[A Sea of Red]

Full Hugh Freeze transcript from his first meeting with the media this spring

https://www.aseaofred.com/hugh-freeze-transcript-3-7/

[olldflame]

Full Hugh Freeze transcript from his first meeting with the media this spring

https://www.aseaofred.com/hugh-freeze-transcript-3-7/

Tons of great stuff there. It's so refreshing as a fan to have a coach who is so transparent. A couple of things that stood out or surprised me. Overton is now 275 pounds, and they expect him to get bigger. This explains the move to DL, and he eventually will be playing inside. Sounds like between the addition of Durrell Johnson and the development of Braden Monday, we should be 4-5 deep and solid at DE despite losing Jesse. Excited about what he said about Green and Jolly.

[jinxy]

Agreed. Lb play qb and kicker are the 3 areas to watch. I feel really good about everywhere else. Kicker and qb we wont know until the bullets start flying in a game. Freeze said the passing game wasnt right and willis was sailing balls.

[sstaedtler]

J Mack Stats(Place on team)

Rushing- 792 yds(2nd)

YPCarry(Min 20 attempts) 5.8 (1st)

Scoring(WR, TE, RB) 7TDs (3rd)

YPCatch(Min 10 Catches) 13.6 yards (6th among all, 1st among RBs)

So he's averages more yards per catch and per carry than Hickson, and the top returning scorer on the entire team and we're just not sure? Cmon

Hickson was MUCH better against better competition than Mack was. Mack vs. BYU, Georgia Southern, Syracuse, and Virginia, never averaged more than 3.3 yards a carry. Hickson was excellent against BYU, Virginia, and Georgia Southern. I agree with the poster who says when you do the eye test, Hickson could do things that Mack is not capable of doing.

[Class of 20Something]

Hickson was MUCH better against better competition than Mack was. Mack vs. BYU, Georgia Southern, Syracuse, and Virginia, never averaged more than 3.3 yards a carry. Hickson was excellent against BYU, Virginia, and Georgia Southern. I agree with the poster who says when you do the eye test, Hickson could do things that Mack is not capable of doing.

Let’s play your game. In those four opponents.

Syracuse. Sample size. 2 carries. First carries in TWO YEARS.

BYU. Sample size. 12 carries.

UVA. Sample Size. 3 carries.

GaSo. Sample size. 11 carries.

Now that you’ve cherry picked the four games that had less than 12 carries and averaged poorly it’s my turn.

How about Rutgers? Those big B1G bodies. He couldn’t do anything against them. Oh wait. 11 carries. 9.9ypc.

Why didn’t you include ULL and Buffalo in your post? That’s probably the most fair comparison of talent level for LU right now. Is it because he averaged 6.0 and 6.6 ypc?

Let’s look at most explosive plays of the season. JMack ripped off a 62 rush and a 63 catch this year. Frankies best rush was a 66 yarder and topped out his 11 catch season with a 27 yarder.

What stats do you want to cherry pick next? Fumbles? Oh only one all season.

[jinxy]

I thought mack was the better back most of the year. Frankie is a good player too and they complemented each other well but jmack is wayyyyyy down the list of worries for the offense.

If willis can throw it at all we wont step back much if at all on offense. Especially if we pick up the hampton kid. The line will actually be better this year with him. We should be doubting willis much more than mack. All mack has done is produced at maine and here. Willis couldnt win the job at auburn and is still mechincally off per freeze. That worries me. Theres still time and hes an elite runner but look no further than our defensive attack against odu when a defense doesnt respect the qbs ability to throw.

[sstaedtler]

I just don't see Mack being able to run outside and I don't see him being an effective receivers out of the backfield on 3rd and 6. Doesn't mean he is not a very good straight ahead runner.

As for fumbles, Mack had a costly one vs. Syracuse and also had a costly one vs. Georgia Southern where he got lucky that the ref blew the whistle.

[olldflame]

I just don't see Mack being able to run outside and I don't see him being an effective receivers out of the backfield on 3rd and 6. Doesn't mean he is not a very good straight ahead runner.

As for fumbles, Mack had a costly one vs. Syracuse and also had a costly one vs. Georgia Southern where he got lucky that the ref blew the whistle.

I can't believe you have it in for this kid to the point that you are still harping on that non fumble against GA Southern. He fumbled once all year, and it was the first time he had run with the ball in 2 years. He caught 2 more passes than Hickson for way more yards in way fewer snaps and didn't drop a pass all year.

[ballcoach15]

If he stays healthy, I can see Mack rushing for 1200-1500 yards, with an improved offensive line and a QB who's a threat to run.

[olldflame]

If he stays healthy, I can see Mack rushing for 1200-1500 yards, with an improved offensive line and a QB who's a threat to run.

How many yards he has individually will depend to some extent on how effective some of the other RBs are. Doesn't really matter who gets the yards. Last season, our RBs combined for a little over 2000 yards. I would be ecstatic to match that, because our QBs gained virtually nothing, with the exception of Robinson breaking off some runs in garbage time against an FCS opponent. No matter who is playing QB this year, they will be much more of a running threat than Buckshot. If it's Willis starting and getting most of the snaps, I can see him running for several hundred yards. Some of those will be yards that last year would have gone to the RBs, because Buckshot basically never ran it himself on RPOs.

[LUOrange]

When last season started, I didn't think Mack was getting enough carries. As the season progressed, it was clear to me that Hickson was the better back due to his elusivity. That said, Mack without a doubt is a good back and he'll most likely be our feature back this fall, who gets a plethora of yards. We also have decent backs behind him in Pickett, Boyd, Henderson, and Louis. I agree with Jinxy, that the question is more at QB. Will Willis be as good as we think or will the reason he got passed over at Auburn be an issue here? Is Ferguson really an adequate 1 year answer? Is Bennett the man now? Will any of the incoming freshmen or Pops be the better option? We'll see. But to me, the QB question is more legitimate than bickering or Hickson vs. Mack now.

[olldflame]

When last season started, I didn't think Mack was getting enough carries. As the season progressed, it was clear to me that Hickson was the better back due to his elusivity. That said, Mack without a doubt is a good back and he'll most likely be our feature back this fall, who gets a plethora of yards. We also have decent backs behind him in Pickett, Boyd, Henderson, and Louis. I agree with Jinxy, that the question is more at QB. Will Willis be as good as we think or will the reason he got passed over at Auburn be an issue here? Is Ferguson really an adequate 1 year answer? Is Bennett the man now? Will any of the incoming freshmen or Pops be the better option? We'll see. But to me, the QB question is more legitimate than bickering or Hickson vs. Mack now.

The fact that Hickson has used up his eligibility makes that last statement a total no-brainer. Pretty much agree with everything else you said too. Whoever ends up at QB (with the possible exception of the FR Brown blowing everyone away this Fall and winning the job) we will have a much different look offensively.

[LUOrange]

When last season started, I didn't think Mack was getting enough carries. As the season progressed, it was clear to me that Hickson was the better back due to his elusivity. That said, Mack without a doubt is a good back and he'll most likely be our feature back this fall, who gets a plethora of yards. We also have decent backs behind him in Pickett, Boyd, Henderson, and Louis. I agree with Jinxy, that the question is more at QB. Will Willis be as good as we think or will the reason he got passed over at Auburn be an issue here? Is Ferguson really an adequate 1 year answer? Is Bennett the man now? Will any of the incoming freshmen or Pops be the better option? We'll see. But to me, the QB question is more legitimate than bickering or Hickson vs. Mack now.

The fact that Hickson has used up his eligibility makes that last statement a total no-brainer. Pretty much agree with everything else you said too. Whoever ends up at QB (with the possible exception of the FR Brown blowing everyone away this Fall and winning the job) we will have a much different look offensively.

Yeah, just with the log jam of Willis, Ferguson, Bennett, and Pops, I doubt Brown or the other kid we signed do anything else but redshirt. But you never know. I think Willis is probably the favorite, but I'm not Coach Freeze.

[olldflame]

When last season started, I didn't think Mack was getting enough carries. As the season progressed, it was clear to me that Hickson was the better back due to his elusivity. That said, Mack without a doubt is a good back and he'll most likely be our feature back this fall, who gets a plethora of yards. We also have decent backs behind him in Pickett, Boyd, Henderson, and Louis. I agree with Jinxy, that the question is more at QB. Will Willis be as good as we think or will the reason he got passed over at Auburn be an issue here? Is Ferguson really an adequate 1 year answer? Is Bennett the man now? Will any of the incoming freshmen or Pops be the better option? We'll see. But to me, the QB question is more legitimate than bickering or Hickson vs. Mack now.

The fact that Hickson has used up his eligibility makes that last statement a total no-brainer. Pretty much agree with everything else you said too. Whoever ends up at QB (with the possible exception of the FR Brown blowing everyone away this Fall and winning the job) we will have a much different look offensively.

Yeah, just with the log jam of Willis, Ferguson, Bennett, and Pops, I doubt Brown or the other kid we signed do anything else but redshirt. But you never know. I think Willis is probably the favorite, but I'm not Coach Freeze.

I don't think HF has a favorite. It's all about competition. I'm pretty confident Willis will get his mechanics straightened out to where he is "good enough" as a passer to allow his explosive running ability to win him the job. I'm confident because (unlike past years) we have a QB coach who can actually "coach up" his players. Sometimes it seemed like our former QB coach coached them DOWN.

[LUOrange]

I don't think HF has a favorite. It's all about competition. I'm pretty confident Willis will get his mechanics straightened out to where he is "good enough" as a passer to allow his explosive running ability to win him the job. I'm confident because (unlike past years) we have a QB coach who can actually "coach up" his players. Sometimes it seemed like our former QB coach coached them DOWN.
[/quote]
As far as competition goes with Freeze, I agree. Maybe Willis is my favorite. In my mind an Auburn/SEC QB should be ahead of an FCS QB that threw almost as many INT's as he did TD's and unproven recruits. That said, I think we're all confident Freeze and Co. will make the right pick. I, also agree with you about the QB coaches. I'd have loved to see what these coaches could've done with another year of Buckshot and AGG.

[LUOrange]

"I don't think HF has a favorite. It's all about competition. I'm pretty confident Willis will get his mechanics straightened out to where he is "good enough" as a passer to allow his explosive running ability to win him the job. I'm confident because (unlike past years) we have a QB coach who can actually "coach up" his players. Sometimes it seemed like our former QB coach coached them DOWN."

As far as competition goes with Freeze, I agree. Maybe Willis is my favorite. In my mind an Auburn/SEC QB should be ahead of an FCS QB that threw almost as many INT's as he did TD's and unproven recruits. That said, I think we're all confident Freeze and Co. will make the right pick. I, also agree with you about the QB coaches. I'd have loved to see what these coaches could've done with another year of Buckshot and AGG.
[/quote]

[LUOrange]

"I don't think HF has a favorite. It's all about competition. I'm pretty confident Willis will get his mechanics straightened out to where he is "good enough" as a passer to allow his explosive running ability to win him the job. I'm confident because (unlike past years) we have a QB coach who can actually "coach up" his players. Sometimes it seemed like our former QB coach coached them DOWN."
[/quote]
As far as competition goes with Freeze, I agree. Maybe Willis is my favorite. In my mind an Auburn/SEC QB should be ahead of an FCS QB that threw almost as many INT's as he did TD's and unproven recruits. That said, I think we're all confident Freeze and Co. will make the right pick. I, also agree with you about the QB coaches. I'd have loved to see what these coaches could've done with another year of Buckshot and AGG.
[/quote]
[/quote]

[LUOrange]

"I don't think HF has a favorite. It's all about competition. I'm pretty confident Willis will get his mechanics straightened out to where he is "good enough" as a passer to allow his explosive running ability to win him the job. I'm confident because (unlike past years) we have a QB coach who can actually "coach up" his players. Sometimes it seemed like our former QB coach coached them DOWN."
[/quote]
As far as competition goes with Freeze, I agree. Maybe Willis is my favorite. In my mind an Auburn/SEC QB should be ahead of an FCS QB that threw almost as many INT's as he did TD's and unproven recruits. That said, I think we're all confident Freeze and Co. will make the right pick. I, also agree with you about the QB coaches. I'd have loved to see what these coaches could've done with another year of Buckshot and AGG.
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]

[LUOrange]

"I don't think HF has a favorite. It's all about competition. I'm pretty confident Willis will get his mechanics straightened out to where he is "good enough" as a passer to allow his explosive running ability to win him the job. I'm confident because (unlike past years) we have a QB coach who can actually "coach up" his players. Sometimes it seemed like our former QB coach coached them DOWN."

As far as competition goes with Freeze, I agree. Maybe Willis is my favorite. In my mind an Auburn/SEC QB should be ahead of an FCS QB that threw almost as many INT's as he did TD's and unproven recruits. That said, I think we're all confident Freeze and Co. will make the right pick. I, also agree with you about the QB coaches. I'd have loved to see what these coaches could've done with another year of Buckshot and AGG.

[A Sea of Red]

Symons looking for new names to emerge at LB

https://www.aseaofred.com/symons-lookin ... inebacker/

[LUOrange]

"I don't think HF has a favorite. It's all about competition. I'm pretty confident Willis will get his mechanics straightened out to where he is "good enough" as a passer to allow his explosive running ability to win him the job. I'm confident because (unlike past years) we have a QB coach who can actually "coach up" his players. Sometimes it seemed like our former QB coach coached them DOWN."
[/quote]
As far as competition goes with Freeze, I agree. Maybe Willis is my favorite. In my mind an Auburn/SEC QB should be ahead of an FCS QB that threw almost as many INT's as he did TD's and unproven recruits. That said, I think we're all confident Freeze and Co. will make the right pick. I, also agree with you about the QB coaches. I'd have loved to see what these coaches could've done with another year of Buckshot and AGG.
[/quote]

[LUOrange]

As far as competition goes with Freeze, I agree. Maybe Willis is my favorite. In my mind an Auburn/SEC QB should be ahead of an FCS QB that threw almost as many INT's as he did TD's and unproven recruits. That said, I think we're all confident Freeze and Co. will make the right pick. I, also agree with you about the QB coaches. I'd have loved to see what these coaches could've done with another year of Buckshot and AGG.

[PAmedic]

As far as competition goes with Freeze, I agree. Maybe Willis is my favorite. In my mind an Auburn/SEC QB should be ahead of an FCS QB that threw almost as many INT's as he did TD's and unproven recruits. That said, I think we're all confident Freeze and Co. will make the right pick. I, also agree with you about the QB coaches. I'd have loved to see what these coaches could've done with another year of Buckshot and AGG.

I didn’t get it the first 6 times but now that you posted the 7th , I see your point

[Risewithus]

I'm starting to think that as far as competition goes, maybe Willis is his favorite.

[1slimmaroon]

University of Michigan just cancelled their Spring game on 4/18.