Linebacker corps for 2013 team is getting bigger

[IronMan70 3,322]

Sometimes its interesting to look ahead at a position to visualize where you will be in the future. Is there a trend ? Looking at the LBs, the trend is bigger. These are the scholarship players for the 2013 season. No LB will be less than 6'1" and all but 2 are taller.  Our 2 Senior LBs in 2012 that we will lose (Bates and Evans) are sub 6' and after next year we will lose 1 of the 6'1" LBs (Holland). Those 5 Sophs for next year will hopefully get as much playing time as possible this year since they will be a big part of the unit in 2013. But, most definitely, we are already well on our way to getting bigger at LB. 

2013 LBs returning from 2012 after getting another year of experience.

6'-1",235, Jake Holland, Senior

6'-1",205, Justin Garrett, Junior

6'-3",235, Chris Landrum, RSoph

6'-2",225, Kris Frost, RSoph

6'-2",245, Anthony Swain, RSoph

6'-3",240, Cassanova McKinzy, Soph

6'-2",200, JaViere Mitchell, Soph (might be a RFr)

(added to the team for 2013, ht. and wt. going into Sr. yr of HS )

6'-3",225, Cam Toney, TFr

6"-2",218, Trey Johnson,TFr

6'-2",210, Jarad Davis,TFr

     

[auburn4ever 1,266]

This is a very good sign. One of the first things coach VanGorder talked about was that he wanted to start signing bigger linebackers. A lot of teams have been doing that for years, and it's worked pretty darn well for them.

Look across the state and look at their roster of big linebackers they sign every year. Their big and fast.

[Orange and Blue 17211345162833 0]

This is a very good sign. One of the first thing coach VanGorder talked about was that he wated to start signing bigger linebackers. A lot of teams have been doing that for year, and it's worked pretty darn well for them.

Look across the state and look at their roster of big linebackers they sign every year.

BVG did say he wants bigger linebackers, but not at the risk of sacrificing speed. Signing kids just because their bigger but much slower, would be defeating the entire purpose of going bigger. If we can't the bigger ones that's fast, i'd rather have them a little smaller but faster.

The ones the school across the state are getting, are the ones of the 4 and 5 star variety. It is not many of those each year that are that big and that fast. We need to come up with a formula to get an even split with them. Especially the ones in-state each year.

[keesler 6,026]

This is a very good sign. One of the first thing coach VanGorder talked about was that he wated to start signing bigger linebackers. A lot of teams have been doing that for year, and it's worked pretty darn well for them.

Look across the state and look at their roster of big linebackers they sign every year.

BVG did say he wants bigger linebackers, but not at the risk of sacrificing speed. Signing kids just because their bigger but much slower, would be defeating the entire purpose of going bigger. If we can't the bigger ones that's fast, i'd rather have them a little smaller but faster.

The ones the school across the state are getting, are the ones of the 4 and 5 star variety. It is not many of those each year that are that big and that fast. We need to come up with a formula to get an even split with them. Especially the ones in-state each year.

I'd take an even split of those 4-5*'s they get in a heartbeat.  I don't care what state they come from, I just want half of them in O&B. 

[Orange and Blue 17211345162833 0]

This is a very good sign. One of the first thing coach VanGorder talked about was that he wated to start signing bigger linebackers. A lot of teams have been doing that for year, and it's worked pretty darn well for them.

Look across the state and look at their roster of big linebackers they sign every year.

BVG did say he wants bigger linebackers, but not at the risk of sacrificing speed. Signing kids just because their bigger but much slower, would be defeating the entire purpose of going bigger. If we can't the bigger ones that's fast, i'd rather have them a little smaller but faster.

The ones the school across the state are getting, are the ones of the 4 and 5 star variety. It is not many of those each year that are that big and that fast. We need to come up with a formula to get an even split with them. Especially the ones in-state each year.

I'd take an even split of those 4-5*'s they get in a heartbeat.  I don't care what state they come from, I just want half of them in O&B.   

Amen brother!!!!

We haven't been very good on defense the last few years and that has hurt us badly in the recruitment of those type players. Hopefully, the product that BVG puts on the field this Fall can change all that.

[IronMan70 3,322]

This is a very good sign. One of the first thing coach VanGorder talked about was that he wated to start signing bigger linebackers. A lot of teams have been doing that for year, and it's worked pretty darn well for them.

Look across the state and look at their roster of big linebackers they sign every year.

BVG did say he wants bigger linebackers, but not at the risk of sacrificing speed. Signing kids just because their bigger but much slower, would be defeating the entire purpose of going bigger. If we can't the bigger ones that's fast, i'd rather have them a little smaller but faster.

The ones the school across the state are getting, are the ones of the 4 and 5 star variety. It is not many of those each year that are that big and that fast. We need to come up with a formula to get an even split with them. Especially the ones in-state each year.

I'd take an even split of those 4-5*'s they get in a heartbeat.  I don't care what state they come from, I just want half of them in O&B.   

Amen brother!!!!

We haven't been very good on defense the last few years and that has hurt us badly in the recruitment of those type players. Hopefully, the product that BVG puts on the field this Fall can change all that.

Mmm hmm, if you build it they will come. 

But we are getting some of those young ones already and I really like Frost, McKinzy and Toney.

[lca4081345162963 0]

Looking at that list, it looks like we'll have 6 scholarship LBs with playing experience in 2013, but only 2 of them (Holland and Garrett) with more than one year of PT. Not that it really matters all that much. Holland will be the iron man in the middle with Landrum likely to have PT in most if not all of Auburn's 13 games in 2012. Frost, Garrett, and Swain will all get plenty of PT filling in for Bates and Evans, and Frost may even be a starter at some point. McKinzy or Mitchell will play this year, meaning that one of them will have experience but its not going to be a really deep unit, except in terms of talent. But, I think it will be better overall than what we have going into this year.

I guess the hope is that the light really has come on for Jake and he becomes the Josh Bynes-esque Mike LB that we all want him to be this year. And that the light comes on for Frost and Swain as well. I think we're probably looking at a Garrett - Holland - Frost lineup at the starting positions in 2013. With enough experience for those guys this year, that might be a beastly group.

Ryan

[bikeriderga 137]

This is definitely one position we have been weak in. With the class coming in and the 2013 class, at least we should have enough talent to stop the run after 3-5 yrds and short passing game.

The inability to stop third down conversions killed us last year. We have to be able to shut teams down on 3rd down.

[AUFanfromSnellvegas 0]

It's great that we are looking to sign bigger linebackers but we shouldn't compare the size of our LBs to those across the state. For example in our 4-3 scheme Upshaw would've been a DE whereas at alabama he was an OLB. The same could be said for X. Dickson, Hubbard, etc. Let's hope our linebackers start looking closer to the LBs that LSU, Clemson, FSU, and Oklahoma have been producing the last few years.

[IronMan70 3,322]

Looking at that list, it looks like we'll have 6 scholarship LBs with playing experience in 2013, but only 2 of them (Holland and Garrett) with more than one year of PT. Not that it really matters all that much. Holland will be the iron man in the middle with Landrum likely to have PT in most if not all of Auburn's 13 games in 2012. Frost, Garrett, and Swain will all get plenty of PT filling in for Bates and Evans, and Frost may even be a starter at some point. McKinzy or Mitchell will play this year, meaning that one of them will have experience but its not going to be a really deep unit, except in terms of talent. But, I think it will be better overall than what we have going into this year.

I guess the hope is that the light really has come on for Jake and he becomes the Josh Bynes-esque Mike LB that we all want him to be this year. And that the light comes on for Frost and Swain as well. I think we're probably looking at a Garrett - Holland - Frost lineup at the starting positions in 2013. With enough experience for those guys this year, that might be a beastly group.

Ryan

You pinpointed one of our main needs.  We "really" need Jake to hit the next level and stay as injury free as possible, most especially this year, while the other LBs get that playing time.

[FoleyLion 0]

It's great that we are looking to sign bigger linebackers but we shouldn't compare the size of our LBs to those across the state. For example in our 4-3 scheme Upshaw would've been a DE whereas at alabama he was an OLB. The same could be said for X. Dickson, Hubbard, etc. Let's hope our linebackers start looking closer to the LBs that LSU, Clemson, FSU, and Oklahoma have been producing the last few years.

This x100