• The KillerFrogs

Fall camp thread

Eight

Member
Wait, what? I didn't hear about Wilson or Montrel. Ugh, here we go again. Could it be a strength and conditioning issue or the way our fall practices are conducted? It could be that I just don't follow other team's injuries like I do TCU, but it sure seems like we lead all others in that category.

i was told ben hurt his foot, surgery was required, and he will be back second half of the year.

don't know what happened other than he hurt his foot, but unless a weight got dropped on his foot not sure how this goes back to s&c.

i have never heard exactly why has kept montrel out for all this time, but based upon what he initially missed time if this is a continuance as wex pointed out counting on him might not be the best strategy.

injuries are going to happen and the experienced depth problem at linebacker is not due to the s&c program, practice schedules, or work loads.

go back and look at the recruiting at this position in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

2015 frogs signed semaj thomas, alec dunham, and mike freeze

2016 back that class with one linebacker signee in juco aa tyree horton

2017 with only 1 of the 4 previous signees on the roster that frogs sign alex bush and garret wallow.

so 6 linebackers signed in 3 years, 4 are gone, 1 is a solid squad player, and 1 has started 6 games at linebacker.
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
interesting how people are locked in on the quarterback position and somehow aren't talking about the current situation at linebacker.

ben wilson is out and will miss roughly half the season, montrel has been missing some practice, and that leaves the frogs with one linebacker with 6 career starts as the most experienced frog linebacker.

there are athletes at this position, but this could be something to watch early season.

Sounds like we have an abundance of safeties though so maybe we just move one of them? Wouldn’t be the first time. I keep hearing Van Zandt is playing very well but I never see him listed among the starters. Could we start him and maybe move someone like Innis to LB? Just thinking out loud.
 

PO Frog

Active Member
i was told ben hurt his foot, surgery was required, and he will be back second half of the year.

don't know what happened other than he hurt his foot, but unless a weight got dropped on his foot not sure how this goes back to s&c.

i have never heard exactly why has kept montrel out for all this time, but based upon what he initially missed time if this is a continuance as wex pointed out counting on him might not be the best strategy.

injuries are going to happen and the experienced depth problem at linebacker is not due to the s&c program, practice schedules, or work loads.

go back and look at the recruiting at this position in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

2015 frogs signed semaj thomas, alec dunham, and mike freeze

2016 back that class with one linebacker signee in juco aa tyree horton

2017 with only 1 of the 4 previous signees on the roster that frogs sign alex bush and garret wallow.

so 6 linebackers signed in 3 years, 4 are gone, 1 is a solid squad player, and 1 has started 6 games at linebacker.

Bush wasn't even on the roster last season, was he? So it's worse than your summary indicates. Weird that we can't recruit linebackers but I have always wondered if only having two spots available (because of the 4-2-5) makes recruits think there are limited opportunities? Seems unlikely since recruits don't typically shy away from competition, but it's always been strange to me.
 

Eight

Member
Sounds like we have an abundance of safeties though so maybe we just move one of them? Wouldn’t be the first time. I keep hearing Van Zandt is playing very well but I never see him listed among the starters. Could we start him and maybe move someone like Innis to LB? Just thinking out loud.

i hope instead of moving innis they try to resolve the issue with the young linebackers that fortress frog mentions in dee winters, dylan jordan, and demauroyn holmes. not sure how zach marcheselli has performed and if he is an option as well.

two concerns are that in the past when tcu has moved some one from safety the frogs have had one bigger linebacker to pair with them. that isn't the case now and with the conference trending towards a more physical running style that could get interesting.

the bigger concern is pass coverage. frogs have gotten killed the past few years isolating safeties and linebackers and i really could do without another year of drag routes and wheel routes going uncovered.
 

Eight

Member
Bush wasn't even on the roster last season, was he? So it's worse than your summary indicates. Weird that we can't recruit linebackers but I have always wondered if only having two spots available (because of the 4-2-5) makes recruits think there are limited opportunities? Seems unlikely since recruits don't typically shy away from competition, but it's always been strange to me.

i am curious as well if trying to find players to fill all the demands placed on the linebackers in the tcu system in the big 12 makes it almost an impossible situation.

the only thing is i do believe the position got hurt in recruiting partly because of patterson's staff management.

the frogs for at least one year did not have a full time position coach at linebacker and i know they had a ga, but a ga can't go recruit off campus.
 

JockO de Frog

Active Member
i was told ben hurt his foot, surgery was required, and he will be back second half of the year.

don't know what happened other than he hurt his foot, but unless a weight got dropped on his foot not sure how this goes back to s&c.

i have never heard exactly why has kept montrel out for all this time, but based upon what he initially missed time if this is a continuance as wex pointed out counting on him might not be the best strategy.

injuries are going to happen and the experienced depth problem at linebacker is not due to the s&c program, practice schedules, or work loads.

go back and look at the recruiting at this position in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

2015 frogs signed semaj thomas, alec dunham, and mike freeze

2016 back that class with one linebacker signee in juco aa tyree horton

2017 with only 1 of the 4 previous signees on the roster that frogs sign alex bush and garret wallow.

so 6 linebackers signed in 3 years, 4 are gone, 1 is a solid squad player, and 1 has started 6 games at linebacker.
When you list all the names like that, it really does jump off the page. However, I still think Mike Freeze shows up soon.
 

JockO de Frog

Active Member
"two concerns are that in the past when tcu has moved some one from safety the frogs have had one bigger linebacker to pair with them. that isn't the case now and with the conference trending towards a more physical running style that could get interesting"

So, do you think we'll ever see Coach P go to a4-3-4?
 

PO Frog

Active Member
i hope instead of moving innis they try to resolve the issue with the young linebackers that fortress frog mentions in dee winters, dylan jordan, and demauroyn holmes. not sure how zach marcheselli has performed and if he is an option as well.

two concerns are that in the past when tcu has moved some one from safety the frogs have had one bigger linebacker to pair with them. that isn't the case now and with the conference trending towards a more physical running style that could get interesting.

the bigger concern is pass coverage. frogs have gotten killed the past few years isolating safeties and linebackers and i really could do without another year of drag routes and wheel routes going uncovered.
Saw that Marcheselli was in a shoulder sling. Believe Simpson is another one that could come on at LB, but I have concerns about the position in general. Wallow and Wilson has now turned into Wallow and squad, and it's not like Wallow is a totally known quantity.
 

Eight

Member
"two concerns are that in the past when tcu has moved some one from safety the frogs have had one bigger linebacker to pair with them. that isn't the case now and with the conference trending towards a more physical running style that could get interesting"

So, do you think we'll ever see Coach P go to a4-3-4?

don't think so and i do think you can play the 4-2-5 against this conference if you have two linebacker who have had time to develop.

i think you could see that in the next year or two, but frogs just can't go through 3-4 years of little to no production from your recruiting classes
 

Eight

Member
Saw that Marcheselli was in a shoulder sling. Believe Simpson is another one that could come on at LB, but I have concerns about the position in general. Wallow and Wilson has now turned into Wallow and squad, and it's not like Wallow is a totally known quantity.

6 total games started at linebacker and it might be 6 total games players at linebacker.
 

Wexahu

Full Member
6 total games started at linebacker and it might be 6 total games players at linebacker.

Not like it hasn't been said before many times, but it absolutely mind-boggling to me given GP's reputation as a defensive mastermind that we find ourselves so razor thin at times at certain positions on that side of the ball. I know injuries always play a factor but still.... Good thing he generally finds a way to make it work even if it doesn't look good on paper.
 

TX_Krötenechse

Active Member
Not like it hasn't been said before many times, but it absolutely mind-boggling to me given GP's reputation as a defensive mastermind that we find ourselves so razor thin at times at certain positions on that side of the ball. I know injuries always play a factor but still.... Good thing he generally finds a way to make it work even if it doesn't look good on paper.
Could be that GP really likes recruiting players on defense and then playing them somewhere else. We’ve had a lot of LBs move to DE, DE to DT, and safety to LB.
 

CryptoMiner

Active Member
Saw that Marcheselli was in a shoulder sling. Believe Simpson is another one that could come on at LB, but I have concerns about the position in general. Wallow and Wilson has now turned into Wallow and squad, and it's not like Wallow is a totally known quantity.

Hearing CGP rave about Dee Winters should at least give some piece of mind. Everyone knew he was a stud athlete but CGP was really high on his FB IQ.
 

jake102

Active Member
I just wish Wallow was a little more of a proven commodity.... LB will be a somewhat proven commodity and whoever can suit up.

Fortunately safety is deep and Gaines plays the best position to drop down to LB.... guessing he is going to be dropping down a LOT with Washington or Van Zandt stepping in.
 
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