I think the #1 question I have going into next season is the SPUR position.
Defenses use different terminology, but the hybrid DB/OLB has become one of the most critical positions in college football as the game becomes more "positionless." In our defense, we used primarily two guys - the more pass oriented Chizik and the more run oriented Miller. It also happens that our third guy - Richards - has also graduated. Currently there are only two SPUR players listed on the roster, neither with much/any playing time.
If you go back and watch the games and isolate the SPUR, you can see how many ways our defensive staff used the position. Sometimes they'd be up on the line slamming against the TE. Sometimes they were dropping into the deep third in pass coverage. Sometimes they were responsible for man coverage on the opposing running back.
The position takes a smart physical player. Someone that can run. Someone that can tackle. Someone that has good instinct.
With the exception of some mop up duty, I believe we've lost nearly every snap at that position over the past year (and, perhaps, multiple years). So, this is a big role that will need to be filled on the '24 team.
I suspect one of the likely targets will be one of the younger talented CBs or maybe one of our reserve safeties.
Defenses use different terminology, but the hybrid DB/OLB has become one of the most critical positions in college football as the game becomes more "positionless." In our defense, we used primarily two guys - the more pass oriented Chizik and the more run oriented Miller. It also happens that our third guy - Richards - has also graduated. Currently there are only two SPUR players listed on the roster, neither with much/any playing time.
If you go back and watch the games and isolate the SPUR, you can see how many ways our defensive staff used the position. Sometimes they'd be up on the line slamming against the TE. Sometimes they were dropping into the deep third in pass coverage. Sometimes they were responsible for man coverage on the opposing running back.
The position takes a smart physical player. Someone that can run. Someone that can tackle. Someone that has good instinct.
With the exception of some mop up duty, I believe we've lost nearly every snap at that position over the past year (and, perhaps, multiple years). So, this is a big role that will need to be filled on the '24 team.
I suspect one of the likely targets will be one of the younger talented CBs or maybe one of our reserve safeties.
