Preseason Projections

[AppStFan1]

Injuries are going to play a big part of any season but especially so this year as we transition from a 3-4 to a 4-3. I like what DJ is saying but the guys up front have to stay healthy.

This is not a shot to DJ but I try to ignore what coaches say in the off-season because injuries, personnel performance, and more can influence how the season goes. I have seen cases where a coach says he is concerned about a group not having great depth and players step up to make it a good position. I have also seen where a staff tells people they expect to have a great team and they miss a bowl game or where the coaches are concerned about a QB and he turns out to be a star. I honestly have no expectation on this season other than I think we should make a bowl game. As you said, we have to stay healthy. I definitely don't see a unit where we are so deep that we could afford to lose a couple players on the two-deep and it not hurt much.

[AppStFan1]

The good news is we have the bodies to get through the year. The bad news is that most of them are unknowns at this level. I will say, Farmer & Manuel could be a nice duo on the inside. Many thought Farmer should have been playing last year but the staff was adamant on saving his redshirt.

I heard Farmer was one of several players that the staff wanted to redshirt but should have been playing so I will be curious to see how Farmer looks this year.

[AppSt94]

Injuries are going to play a big part of any season but especially so this year as we transition from a 3-4 to a 4-3. I like what DJ is saying but the guys up front have to stay healthy.

This is not a shot to DJ but I try to ignore what coaches say in the off-season because injuries, personnel performance, and more can influence how the season goes. I have seen cases where a coach says he is concerned about a group not having great depth and players step up to make it a good position. I have also seen where a staff tells people they expect to have a great team and they miss a bowl game or where the coaches are concerned about a QB and he turns out to be a star. I honestly have no expectation on this season other than I think we should make a bowl game. As you said, we have to stay healthy. I definitely don't see a unit where we are so deep that we could afford to lose a couple players on the two-deep and it not hurt much.

Based on my conversation with DJ, I’d say that we are pretty deep at the CB position. Safety was good enough that we could see some of those guys get moved around to other spots.

[ASUFan4863]

I think we’ll run more variations of the 3-3-5 than most want but that will require someone to step up in that Hybrid Safety/Linebacker role that isn’t afraid to tackle. Cole was afraid to commit and tackle like Jackson did in 2023, so it didn’t work effectively. His inability to grasp the role left us with Hamilton as the only other option who should have only been on special teams. It’s hard to run an effective “Star” defense when the “Star” is the worst performing player on the field.

My hope is either McCantos, McBurrows or “Ammo” Robinson can play that role. It will be an interesting fall camp battle to watch.

[AppStFan1]

Injuries are going to play a big part of any season but especially so this year as we transition from a 3-4 to a 4-3. I like what DJ is saying but the guys up front have to stay healthy.

This is not a shot to DJ but I try to ignore what coaches say in the off-season because injuries, personnel performance, and more can influence how the season goes. I have seen cases where a coach says he is concerned about a group not having great depth and players step up to make it a good position. I have also seen where a staff tells people they expect to have a great team and they miss a bowl game or where the coaches are concerned about a QB and he turns out to be a star. I honestly have no expectation on this season other than I think we should make a bowl game. As you said, we have to stay healthy. I definitely don't see a unit where we are so deep that we could afford to lose a couple players on the two-deep and it not hurt much.

Based on my conversation with DJ, I’d say that we are pretty deep at the CB position. Safety was good enough that we could see some of those guys get moved around to other spots.

You remember the year we were loaded at RB and by end of season we only had 2 who could play so we went from deep to thin due to like 3 injuries? I think the main reason we got so many bodies at safety is due to scheme change. I think we got several positions we should be solid in terms of numbers but a couple of injuries can change it from solid to feeling thin is my whole point. I'm with you that we just got to stay healthy.

[AppStFan1]

I think we’ll run more variations of the 3-3-5 than most want but that will require someone to step up in that Hybrid Safety/Linebacker role that isn’t afraid to tackle. Cole was afraid to commit and tackle like Jackson did in 2023, so it didn’t work effectively. His inability to grasp the role left us with Hamilton as the only other option who should have only been on special teams. It’s hard to run an effective “Star” defense when the “Star” is the worst performing player on the field.

My hope is either McCantos, McBurrows or “Ammo” Robinson can play that role. It will be an interesting fall camp battle to watch.

Cole was a major let down but he was just okay at NC A&T. Not sure what made our staff think he would be able to become a standout for us on defense. I'm with you on hoping one of those 3 can fill that role.

[AppSt94]

I think we’ll run more variations of the 3-3-5 than most want but that will require someone to step up in that Hybrid Safety/Linebacker role that isn’t afraid to tackle. Cole was afraid to commit and tackle like Jackson did in 2023, so it didn’t work effectively. His inability to grasp the role left us with Hamilton as the only other option who should have only been on special teams. It’s hard to run an effective “Star” defense when the “Star” is the worst performing player on the field.

My hope is either McCantos, McBurrows or “Ammo” Robinson can play that role. It will be an interesting fall camp battle to watch.

Don’t be surprised if you see Favors occupy snaps at that position.

[Bootsy]

I think we’ll run more variations of the 3-3-5 than most want but that will require someone to step up in that Hybrid Safety/Linebacker role that isn’t afraid to tackle. Cole was afraid to commit and tackle like Jackson did in 2023, so it didn’t work effectively. His inability to grasp the role left us with Hamilton as the only other option who should have only been on special teams. It’s hard to run an effective “Star” defense when the “Star” is the worst performing player on the field.

My hope is either McCantos, McBurrows or “Ammo” Robinson can play that role. It will be an interesting fall camp battle to watch.

You were reading my mind, sir.

Where tackling skills are concerned, App can’t afford a repeat of the horror show we witnessed in 2024.

[ASUFan4863]

I think we’ll run more variations of the 3-3-5 than most want but that will require someone to step up in that Hybrid Safety/Linebacker role that isn’t afraid to tackle. Cole was afraid to commit and tackle like Jackson did in 2023, so it didn’t work effectively. His inability to grasp the role left us with Hamilton as the only other option who should have only been on special teams. It’s hard to run an effective “Star” defense when the “Star” is the worst performing player on the field.

My hope is either McCantos, McBurrows or “Ammo” Robinson can play that role. It will be an interesting fall camp battle to watch.

Don’t be surprised if you see Favors occupy snaps at that position.

Favors isn’t scared to tackle, that is for sure. He just needs better execution of it. I could see him doing well in that role. FS and SS look to be in a solid position with Burks, Gamble, Hasz and Neal. Farmer is another unknown there.

[AppDub]

The day of saving redshirts may be over.

[Mjohn1988]

Nobody knows anything about this team at this point. Heck, we don't even know who are going to be our starters. On paper, we picked up a lot of good talent but that talent was very thin on experience so nobody really has any basis to judge at this point. I hope we don't finish 5-7 but honestly I have no idea how we will play. I am hopeful that we have a good season and at least make a bowl, but won't be shocked if we don't. This really turned into a complete rebuild and with a first time head coach, first time DC, and lots of other first time parts....it is really a blind guess as to how we will do this year.

I hope this changes but tight now having no idea what your team will look like in the fall is just normal.

[311neers]

I’ll go Mbake.
There are numerous guys that the previous staff probably wouldn’t have landed. Not so much because they couldn’t; but because they would never have gone after them to begin with. We will see if that strategy of “go big or go home” pays off.

[311neers]

I think we’ll run more variations of the 3-3-5 than most want but that will require someone to step up in that Hybrid Safety/Linebacker role that isn’t afraid to tackle. Cole was afraid to commit and tackle like Jackson did in 2023, so it didn’t work effectively. His inability to grasp the role left us with Hamilton as the only other option who should have only been on special teams. It’s hard to run an effective “Star” defense when the “Star” is the worst performing player on the field.

My hope is either McCantos, McBurrows or “Ammo” Robinson can play that role. It will be an interesting fall camp battle to watch.

You’re just making up names. Who? Who’s on 1st?

It’s going to take me 12 games to learn our players. And just as we learn all our guys by the end of the year, it’s time to learn 40-50 more. :/ Time to start studying up in the dog days of summer. When does the full roster get posted online?

[ASUFan4863]

I think we’ll run more variations of the 3-3-5 than most want but that will require someone to step up in that Hybrid Safety/Linebacker role that isn’t afraid to tackle. Cole was afraid to commit and tackle like Jackson did in 2023, so it didn’t work effectively. His inability to grasp the role left us with Hamilton as the only other option who should have only been on special teams. It’s hard to run an effective “Star” defense when the “Star” is the worst performing player on the field.

My hope is either McCantos, McBurrows or “Ammo” Robinson can play that role. It will be an interesting fall camp battle to watch.

You’re just making up names. Who? Who’s on 1st?

It’s going to take me 12 games to learn our players. And just as we learn all our guys by the end of the year, it’s time to learn 40-50 more. :/ Time to start studying up in the dog days of summer. When does the full roster get posted online?

There will be an enormous amount of “wait which player is that” every season. The full roster is online but it hasn’t been updated with numbers for the incoming players.