NFLU

Anyone want to re-think where they might be going tonight? Prince Kent, Ray Ray Armstrong, you paying attention? That’s cool. No problem. Have fun with Les is not More Miles.

Our new All-American Safety

Game ova Cavalier bitches!

This defense is in dire need of their traditional safety. Someone roaming the field to pick off passes, or deliver the blowing hits, lodging balls free. Miami has some coming in this year, namely a verbal commit from Prince Kent. Kent has great size, speed, and ranking, according to ESPN, but in the end, it’s all arbitrary. I don’t take much comfort in recruiting rankings. My thoughts on recruiting, in the words of Clarence Worley: ”It is better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it.” Bring in all those 4 and 5 stars, haze their asses, toughen them up, lets see who sticks. 

Kent, however, played CB in high school, and even though he projects as a safety at the U, he probably won’t develop until year 2 at the earliest. Ray Ray Armstrong, an even bigger specimen, who could probably translate his skills to safety quicker than Kent, will still take some adjusting. And, he is deciding tonight at the Under Armour game. Miami or LSU, supposedly. We shall see. 

We all forget that Kenny Phillips had an All-American to line up next to in Brandon Meriweather, so he could make his freshman mistakes and go unnoticed. Reddick had the same during his (now since forgotten) promising freshman year. These guys can’t just come in and be the quarterback of the defense on day one. So here’s to a fantastic idea: move Sean Spence to safety. NOW. Tell him today, you are the next Ed Reed. The next Brandon Meriweather. You will make the league playing this position. Because Spence was by and large the best defender on the team this year. Winning freshman ACC Defensive Player of the Year, he was a fucking beast. He won the game against Virginia with his fumble strip in overtime, returned a pick six in the almost comeback against FSU. The guy knows where to be, and how to hit. Had multiple bone crushers in the Emerald Bowl.

Sure, he is being compared to a young Jon Vilma by Andreu Swasey (who is supposedly out the door by the way). Sure, a typical high school player can gain in excess of 25 lbs. in the weight room and still get even faster. But, a great linebacker is always easier to find than a great safety. And with McCarthy coming back next year from injury, the position is not as critical.

Spence, right now, is not linebacker size. Standing at 6′0”, 202 lbs., he is perfect for a starting safety in the league. And especially perfect to leading a struggling defense with his heady play and ability to cause turnovers. Keeping him at outside linebacker only allows opposing offenses to game plan against him much, much easier. You can never really gameplan against a free safety, especially one that roams the field doing what he wants, Reed and Polamalu style.

Sign the petition, barge down Hecht Athletic Center’s doors, whatever. Someone get this info to Randy, and quick. He can even take credit, I don’t care.