Who will take Hatcher's snaps in the spring?
- Thread starter gobigblue812_rivals29381
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For sure as well as RSing. Unfortunately, Hatcher's idiocy forced Allen on the field LAST year so not only was Hatcher effecting his own career but Allen's too and by extension UK's future as well. Stone cold coal bucket dumb.
Laster should move into the starting spot at Sam and K Walker should get some reps if healthy/eligible. Redshirting Allen would be ideal but he played the majority of the time at Jack last year as he shared time with Johnson and Ware. It will be interesting to see if they cross train Ware at the Sam position. Bonner won't be practicing until at least summer and I see him as a Jack all the way which is not the position we're discussing. Eli is/was at Will Linebacker.
Do you think they will try to get the best 4 lbs on the field despite best "fit" for each position? Ware, jones, love, and laster I think would be the line up but could see some guys that could play 2 different spots.
I could see them playing an outside guy beside love if he was just better. Could also see an inside guy playing hatch's spot if a couple of injury occurs early in spring.
I do hope Allen can rs. If walker is eligible and bonner is up to speed than it should be possible.
Whoever steps in will be an improvement because they will be on the field making plays, not standing on the sideline suspended for idiotic behavior.
They'll get the best 4 LBs out there somehow. For spring they will probably have Allen at the Jack and Ware at the SAM. Lassiter, Brown and Walker if healthy are other options. In the fall you can add Bonner to the mix. Kash Daniel might be able to push for a starting job right away which would free up Lassiter for the SAM.
Agree, he and Love will start on the inside while Bonner/Laster start outside. But now they're thinner thanks to a selfish decision by a dumb ***.
Laster needs to be the real deal at Sam. We need Laster to be quick enough off edge to generate some pass rush. I feel confident in his run support but I'm wondering if he'll be a SEC legit edge rusher.
Bonner has to stick and be legit at OLB/Jack. I hope he is physical/big enough to play the run at his size, we'll see.
Bonner has to stick and be legit at OLB/Jack. I hope he is physical/big enough to play the run at his size, we'll see.
The likelihood of two newcomers to UK...not going to go thru some learning pains/not needing a year to be SEC ready is very low IMO. The odds are we'll be even worse with our front 5 (I include the OLB and SAM LB as they play on LOS so much in this 3-4 defense).
- I think UK has another year of really below average SEC edge rush. I think we'll be better vs. the run game from OLB/SAM spots.
- I think UK will sorely miss CJohnson's game now that it's Meant's job
- Elam will be fine IMO.
- I wasn't a big fan of Hunnegin...but I don't get the feeling Miggins is going to outperform him. Kenegra Daniel is the one kid that could break out and give us average/above average SEC play at DE.
All in all...I don't see us being very good up front on D.
The reality is, as stupid as Hatcher is, he is was one of our few elite defensive players who played very well last season. His talent will be sorely missed, not his idiotic behavior though.
No, he wasn't really an "elite" player. His statistics hardly scream "elite" to me. Moreover, he was rated the 29th draft prospect for OLB in 2017 at nfldraftscout. Translation, priority free agent, or 7th round, if he's lucky. And now, even that's in question.
Relax...he had 2 sacks and 5 tfl all of last year. We were all hoping his 4 star potential would come true next year but let's be honest...he was never a 4* talent.
- Not a long player at 6'3....and was never quite that physically imposing kid at point of attack we all thought we were getting out of Trinity. He was closer to Deion Holt (who was a decent but not great OLB) and not nothing like a Bud Dupree we all hoped he'd be the next edge threat for UK.
Probably being a pot head contributed to his lack of development at UK. Onto the next kid and another lesson of kids getting rated high out of Louisville...those kids tend to be a bit of fools gold with the rankings at times.
Re Hatcher's development....no question his lack of discipline curtailed his being a better player. I always thought maybe I was expecting too much but it's pretty clear now he never intended to be better than what he was which was a lack-luster performer. It's disappointing when anyone pisses away an opportunity but he's young enough to get back on track.
Jen Smith tweeted this.
With graduations and Jason Hatcher dismissal, Kentucky must replace 67.6 percent of its sacks and 66 percent of its tackles for loss.
With graduations and Jason Hatcher dismissal, Kentucky must replace 67.6 percent of its sacks and 66 percent of its tackles for loss.
The University of Southern California with their own player issues sends thanks Mr. Hatcher spurned their offer to make him a Trojan.
Does anyone know how many snaps Hatcher has had at DE vs. OLB in his career at UK? I'm writing an article about his dismissal and a preview for this coming season, and need to know how much to touch on defensive end.
Hatcher has been a decent player. In saying that we have guys at olb with better length and speed than Hatcher. Laster Allen Bonner Ware will give us what we need from the position. Allen was up to 230 at seasons end I look for him to make a big jump this year.
Actually, you didn't hear Coach Stoops. Stoops repeatedly said Hatcher was one of the most talented defenders on our team with elite talent. He had a special skillset and it showed at times with his speed.
Too bad, his off field behavior ruined it for him. Lets not pretend he wasn't that good just because he's no longer with the team.
He was one of the most talented defenders on our team for next season. Ask the coaches.
I doubt it but does depend on several variables (which draft? draft depth at the 5 different positions in the front seven? NFL team needs?). Overall, I think Matt Elam and Jordan Jones project as better prospects. A lot of unknowns after those two, but Hatcher only being a priority free agent is a very low bar at least 2 others won't eclipse in the next 1-2 years.
At this point in time, I would probably agree; he was probably our best prospect on the entire team for the 2017 draft, with the possible exception of Toth, and assuming Boom doesn't leave early. But Elam has higher upside, if he ever hits his full potential. It's hard to evaluate guys like Love and Laster until we see them on the field here. And between guys like Kash, Eli, and Bonner, who knows how high they might be projected down the road? I wouldn't rule out Ware either, assuming he improves by leaps and bounds over the rest of his career here.
Sure Hatcher may be a top 2017 NFL draftee....our 2017 NFL draft class from UK is pretty abysmal. Look at our Sr class...completely non existent: JD Harmon, Kemp, McWilson, Zach Myers, Toth, Hatcher, Miggins, Timmons, What maybe 3 starters in the entire bunch?
UK's SEC/NFL legit talentbase is Boom, Juice, CJ Conrad, Westry and Toth for sure. Those guys have competed at high level for a few years now. We hope Love, Elam, Leavitt, Landon Young, Barker, Edwards, etc..really take hold of spots this year and go into that top echolon of UK talent.
Hatcher really hurts for this year as we needed a year for buys like Bonner, Ware, Josh Allen, etc.. to get better. But in the end, it's really not hard to see if the coaching staff comes around, UK has alot more talent in the pipeline.
UK's SEC/NFL legit talentbase is Boom, Juice, CJ Conrad, Westry and Toth for sure. Those guys have competed at high level for a few years now. We hope Love, Elam, Leavitt, Landon Young, Barker, Edwards, etc..really take hold of spots this year and go into that top echolon of UK talent.
Hatcher really hurts for this year as we needed a year for buys like Bonner, Ware, Josh Allen, etc.. to get better. But in the end, it's really not hard to see if the coaching staff comes around, UK has alot more talent in the pipeline.
Being elite in practice and being elite in games are two different things. Hatcher was rarely elite during the games. Whether it was suspensions or injuries that slowed him down he just didn't have elite stats. If you can't be a difference maker for whatever reason I'm not going to call you elite. He may have a high ceiling but he can't seem to get out of the basement...
He WAS a difference maker in several games last season. I love how some of you are now saying "he wasn't that good" now that he's been kicked off the team for drug violations. Head in sand much? Go tell Coach Stoops he "wasn't that good" when he constantly raved about his skillset in the past.
True. What Hatcher could've given that's now unavailable is snaps while others develop. It's now doubtful Allen will be able to RS.
How was he a difference maker? He literally had 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tfl on the season.
- 1 of his sacks and 1 TFL was in Charlotte game.
- 2 more TFL vs. Vandy
He threw up complete goose eggs vs. most SEC teams we played last year. He wasn't getting double teamed either. So how can you be a difference maker when you line up mostly on LOS and compile literally sparse stats at best? Living off a 4* HS ranking only lasts so long...I think Jason may have given us a decent season (5-6 sacks and double digit tfl) but I just don't see any support for a huge loss of production like we saw with Dupree, Jeremy Jarmon, etc.. from an edge DE/OLB.