The Herald put up a pretty innocuous five Players to Watch article and it got me thinking. Their list might be the best five but they are all the established, veteran guys. We know what to expect from that group. What I find more interesting are the players who might emerge or breakout. With that here are my three players to watch. These guys will really determine the season.
1. Anthony Brown. His health and ability to pass are the most important unknowns heading into the season.
2. Ray Smith. We are young and thin at DT. Smith needs to play well and play a lot.
3. Colton Lichtenberg. It always comes down to the kicker with Daz. If this is the year we finally break seven wins, it will be critical that Colton kick well from the start.
How can we be “thin” at DT if our top 5 guys weigh between 300-330lbs ... kids doing. Wr’re Young at DT, but we have 4-5 talented space eaters ... plus an equal number of stout, gap-shooting tweeners in the 260-285lb range.
ReplyDeleteThe staff likes to mix things up with wired combos of big, small, stunts, zone drops etc ... they hav more enough pieces to handle 2 DT spots
BTW, the Harold no longer has a local beat writer assign to BC football. They’re only going to cover national press, which is why they’re “watch list” is comprised exclusively ofpre-season all conference picks ... with no mention of sleepers or dark horses.
ReplyDeleteAgree on Lichtenberg plus the new punter from Texas. Would also add Michael Walker and other special teams players. Field position critical. Can't be giving other ACC offenses the ball at our 30 - 40+ yardline.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell does it take to recruit a respectable fg kicker? This has been a weak link for years. Enough!
ReplyDelete“The Herald no longer has a local beat writer asssigbed to BC”...what? Rich Thompson has been with the Herald 30 years, mostly covering college sports. LinkedIn says he is from Framingham. That’s pretty local!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bostonherald.com/users/rich_thompson
"It always comes down to the kicker with Daz."
ReplyDeleteThat statement alone should be the reason why we hire a new coach in 2019.....#DecideToRunADrawOn4thand12inRedZone
A couple other players to watch:
ReplyDeleteHamp Cheevers. Kid has a nose for the football. Classic disruptor. Can he do it all year against #1 receivers?
Wyatt Ray. Can he take the next step? Allen will draw double teams. When Landry drew double teams, Allen made teams pay. Can ray take advantage of a similar situation?
Kobay White. BC hasn’t had a reliable take the top off the defense type talent on the outside for years. White has the speed and the route running ability to be a game breaker.
Ben Petrula. How will he handle the transition from center back to his natural spot at tackle. I suspect there will be a lot of off tackle hand offs to his side as he is a real road grader. Can he get to the second level and showcase the mobility we didn’t get to see at the center spot?
Connor Strachan. In 2016 he was an all ACC second team type talent team linebacker. He’s big enough to be a thumper, and fast enough to play sideline to sideline. How will his knee hold up?
Tanner Karafa. Originally recruited as a 240 pound linebacker (he chose BC over Va Tech even tho he’s from VA), he has since put on 45 pounds and is playing at 285. From what we’ve heard, he’s the smaller, gap shooting type tackle that BC likes to play along side a space eater like Ray Smith. Our Achilles heel last year was between the tackles run defense. If Smith and Karafa can occupy the interior offensive lineman, our talented linebackers just need to plug the holes.
Good stuff NYC.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in the first two-deep roster to be published for the Defensive Line.
Brandon Barlow 6'3" 250
Bryce Morais 6'4" 260
Jaleel Berry - 6'2" 310
TJ Rayam - 6'1" 305
Don't know if we'll see Kyiev Bennermon as a freshman - 6'3" 265 as good as he looks.
Or Ryan Betro (true freshman) 6'4" 320
Don't know much about Taylor Hill (R.S. Soph) 6'0" 270
Go BC - get tough on the D and lock 'em down!!!
I want to knit pick about the kickers. The holder has always been the source of the problem and the technique of rotating the laces. When three different kickers have problems with the same holder, duh!. Once Jeff Smith got the job, everything came together.
ReplyDeleteI think we’re going to see a corner step up and establish himself as an impact player. Perhaps Tate Haynes.
ReplyDeleteTo the 5:05 comment. That is a real problem. No joke. Laces out and tilted back is a problem.
ReplyDeleteIs Colton Lichtenstein listed as the place kicker(rhetorical Mod)? That is as laughable as TGS proudly saying his "son" got into Providence College, sad.
The talk above is good. Original and knowledgeable thoughts. The major question with this team is QB. Is Brown going to play at a competent level with Baker at center. If he can and doesn't get hurt it will be an enjoyable season. The binky play that Addazio engages in with some players and coaches is frustrating(Wade, Baker, Justin Frye, Lichtenstein).
I would add B Sebastian to ur list. They need a corner opposite Hamp to step up.D Line is Big concern. Young & inexperienced. Betro will be Great in time
ReplyDeleteI agree, Chris. The D Line is inexperienced after the first 4,and I am not sure how much experience Tanner Karafa has playing in the INTERIOR.
ReplyDeleteI think our players are good, but not a lot of time in the trenches. In that regard, we are young.
I hope that TJ Rayam comes on strong and that Jaleel Berry can help. Both of those players have the size.
It's possible Le for a Freshman to play, but better if we can redshirt them, I guess.
Barlow and Morais have gotten some ink in practice - just don't know how they will fare against 325 pound linemen. I'm sure we will employ different packages.
Burning that kid's redshirt hurt this year. I'll think of his name in a minute. He played one play as a freshman, I think. We could have used him this year.
Noa Merritt.
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ReplyDeleteIf anyone knows a soft boiled egg it is Mod34b!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete