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Grades and awards for this season - post yours
Posted on 11/30/15 at 7:05 am
Posted on 11/30/15 at 7:05 am
Quarterback: A
BA broke out this year and become an All-SEC caliber QB, and props to Enos for his coaching.
Backs: B+
Collins had some iffy games here and there, but he stepped up in a big way after losses of Williams prior to the season and Rawleigh in the Auburn game. Also, Kendrick Jackson did a phenomenal job stepping in at FB as a true freshman, especially given that we pretty much didn't have one until he volunteered to move.
Offensive Line: B-
It took a while for the line to come together, and it was rough in the early going, but they gelled and we're playing extremely well down the stretch. We also were very good in pass blocking and were bottom of the league in sacks.
Receivers (including TEs): A
It looked like we would be in for a rough go of it when Hatcher, Hollister and Cornelius went down, but Morgan and Reed stepped up big time. I'd also argue that we have the best set of tight ends in the country, and that no one is more sure-handed than HH. If Henry comes back, this group will be stacked.
Defensive Line: C
Run defense was good, but we just could not manufacture a pass rush all season to save our lives. We were fairly good against the run, but not being able to rush the passer hurt us, and we got eaten alive by dual threat QBs
Linebackers: C-
It's no secret that we are thin and not exactly brimming with talent at linebacker, but I'm also very excited about Dre Greenlaw going forward. Brooks Ellis won't be an All-American and he's a liability in pass coverage, but he's also smart and experienced, two things you need out of a MLB and that will help us next year. I should also point out that LB was probably our weakest team unit this year, and it hurt our pass defense significantly.
Secondary: D+
I gave secondary the lowest grade on the team, lower than linebacker, because they returned a lot of experience and talent from last year yet in no way even remotely began to live up to expectations. Fundamentals in the early going were terrible, several teams (Toledo, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Mississippi State) absolutely passed at will on us.
Special Teams: C-
I'd argue field goal kicking almost took a step back this year, and the return game is still so-so, though I love how sure-handed Cornelius is with fair catches. We have to shore up kicking, though Baker didn't do half bad in punting.
Offensive MVP(s): Brandon Allen and Alex Collins
Both stepped up in a big way this season, Collins especially because he was had to shoulder the load in the running game.
Defensive MVP(s): Jeremiah Ledbetter and Dre Greenlaw
Ledbetter is arguably our best defensive player, and he was all over the field in every game. If Greenlaw doesn't step up at Will, we'd have been in for a world of hurt and we lose at least one more game.
Offensive Freshman of the Year
Rawleigh Williams
Defensive Freshman of the Year
Dre Greenlaw
BA broke out this year and become an All-SEC caliber QB, and props to Enos for his coaching.
Backs: B+
Collins had some iffy games here and there, but he stepped up in a big way after losses of Williams prior to the season and Rawleigh in the Auburn game. Also, Kendrick Jackson did a phenomenal job stepping in at FB as a true freshman, especially given that we pretty much didn't have one until he volunteered to move.
Offensive Line: B-
It took a while for the line to come together, and it was rough in the early going, but they gelled and we're playing extremely well down the stretch. We also were very good in pass blocking and were bottom of the league in sacks.
Receivers (including TEs): A
It looked like we would be in for a rough go of it when Hatcher, Hollister and Cornelius went down, but Morgan and Reed stepped up big time. I'd also argue that we have the best set of tight ends in the country, and that no one is more sure-handed than HH. If Henry comes back, this group will be stacked.
Defensive Line: C
Run defense was good, but we just could not manufacture a pass rush all season to save our lives. We were fairly good against the run, but not being able to rush the passer hurt us, and we got eaten alive by dual threat QBs
Linebackers: C-
It's no secret that we are thin and not exactly brimming with talent at linebacker, but I'm also very excited about Dre Greenlaw going forward. Brooks Ellis won't be an All-American and he's a liability in pass coverage, but he's also smart and experienced, two things you need out of a MLB and that will help us next year. I should also point out that LB was probably our weakest team unit this year, and it hurt our pass defense significantly.
Secondary: D+
I gave secondary the lowest grade on the team, lower than linebacker, because they returned a lot of experience and talent from last year yet in no way even remotely began to live up to expectations. Fundamentals in the early going were terrible, several teams (Toledo, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Mississippi State) absolutely passed at will on us.
Special Teams: C-
I'd argue field goal kicking almost took a step back this year, and the return game is still so-so, though I love how sure-handed Cornelius is with fair catches. We have to shore up kicking, though Baker didn't do half bad in punting.
Offensive MVP(s): Brandon Allen and Alex Collins
Both stepped up in a big way this season, Collins especially because he was had to shoulder the load in the running game.
Defensive MVP(s): Jeremiah Ledbetter and Dre Greenlaw
Ledbetter is arguably our best defensive player, and he was all over the field in every game. If Greenlaw doesn't step up at Will, we'd have been in for a world of hurt and we lose at least one more game.
Offensive Freshman of the Year
Rawleigh Williams
Defensive Freshman of the Year
Dre Greenlaw
This post was edited on 11/30/15 at 9:42 am
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Posted on 11/30/15 at 8:16 am to Feral
See below for full rankings
This post was edited on 11/30/15 at 8:33 am
Posted on 11/30/15 at 8:33 am to Feral
QB: A
BA did great. He cost us some games at the beginning but by the end he was winning them for us. The whole time his stat line was great though. Overall I thought he went above and beyond what I thought he was capable of
Backs: B
Collins was great Rawleigh was young but looks like he could be a star.
Offensive line: A
They weren't the best immediately but I don't know that anyone has a better overall OL than us in the country. Maybe Bama but that's really our only competition there.
Receivers: B
Injuries hurt this group. They also weren't great during parts of the season. They improved tremendously from last year and throughout the season though
Dline D+
Pass rush was inconsistent at best nonexistant for most of the year. They stopped the run pretty effectively but only after position changes at LB so I don't know how much credit they get for that. They seem small in the middle and slow on the edge honestly.
LB: C
Dre is the future at Will linebacker. Ellis is good but appears to have slowed down significantly this year. Tackling was meh overall but went from bad to good by years end.
Secondary: D+
They had a tough job but they got better as the year went on. Someone still needs to teach them how not to get destroyed by WRs on a screen pass block.
Special Teams: D-
Field goal kicking and KO team is terribly embarrassing. We can't kick touchbacks, make long field goals, or really do anything good here. Punting was ok but there's room to improve there. Return guys were good.
BA did great. He cost us some games at the beginning but by the end he was winning them for us. The whole time his stat line was great though. Overall I thought he went above and beyond what I thought he was capable of
Backs: B
Collins was great Rawleigh was young but looks like he could be a star.
Offensive line: A
They weren't the best immediately but I don't know that anyone has a better overall OL than us in the country. Maybe Bama but that's really our only competition there.
Receivers: B
Injuries hurt this group. They also weren't great during parts of the season. They improved tremendously from last year and throughout the season though
Dline D+
Pass rush was inconsistent at best nonexistant for most of the year. They stopped the run pretty effectively but only after position changes at LB so I don't know how much credit they get for that. They seem small in the middle and slow on the edge honestly.
LB: C
Dre is the future at Will linebacker. Ellis is good but appears to have slowed down significantly this year. Tackling was meh overall but went from bad to good by years end.
Secondary: D+
They had a tough job but they got better as the year went on. Someone still needs to teach them how not to get destroyed by WRs on a screen pass block.
Special Teams: D-
Field goal kicking and KO team is terribly embarrassing. We can't kick touchbacks, make long field goals, or really do anything good here. Punting was ok but there's room to improve there. Return guys were good.
Posted on 11/30/15 at 8:36 am to Feral
I would go B- on backs
But other than than it looks spot on
But other than than it looks spot on
Posted on 11/30/15 at 10:51 am to oklahogjr
quote:
We can't kick touchbacks
Pretty sure this is planned so we don't give the other team an automatic 25 yards.
quote:
make long field goals
Don't recall us having many chances to try long ones that weren't affected by the weather.
The blocking up front that led to the blocked kicks was my only issue with special teams
Posted on 11/30/15 at 11:29 am to hawgfaninc
quote:
Pretty sure this is planned so we don't give the other team an automatic 25 yards.
seems like if that's the plan then we'd focus a lot more on tackling and staying in your lane then we do. It's absolutely nerve wracking to watch. I like the planned random short kick but to do it every time seems like you're just asking for trouble.
quote:
Don't recall us having many chances to try long ones that weren't affected by the weather.
That's true and I maybe a little hard on them there but we always seem to go for it on 4th and short when a field goal might be in range for a better kicker.. I also seem to remember the announcer saying those blocked kicks were lower because of the distance required to make them which is a sign of weak leg strength.
Posted on 11/30/15 at 12:15 pm to hawgfaninc
quote:
Pretty sure this is planned so we don't give the other team an automatic 25 yards.
Agreed. I was annoyned by this at the first of the year as well. One of our games toward the end of the year, though, made me realize we do it intentionally. We were in a situation where you'd want to kick a touchback (up on a team, and didn't want to give them an opportunity for a big play on a KO return), and the kicker absolutely drilled it out of the endzone without problem. I then realized that he actually can, but we intentionally don't.
Looking at it, we're better off, too. For the most part, teams weren't starting past the 25 from kickoffs that I remember.
I did think that it kind of gives the lie to Bert's emphasis on player safety and such, though, because Kickoffs are one of the most dangerous times for players and lead to some massive hits and injuries. If his player safety concern were as big as he tried to make it out to be, then he'd be drilling it through for touchbacks everytime he could.
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