Can Bonner come in and start from day one at DE/OLB?
- Thread starter Glenn Fohr
- Start date
I was very happy when his LoI came in. Excited about him and hopes he has as much and more impact than Flannigan.
He really needs to be starting at OLB and let Ware come off bench...Ware's production (granted he was just a RFr) was really a big problem for UK's defense. Gave no legit pass rush, couldn't play the read option to save his life and wasn't really good vs. run in general. He needs more time...and Bonner needs to be the man for UK D-Line to not be the pits.
I know folks were not happy with Flannigan but he got here late his first year and had to play catchup, then he got hurt an again was behind in conditioning so he got no breaks while he was here which is why you gamble with Jucos who only have two years to play. If anything happens they don't have the time to make that big impact.
Ware did struggle at times so I'm with you but wouldn't give up on him too early. He just needs to develop better instincts and learn to read things better but he's fast and athletic as heck but does need work.
I agree. Ware just needs to spend some more time in the film room & also to simply gain more experience. But, he was only a RS FR, so he should be improved this fall.
I would say Ware is going to continue to struggle in space because he is a true defensive end who should be playing with his hand in the dirt. Another 15 lbs on that frame would help him. He probably would best be served playing in 4-3 front with bigger tackles beside of him.
Thought Ware played well. Especially so given he was a RSFR and that he played the 2nd half of the season injured. He was the only player on the roster that I saw keep contain all season long. Made some big plays, especially given his experience.
I don't see Bonner starting unless injuries pile up. He won't be here until summer, so I don't see him beating out our experienced guys like Laster (on campus over a year now), Hatcher, Ware and Allen. Bonner will play, but I think that he'll contribute mostly on special teams and on obvious passing downs. By the end of the year, that might change.
Really liking forward to seeing Laster and Love. Great interview with Love talking about Laster being a beast that will come up and hit you.
Give me the DEnd that will read and react and stay home on the read option. Everyone Jackson keeps on,that play he needs to be hit!
Hope we can refshirt allen this coming year...if he gets to 250#-260# he will be a beast.
RSing him could certainly be a positive possibility. However, IDK if they could or would want to get Allen quite up to 250-260 though. He needs his speed to be able to play in space and to rush the passer. 230-240 would likely be big enough. FL has made a living with slightly smaller, faster DL. Think Alex McCalister.
Eliot said Allen was 230 last year toward end of year. Allen needs strength more than weight if that makes sense
Did you watch the UL game...Lamar Jackson ran for nearly 200 yards....many of which were QB read option keepers right around Ware's spot?
Reps & experience will help to correct that. But, before anybody gets too critical of the play of a RS FR or of the UK coaching staff, keep in mind that Lamar Jackson did essentially the same thing (Jackson had 226 yards rushing) against a John Chavis coached Texas A&M squad. A&M had a month to prepare for Jackson & Chavis is a proven DC.
Ware is going to be a good one & he should play better in 2016.
Yeah, let's base a kid's potential on one game. Nevermind that Jackson made a lot of guys looks silly last year. Ware had his ups and downs like any other RS FRESHMAN! He will only get better.
I agree ,,,You could tell the Talent was there and was just waiting for everything to come together for him !
I think Ware could be solid going forward. Ware had to play way to many snaps. This year with Allen Bonner and Laster depth won't be as big of a problem
1. If you read my original post...I mentioned he is very early in his career.
2. It was not just UL game...Ware was picked on a ton last year. MSU went right at him, UGA ran a ton of read option...Ware was awful.
Not picking on a kid...but when you play more and more guys who aren't ready...it adds up to what you see out of UK over the past 10 years. All I'm saying it would be nice if Bonner is ready to take over and give us a presence off the edge and let Ware develop on limited snaps (vs starting and being a problem spot again).
That is fair. I am guessing that Bonner is probably going to need some time to develop too. Probably the best case scenario, IMHO, is to start Hatcher & Laster & to let Ware, Allen & Bonner back them up as they continue to develop.
You're right, Ware was seriously abused and UK was in the unenviable position of having no one to back him up. Vs UL he made misplay after misplay and while Jackson may have had a big game anyway, Ware made it very, very easy for him. One hopes he learns from his mistakes and becomes a good player.
My hope is UK has Bonner, Hatcher and Allen at the Jack and Laster, Ware and Walker on the other side. Really hope it shakes out that way.
UK have what 7 straight 3 and outs in the 2nd half is going to make any defense suffer. Fatigue in the 2nd half is why Jackson went off.
I dont recall Ware being the read defender on those plays. Maybe Im wrong. He defended the read relatively well earlier in the season by staying disciplined.
Bonner is a good player who will play a role, but I don't see him starting. Looking at the returning edge linebackers, Jason Hatcher, Denzil Ware, De'Niro Laster, Eli Brown, Josh Allen, Kobie Walker, I can't see Bonner walking right in and beating out all these guys who have been in the program longer. Bonner could move up to play end, but he is 40-50 pounds lighter than our returning ends such as Kengera Daniel, Alvonte Bell, Courtney Miggins. I see Bonner as a special teams player and a backup edge defender, and likely another productive addition in those roles.
Allen may not start but I don't think we keep him off the field this year,I think he makes a lot of plays this season.
A lot of these guys that have been mentioned have the "look". The guys with length and speed to go with it, the kind you see playing on Sundays. It's been a long time since we had a defense that could dominate offenses of sec teams. I'm old enough to remember the Curci teams that could take over the game on defense. That's what I long for.
OLB transfer from Minnesota, 6'4" 235 or so, likely starter or major contributor. Think he has 3 years left.
Eli is an inside guy at the Will LB spot. Bonner should push Ware for the starting spot at Jack. Hatcher is the returning starter at Sam and Laster will push him. Allen saw time at both Jack and Sam - will he settle into one or continue to work at both? Will be interesting to see if Walker stays at Sam or moves inside to Will.
There's little doubt we will be much deeper and more athletic this season at the OLB spots.
What was interesting about that was every time it happened it was like a surprise. Like we were seeing it for the first time again, like the ground hog day movie.