Your Top 3 Position Units Pre 2021 | Syracusefan.com

Your Top 3 Position Units Pre 2021

Trueblue25

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What’d you think the Orange’s top 3 position units will be heading into next season?

1. Linebacker - Mikel Jones, Thompson and Wax imo are each capable of eventually earning All Acc consideration. Cantin Arku and Linton each showed flashes of being very solid. My dark horse star for next year is Lee Kpogba. That kids got the attitude and physicality of an impact linebacker.

2. DL - we return Black, KJ and Bear. That’s huge. If we can get Roscoe back then even better. Caleb, Harper, Rondi and Tua should each be capable of contributing. Interested to see if Leon, Linton, Goulbourne or Kinsler are able to provide limited time off the edge.

OL - If healthy, we return a lot of experience and size. We got our transfer and Bleich should also be ready. Huge that we landed a big class to groom behind the experience returnees as well. Hopefully Servais runs a tight ship and helps the new OL Coach groom a tight knit and well oiled machine. The foundation and pieces are there.

Thoughts?
 
1) Secondary. Lot of young guys got a lot of good reps last season and flashed some real potential.

2) Running Back. As long as Tucker can stay healthy, I think we'll be okay. Lutz is a nice change of pace guy. If Jarveon is back, we've got something.

3) Linebacker for the reasons you said.
 
QB: If Shrader can do 2 things w/regularity we’ll be miles ahead.
1. Sense pressure and run out of the pocket (forward).
2. Extend plays and maybe complete some passes when pressured.
DeVito to relieve, where he’s excelled in the past.
Lamson to happily acclimate, practice and learn.
 
LB
RB (assuming Adams and Howard are back)
CB

edit: After thinking about it a little more I'll put DL instead of CB
 
Last edited:
LB
QB
DL

RB if Jarveon/Adams comes back

I want to say OL because I think there’s potential for that unit to be solid this year but it’s impossible to trust them.
 
LB
DL
S

To me O is completely up in the air. Keeping expectations very low.
 
The answer to this question is > I don't know if there is a top 3. Maybe top 2?

Definitely LB is #1
Secondary has potential to be the second best
Then I think a toss up between RB/Dline

Wide outs could surprise and so could QB with the development of Tommy or the emergence of Shrader/Lamson

That offensive line has got a lot to prove to be in the top 3 units. I think we need a lot more punch in the run game between the guards and center
 
RB goes to number 2 if Adams and/or Howard are back.
 
I'm going to say:

QB - Big Cinco started twice last year and looked elite
DL - Everyone comes back a year older and the group was already pretty solid
WR - Ladson and Ngata will be healthy (hopefully) for the first time in over a year and are poised for a big jump
 
I'm going to say:

QB - Big Cinco started twice last year and looked elite
DL - Everyone comes back a year older and the group was already pretty solid
WR - Ladson and Ngata will be healthy (hopefully) for the first time in over a year and are poised for a big jump
I'm sorry, sir. You can't build a mansion in our middle class neighborhood.
 
OL, QB and secondary as strengths of this team?!?!? Am I misunderstanding the question?

OL has been terrible for 2 years and you all are basing this unit as a strength because of the return of most of the unit? Bleich hasn’t played here yet, Bradford brings several question marks with him. The unit doesn’t even have a position coach at the moment! Only two players should be locked in as starters as of now, D. Davis and Bergeron.

QB - In 7 of the last 8 seasons, the QB that started the season is NOT the same QB that finished the season. This position has been a turnstile as a result of injuries (thanks OL) and inadequate play. Glad Schrader is here but let’s see if he can convert back from a WR in 2020 to be successful at QB in 2021 before this unit is considered top 3.

Secondary has been outstanding but just lost its 3 best players. Who is starting at CB opposite Williams? Nunn is likely done with this program (he’ll be starting for the U down the road despite these legal issues). Can Labrosse convert to CB? Greenwood and Carter did the best they could but both were undersized freshman and by no means were reliable. Can this unit really be top 3 if we are forced to start a true freshman at CB (Chestnut)? If Williams gets hurt (which always finds a way to happen to the best players of this program), this secondary will be in trouble. Yikes

Top 3 -
LB
RB
DL
 
OL, QB and secondary as strengths of this team?!?!? Am I misunderstanding the question?

OL has been terrible for 2 years and you all are basing this unit as a strength because of the return of most of the unit? Bleich hasn’t played here yet, Bradford brings several question marks with him. The unit doesn’t even have a position coach at the moment! Only two players should be locked in as starters as of now, D. Davis and Bergeron.

QB - In 7 of the last 8 seasons, the QB that started the season is NOT the same QB that finished the season. This position has been a turnstile as a result of injuries (thanks OL) and inadequate play. Glad Schrader is here but let’s see if he can convert back from a WR in 2020 to be successful at QB in 2021 before this unit is considered top 3.

Secondary has been outstanding but just lost its 3 best players. Who is starting at CB opposite Williams? Nunn is likely done with this program (he’ll be starting for the U down the road despite these legal issues). Can Labrosse convert to CB? Greenwood and Carter did the best they could but both were undersized freshman and by no means were reliable. Can this unit really be top 3 if we are forced to start a true freshman at CB (Chestnut)? Yikes

Your comments on the OL echo mine, except I will go a step further - we were 1-10. There wasn't one area that we were happy with, except maybe defensive backfield (and we're arguably much weaker in that area going into 2021). Now, we're getting most of our players back that started and we're happy?
 
Your comments on the OL echo mine, except I will go a step further - we were 1-10. There wasn't one area that we were happy with, except maybe defensive backfield (and we're arguably much weaker in that area going into 2021). Now, we're getting most of our players back that started and we're happy?
Posters seem to have short term memory or revisionist history every year.
I’m not sold on any O group at this point. RB showed some promise but if the Oline is a dumpster fire again it won’t matter. Added some good players at qb and lots of depth in the room still big question mark.
Oline has been a train wreck. There were injuries but other than Elmore most of the starters have been there for two years. Not real confident that in the third year there is this dramatic improvement.
LB is the strength followed by DL. Secondary was young but talented. Need to find a complement to Williams. Cooley will return, cater, labrose, greenwood. Add chestnut and folk. Lot of options.
Again D will lead the team. If we have an average O we will win some games. If O continues its struggles it will be a long season.
 
I put OL at three because of the experience, current health and size. We also just pulled in a decent class so the future arguably looks brighter as there’s nowhere but up from here.

I will not put safety there, we’re too shallow at the position imo though Coley and Carter are each solid.

We lose iffy, trill and potentially Nunn at CB. Williams is a stud, but again shallow depth.

WR? No thanks. Harris is proven, and Queeley’s made strides. In show me mode for the rest.

QB, I have faith in Tommy but there’s still quite some to prove.

TE is good and all but will only be noticeably effective if the OL functions properly. We lost our best blocking TE in Hackett.
 
Tailgaters...a year without barbecues, 50-50's, coolers, and canopies will be forcefully rebuked.

As for the team, I'm liking the defense in general over the offense (LB,DL,DB), but think the OL steps up and I really like our RB's. Hough could be special and our other RB's behind an improving line could be fun, too. The memory of 2021 will fade...
 
1) LB - Love this group. Lots of young talent. Jones & Thompson are stars in the making. Depth here is very good too.

2) QB - We have 2 capable P5 QB's, along with a guy (Lamson) who could become our future a few years down the road. I think Shrader coming in makes Tommy better. I'll guess Shrader starts.

3) With all these rumbles of Howard/Adams on campus and at least Howard working out, I'll go RB. This is assuming Jarveon is part of the team this season. If he is not, I'll cautiously go with the O-line.
 
I put OL at three because of the experience, current health and size. We also just pulled in a decent class so the future arguably looks brighter as there’s nowhere but up from here.

I will not put safety there, we’re too shallow at the position imo though Coley and Carter are each solid.

We lose iffy, trill and potentially Nunn at CB. Williams is a stud, but again shallow depth.

WR? No thanks. Harris is proven, and Queeley’s made strides. In show me mode for the rest.

QB, I have faith in Tommy but there’s still quite some to prove.

TE is good and all but will only be noticeably effective if the OL functions properly. We lost our best blocking TE in Hackett.

Does that experience and health include our 300lb fullback/tight end/defensive lineman?
 
Secondary has been outstanding but just lost its 3 best players. Who is starting at CB opposite Williams? Nunn is likely done with this program (he’ll be starting for the U down the road despite these legal issues). Can Labrosse convert to CB? Greenwood and Carter did the best they could but both were undersized freshman and by no means were reliable. Can this unit really be top 3 if we are forced to start a true freshman at CB (Chestnut)?
An incredibly young secondary held its own last season and will be a year older. Cisco didn't play for most of the season, Trill sat for half of it. So it played without two of its best for a good chunk of the season. Iffy's loss hurts, but such is life in college football.

They could very well be awful, but I'm banking on a ton of youth to be better because of the reps they got.
 
Tough exercise because every unit on offense depend on another for success. Some defensive units can be elite even if others struggle and easier for elite defensive units to cover other flaws.

DBs blow coverage more than most realize but if pass rush is there it masks it, etc.

We all know what happens to every other offensive group when an olineman gets beat, or QB air mails an open WR.

On raw talent alone: LB, RB, QB

Proven talent and current numbers: LB, DL, DB
 

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