My only concern about this years team is, while Bama is fine tuning their machine all year

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I honestly think without all the WR injuries those guys would be on the scout team).

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Mitchell is showing he belongs and i have extremely pleased with McKonkey. I mean, I don't think they compare with the normal starters, yet...but they are very good. Right now it builds experience and depth, and that could work to our advantage later on.

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Mitchell is showing he belongs and i have extremely pleased with McKonkey. I mean, I don't think they compare with the normal starters, yet...but they are very good. Right now it builds experience and depth, and that could work to our advantage later on.

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KJ is getting healthy. If/When he's there, I still believe that he and Ladd will split time there. Ladd is proving to be a weapon.

So at WR:

Burton - pretty locked in at Y
McConkey - at least 40-50% of Z/Slot snaps expected

So you really have:

X - attempting to find the answer there... is it going to be AD Mitchell? Will JRob step up and take a healthy percentage of snaps there and be a weapon? Does Pickens recover in time to not only get back on the field, but contribute in a meaningful way.


Arguably at WR, I'd say we *are* fine tuning at this point. The only real huge piece that is outstanding is if/when Pickens returns... and we would still be easing him back in, and the work we're doing with Mitchell and JRob is helping to sort out who pecking order once he's 100% and not on a pitch count.


At QB, if we were to play JTD this weekend, it would put us in danger of potentially having to take him in/out of the lineup. He probably *shouldn't* have played against SC/Vandy if we're being honest, since the lat injury appears to be an overcompensation injury from the oblique.

I do think we may have to look at having him go longer in games, even if they're blowouts by the 2nd quarter when he returns. I don't want to see us bring him back against UK (just an example, not a prediction), and somehow we're up by 28 early in the 2nd and he's sitting. If his injury doesn't absolutely require easing back into things, we need him to command all facets of the offense for a little longer each game to get him ready for the stretch run.

On the other hand, if JTD seems to linger in this hurt/injured status, we need to better figure out how we're going to manage the O with Stetson at the helm anyway. I think Monken is managing it correctly right now to the best that he is able given the limitations we're facing right now on the roster.

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Bama just lost their #2 RB for the year with knee injury.

They aren't that fine tuning...

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RB2 (at Bama especially) < QB1, WR1, 2, 3, & 4, TE1, OG1

McKonckey is sure handed and runs a 4.45, what more do you want.

Bowers may have been buried due to senority too but heck, that guy is awesome.

Getting pickens back would be awesome, Blalock is extremely skilled in route running and catching. Washington for obvious reasons but how much have we lost.

Clemson we score more probably but JT's arm was deminished so who knows.

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Bama just lost their #2 RB for the year with knee injury.

They aren't that fine tuning...

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They lost McClellan and Wheaton. Sanders is Zamir White 2019. He's just getting healthy.

We're fine tuning JTD's lat and fine tuning SBIV which is all that really matters at this point.

Until JTD is healed he's not going to play. It's time you accept that. And we shouldn't want him out there to prolong the situation. SBIV needs the snaps in a big time atmosphere so he's ready at the end of thebyear if needed. If we can't beat a mediocre AU team we aren't going to win the championship. No matter who is at QB.

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Is this really what's going on with him?

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Unless you think Kirby is a liar. But usually liars don't go into the level of detail he's provided about it being a Grade 1 Lat sprain, them being in touch with the Cowboys training staff (because Dak had a Grade 2 -- took being fully shut down a month to heal). Pitchers and QBs sometimes get this injury. Supposedly he is back throwing "soft" but they are being super cautious.

Again...unless you think Kirby (and JT) are lying and there's something more sinister.

I think we should not expect Pickens to be healthy this year. If he makes it into the lineup against Florida I would expect only 6-8 plays from him and those only short sideline passes for 1st downs. I prefer he rehab until the SECCG so he is at his best for the most important game, and then leading into the Playoff.

We will be fine. We should have Blaylock and Pickens back by the time the SECCG rolls around barring a set back

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If he makes it into the lineup against Florida I would expect only 6-8 plays from him

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I think better than average chance Pickens plays against Florida but I also agree he won't go in much. But he's such a threat that putting him in on a few plays could be useful.