🏈 OLB's - What y'all think?

[Tidestalker]

I have a certain level of concern for this situation for a few reasons.

First of all, our D line isn't as strong as it's been... Don't have DT/DE's like Robinson/Reed/Allen/Tomlinson in years past that could stuff the run and find the backfield. Obviously Payne is a great player and Buggs has looked good, but it's not on that dominating level.

I also think we are short a secondary player right now, particularly safety, as Hootie doesn't appear to have "it" when it comes to coverage, angles of pursuit, general play. Minkah is amazing and Harrison is a thumper, but the CB's will have to be special to overcome some pass rushing deficiencies.

Lastly, while I think SDH is a very good instinctive LB, we don't have a Mosley/Foster/McClain type of MLB to make up for mistakes or just be special players.

Getting to the actual position... (as noted in good-bad-ugly thread):

Was hoping someone would "flash" today but nobody came close. Allen has the best combo of size & athleticism, but that burst of speed isn't there yet. Mosley is fast & rangy but plays high and lacks leverage as a pass rusher. Mekhi Brown is plenty big enough but isn't quick. Moses has potential but something about him screams ILB to me... great closing speed, is he a natural pass rusher though?

The good news is our 2 best candidates didn't play today, bad news is they're already banged up. It's a long season. I know CNS hesitated to commit with Evans as an OLB, but man I'd love to see it. SDH/Mack/Holcombe/Moses could be a good enough group, but without pass rushing everyone is a little more exposed. Jennings will have to be a rock when he comes back... Otherwise I expect to see a lot more Allen and a little more Mosley... And barring a Cowan experiment that's basically where we're at.

What y'all think?

RTR

 

[EasyTider]

OLB looked lost most of the day. Miles to go.

 

[T&B]

Chris Allen flashed IMO. He got his pads between defenders a couple times, and was getting some pressure, but he definitely looked like a freshman out there a couple times that I saw.

Mosley did not appear to turn speed to power. Yeah... we are likely in trouble at OLB.

 

[JoshB]

I mean I dont really think it's really up for debate anymore regarding Evans moving back to the outside. It's pretty much necessary at this point.

 

[TerryP]

I mean I dont really think it's really up for debate anymore regarding Evans moving back to the outside. It's pretty much necessary at this point.

I don't see it that way at all.

Why move Evans to the outside and make yet another position weaker? It's robbing Peter to pay Paul.

 

[Alabama17Tide]

How the linebackers filled the holes left by injured starters

When Jamey Mosley enrolled at Alabama as a freshman out of Theodore High School in 2014, he weighed 188 pounds. At 6-foot-5. In other words, he was a bean pole.

Needless to say, he knew he had to gain weight if he ever hoped to step on the field during a game inside Bryant-Denny Stadium as an outside linebacker.

He did both things Saturday afternoon.

Mosley, now up to 250 pounds, earned his first career start, registering two tackles, the first two tackles of his career.


Mosley was one of several linebackers to earn extensive playing time with UA losing four linebackers during the Florida State game in the season-opener. With Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller out for the season, and Rashaan Evans and Anfernee Jenningssidelined for an undisclosed amount of time, Mosley, Keith Holcombe, Mack Wilson, Christopher Allen and Dylan Moses played meaningful snaps with the first-team defense.

How the linebackers filled the holes left by injured starters | TideSports.com

 

[Tidestalker]

I don't see it that way at all.

Why move Evans to the outside and make yet another position weaker? It's robbing Peter to pay Paul.

If that was the case no starter would ever move positions.... Right?

If you're making one position significantly better because the talent isn't ready, meanwhile leaving another position in good hands because the talent is ready.... That's makes sense.

Mosley looks really far from a difference maker... Meanwhile Mack Wilson flashes consistently.

It's a no brainer... I'll text Saban.

 

[TUSKtimes]

If that was the case no starter would ever move positions.... Right?

If you're making one position significantly better because the talent isn't ready, meanwhile leaving another position in good hands because the talent is ready.... That's makes sense.

Mosley looks really far from a difference maker... Meanwhile Mack Wilson flashes consistently.

It's a no brainer... I'll text Saban.

And if he agrees with you, he'll even hire your azz.

 

[BamaFan334]

If that was the case no starter would ever move positions.... Right?

If you're making one position significantly better because the talent isn't ready, meanwhile leaving another position in good hands because the talent is ready.... That's makes sense.

Mosley looks really far from a difference maker... Meanwhile Mack Wilson flashes consistently.

It's a no brainer... I'll text Saban.

It was his first start dude, calm down. You jump off the cliff at the first sign of anything it appears. First game, bench Hurts he's not effective. Second game, first time starter looked lost, start shuffling. Like Mike Tyson said "everyone has a plan till they get punched in the face". It's all about how you react, and it takes guys a game or two sometimes. Najee did some wrong too in his first extensive game action, so it happens to all once the lights come in. You want him benched to claim "he just doesn't have it"? Took Reuben Foster over two years to "get it", and look how he turned out. Mosley was a senior before he finally started a game, so let it play out. That's honestly what these type games are for. Get your team settled and ready for the rigors of conference play. We have enough depth there where the coaches will get the best guys in there. Not necessarily a position that we just have to make due.

I happen to agree with you though about the line. I need to watch film on Buggs, but my overall opinion on him are that he is not everything he was supposed to be. This guy came in as a big time recruit, reports stated his Fall camp was great, yet I truly see no push from him or anyone else. Defensive line just isn't what we have had in the last number of years. Linebacker is the least of my concern. Our defensive backs still have me worried as they always have the last four yeara or so.

 

[Tidestalker]

It was his first start dude, calm down. You jump off the cliff at the first sign of anything it appears. First game, bench Hurts he's not effective.

You're lying. I've never once asked to bench Jalen.

Saying i jump off a cliff because I'm evaluating someones play after a game... Because it's not peaches and cream... Meanwhile you to do the same with Buggs and the secondary. Surely you see how silly that is.

Talk football like you did in the second half of the post and get off my d*ck with any personal sh*t. Get over it.

 

[TerryP]

If that was the case no starter would ever move positions.... Right?

If you're making one position significantly better because the talent isn't ready, meanwhile leaving another position in good hands because the talent is ready.... That's makes sense.

Come on, now. How often do we see starters changing positions outside of sliding corners to safeties?

The OLB was in good hands when Evans was healthy. When the injuries started to mount up against FSU Evans only moved on passing down when he slid to the line. They didn't move him outside.

Saban's comments on Hand repping with the OLB's fits with this scenario as well:

“Sometimes when you start moving players around you rob Peter to pay Paul,” Saban said. "You start making yourself worse at two positions. We don’t have as good of a guy to play his spot, and he’s not as good as what we would like him to be at the spot we moved him to or as a productive as he would be if he stayed at the spot he has experience at.”​

 

[JoshB]

I don't see it that way at all.

Why move Evans to the outside and make yet another position weaker? It's robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Because Holcombe and Wilson can play the position and do it well, Hamilton can make the calls and Evans can be productive on the outside. It's possibly making one spot SLIGHTLY weaker while suring up the outside and making sure someone with some SEC level athletes doesnt take advantage of that.

 

[JoshB]

Come on, now. How often do we see starters changing positions outside of sliding corners to safeties?

The OLB was in good hands when Evans was healthy. When the injuries started to mount up against FSU Evans only moved on passing down when he slid to the line. They didn't move him outside.

Saban's comments on Hand repping with the OLB's fits with this scenario as well:

“Sometimes when you start moving players around you rob Peter to pay Paul,” Saban said. "You start making yourself worse at two positions. We don’t have as good of a guy to play his spot, and he’s not as good as what we would like him to be at the spot we moved him to or as a productive as he would be if he stayed at the spot he has experience at.”​

Comparing Rashaan Evans moving from inside to outside (a position he's played in the past) to moving a defensive tackle to outside linebacker is a massive leap of logic...

 

[BamaFan334]

You're lying. I've never once asked to bench Jalen.

Saying i jump off a cliff because I'm evaluating someones play after a game... Because it's not peaches and cream... Meanwhile you to do the same with Buggs and the secondary. Surely you see how silly that is.

Talk football like you did in the second half of the post and get off my d*ck with any personal sh*t. Get over it.

Buggs hasn't produced whereas Hurts has kept the offense in line. So that is talking football you fucking dumbass. No one is on your dick your evaluation just sucks and you don't like being called out for sounding like an idiot. You're an easy target is all, nothing stands out about you, so please get over thinking I have something out for you and come to this site to make you look dumb. You do that alone.

 

[Tidestalker]

Buggs hasn't produced whereas Hurts has kept the offense in line. So that is talking football you ******* dumbass. No one is on your dick your evaluation just sucks and you don't like being called out for sounding like an idiot. You're an easy target is all, nothing stands out about you, so please get over thinking I have something out for you and come to this site to make you look dumb. You do that alone.

And the liar jumps off a cliff because he can't handle talking football....:clap:

 

[EasyTider]

I may be totally wrong, but I don't think Buggs has been any less productive than most of the other DL (especially yesterday). Other than Hand & Payne, I haven't noticed anyone else standing out. We need improvements up and down DL.

 

[BamaFan334]

And the liar jumps off a cliff because he can't handle talking football....:clap:

:argh:

 

[BamaFan334]

I may be totally wrong, but I don't think Buggs has been any less productive than most of the other DL (especially yesterday). Other than Hand & Payne, I haven't noticed anyone else standing out. We need improvements up and down DL.

I feel Raekwon Davis house outperformed everyone but Payne. I don't feel Hand has interrupted as much as we had hoped.

 

[EasyTider]

Davis is a load and Hand seemed to be close a lot yesterday but as CNS mentioned, Fresno dinked and dunked for the most part. QB didn't hold ball long enough for very many sack opportunities. I was disappointed at us not getting to the ball after the short completions and not arriving with the hammer when we did.

 

[JoshB]

And yall thought I was confrontational lol