🏈 Hightower / Linebacker Observations

[BECandGrits]

I have DVRd several of the games and watched the defense closely this year. Hightower is one of our biggest issues IMO. Most of the plays, he takes on a block and barely attempts to attack towards the skill player. It looks so bad at times it is like he is lazy almost. When he does get off of a blocker he takes bad angles and gets outran by the opposing team members' skill players. In comparing him to Mosley, Mosley does a much better job of attacking and taking angles with speed and he is a true freshman. Anyone else notice Hightower's issues? Did the injury set him back that much? Where are the other linebackers that were so highly recruited?

 

[bama29fan]

he has seemed to be coming in late on a lot of plays... but i have seen him blow up several Olinemen on pass rush.

 

[jdpas29]

he looks to be playing at about 60-70% to me. i hate it for him, but there are probably young players that would play a lot harder. the problem may be that they don't know what to do and he does.

 

[UAgrad93]

Hightower has the knowledge and experience where the others lack both. I would place him at 75-80% right now. I posted on another thread that his mind is telling him that he can or can't make the play while his knee is telling him different. He is playing heavier as well and that hasn't helped. I believe this will make him consider staying around to drop that weight and regain the focus and intensity that he had last season before going down to the injury.

 

[BECandGrits]

Hightower has the knowledge and experience where the others lack both. I would place him at 75-80% right now. I posted on another thread that his mind is telling him that he can or can't make the play while his knee is telling him different. He is playing heavier as well and that hasn't helped. I believe this will make him consider staying around to drop that weight and regain the focus and intensity that he had last season before going down to the injury.

I agree. The main reason he is on the field is that Saban put most of his eggs in one basket with Hightower. His knowledge of the system definitely keeps him on the field. I see him staying as well. His draft stock has to be severely dinged this year. I would assume he would not be taken in the first 2 rounds...of course that is an assumption.

 

[c5vetman]

I agree that the added weight isn't helping matters. Also, I know he knows more about the defense than anyone, but I don't think he's got the grasp of it well enough to both execute it well AND be a field general at the same time - There aren't too many Ro's out there, no matter how much Hightower followed him around last year, Ro was special

 

[musso]

i've been talking about Hightower to my friends all year. beginning with Penn St, i've seen too many ball carriers run through him and around him. and as others in this thread have said, i too have noticed how soft and slow he looks. at times it even looks like he's too fatigued to be on the field.

what's really sad is that he was touted in the preseason as one of the best returning LBs in the nation this year ... and off the top of my head i can recall only two Hightower highlights this entire season:

(1) the near-sack of the Penn St QB in the first quarter which led to Lowery's INT in the red zone.

(2) a play against UF when he rushed in on a blitz and blew up one of UF's offensive linemen, but as pretty as the hit was it was inconsequential in the play.

but that's it for what was supposed to be our leader on defense. :frown:

 

[jocephus8179]

What I want to know is, where is Jerrell Harris. Im not questioning the coaches, and maybe he just doesn't have the defense down pat. But he just seems like a hard hittin Sum *****. lol

 

[Ump]

Jerrell had a bad game against LSwho and hasn't seen much of the field since.

 

[JoshB]

I'd love to know some specific plays where Dont'a is supposedly getting run over by ball carriers cause I just haven't seen that AT ALL.

 

[BamaCore]

I'd love to know some specific plays where Dont'a is supposedly getting run over by ball carriers cause I just haven't seen that AT ALL.

Same here.

 

[BAMA74]

same here.

Same here!!!!

 

[russb8903]

Like many things Alabama football, the latest bandwagon fad is to say hightower is no good anymore, when he still very much is.