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Position Changes for Spring...

GreatDanish

GreatDanish

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2005
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What guys do you see switching positions this Spring?

Here are the main options, but throw any out you want...

Jimmy Johns - RB to LB
Jimmy Johns - RB to QB
Travis McCall - TE to LB
Travis McCall - TE to DE
Trent Davidson - TE to OT
Trent Davidson - TE to OG
Ezekial Knight - WR to LB
Marcel Stamps - LB to S
Simeon Castille - CB to S
Chris Keys - WLB to SLB
Roy Upchurch - RB to S/CB
Ali Sharrief - RB to LB
Ali Sharrief - RB to WR
Antoine Caldwell - C (back) to OG
Mike Johnson - RT to LT
 
GreatDanish said:
What guys do you see switching positions this Spring?

Here are the main options, but throw any out you want...

Jimmy Johns - RB to LB
Jimmy Johns - RB to QB
Travis McCall - TE to LB
Travis McCall - TE to DE
Trent Davidson - TE to OT
Trent Davidson - TE to OG
Ezekial Knight - WR to LB
Marcel Stamps - LB to S
Simeon Castille - CB to S
Chris Keys - WLB to SLB
Roy Upchurch - RB to S/CB
Ali Sharrief - RB to LB
Ali Sharrief - RB to WR
Antoine Caldwell - C (back) to OG
Mike Johnson - RT to LT
Click to expand...


Our weakness was the offense, therefore why would we move some of our best talent (Jimmy Johns comes to mind) to defense?
 
C Earl said:
Our weakness was the offense, therefore why would we move some of our best talent (Jimmy Johns comes to mind) to defense?
Click to expand...
I'm just assuming he's thinking the offense will be a strong point next year. Stacked RBs, high hopes for JPW, experienced WR's, and a repaired OLine.
 
C Earl said:
Our weakness was the offense, therefore why would we move some of our best talent (Jimmy Johns comes to mind) to defense?
Click to expand...

I don't know, but some people (casual observers - not coaches necessarily) have discussed it. I think maybe two of the changes I mentioned will happen. I was just throwing out all the possibilities I have heard from anyone.

However, we do have more returning depth at offensive skill positions than anywhere else:
WR
DJ Hall
Keith Brown
Tyrone Prothro
Matt Caddell
Zeke Knight

RB
Ken Darby
Jimmy Johns
Glen Coffee

Plus non-experienced talent including the incoming WR recruits (Stover, McCoy, Alexander) and RBs (Roy Upchurch, Mike Ford, Ali Sharrief)

Just because our offense was weaker than the defense this year doesn't mean we should keep everyone on offense.

I think the most realistic position changes are:
Trent Davidson to OT or McCall to DE
Roy Upchurch to DB
Mike Johnson to LT
Castille to S
 
Jj

Jimmy Johns could have a great career on offense. But he could be an All American on defense. Put him at linebacker and the sparks will fly!
 
I'd like to see Roy Upchurch get his day at RB. He was a Parade All-American from Florida, so let's give him the chance to be healthy and beat out some people. After Mike Ford and him get some reps the coaches will be moving Coffee and JJ.
 
CrimsonCT said:
You don't think that this move is as likely? I know that it has been mentioned a few times around here.
Click to expand...


I don't see how it is likely he'd be back at WR. Zeke just dropped too many balls in a lot of clutch moments during games. Brown and Hall had their drops but they at least showed progress as the year went on, Zeke seemed to get worse. With Stover coming in I see Zeke never touching the field (as a WR) again in an Alabama uniform. Hall and Brown showed promise at the end of the year and Caddell looks like he's ready to step up and play as well.
 
It just seems like Jimmy Johns has to move somewhere else with Darby coming back and the new RB talent coming in. HE has too much talent to keep off the field.
 
tide96 said:
It just seems like Jimmy Johns has to move somewhere else with Darby coming back and the new RB talent coming in. HE has too much talent to keep off the field.
Click to expand...


That is why I felt like he would have been better off redshirting. Letting certain players who were going to "get their playing time" (such as Darby) out of the way and it wouldn't cost JJ a year of eligibility. But to each his own. He knows what's best for him. He wanted to come in and contribute immediately and according to him he'd be happy where ever he played as long as he got an opportunity his true freshman year. Well, he got that chance and now he's a sophomore with no real "feel" or direction of where he'll end up on the field.

I firmly believe that the team would better benefit and his talents would be maximized to the fullest if he was put at one position and able to master it rather than used as a "slash" type player.
 
Jj

I don't know where JJ will end up, but he needs to be on the field a lot more than he was this year. He is going to be a great player.

RTR
 
REAL_BAMA_FAN said:
I don't know where JJ will end up, but he needs to be on the field a lot more than he was this year.RTR
Click to expand...

Agreed, but that didn't happen and now one of his years of eligibility is gone, never to return. Was the playing time he got and the return we got on his playing time worth giving up a redshirt year?
 
Bamabuzzard said:
Agreed, but that didn't happen and now one of his years of eligibility is gone, never to return. Was the playing time he got and the return we got on his playing time worth giving up a redshirt year?
Click to expand...

Actually I think his play on coverage teams was worth the year, this guy just wreaked havoc on the blocking of apposing return teams and on several occasions prevented huge returns or even touchdowns. We all tend to forget about special teams until it breaks down and we lose a game because of it. I think he should remain and RB and I think you'll see him take snaps at times and even line up at TE and WR in the next year. He's kind of like Prothro in that you want to invent ways to get the ball in his hands and although Shula isn't a big fan of trick plays but he does find ways of getting the ball to his playmakers.
 
Bamabuzzard said:
Agreed, but that didn't happen and now one of his years of eligibility is gone, never to return. Was the playing time he got and the return we got on his playing time worth giving up a redshirt year?
Click to expand...

Good question. The obvious answer is no but as I recall, he did make some decent runs last year. He has a ton of upside at RB just because of his size but I really see the coaching staff giving him a shot at QB this Spring, especially if we don't end up signing a QB.
 
JJ special teams

Am I wrong or was it not JJ who made the kickoff return team hit that led to the Matt Miller TD against MSU? I think that play changed the momentum in that game. And in reality, changed the course of every play that followed.
So, was a year of elig. worth getting the fumble that led to a close win and finally a 10 win season? Besides, he got his freshman year behind him and isn't that an advantage having another veteran player in a "rebuilding year"? We now have another seasoned power back who understands the offense at possibly 2 positions qb and rb. That said I don't see how you can say it was a wasted year.
 
About Zeke...
Maybe he will switch to LB, but successful switches from LB to WR are few and far between. Most recently, we can look to Marcel Stamps. At this point, we don't really think of a great player when we think of Stamps, but he and Zeke came to Alabama as similar talents. The switch from WR to LB is very difficult.

Again, not saying it won't happen, but in my opinion, Zeke will stay at WR.
 
GreatDanish said:
Again, not saying it won't happen, but in my opinion, Zeke will stay at WR.
Click to expand...

And in turn (unless great strides are made) will probably be limited to very little spot play and mostly bench sitting. With Brown and Hall progressing the way they did, Caddell's good showing in the Cotton Bowl, and Stover coming in, I just don't see room for Zeke unless he just simply explodes with improvement.
 
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