, Richards has the most experience and is probably the favorite, filling in for Shy.

This would be the biggest group of linebackers we have had in a while. Armstrong is 6’2 234 pounds, Williams is 6’0, 233 pounds and Richards is 6’4 236 pounds.

Have heard good things about Wallace and the staff seemed really high on Mikel Jones possibly playing early. Kpogba probably didn’t play as good competition as Jones but at 230 pounds, he comes to camp physically ready to play. Maybe a youngster will surprise but it will be a tough task to win a starting position that young.
 
My understanding of the demands asked of the various LB are these

WILL - Pass rushing (no tight end)

MIKE - Size - speed - knowledge (lots of ground to cover and responsible for interior run support)

SAM - coverage (tight end side)

Based on those responsibilities I would guess the following

WILL - Richards (best pass rusher)

MIKE - Williams (best size-speed combo and been in system 2 years for knowledge)

SAM - Army (best coverage/hands per DFB)
 
sutomcat said:
The staff has historically favored the seniors in these situations. If you believe in history, Armstrong and Williams will start. The linebacker positions at Syracuse require a lot of knowledge and experience. These guys have the most.

I think Armstrong has played some at all 3 LB positions, so my guess is that he will probably fill the role Whitner filled last year at the WILL position. I think Williams has been inside exclusively and will end up there. When we need a SAM, Richards has the most experience and is probably the favorite, filling in for Shy.

This would be the biggest group of linebackers we have had in a while. Armstrong is 6’2 234 pounds, Williams is 6’0, 233 pounds and Richards is 6’4 236 pounds.

Have heard good things about Wallace and the staff seemed really high on Mikel Jones possibly playing early. Kpogba probably didn’t play as good competition as Jones but at 230 pounds, he comes to camp physically ready to play. Maybe a youngster will surprise but it will be a tough task to win a starting position that young.
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I think this is accurate.

One of my few criticisms of the staff is that I've felt they've been over reliant on the starting linebackers.

I'm hopeful that the talent level has risen enough at that position that we can see the second string leveraged a bit more. A big part of last season's success came down to the fact that we didn't deplete our starting linebackers over the course of the season.
 
Richards S
Wallace M
Armstrong. W
 
Wallace and Williams for MLB should be a good competition to watch.
 
My hope is between Williams, Richards, Armstrong, Wallace, Jones, and Kponga we have quality competition in practice, and they will have a functioning rotation, if not an outright two-deep. The raw materials are there for this unit to be solid.
 
Still rooting for Trotter to make a case at Will
 
Jones was offered by Auburn, Georgia and Clemson. Kpogba was offered by FSU. North Carolina high school football is pretty competitive (especially compared to New York). I expect both of these guys to be really good if not great.
 
Lawrence Taylor
Harry Carson
Brian Kelly
Brad VanPelt

Or

Lawrence Taylor
Harry Carson (Pepper Johnson)
Gary Reasons
Carl Banks

Your call...
 
SUskibum said:
My understanding of the demands asked of the various LB are these

WILL - Pass rushing (no tight end)

MIKE - Size - speed - knowledge (lots of ground to cover and responsible for interior run support)

SAM - coverage (tight end side)

Based on those responsibilities I would guess the following

WILL - Richards (best pass rusher)

MIKE - Williams (best size-speed combo and been in system 2 years for knowledge)

SAM - Army (best coverage/hands per DFB)
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I agree there.
 
shu 49 said:
I don’t care where we put Richards but he needs to be on field. Too big, too fast, and ultra aggressive. He has to play.
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I was really encouraged by the reports out of spring ball, about the "mental" progress that Lakeim Williams made in spring ball. I would love to see him AND Richardson emerge, because they are huge, fast, hostile, and have the physical tools to be good against the run.

Really hope they can handle the assignment aspect of their positions, because if so our defense has a chance to be really good.

And if not, we have some other intriguing options. But we need a couple of these guys to turn into stalwarts.
 
RF2044 said:
I was really encouraged by the reports out of spring ball, about the "mental" progress that Lakeim Williams made in spring ball. I would love to see him AND Richardson emerge, because they are huge, fast, hostile, and have the physical tools to be good against the run.

Really hope they can handle the assignment aspect of their positions, because if so our defense has a chance to be really good.

And if not, we have some other intriguing options. But we need a couple of these guys to turn into stalwarts.
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We could go 4-2 and move Foster down and go with another safety as we are loaded there.
 
RF2044 said:
I was really encouraged by the reports out of spring ball, about the "mental" progress that Lakeim Williams made in spring ball. I would love to see him AND Richardson emerge, because they are huge, fast, hostile, and have the physical tools to be good against the run.

Really hope they can handle the assignment aspect of their positions, because if so our defense has a chance to be really good.

And if not, we have some other intriguing options. But we need a couple of these guys to turn into stalwarts.
Expand...
I just remember Williams filling in a bit last year and wasn’t impressed with his speed or downhill attack. Now as we know he could been thinking too much which slows u down considerably. I am less excited for him. Hope he proves me wrong.
 
shu 49 said:
I just remember Williams filling in a bit last year and wasn’t impressed with his speed or downhill attack. Now as we know he could been thinking too much which slows u down considerably. I am less excited for him.
Hope he proves me wrong.
Expand...

That's why I said "reports out of spring ball" -- It sounds like he's got better mastery of his assignments this year, based upon this:
https://expo.syracuse.com/sports/g6...ing-new-approach-in-2019-what-we-learned.html

If he is able to channel his physical capabilities, which he demonstrated on special teams, then we be even better against the run than the second half of last year. Which is why I'm both excited and curious to see what he can do.
 
Army - backed up by Richards
Willams- backed up by Wallace

I still think Richards will be used like he did last year and eventually moves to DE in 2020. Wallace, Jones and Kpogba will emerge by then.
 
Last edited:
money3189 said:
Army - backed up by Richards
Willams- backed up by Wallace

I still think Richards will be used like he did last year and eventually moves to DE in 2020. Wallace, Jones and Kpogba will emerge by then.
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Probably very much this, and would be excited for it
 
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