With two 250lb linebackers in Dickert's defense last year
- Thread starter froropmkr72
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Based on what I heard, the base will be a 4-2-5'ish kind of approach so I would assume some would drop into the "5" spots. Or hit the training table.
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/feb/06/five-non-recruiting-washington-state-takeaways-fro/
I'll be interested where Travion Brown ends up. Super talented but maybe a tweener between nickel and LB. Put him on a Cougar Country diet and move him to LB?
He is going to play them. If he tries to run a scheme with 250lbs. linebackers he will see the scoreboard light up in front of him as those kids either don't come to WSU or the ones he gets run 4.7 in the 40.
For perspective, 4.7 at linebacker in the PAC 12 watches guys run by them, around them, into the endzone.
Rolo will fire him inside 3 seasons if that's the body type he pursues.
Or hell he may beat Alabama for those 250lbs. linebackers and WSU beats the tar out of the PAC 12.
If it were me picking a defensive scheme for WSU...
Im at the point now where I think the defense needs to put money into the defensive backfield to make it go. Start with numbers to end with numbers. Same thing on the OL. For years we watched coaches take 2 or 3 OL and it never worked out. Once Leach put 4 or 5 scholarships per year into the position group it started to work.
I think WSU needs to take 5 or even 6 DBs per year. 3 corners and 3 safeties. Maybe one of the corners moves into a safety position. Maybe one of the safeties moves down into a linebacker. Any way you slice it, they need more depth, more competition and more talent at the position group.
Up front I would go with speed, length, preferably both. If you can't run, you can't play here. I would focus on kids that ran 4.7 or better and the taller the better.
I wouldn't give two shits what the linebackers looked like. They need to be 200lbs~ish and mean as hell. If you can't sprint and hit you can't play here. They need to put guys down on the first contact.
I would prob lean towards a 425 and if I saw the right scheme for a 335 I would consider that. I do have my issues with the 33 as I have coached in it before.
Im at the point now where I think the defense needs to put money into the defensive backfield to make it go. Start with numbers to end with numbers. Same thing on the OL. For years we watched coaches take 2 or 3 OL and it never worked out. Once Leach put 4 or 5 scholarships per year into the position group it started to work.
I think WSU needs to take 5 or even 6 DBs per year. 3 corners and 3 safeties. Maybe one of the corners moves into a safety position. Maybe one of the safeties moves down into a linebacker. Any way you slice it, they need more depth, more competition and more talent at the position group.
Up front I would go with speed, length, preferably both. If you can't run, you can't play here. I would focus on kids that ran 4.7 or better and the taller the better.
I wouldn't give two shits what the linebackers looked like. They need to be 200lbs~ish and mean as hell. If you can't sprint and hit you can't play here. They need to put guys down on the first contact.
I would prob lean towards a 425 and if I saw the right scheme for a 335 I would consider that. I do have my issues with the 33 as I have coached in it before.
200 lb linebackers? Jesus Christ you are old. That might be the right size for a linebacker in the 70's, but our lightest linebacker is 215 lbs and if you look around college football, most linebackers are in the 220 lb to 230 lb range. We'll get our asses ran over all day long with 200 lb linebackers.
EDIT: If you are running a 4-2-5 or 3-3-5......you want big linebackers.
You mean all day tough. Or all day long. Or as long as they are tough.
Something like that.
Made me think of how the WY LB's developed and looked back a couple of years. They were 6-2 and 6-0...both 230 at the time (sophomore season), so I'm assuming they emphasized more size. They gained 10 lbs of muscle per year and finished at 250.
Admittedly, I'm a basketball X and O guy but the one statement Rolo made Wednesday night that perked my ears - he said something to the effect of "we're going to bring back the kind of defenses Coach Doba and Coach Akey had".
Which I took to mean the Palouse Posse/2003 version with big boys on the inside, pass rushing D-ends and linebackers that like to decapitate people.
Which I took to mean the Palouse Posse/2003 version with big boys on the inside, pass rushing D-ends and linebackers that like to decapitate people.
I've always felt that speed matters more than size in the P12. If it were me, I'd focus on defensive line (duh) with an emphasis on edge rush and containment. Behind them, I want kids who can run. A couple of ILB's who like to fill and hit, but I'd still value pass coverage over run stuffing.
The back 7 needs to be fast in our conference. Very few P12 teams have the patience to run the ball between the tackles, even if they have an advantage there.
The back 7 needs to be fast in our conference. Very few P12 teams have the patience to run the ball between the tackles, even if they have an advantage there.
In a 4-3 in the PAC you need two big DT's and an MLB on the bigger side; quick enough to stay with a TE is good enough. Everybody else is speed over size.
In a 4-2-5, I would think that you need some options at MLB. If I'm playing Utah I want some bigger LB's in the game. For most of the league I want speed over size.
And of course, down and distance play a role in who you want on the field in your front 6 or 7.
Bottom line, though I don't see Dickert staying with a lot of 250 pound LB's, I could see at least one at 240 pounds getting some PT, though not on all downs.
In a 4-2-5, I would think that you need some options at MLB. If I'm playing Utah I want some bigger LB's in the game. For most of the league I want speed over size.
And of course, down and distance play a role in who you want on the field in your front 6 or 7.
Bottom line, though I don't see Dickert staying with a lot of 250 pound LB's, I could see at least one at 240 pounds getting some PT, though not on all downs.
I'd prefer a fast 225 lb linebacker over a slow 250 lb linebacker every day of the week. Agree with the comments about the need for beefy defensive tackles and aggressive edge rushers. Our best defenses didn't have huge defensive ends....but they were relentless.
Evan Weaver did just fine in the Pac-12. Just need to find taller linebackers that can handle good weight.
Let's call him the exception. What are the odds WSU can consistently land a kid like Evan every year to make the defense go?
there is an unsigned prospect from Bethel named Peter Latu that is very similar to Evan Weaver. 6'4'' 215 lbs. Can really run. His brother is a 2021 4 star recruit. I really think Travion Brown could be 235 or 240 in a year or two. From what I understand the last strength and training staff didn't focus much on gaining weight. Will be interesting to see how new staff operates the weight room.
He is or was committed to Oregon, and for quite some time. Presumably, there are academic issues.
Pretty good, I believe. Not saying those kind of backers are growing on trees (in fact, Weaver played DE in high school) but WSU has had a pretty solid history of local kids that weren't small.
Serong, Darling, Derting, Mattingly - not tiny people. They've also had their share of Gleasons and Bob Gregorys too who were essentially safeties playing linebacker. But there's some big farm boys out there. Pick up a couple Polys and you're good to go.
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