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2018 UMASS GT OT Jack Driscoll commits to AU!!! (4/25/18)


ellitor

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2 hours ago, Eagle-1 said:

Maybe I'm confused. If Tega is a concern, pray tell me why he is penciled in on the blind side of the QB, while we have a position battle going on between two very highly rated recruits at the RT spot?

Because those other 2 don't have the experience yet you would prefer to be a LT. Also the LT & RT are 2 very different positions as they go against 2 completely different kinds of DL. With Ashley's lack of motor right now you don't want him going against the SEC's best pass rushers which are on the OL's left side.

2 hours ago, Eagle-1 said:

maybe I'm missing something, but shouldn't we be comfortable at the left tackle spot, and let The best of the rest battle it out for the right tackle spot?

They aren't necessarily interchangable as shown above.

 

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16 hours ago, The Plainsman said:

Not to mention the GT/LB from Illinois..  did that guy ever play?

Not once the season really heated up.  I had great hope for him, but was disappointed.  I think he came in with some kind of all conference award (2nd team?) or some such.   

 

 

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I gotta give TJ Neal some credit, though. He came in and used his last breath of competitive football at AU and barely saw the field. He could've turned into a problem with his attitude but we didn't hear anything negative about him

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47 minutes ago, Tiger said:

I gotta give TJ Neal some credit, though. He came in and used his last breath of competitive football at AU and barely saw the field. He could've turned into a problem with his attitude but we didn't hear anything negative about him

He did complain publicly about lack of PT some. He just did not have the speed to make the plays as @GwillMac6 alluded to....

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5 minutes ago, fredst said:

He did complain publicly about lack of PT some. He just did not have the speed to make the plays as @GwillMac6 alluded to....

LOL woops, well...looks like you can just throw my post in the garbage then.

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7 hours ago, Tiger said:

LOL woops, well...looks like you can just throw my post in the garbage then.

I don't remember him being too harsh. He was down about it. as he should have been. but i don't think he left with hard feelings. He just didn't cut it on the field.

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8 hours ago, fredst said:

He did complain publicly about lack of PT some. He just did not have the speed to make the plays as @GwillMac6 alluded to....

Yah I thought I remember him being pretty vocal on social media about how displeased he was with his lack of playing time. 

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Just now, GwillMac6 said:

Yah I thought I remember him being pretty vocal on social media about how displeased he was with his lack of playing time. 

It was in the context of his family coming all the way to Auburn to see him ride the pine. I just thought:

C057360F-A556-4A68-AA95-2AAD0BA7298F.gif

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2 minutes ago, fredst said:

It was in the context of his family coming all the way to Auburn to see him ride the pine. I just thought:

C057360F-A556-4A68-AA95-2AAD0BA7298F.gif

I probaly agreed in the moment when I saw him getting blown by a lsu player. It was Jake Holland level of slow!

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1 minute ago, GwillMac6 said:

I probaly agreed in the moment when I saw him getting blown by a lsu player. It was Jake Holland level of slow!

You should have referenced Josh Bynes, former AU all-SEC LB and journeyman NFL Lb for several years. Holland was much, much faster than Bynes.

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Just now, Mikey said:

You should have referenced Josh Bynes, former AU all-SEC LB and journeyman NFL Lb for several years. Holland was much, much faster than Bynes.

HEY MAN LET US HAVE OUR FUN!!! DO NOT BRING YOUR LB GURUNESS in to this conversation! We are venting! lol

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@fredst Looks like he came around. Glad he was able to take something positive out of this experience.

T.J. Neal's final college season did not go according to plan, but the graduate transfer linebacker views his experience on the Plains positively.

After recording 109 tackles, including 14 for loss and two sacks, at Illinois in 2015, Neal was expected to compete for a starting job this season at Auburn. Instead, he made 29 tackles while appearing in 12 games, with no starts.

Neal, who appeared in the College Gridiron Showcase this week, voiced frustration publicly regarding his lack of playing time in the season opener and later apologized. He said this season "might have been the best year" for him.

"When I say that, I mean I grew up a lot as a person," Neal said. "Emotionally, I became stable in expressing my emotions. Going through this year really revealed some flaws in myself as a person and I think this prepared me to be a better father and better husband and better player in the near future. ...

"I think this test that I went through here at Auburn, it was a test that I needed to prepare me for what's next and for the real world."

The second half of the season was much better for Neal, who recorded nine tackles against Vanderbilt and eight in the Iron Bowl.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele was pleased with the progress Neal made over the course of the season and teammates spoke highly of his play against Vanderbilt.

"His performance showed how much he's been waiting just to get that opportunity," fellow linebacker Darrell Williams said after the game.

Yet with 245 tackles in his first three seasons in the Big Ten, it was difficult for the 6-foot, 235-pound Neal to spend most of his time in the SEC on the sideline instead of contributing to a defense that nearly met his preseason prediction of being a "top 5" unit in scoring.

"Very humbling," Neal said. "Words can't explain sometimes. Some days will be tougher than others; games (were) hard sitting on the sideline knowing you could contribute and help this team. It was hard; but it made me grow up as a man and become a better individual and be a better father to my little girl and a better husband-to-be to the girl I'm going to marry."

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7 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

@fredst Looks like he came around. Glad he was able to take something positive out of this experience.

T.J. Neal's final college season did not go according to plan, but the graduate transfer linebacker views his experience on the Plains positively.

After recording 109 tackles, including 14 for loss and two sacks, at Illinois in 2015, Neal was expected to compete for a starting job this season at Auburn. Instead, he made 29 tackles while appearing in 12 games, with no starts.

Neal, who appeared in the College Gridiron Showcase this week, voiced frustration publicly regarding his lack of playing time in the season opener and later apologized. He said this season "might have been the best year" for him.

"When I say that, I mean I grew up a lot as a person," Neal said. "Emotionally, I became stable in expressing my emotions. Going through this year really revealed some flaws in myself as a person and I think this prepared me to be a better father and better husband and better player in the near future. ...

"I think this test that I went through here at Auburn, it was a test that I needed to prepare me for what's next and for the real world."

The second half of the season was much better for Neal, who recorded nine tackles against Vanderbilt and eight in the Iron Bowl.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele was pleased with the progress Neal made over the course of the season and teammates spoke highly of his play against Vanderbilt.

"His performance showed how much he's been waiting just to get that opportunity," fellow linebacker Darrell Williams said after the game.

Yet with 245 tackles in his first three seasons in the Big Ten, it was difficult for the 6-foot, 235-pound Neal to spend most of his time in the SEC on the sideline instead of contributing to a defense that nearly met his preseason prediction of being a "top 5" unit in scoring.

"Very humbling," Neal said. "Words can't explain sometimes. Some days will be tougher than others; games (were) hard sitting on the sideline knowing you could contribute and help this team. It was hard; but it made me grow up as a man and become a better individual and be a better father to my little girl and a better husband-to-be to the girl I'm going to marry."

THis is what i remember of him. He had to learn how to handle that particular disappointment. He, the coaches and us fans fully expected him to start for Auburn. He didn't mail it in. 

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I really don't have anything against Driscoll, its just that i would rather see a HS tackle come in and develop rather than a GT. Seems smarter to play the long game here rather than a quick fix, which i'm not sure we just have to have him. :dunno:

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8 minutes ago, Timeslider 6 said:

I really don't have anything against Driscoll, its just that i would rather see a HS tackle come in and develop rather than a GT. Seems smarter to play the long game here rather than a quick fix, which i'm not sure we just have to have him. :dunno:

I'd generally agree, but at this time of the year, virtually every HS tackle of SEC quality has already signed with somebody. There's no need to "save" the scholarship for a HS guy because the GT is a one year deal and that slot will be available next February anyway. There's really nothing to lose by signing a GT at this point in the recruiting year.

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22 hours ago, ellitor said:

Because those other 2 don't have the experience yet you would prefer to be a LT. Also the LT & RT are 2 very different positions as they go against 2 completely different kinds of DL. With Ashley's lack of motor right now you don't want him going against the SEC's best pass rushers which are on the OL's left side.

They aren't necessarily interchangable as shown above.

 

Thanks for the response. I'm well aware they are different skill sets to the LT, and RT spots. I'm just concerned when we are plugging in a project player at such an important position, while two guys who were rated 5 star, or high 4 star seem to be unable to compete at the LT spot. Seems to lead me to believe that my concerns about the OL for the upcoming season is definitely warranted. 

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6 minutes ago, Eagle-1 said:

Thanks for the response. I'm well aware they are different skill sets to the LT, and RT spots. I'm just concerned when we are plugging in a project player at such an important position, while two guys who were rated 5 star, or high 4 star seem to be unable to compete at the LT spot. Seems to lead me to believe that my concerns about the OL for the upcoming season is definitely warranted. 

Not an attempt to talk you off the ledge, but Tega isn't a project anymore. He actually started a few games at LT last season while Calvin Ashley's main responsibility was losing weight. He's not going to be Greg Robinson out there against Washington, but he's a legit talent at the position and, at this stage of the game, a lot further ahead than those other guys. 

Again, though, yes. Your concerns about the OL overall are warranted. I think most of us share them, including E. 

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2 hours ago, Mikey said:

I'd generally agree, but at this time of the year, virtually every HS tackle of SEC quality has already signed with somebody. There's no need to "save" the scholarship for a HS guy because the GT is a one year deal and that slot will be available next February anyway. There's really nothing to lose by signing a GT at this point in the recruiting year.

Plus many SEC caliber OTs aren't ready to go in their freshman year anyway.

Also I forgot to mention Driscoll will be a RS JR next season so he would have 1 years left to play at AU.

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UMass played UT last year and were winning until their QB got hurt in the 2nd half.  So he has played against SEC talent already.

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1 hour ago, Eagle-1 said:

Thanks for the response. I'm well aware they are different skill sets to the LT, and RT spots. I'm just concerned when we are plugging in a project player at such an important position, while two guys who were rated 5 star, or high 4 star seem to be unable to compete at the LT spot. Seems to lead me to believe that my concerns about the OL for the upcoming season is definitely warranted. 

1. Not sure how a guy who is graded the #2 G5 OT & #8 overall OT last season in FBS including P5 schools would be considered a project. As someone pointed out in another post he went against P5 competition the last couple of years & did fairly well.

2. Tega is further along with his development. Along with Ashley having to spend last year losing 50 pounds as Loof saif, Troxell spent all of last year recovering from a serious knee injury from high school so neither one had a true developmental RS year last year.

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1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

Tega isn't a project anymore.

I could be wrong but I took his project comment to mean Driscoll.

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Quote

 

UMass grad-transfer OT announcing decision on Wednesday

Jeffrey Lee • AuburnSports.com

UMass graduate transfer Jack Driscoll will announce his new home on Wednesday, and he’s narrowed his options to three schools.

Driscoll, a first-team All-Independent offensive tackle, will transfer to Auburn, USC or UCLA.

“It will come down to one of those three schools,” Driscoll said. “I feel like all three of the schools would be a good fit.”

Driscoll has done his research and taken an official visit to each of the schools. He has plenty of reasons for having the three as his finalists.

“Chip Kelly is a great coach and UCLA is a great academic school,” Driscoll said. “It’s a school that I was interested in from the get-go. Same thing with USC. Coach (Clay) Helton is a great coach and USC is one of the more storied programs in the country.”

Driscoll’s reasons for having Auburn a finalist was gained during a visit April 20-22.

“My parents came with me and it was awesome,” Driscoll said. “I love the guys on the team. I love the coaches. The school is incredible. It was a really good time.”

Driscoll’s host on the visit was starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Driscoll also met and spent time with Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and offensive line coach J.B. Grimes.

“I spent a lot of time with all three of the coaches,” Driscoll said. “They made me feel welcomed and needed, and having Jarrett as my host was really cool.”

Driscoll now will focus on making his decision. He has two years of eligibility remaining and will be eligible immediately.

“By Wednesday I would like to alert all of the coaches,” Driscoll said. “There is a lot of paperwork that needs to be filled out, and the sooner I can get all of it done the sooner I can start finding a place to live and all of that good stuff.”

Driscoll, who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, graduates from UMass on May 10 and plans to move to his new home soon after.

As a redshirt sophomore in 2017, Driscoll started all 12 games at right tackle. He played left guard and left tackle as a freshman in 2016.

 

 

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33 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Plus many SEC caliber OTs aren't ready to go in their freshman year anyway.

Also I forgot to mention Driscoll will be a RS JR next season so he would have 1 years left to play at AU.

Two years of eligibility left! Also, eligible immediately.

Edited by toddc
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