JessN: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units

[BamaNation]

Rating the units
By Jess Nicholas
August 12, 2009

Any ratings system – save perhaps for the mysterious computers used in the BCS statistical conglomerate – is subjective. But anything that can be done to lessen the impact of personal opinion or bias is generally regarded as a good thing.

Via a process that first went to press five years ago, TideFans/NARCAS expanded its rating system beyond the simple six-class system employed in the past. In all 12 SEC previews, you’ll notice eight unit divisions – quarterbacks (QB), running backs (RB), wide receivers and tight ends (WR), offensive line (OL), defensive line (DL), linebackers (LB), defensive backs (DB) and kickers, punters, return men and coverage units (ST, for special teams).

Prior to 2004, ratings were doled out to each team during the individual previews. The only way to compare teams was for the reader to manually swap back and forth between two separate reports. In the individual reports, ratings are assigned as follows: Excellent (Ex), Very Good (Vg), Average (Av), Fair (Fr) and Poor (Pr). It also bears mentioning that teams can have a great starter at a particular position, but if depth is poor behind that starter, the ranking for the unit as a whole can be affected. These are unit rankings, not rankings of individuals.

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[AlphaSnail]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

I see where you are really high on LSU's RBs. Personally, I'd take our stable of backs. Just me, I guess.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

SEC West appears to be a dog fight while everyone in the SEC East is fighting to see who gets to carry UF's athletic supporter. Sounds about right to me.
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[Alanbama27]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

I am shocked that our LB's didn't take the league in that category. Our LB corp as a group in my opinion is HEAD AND SHOULDERS the best INCLUDING depth! UF's LB corp has been overrated for two years now IMHO!

I also believe that Jevon Snead has a lot to prove on the field before he gets such a big score at QB. He was good in the last 6 games but made a lot of bad throws and cost the Rebs games last year. Just because he has all the tools doesn't mean he will properly use them! How many times have we been duped by a kid? Brodie was supposed to be MR. EVERYTHING and look at what he did overall! He would be fantastic in one game and miss wide open receivers all day in the next. Jevon has the tools but to me hasn't proven anything yet. Tebow on the other hand has flat out proven he can do it when it counts...Jevon has not!

 

[Alanbama27]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

I see where you are really high on LSU's RBs. Personally, I'd take our stable of backs. Just me, I guess.

I don't disagree but I think had Coffee returned for his senior year we take the RB category...but without him we have two really good guys who both spent time out of games last year due to injury.

Also, that's why there are breakdowns of individual games during the season. This is just a preseason breakdown. Once our guys get going and hopefully show us what we THINK they can do, their rankings will rise. Hey, I frankly believe by the end of the year our "OL" has a chance to be one of the leagues best...however, they are certainly not proven to this point!

 

[mikeua69]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

Looks about right to me, although I'd take our backs over Ole Miss

I am, however, curious why you put Auburn's DB's ahead of ours. I'd definitely take Arenas and Jackson ahead of McFadden and whoever their other corner is (Thorpe maybe?). Also isn't this an area that they've been hit hard by injuries?

 

[red55]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

I'm not going to argue too much. Every pre-season prognosticator expected LSU to struggle at QB last year but Jess was the only one who thought the LSU defense would be an issue.

Still, if it was me . . . I'd rate LSU's receivers down a click, the linebackers up a click, and the defensive line up a couple of clicks. But . . . once again, special teams will be LSU's exploitable weakness this season.

 

[bonehouse81]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

Hmm ... I was a little surprised to see our OL ranked ninth in the conference. I figured it would be no better than middle of the pack, but ninth is a little jarring.

Jess, would you care to share some of your thoughts on our O-line situation? I think we both agree that our OL could be in some real trouble against VaTech, but I was assuming they would jell a bit with time and be solid run blockers and serviceable pass blockers.

 

[JessN]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

This is a cockamamie year in the SEC in a lot of areas. DBs, for example -- tossup between a lot of teams. I had AU slightly ahead of UA because their safeties are better, and a SEC safety has so many run responsibilities that two good safeties beat two good CBs for me most of the time. Etheridge is one of the league's most unsung players.

RBs -- as Alan noted, if Coffee comes back then it's advantage Alabama. Right now, LSU has two guys that I expect to see make NFL rosters next year. UA actually had injury issues with all three of its top returning guys and Upchurch will always be a hair away from the disabled list.

Rating QBs was the worst this year. You've got one great unit (UF), one very good unit (Ole Miss) and 10 teams in a bucket.

UF gets the LB award for superior depth. I take McClain and probably Hightower over Spikes but if you hurt Florida's entire first string tomorrow, the second team isn't a really big dropoff. If, on the other hand, you knock out McClain and Hightower at UA, you get Chris Jordan and a true freshman. That's why it's a unit award rather than an individual player award.

This is the strongest year in recent memory for LBs in the SEC -- literally 11 teams have solid units. QB is weak in experience but has some potential. Running back is very strong in the West, so-so in the East. And this is one of the weakest OL-DL years we've had in awhile.

 

[JessN]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

Hmm ... I was a little surprised to see our OL ranked ninth in the conference. I figured it would be no better than middle of the pack, but ninth is a little jarring.

Jess, would you care to share some of your thoughts on our O-line situation? I think we both agree that our OL could be in some real trouble against VaTech, but I was assuming they would jell a bit with time and be solid run blockers and serviceable pass blockers.

Carpenter and Vlachos seem to have improved a good bit over the summer, so I feel better about things now.

You guys know I've been yelling all spring and summer that right guard, NOT left tackle, was going to be the linchpin position for Alabama. Well, that hasn't changed. We're on Day 7 for practices right now and I think they've worked five different guys with the 1s.

I'm not so much worried about run-blocking as I am pass blocking from the two tackles. Last year, you could just about always leave Andre by himself and half the time you could slip the H-back out in the pattern and leave Davis on an island. I don't see Alabama having that luxury this year. You're also going to see more combo blocks required when running right because the Vlachos-whoever duo at C and RG isn't going to be nearly as sharp, particularly before the halfway point, as the Caldwell-M.Davis duo was last year.

 

[bonehouse81]

Re: 2009 PREVIEWS: Rating the units [**NEW**]

You guys know I've been yelling all spring and summer that right guard, NOT left tackle, was going to be the linchpin position for Alabama. Well, that hasn't changed. We're on Day 7 for practices right now and I think they've worked five different guys with the 1s.

Oh, I'm sure that just means we've got five starter-quality guys to choose from there.

Um ... right?


Thanks for the reply on that, Jess ...

 

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