Yet Another Ashton Broyld Thread

[hburgcuse]

Regarding Broyld's future at SU, I hope you are not tired of hearing, reading, and thinking about the big question: At which position will Ashton be able to contribute the most at SU?

I have seen him line up at RB.
I have read on here that he will get a shot at QB.
I have read on here speculation as a slot WR.
I have read on here that perhaps his best shot at the NFL is at TE.

What I have not read or heard much about is Ashton Broyld's potential on defense.

Next year 'Cuse will have a glaring hole at the MLB spot, following the graduation of both Diabate and Vaughan. Who do we have that is more suitable at MLB than Ashton Broyld for the next 3 years?

What are the options for 2013?

- Move Spruill back over to MLB since he has experience at that spot? This might be okay because Lynch and Davis can play the OLB positions, but with Spruill graduating after next season that is only a 1-year solution.

- Give Coker the start? Again this would be a 1-year solution, then we are again asking who will start at MLB in 2014.

- Is James Washington suited to play MLB? Isn't he more of an OLB?

- Does SU go the JUCO route like we did with Diabate? It appears we are looking in that direction.

But what about Broyld at linebacker?
He has the size; right now he would be the largest LB in height and right up there with anybody in weight. Is he strong enough? If not, I'd imagine he can get stronger.
He has the speed, by all accounts. Imagine him running to the ball on defense; he would be all over the field!
He must have some intelligence. If the staff thinks enough of him to give him a shot at QB, one would think that he would have the mental capacity to be able to pick up the defensive playbook as well.
Does he lack physicality or toughness? From watching him run the ball it sure does not look like he shies away from contact.

Is there something he is lacking?
What are the reasons that nobody else seems to be looking at him as a potential MLB? Or is it just that the staff sees him on offense, and that's that?

 

[Frozen]

I'd like to see AB line up as a WR. In the same vein, I would like to see Kinder get a look at WR if he gets beaten out for the QB job next season.

 

[RICuse44]

Regarding Broyld's future at SU, I hope you are not tired of hearing, reading, and thinking about the big question: At which position will Ashton be able to contribute the most at SU?

I have seen him line up at RB.
I have read on here that he will get a shot at QB.
I have read on here speculation as a slot WR.
I have read on here that perhaps his best shot at the NFL is at TE.

What I have not read or heard much about is Ashton Broyld's potential on defense.

Next year 'Cuse will have a glaring hole at the MLB spot, following the graduation of both Diabate and Vaughan. Who do we have that is more suitable at MLB than Ashton Broyld for the next 3 years?

What are the options for 2013?

- Move Spruill back over to MLB since he has experience at that spot? This might be okay because Lynch and Davis can play the OLB positions, but with Spruill graduating after next season that is only a 1-year solution.

- Give Coker the start? Again this would be a 1-year solution, then we are again asking who will start at MLB in 2014.

- Is James Washington suited to play MLB? Isn't he more of an OLB?

- Does SU go the JUCO route like we did with Diabate? It appears we are looking in that direction.

But what about Broyld at linebacker?
He has the size; right now he would be the largest LB in height and right up there with anybody in weight. Is he strong enough? If not, I'd imagine he can get stronger.
He has the speed, by all accounts. Imagine him running to the ball on defense; he would be all over the field!
He must have some intelligence. If the staff thinks enough of him to give him a shot at QB, one would think that he would have the mental capacity to be able to pick up the defensive playbook as well.
Does he lack physicality or toughness? From watching him run the ball it sure does not look like he shies away from contact.

Is there something he is lacking?
What are the reasons that nobody else seems to be looking at him as a potential MLB? Or is it just that the staff sees him on offense, and that's that?

Great post. Brings up an important question. You would think by now the staff would know whether he is a QB or not. Others have said his NFL future is at TE. I do like the potential he would have at MLB and think that this, or another LB position, may really be his best NFL shot (granted I could be FOS because I have never seen him throw a football). A lot goes into this though. How are his hands? If below or average then I think your choice is made. I do not think his future is at QB. Otherwise I do not think he would have been moved this year. In the end though, you are either a defensive player or not. To play middle you have to love contact. The only two backs who seem to fit that bill are Rome and AAM. Not sure about Broyld but once again small sample size. My biggest hope though is that the staff evaluates him and Ashton figures out what he wants to do. Then they stick with it. The idea though of him at middle? Similar build to Jolonn Dunbar. Or Uhrlacher.

 

[phil77]

Broyld should be used like Percy Harvin on offense.

 

[PhatOrange]

One of the big unknowns is does Ashton possess a defensive mentality? I've never seen him on that side of the ball.

 

[Crusty]

The first question is will he agree to play D. I don't think he will. He wants his shot at QB and I do not understand why so many think he can't make it.

 

[Jeepers]

I would think if he was a contender for QB, he would have had at least one trick throw this season. I guess there's always the bowl game.

 

[xc84]

The first question is will he agree to play D. I don't think he will. He wants his shot at QB and I do not understand why so many think he can't make it.

I agree. He's played QB in high school. He was recruited as a QB. He's a great athlete. None of us have heard the coaches say he'll be moved or he can't play the QB position. He's a good enough player that the coaches have played him on offense just to get him some PT... but it's assumed he can't play QB and instead will be better on defense?

 

[Cuseregular]

One of the big unknowns is does Ashton possess a defensive mentality? I've never seen him on that side of the ball.

in that HS championship game that I saw him in and refer to often he played on both sides of the ball, the whole game on O and in spots on D. He was just as impressive as a DB on that side of the ball. In fact he single handedly won the game on the last series by making one big play after another....on the defensive side of the ball.

Said it before, will say it again...in all my now many years of watching sports both in person and on TV I've never seen one player stand out more and be so head and tails above all others, nor one whose performance was so over the top awesome as I saw that day from AB. He's going to get his shot at qb both in December and in the spring and we'll see if he has it.

He DOESN'T have the instincts nor flat out speed and requisite skills to be a wr, however, maybe TE and certainly somewhere on the d. That said these type kids are so rare it would be a waste going forward not to find a place for him on the O side of the ball where the impact would be greatest.

 

[Crusty]

I way at the UConn game and saw him rush on four plays in a row and make two first downs and all I could think of was AB in the zone read. Would be awesome.

 

[Crusty]

At QB that is.

 

[Orangepace]

I would think if he was a contender for QB, he would have had at least one trick throw this season. I guess there's always the bowl game.

We still have a bowl game to play...

 

[Orangepace]

If he does end up at TE, imagine the possibilities of running a two TE offense, ala Patriots, in hurry up fashion... I see that beeing a deadly combination on the college level..

 

[RICuse44]

If he does end up at TE, imagine the possibilities of running a two TE offense, ala Patriots, in hurry up fashion... I see that beeing a deadly combination on the college level..

Like Aaron Hernandez? I like this. Also creates a giant matchup issue if you have a guy who can play TE and RB. This is interesting.

 

[Orangepace]

Like Aaron Hernandez? I like this. Also creates a giant matchup issue if you have a guy who can play TE and RB. This is interesting.

Exactly.. Thompson/Broyld could be as deadly on the college level...

 

[OrangePA]

I would like him to get a real long look at QB.

 

[xc84]

Exactly.. Thompson/Broyld could be as deadly on the college level...

You mean Broyld to Thompson? I agree.

 

[OrangeBlood]

Exactly.. Thompson/Broyld could be as deadly on the college level...

This is an excellent idea. The pats have Gronk/Hernandez we have Broyld/Thompson.

Broyld will never be an every down QB. And if Allen is as good as advertised we got to have him on the field. Even if Loeb is the starter next year, too much death at QB so he is out at QB and the stable is full at RB, get him out of there. I think he will be best served as a TE/WR combo. He will never be a great blocker probably but neither is Hernandez. I would like to see him get up to 240 area and build a lot of muscle.

I would also use him as the Stallion QB next year. No matter who starts they will be inexperienced. So the stallion could take some pressure off and he is perfect for it. He also offers the possibility of throwing.

On the possibility of Defense, He projects as a DE/LB. He would have to gain a lot of weight, but he would be dangerous off the edge with his speed.

 

[bnoro]

Great Idea! We'll move a guy that never played defense to the hardest position on the field to understand, MLB!

 

[SoBeCuse]

Like Aaron Hernandez? I like this. Also creates a giant matchup issue if you have a guy who can play TE and RB. This is interesting.

Yes on Hernandez. I've mentioned this before. The way the Pats and Florida used him. He's not fast enough to be lined up all over the place like Harvin.

 

[ImperialOrange]

He's going to be used on offense where he will have the biggest impact. The guy is a playmaker and a matchup nightmare.

He may not have 1 set position next year but he could get a ton of snaps in a multitude of positions. A couple series as a read option qb, a couple series as rb, take over Stevens snaps as a recieving te, and a couple series as slot wr lined up against a lb who will have trouble covering him in the open field or vs a 3rd cb who wont be able to tackle him in nickle sets. The great thing about him learning the playbook as a qb is that he'll already know all those positions responsibilities on any given play. My biggest ? with him is whether on not he can block. He's got the size but no idea if has the want to.

If someone in the 2 deep at qb, RB, or te gets hurt then that is where we'll probably see him play most.

One point brought up earlier in this thread that intrigues me is the possabilty of AAM moving to mlb. That could be worth pursuing.

 

[bnoro]

One point brought up earlier in this thread that intrigues me is the possabilty of AAM moving to mlb. That could be worth pursuing.

Definitely not. Can't see his lateral quickness being good enough for MLB, and has he ever played the position? This isn't NCAA13 you can't just move kids around that easy.

 

[hburgcuse]

Thank you for all of the input.

My original thought had little to do with whether or not he has played defense before (some say he hasn't, others say they have seen him play D in H.S.) - because the precedent had been set moving players from RB to LB (D.Smith & D.Hogue, and many cases at other schools). Therefore that is not a foreign concept. But I wanted to gauge how everyone felt about Ashton's individual skill set - what would HIS capability be in handling the MLB position?

I now have a clearer understanding of why I was the only one thinking about putting one of our best athletes in a position of great need, and with little returning depth while there appears to be great depth at QB, RB, WR, or TE.

Apparently the concensus is that he is just too great of a potential offensive weapon due to his versatility not to use on offense. Now it will be up to the coaches to make sure they find ways to utilize his talents, whether he starts at QB for the next 3 years or if he is used as a "slash" player. I really hope he is the kind of dynamic athlete that most are projecting, or that he is that good of a QB to win the starting job. What I do not want to see is little use out of him because they couldn't find a position for him, all while we have a large void that he maybe could have filled. Very anxious to see how it all will play out.

 

[All4SU]

I expect Kinder to be moved to TE very soon.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Definitely not. Can't see his lateral quickness being good enough for MLB, and has he ever played the position? This isn't NCAA13 you can't just move kids around that easy.

Could be right but i dont see his lateral mobility being the best it could be. He's lost some weight but he could still lose a bit more.