great interview… again, we're lucky to have Clay. It's refreshing to hear a coach be confident in what he's building. Far too often - I think many coaches flutter on this.
My gut tells me - we'll get better next season - and be dangerous by 2020.
Coach Hendrix Interview this Morning
Coach Hendrix has such a great perspective built from solid experience. Not just coachspeak, good common sense approach and so likeable. Would be easy to play for this guy. We are fortunate to have Clay at this point in time.
Big things on the way!
Big things on the way!
Furman football is back and can't get here soon enough again...looking forward to 2018....The first two are not easy to say the least...Furman needs to be 1-1 going into the home opener vs. Colgate....Elon returns a lot, too, so that game is not going to be easy just as it was not in the playoffs last year.
Speaking of the Hendrix mantra… bigger, faster, stronger, players I'm curious about seeing in the pre-season practices.
Adrian Hope 6-1 210 OLB - I believe Hope came to FU around 200.
Cam Burnette 6-2 209 WR - Cam was listed as 6-1 190 when he signed - he's becoming a monster.
Parker Stokes 6-1 285 NG - Stokes had a great freshman year - I'm guessing we could see an even stronger Stokes in 2019.
Dillon Vann 6-3 215 TE - Vann was an up and coming linebacker at Buford HS - but due to injuries didn't play his senior season - now he's at TE. I could see Vann getting to 230-235 will be interesting to see how he's developing.
Jack Owen 6-3 200 ILB. Owen keeps quietly getting more PT. Owen has a long frame - IMO another interesting player to see if he makes a physical jump during the off-season.
Adrian Hope 6-1 210 OLB - I believe Hope came to FU around 200.
Cam Burnette 6-2 209 WR - Cam was listed as 6-1 190 when he signed - he's becoming a monster.
Parker Stokes 6-1 285 NG - Stokes had a great freshman year - I'm guessing we could see an even stronger Stokes in 2019.
Dillon Vann 6-3 215 TE - Vann was an up and coming linebacker at Buford HS - but due to injuries didn't play his senior season - now he's at TE. I could see Vann getting to 230-235 will be interesting to see how he's developing.
Jack Owen 6-3 200 ILB. Owen keeps quietly getting more PT. Owen has a long frame - IMO another interesting player to see if he makes a physical jump during the off-season.
I do not know whether you will see Furman take a major leap in 2018, but I do think that leap is coming.
I see it this way, at the FCS level you do not necessarily get the "pick of the litter" in recruiting. From what I can see, most smaller FBS programs/FCS programs are recruiting a similar type of player though perhaps saddled by a few more recruiting restrictions.
At this level, what separates the wheat from the chaff is coaching. Good coaches can develop players. I think in year's past we have been able to recruit talented athletes, but have struggled to develop talented depth across the team. I think under this regime we are going to see guys get bigger, faster, and stronger over the course of their careers and develop that talent not only individually, but in terms of depth.
I see it this way, at the FCS level you do not necessarily get the "pick of the litter" in recruiting. From what I can see, most smaller FBS programs/FCS programs are recruiting a similar type of player though perhaps saddled by a few more recruiting restrictions.
At this level, what separates the wheat from the chaff is coaching. Good coaches can develop players. I think in year's past we have been able to recruit talented athletes, but have struggled to develop talented depth across the team. I think under this regime we are going to see guys get bigger, faster, and stronger over the course of their careers and develop that talent not only individually, but in terms of depth.
FU69 liked this
Those are a few really good examples.AstroDin wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:04 amSpeaking of the Hendrix mantra… bigger, faster, stronger, players I'm curious about seeing in the pre-season practices.
Adrian Hope 6-1 210 OLB - I believe Hope came to FU around 200.
Cam Burnette 6-2 209 WR - Cam was listed as 6-1 190 when he signed - he's becoming a monster.
Parker Stokes 6-1 285 NG - Stokes had a great freshman year - I'm guessing we could see an even stronger Stokes in 2019.
Dillon Vann 6-3 215 TE - Vann was an up and coming linebacker at Buford HS - but due to injuries didn't play his senior season - now he's at TE. I could see Vann getting to 230-235 will be interesting to see how he's developing.
Jack Owen 6-3 200 ILB. Owen keeps quietly getting more PT. Owen has a long frame - IMO another interesting player to see if he makes a physical jump during the off-season.
I do not necessarily think you will see Furman try to put a lot of weight on Vann. He's a long frame, and certainly will bulk up, but you don't want to sacrifice the speed and athleticism he brings.
Unlike in year's past, the TE in Hendrix's system is more of a hybrid player. Instead of spending a lot of time blocking DEs, he flexes out and obstructs the linebackers and safeties. Schumpert was a handful for defenses, and he was listed at a shade over 200 pounds.
Under Fowler's system (and Lamb's too really), the TE basically lived within five yards of the line of scrimmage. The TEs under Hendrix are far more likely to be downfield threats, putting pressure on the deep safety to make a decision. I think Furman is going to continue to put a premium on guys that can catch and run at that position.
The beneficiary of our TE position is probably going to be Cam Burnette. I am expecting a lot out of Burnette, who is (to my memory) one of the few players we've had in the last 10-15 years that combines size, speed, hands, and strength at the receiver position.
I'd bet the farm that Furman will score more than a handful of TDs next season off play action running the TE directly up the seam. Force the safety to deal with Vann/Walker coming up the middle of the field and then heave the ball to Burnette in single coverage.
The Jackal wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:59 amThose are a few really good examples.AstroDin wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:04 amSpeaking of the Hendrix mantra… bigger, faster, stronger, players I'm curious about seeing in the pre-season practices.
Adrian Hope 6-1 210 OLB - I believe Hope came to FU around 200.
Cam Burnette 6-2 209 WR - Cam was listed as 6-1 190 when he signed - he's becoming a monster.
Parker Stokes 6-1 285 NG - Stokes had a great freshman year - I'm guessing we could see an even stronger Stokes in 2019.
Dillon Vann 6-3 215 TE - Vann was an up and coming linebacker at Buford HS - but due to injuries didn't play his senior season - now he's at TE. I could see Vann getting to 230-235 will be interesting to see how he's developing.
Jack Owen 6-3 200 ILB. Owen keeps quietly getting more PT. Owen has a long frame - IMO another interesting player to see if he makes a physical jump during the off-season.
I do not necessarily think you will see Furman try to put a lot of weight on Vann. He's a long frame, and certainly will bulk up, but you don't want to sacrifice the speed and athleticism he brings.
Unlike in year's past, the TE in Hendrix's system is more of a hybrid player. Instead of spending a lot of time blocking DEs, he flexes out and obstructs the linebackers and safeties. Schumpert was a handful for defenses, and he was listed at a shade over 200 pounds. With burners like Morehead coming around the end, you don't necessarily need to plant a guy on his back, you just need to slow him down.
Under Fowler's system (and Lamb's too really), the TE basically lived within five yards of the line of scrimmage. The TEs under Hendrix are far more likely to be downfield threats, putting pressure on the deep safety to make a decision. I think Furman is going to continue to put a premium on guys that can catch and run at that position.
The beneficiary of our TE position is probably going to be Cam Burnette. I am expecting a lot out of Burnette, who is (to my memory) one of the few players we've had in the last 10-15 years that combines size, speed, hands, and strength at the receiver position.
I'd bet the farm that Furman will score more than a handful of TDs next season off play action running the TE directly up the seam. Force the safety to deal with Vann/Walker coming up the middle of the field and then heave the ball to Burnette in single coverage.
Jasper liked this
I like your bet on that, Jackal. I am sure opposing coaches have spent a ton of time looking at tapes of that pass option read to the TE that was so successful for us last year. They will nail the safety's mindset to the middle of the field and leave Burnette in single coverage. From what he showed last year plus the added height, weight and experience? - good luck with that.
Jasper wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:24 amI like your bet on that, Jackal. I am sure opposing coaches have spent a ton of time looking at tapes of that pass option read to the TE that was so successful for us last year. They will nail the safety's mindset to the middle of the field and leave Burnette in single coverage. From what he showed last year plus the added height, weight and experience? - good luck with that.
I thought a lot about that particular play. It is an incredibly difficult play to diagnose for a defense, considering how well Furman can run the ball and how many times our TE will come out to block downfield. It is difficult for a safety to instantly distinguish between when the TE is coming out to block him and when he intends to run right by him.
We got better at the play as the season went on. If you consider the two posts below, one being from the game against NC State early in the season, and the other being against Elon late in the year.
Against NC State, Furman runs the load option pass. You can see that the pitch ratio between QB/RB is not but a couple of yards. Morehead is not looking for the ball and Blazejowski is drifting backwards as soon as he fakes it. He throws it immediately as Shumpert clears the safety.
https://twitter.com/CoachDanCasey/statu ... 3172442112
Later, against Elon, Furman runs nearly the same play, but you can see how the play gets even tougher to defend. Blazejowski first attacks the line and does not immediately drift back. Morehead has a lot more space and it looks more like an option pitch. Blazejowski holds the ball longer and sucks in the defense. All 11 Elon defenders are within 5-7 yards of the line of scrimmage. None of them seem to notice Shumpert running right by them.
Incidentally, that's got to be maddening for a defensive coordinator. You know Elon was well aware that Furman would run this play, and had certainly practiced against it, and then to give up a touchdown with no defender in the same zipcode has got to be a visor throwing moment.
https://twitter.com/NCAA_FCS/status/934498191709310976
What I'm interested to see is whether Furman can turn this into a RPO type of play. Teams will eventually figure out how to get a body on the TE - even if they have to keep their safeties back deep on every snap (as Wofford tends to do) or put a man on the TE every play. If Furman can find a way to carry out the same play action and be able to pitch or run the ball based on the reaction of the safety (i.e., if they play the pass, run the ball), that could be a killer for defenses and perhaps the cutting edge of option football.
Either way, Furman stung nearly every team in the conference last year with that play. I expect that in 2018 some of these defensive coaches are going to figure out how to try to keep it from happening. Furman's job is going to be to figure out new wrinkles.
Bootie liked this
Thank you for posting those tapes of "the" play. Big difference in execution on the second one as far as spacing between the QB and TB on the run option. I recall one version of the play last year in which Blaze actually looked back at the TB while running wide before pulling up and hitting a wide open TE/H back downfield. The only way a safety is not going to bite on that is if he is told to stay deep no matter what - as you point out with Wofford. They might stop the deep pass then but are open to a TB run from the option if its not a pass. That's what happened when we went wide against them in the first game with what woulda/shoulda been the winning TD, isn't it? We blocked the LB and CB and the runner got downfield before the safety could get to the sideline as I recall. I have not seen a replay but perhaps he was the one Schmidt blocked downfield. Anywhichway, it is one helluva problem to defend against if executed properly.
FU69 liked this
Jasper wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 3:57 pmThank you for posting those tapes of "the" play. Big difference in execution on the second one as far as spacing between the QB and TB on the run option. I recall one version of the play last year in which Blaze actually looked back at the TB while running wide before pulling up and hitting a wide open TE/H back downfield. The only way a safety is not going to bite on that is if he is told to stay deep no matter what - as you point out with Wofford. They might stop the deep pass then but are open to a TB run from the option if its not a pass. That's what happened when we went wide against them in the first game with what woulda/shoulda been the winning TD, isn't it? We blocked the LB and CB and the runner got downfield before the safety could get to the sideline as I recall. I have not seen a replay but perhaps he was the one Schmidt blocked downfield. Anywhichway, it is one helluva problem to defend against if executed properly.
Our offense ground down a bit against Samford and Wofford late in the season. Both of those teams had big interior defensive lines that could neutralize a lot of our running game. Neither was interested in giving up big plays, and kept our receivers in front.
Personally, I think adding more speed to our offensive backfield in this recruiting class will help keep the train running on time. That was the one area I really thought we lacked last year. Bigger defenses were able to limit us inside and deploy more men to the edges. If we can get another compliment to Morehead who can threaten the outside run, I think defenses will have to spread out and give our fullbacks more room to work. Once that happens, we are back in a situation where safeties are going to have to be put to the difficult decision of coming up against the run and risk having the TE run right by them. That is when we are at our best.
AstroDin liked this
To Jackal's point, Furman picked up two speedy dudes - they should help Morehead.
Bell at WR and Watkins at TB - both are slippery - especially Dejuan Bell. On Bell's highlights below - there are several plays as a slot back that show his potential.
Based on what's posted Morehead and Watkins both ran 10.8 100m times in high school, and appear to have similar 40 times too. Watkins seems to also excel as a KR - Watkins was 1st Team 6-A All-State Return Specialist…
Bell: https://www.hudl.com/profile/5322676/Dejuan-Bell
Watkins: https://www.hudl.com/profile/4351349/Corey-Watkins
Bell at WR and Watkins at TB - both are slippery - especially Dejuan Bell. On Bell's highlights below - there are several plays as a slot back that show his potential.
Based on what's posted Morehead and Watkins both ran 10.8 100m times in high school, and appear to have similar 40 times too. Watkins seems to also excel as a KR - Watkins was 1st Team 6-A All-State Return Specialist…
Bell: https://www.hudl.com/profile/5322676/Dejuan-Bell
Watkins: https://www.hudl.com/profile/4351349/Corey-Watkins
Both of those guys appear to have speed and elusiveness that can break a defense's heart. I haven't seen that combination of running characteristics since Jerodis Williams was here - and he came within a hair of playing on Sundays. I thought our offense looked great in the "spring" game without those two blazers on the field yet. Especially when Jemar Lincoln is at QB, FU projects awesome running capabilities for a defense to deal with. And then there is Gordon and Burnette. No wonder the TE is running down the field like he is invisable in that read option.
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