Impact of New Players

[Rainman66]

It always exciting when we get top recruits or transfers, but the new reality is that we are a 'good to very good team' with lots of depth.

We signed 20 HS kids and had nine (9) transfers, so a total of 29 players, according to 247, https://247sports.com/college/louisi...tball/Commits/

Of those 29, the only players to make an impact this season are:

HS signee: Montrell Johnson
Transfers: Michael Jefferson and John Stephens.

Nigel McGriff, our highest rated signee, hasn't played a snap all season AND our DL play has been a strength of the team all season.

My point is, that unless a HS kid is TRULY special, or our staff has done a really bad job of recruiting/development at a position group over the past, it is going to be really difficult for a true freshman to be an impact player, and that is a VERY GOOD thing.

[Turbine]

Good point.

If you absolutely need a freshman to start for you, you either had some bad injuries in the upperclassmen or flat out made some recruiting/development mistakes over the last 4 years.

So a low number of freshmen starting is a good thing.

[ULGrad@HOU]

Montrell should be starting. He is our best RB (I know he fumbled in the last game, he needs to learn).

[Rainman66]

Montrell should be starting. He is our best RB (I know he fumbled in the last game, he needs to learn).

I am not sure he is better than Bailey, but in this system, starting really doesn't matter. Two or three backs are going to be sharing touches, regardless of who is starting.

[ULGrad@HOU]

I am not sure he is better than Bailey, but in this system, starting really doesn't matter. Two or three backs are going to be sharing touches, regardless of who is starting.

Well, I agree, two or three will share, but I think it does matter who starts and gets the majority of carries, and I believe it should be Montrell. It's pretty obvious to me, Chris Smith is not our best at running the ball. The object is to win and Montrell gives us the best chance. He will eventually be the starter, but it should be now.

This is just my opinion, others have theirs, and that's fine. I think when "some" coaches first get the job, they are much more likely to start who performs best, but as the years go by, they build up loyalties and it clouds their judgement.
You can throw in QB too, because as bad as our offense has been, nothing wrong with planning ahead of time to play QB2 for some series and see if he can spark the offense. That leadership BS is overrated. To top it off, I would not start Peter LeBlanc, he has dropped too many. With all the WR's we have and we barely use them anyway, try somebody else and see if they can make those critical catches.
We are struggling on offense and something else needs to be done, the status quo is not working.

[no1cajunfan]

Why hasn’t McGriff played?

[Rainman66]

Well, I agree, two or three will share, but I think it does matter who starts and gets the majority of carries, and I believe it should be Montrell. It's pretty obvious to me, Chris Smith is not our best at running the ball. The object is to win and Montrell gives us the best chance. He will eventually be the starter, but it should be now.

This is just my opinion, others have theirs, and that's fine. I think when "some" coaches first get the job, they are much more likely to start who performs best, but as the years go by, they build up loyalties and it clouds their judgement.
You can throw in QB too, because as bad as our offense has been, nothing wrong with planning ahead of time to play QB2 for some series and see if he can spark the offense. That leadership BS is overrated. To top it off, I would not start Peter LeBlanc, he has dropped too many. With all the WR's we have and we barely use them anyway, try somebody else and see if they can make those critical catches.
We are struggling on offense and something else needs to be done, the status quo is not working.

I think we are in agreement, I am just not hung up on who starts, but who gets the touches. Montrell had the most carries of the RBs versus Ohio and Ga Southern, but then inexplicably only had four against SoAl.

Season stats:

Bailey 35 carries; 249 yards; 2 TDs; 6 receptions; 48 yards; 0 TDs
Johnson 45 carries; 232 yards; 4 TDs; 4 receptions; 35 yards; 0 TDs
Smith 52 carries; 231 yards; 3 TDs; 6 receptions; 36 yards; 0 TDs

I agree Smith's carries/touches need to lessen, but I would argue Bailey's touches need to go up before Johnson's does. Once again, I don't care who starts, just who is getting the touches.

I don't know that I would term it loyalty, but I would term it trust. Coaches trust some players more than others and yes, that trust can be misplaced. I don't think Napier is starting Levi out of loyalty, but because he trusts him more than any other QB on the roster to lead the team to victory. Same with LeBlanc, he trusts him to block on the edge, run the correct routes, and ultimately catch the football more than others.

It is also true that it is easier to build (or lose) trust with a coach the longer time you spend with him.

100% agree offense is struggling and needs to improve for the team to reach the goals they, and we as fans, have.

[Rainman66]

Why hasn’t McGriff played?

Always dressed for games, so best guess is he isn't as good as the players that are playing.

[ULGrad@HOU]

I don't know that I would term it loyalty, but I would term it trust. Coaches trust some players more than others and yes, that trust can be misplaced. I don't think Napier is starting Levi out of loyalty, but because he trusts him more than any other QB on the roster to lead the team to victory. Same with LeBlanc, he trusts him to block on the edge, run the correct routes, and ultimately catch the football more than others.

Well, you are splitting hairs on terminology, but we are on the same page.
If a receiver is not catching, his primary job, then I would find someone who can. Trust/Loyalty has it's place, on the field performance is the most important aspect of winning football games.

[CajunVic]

Well, you are splitting hairs on terminology, but we are on the same page.
If a receiver is not catching, his primary job, then I would find someone who can. Trust/Loyalty has it's place, on the field performance is the most important aspect of winning football games.

And I am quite sure that performance in practice also weighs in the decision process for all our coaches.

[cajun4life]

Always dressed for games, so best guess is he isn't as good as the players that are playing.

I mean, he is backing up Humphrey, Hill, and Narcisse. It’s not like the guys playing aren’t good.

[Boomer]

I mean, he is backing up Humphrey, Hill, and Narcisse. It’s not like the guys playing aren’t good.

….maybe Hazzard also!