Spring Ball 2018

[WestSideRabbit]

Its time to get a thread going here for spring ball.

No longer with the team are:
Wyatt Ewing (Fr-OL)
Austin Lohsandt (Fr-OL)
Jessup Workman (JR-LB)*Accumulation of injuries
Matt Fry (JR-DT)*Not sure if he finished last season with the team or not.
Bobby Zavango (JR-LB)

For whatever the reason, non of the freshmen who have been participating in off season workouts have been added to the gojacks roster. CJ Wilson (RB), Michael Griffin (Safety, Transfer from SMSU), Chase Templeman (Safety), Alex Scheifelbein (WR), and Strasburg (WR) are the new plays that should appear on the roster.

I hope to make it to a few morning practices and report what I see on the blog.

[thumper_76]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

I’m very interested to see what the coaches decide to do with the teams identity as a whole. Do we stick with what we have done with Jake and Dallas, with being a more pass first team who tries to get up on teams in order for our defense to be aggressive? Or do we go back to having a team that relies on the run game and a stout defense? Depends on what the coaches feel about our young talent at WR I suppose, but it should be fun to watch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

I’m very interested to see what the coaches decide to do with the teams identity as a whole. Do we stick with what we have done with Jake and Dallas, with being a more pass first team who tries to get up on teams in order for our defense to be aggressive? Or do we go back to having a team that relies on the run game and a stout defense? Depends on what the coaches feel about our young talent at WR I suppose, but it should be fun to watch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My opinion: Offense is fun to watch and exciting, but defense wins championships.


I'm interested to see if TC can get past what happen against JMU.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

I’m very interested to see what the coaches decide to do with the teams identity as a whole. Do we stick with what we have done with Jake and Dallas, with being a more pass first team who tries to get up on teams in order for our defense to be aggressive? Or do we go back to having a team that relies on the run game and a stout defense? Depends on what the coaches feel about our young talent at WR I suppose, but it should be fun to watch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The most success we have seen in the program is with an open offense. I don't think that you mess with it. The most room for improvement would be the defense.

[BitsTD]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Most disappointing thing about spring ball this year is the game is at 6pm on a Friday night.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carolina010]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Does anyone else feel that TC may actually be better with his accuracy this year because he will have to be since we are without Dallas and Jake. The last few years he could get away with a semi bad throw and those two would still catch it more times than not. Now he won’t have that security blanket so he will have to focus back in and be more accurate. I feel like this situation is similar to Matt Stanford when everyone kind of thought he would fall off a little without Calvin Johnson but he has been just as good without him.

[Jackedforlife]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Does anyone else feel that TC may actually be better with his accuracy this year because he will have to be since we are without Dallas and Jake. The last few years he could get away with a semi bad throw and those two would still catch it more times than not. Now he won’t have that security blanket so he will have to focus back in and be more accurate. I feel like this situation is similar to Matt Stanford when everyone kind of thought he would fall off a little without Calvin Johnson but he has been just as good without him.

Agreed and I will add that the offense may be even more potent. If TC is just distributing it to 6-8 guys instead of worrying about getting Jake and Dallas 150+ balls then it will be more even. I could envision 3-4 guys getting 35-40 balls and another few snagging 20+. Unless someone breaks out it won't necessarily be star power. Add in the 3-4 guys at RB and I believe we are going to be more balanced offensively than we've been in a long time.

[TransAmBison]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Agreed and I will add that the offense may be even more potent. If TC is just distributing it to 6-8 guys instead of worrying about getting Jake and Dallas 150+ balls then it will be more even. I could envision 3-4 guys getting 35-40 balls and another few snagging 20+. Unless someone breaks out it won't necessarily be star power. Add in the 3-4 guys at RB and I believe we are going to be more balanced offensively than we've been in a long time.

Let me get this straight...you lose two NFL caliber playmakers...one that could be a 1st rounder and possibly top TE prospect...and you think the offense may be even more potent? You fashion it as TC worrying about getting Jake and Dallas the ball? This would equal less talent=more production. Interesting take.

[SteelSD]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Let me get this straight...you lose two NFL caliber playmakers...one that could be a 1st rounder and possibly top TE prospect...and you think the offense may be even more potent? You fashion it as TC worrying about getting Jake and Dallas the ball? This would equal less talent=more production. Interesting take.

Hope springs eternal I guess... Can't say that I am anywhere near as optimistic as Jackedforlife, especially considering how we (TC) looked against JMU with an injured Goedert. I will have to see it to believe it, so call me pessimistic.

[NebraskaJack]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Does anyone else feel that TC may actually be better with his accuracy this year because he will have to be since we are without Dallas and Jake. The last few years he could get away with a semi bad throw and those two would still catch it more times than not. Now he won’t have that security blanket so he will have to focus back in and be more accurate. I feel like this situation is similar to Matt Stanford when everyone kind of thought he would fall off a little without Calvin Johnson but he has been just as good without him.

What is the old saying about "you will play how you practice". If TC has spent the last three years throwing up jump balls he isn't going to be able to just turn it around and start being Mr. Accuracy. We saw how well that went in the semifinals when he realized how much more accurate he n=eded to be.

I personally don't think he has been throwing up jump balls, I just feel we have seen his accuracy rate and he tends to come and go.

[TransAmBison]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Hope springs eternal I guess... Can't say that I am anywhere near as optimistic as Jackedforlife, especially considering how we (TC) looked against JMU with an injured Goedert. I will have to see it to believe it, so call me pessimistic.

Meh...that was one game...against an incredible defense. It was also on the road. There was lots of pressure. I wouldn't be concerned about TC...but losing those proven weapons has got to hurt. A healthy Goedert is near impossible to cover.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Meh...that was one game...against an incredible defense. It was also on the road. There was lots of pressure. I wouldn't be concerned about TC...but losing those proven weapons has got to hurt. A healthy Goedert is near impossible to cover.

Not saying Skyler Cavanaugh, TE out of AZ will be able to fill Goedert's shoes but he is going to be good one.

[SteelSD]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Meh...that was one game...against an incredible defense. It was also on the road. There was lots of pressure. I wouldn't be concerned about TC...but losing those proven weapons has got to hurt. A healthy Goedert is near impossible to cover.

Agreed. But to go from that game to a "we are going to be even better next year" is a jump I'm not willing to make.

[TransAmBison]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

Not saying Skyler Cavanaugh, TE out of AZ will be able to fill Goedert's shoes but he is going to be good one.

Yeah, I've been hearing rumblings about him. Hopefully Rozeboom can twist his ankle in practice or something.

[westernjack]

Re: Spring Ball 2018

I'm not too concerned about the offense, still think we will be able to average 28+ a game even losing Dallas and Jake. I'm really interested to see our d-line, especially interior guys. D-line in general has been a weak spot for us a few years now, and losing Soulek means somebody has to step up and be the next stud. I didn't see that from any of the guys last year on the interior. Earith at DE had a really good second half of the year, hopefully he can keep that up and provide a consistent pass rush. Also hoping to see what stride Daniel Callender will make in his second year. He should have never had his redshirt pulled last year, so will be interesting to see if he makes a big jump this year or not