I'd love to see these guys on the field at the same time... what a nightmare.
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JOHNSON - SHORTER
- Thread starter anacreon3
- Start date
Putting both of them on the field the majority of the time would certainly help one Heisman candidate.
Even if he's a decoy to clear out an "area" would be good.
I think our WR roster is going to blow some minds this year.
We will not have a WR putting up Hamilton like numbers simply because there are so many options.
Over the past two seasons, what has our OL been best at?
Pass blocking.
Trace returns for his 3rd year as a starter. We have two 5* RBs coming into the fold. As a unit, our WRs have a great blend of experience and potential, perhaps more than we have had since...'06-'08?
I think we sling the ball quite a bit. Going to be a fun year. No Saquon for Heisman hype to stress over. We aren't a direct front runner for conference title and playoffs. If the injuries hold off and we get some luck, look out.
Pass blocking.
Trace returns for his 3rd year as a starter. We have two 5* RBs coming into the fold. As a unit, our WRs have a great blend of experience and potential, perhaps more than we have had since...'06-'08?
I think we sling the ball quite a bit. Going to be a fun year. No Saquon for Heisman hype to stress over. We aren't a direct front runner for conference title and playoffs. If the injuries hold off and we get some luck, look out.
Yep, but other that JJ there is not much experience with size. Especially considering the lack of returning production at TE. It was good to see the redshirt freshmen make an impact this Spring and in the B/W game, but the door is still wide open for Shorter from what I have seen.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
Guest
Oh great I can already hear all the media and rival fans talking about 50/50 balls.
50% to Johnson, 50% to Shorter?
Thompkins and Polk are kind of known property. Both are solid, but none of us expect either to break out and have a AA type season.
Hamler screams Freshman AA team and Hipp seems like he could be our next Hamilton. Shorter is a true wild card. He projects like a player who will be starting before conference play begins from a talent and physical build perspective.
And JJ still hasn't had a season in which he was purely the go-to-guy. This is *his* year.
TE is very iffy. However, with Gesicki's lack of blocking prowess I don't see why we don't utilize versatility in lieu of having Gesicki. Numerous candidates for a 4th WR, the opportunity for more 2RB sets, the Lion position (for the Stevens fans!)...
In short yardage, you can even get your most athletic non starting OL in for blocking. Multiple options if our current TEs don't produce.
TE is a luxury more than a liability. How often has a runner up said, "we'd have won that game with an elite TE"?
I watched their Michigan game again the other week and Johnson flat out SHREDDED their vaunted defensive. Incredible! With Hamilton and Gesicki out of the picture, look for a 1st team all BIG-type year from JJ.
Umm, maybe a bit different thought. "with Hamilton and Gesicki out of the picture -" look for JJ to be covered like"- a rug.
I hear what you're saying, but give me JJ over a 5'11" DB every day of the week. We have some very talented, young receivers on this team and a QB who can sling it around and find the open guy. Gonna be fun.
I think it might happen.
It will happen. That's why Thompkins was moved inside. Shorter is a three year player.
Thompkins is a ferocious blocker
+1. I thought he was very good. A lot of Barkley's big runs were because of nice blocks by the Wr's.
Shorter is going to start from day 1. Can't keep him off the field
Yep, the reports from Spring practice were that Hamler is the real deal. He was basically a no show in the B/W game. The other 2 redshirt freshmen did look good in the B/W game from what I saw. Cam Sullivan-Brown looked strong and made a couple of good catches, possibly in the mold of Hamilton as a sure hands WR. And Hippinhopper looked good as well, with his 2 TD's. But it would seem that Thompkins and Polk will get lots of playing time. Lots of depth, but if Shorter plays "big" in the red zone and as a deep threat we should see lots of him this year. Other than JJ and possibly Thompkins, I see lots of WR's playing but not racking up big statistics. But there is lots of room for a breakout player among the RS freshmen and Shorter.
I agree we will see some 4 WR sets, but I'm also looking for CJF to find a TE he is comfortable with from among Bowers, Holland and Freiermuth.
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I think we're going to see valuable contributions from Mark Allen. His abilities are underappreciated, IMO. And a healthy Bowers is an unknown.
We do know that when Bowers was healthy 2 years ago CJF talked him up some (as a redshirt freshman, somewhat uncommon for CJF). Tells me that if Bowers is healthy going into 2018 season (2 years later and still somewhat of an unknown), with Gesicki gone and Holland and Dalton looking pretty pedestrian, Bowers is our starting TE.
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The new redshirt rule will be especially helpful with the TE situation more than anywhere. I expect that they all see time at strategic points unless/until someone establishes themself beyond the rest.
I'd say early on, he will be the receiving RB where as Sanders will be the primary rusher. Slade will be a wild card here. Probably too talented to not see some snaps, and by some accounts he could end the year no worse than our #2 RB.
From a skill position perspective, we are as ****-***** talented as we have ever been since the 90s, I would say.
I agree with you on the new redshirt role. Why not give the young TE's some time on the field. But as all our TE's are unproven and have very limited in game reps, if one of the older TE's clearly wins the job in camp that TE will need and likely get lots of the playing time early in the season to get comfortable and work out the errors before the big games begin.
I also agree that Slade is a wild card, but I see his impact within special teams and getting 3-6 carries a game. At 180 some pounds I don't believe it realistic to expect him to come in and be a workhorse. And there are only so many older more mature RB's in the country that could beat out Sanders, a very talented RB. I see the chances of Slade beating out Sanders as slim and none. This is not Barkley beating out Lynch. And what about Mark Allen and Journey Brown? Allen seems to be a leader and CJF will look to get him some touches. And JB reportedly looked good on the foreign team, with his elite speed. Just a different situation talent and experience wise from when Barkley came in and won the job during his true freshman season.
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Maybe could even see Sanders and Slade in the same backfield with no tight end. Two backs who can run and catch and three excellent receivers. Oh yeah. And a Heisman candidate quarterback.
Based on the mere one game Rahne called vs Washington, I think we see a bigger rotation than what Moorhead used. Granted, it's hard to take Barkley out because he could do everything great, but the bowl game actually showed that he could play fresher by splitting reps.
I can see Allen being used a lot early on. Particularly on 3rd downs. Brown is going to be as much of a wild card as Slade. Can easily see him on KO return early on. Would love to see him come in for carries much in the fashion of what Georgia, Alabama, and even Oklahoma have done. Run em all early and if someone gets the hot hand, feed em.
Sanders could very well explode behind our OL, highly expected to be our best in 10 years, and with his more North-South running style we likely eliminate those 2-5 yard losses. Will he be as explosive as Barkley? Perhaps not, but if he is close... Look out.
Shorter is a day 1 player. However, in most games last year there was a rotation at WR where Blacknall, Polk and Charles (before Irv got the boot) would come in for a series or so.
JJ, Deandre, Shorter
any combo of Hamler, Hippenhammer, Sullivan-Brown, Polk rotating in.
Shorter and Hamler will be absolute terrors on defenses for years to come. Comps to Terrell Owens and Desean Jackson, respectively. The battle for slot snaps is real as it seems we are flush with those options. Slade has even said they told him he could see time at slot. CS-B seemed like ole' reliable at the spring game, kind of like Hammy, if true should see serious reps on outside as one of the bigger backups who can handle the outside.
As far as TE goes, seems we always find a solid one at PSU. Even guys like Lehman proved solid. For the time being, just give me a guy who is a strong blocker and has reliable hands. Like in fantasy football, a great TE is just a luxury, if you have a solid one surrounded by talent at other skill positions you can make out just fine. And who knows how the two freshman enter in to the equation with the new rule.
Mark Allen scares me as a back. Don't know what it is, maybe he just needs to slow down a bit. My biggest concern on offense this year is our RB's fumbling, which is great....until it happens at a big moment.
JJ, Deandre, Shorter
any combo of Hamler, Hippenhammer, Sullivan-Brown, Polk rotating in.
Shorter and Hamler will be absolute terrors on defenses for years to come. Comps to Terrell Owens and Desean Jackson, respectively. The battle for slot snaps is real as it seems we are flush with those options. Slade has even said they told him he could see time at slot. CS-B seemed like ole' reliable at the spring game, kind of like Hammy, if true should see serious reps on outside as one of the bigger backups who can handle the outside.
As far as TE goes, seems we always find a solid one at PSU. Even guys like Lehman proved solid. For the time being, just give me a guy who is a strong blocker and has reliable hands. Like in fantasy football, a great TE is just a luxury, if you have a solid one surrounded by talent at other skill positions you can make out just fine. And who knows how the two freshman enter in to the equation with the new rule.
Mark Allen scares me as a back. Don't know what it is, maybe he just needs to slow down a bit. My biggest concern on offense this year is our RB's fumbling, which is great....until it happens at a big moment.
I sure wouldn't overlook Journey Brown. Bigger than Sanders and probably faster. If he can catch the ball, look out for those wheel routes!
That would be outstanding, i would settle for him to be right in that elite group. If he is the best we’ve ever had than it will be a fun 3 years watching him.
The only thing JJ hasn't shown is TDs. I think he has one to his name, and that was the Iowa game winner. He was an absolute stud last year who just didn't get the ball in the red zone. I think he will this year. He is huge and tacklers bounce off of him when they try to tackle him.
I thought I read that Thompkins was moved to the slot in the spring and Polk to the outside. Both were excited about it and Thompkins mentioned that he had been learning how to run routes out of the slot and feels more comfortable there. He could have a big year.
We'll definitely see Polk, KJ, and Hipp get touches but I think Shorter will come in and make an immediate impact. It will be hard to keep a guy of his caliber off the field. He came in at 6'4'' 230lbs. That's huge, and almost as big as JJ.
I thought I read that Thompkins was moved to the slot in the spring and Polk to the outside. Both were excited about it and Thompkins mentioned that he had been learning how to run routes out of the slot and feels more comfortable there. He could have a big year.
We'll definitely see Polk, KJ, and Hipp get touches but I think Shorter will come in and make an immediate impact. It will be hard to keep a guy of his caliber off the field. He came in at 6'4'' 230lbs. That's huge, and almost as big as JJ.
And that number should go up greatly this year with the players we lost from last year.
We had 32 passing TD's in 2017 - of those over half went to Gesicki and Hamilton who had 9 each. Next highest was Barkley and Thompkins both hauling in 3 a piece. In addition JJ was also tied for 2nd most receptions with Barkley at 54 - Gesicki came in at 57 catches and Hamilton had 53.
Barkley, Gesicki and Hamilton all being gone should equal a breakout year for JJ.
