Team 137 by Jim Harbaugh. Football talk and Predictions.

[Prime2]

The list is accurate and stands as is.

All players listed played for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and a few at San Diego and almost all were offered scholarships between 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 while JH was HC.

A few exceptions, such as Sherman & Kopa arrived a year earlier than JH at Stanford but were sure as hell turned into Ballers and NFL "Draftees" by his superlative development.

[iam416]

I don't dispute the accuracy. I dispute applying one standard to UFM ("drafted") vs the "anyone who had a drink of coffee with an NFL team" standard for JH.

Last year, Ohio State had 8 kids enter the draft. Only 5 were drafted. But 3 more were signed as UFAs. In 2014, OSU had 6 players drafted, but another 6 sign UFAs including Andrew Norwell and Philly Brown, who both started in the Super Bowl. That was another 100% year.

I don't care what the comparison is -- whether it's "Drafted" or "had a shot in the NFL" -- but it ought to be the same.

[The Oracle]

On a side note, who gives a fuck either way?


I'll see myself out through the side door....

[iam416]

Trap door would be preferable.

[The Oracle]

I have that in my bag a tricks too!

[Wellington_beefhouser]

On a side note, who gives a fuck either way?


I'll see myself out through the side door....

I imagine this side door being tiny. This tiny door has a sign that says "small people leave at your own risk."

[WM Wolverine]

OLB will be a great position for Peppers and it's also where he's needed most. Dymonte Thomas & Delano Hill are likely the starting safeties.

WDE Gary/Marshall - 3T Glasgow - NT Bryan Mone - SDE Wormley/Charlton
SAM Peppers - ILB Gedeon - ILB TBD/McCray/Furbush
CB - Lewis - CB2 Stribling - FS Hill - SS Thomas

Tons of seniors, it better be ELITE.

[hack]

So is there still a starting nickel in this scenario? Or is this really just a way to say that Peppers is going to play closer to the LOS this year?

[Jeff Buchanan]

So is there still a starting nickel in this scenario? Or is this really just a way to say that Peppers is going to play closer to the LOS this year?

A typical Quarter's D does not have a nickel pkg. It is actually an easier defense to coach and to run it in game.

I'd speculate that after the beat down Harbaugh got at the hands of darth meyer and the evil empire, running the kind of very effective power spread meyer runs, he had a coming to Jesus moment. Then he started looking for someone he believed could run that kind of D. That was Don Brown.

Now looking at his past defenses, I don't believe he ever coached a quarters D so, what gives there? Well, if Brown is anything, he is a great evaluator of talent, developer of it and teacher. That's his MO. Any coach can take the concepts embodied in a defense, say the quarters D, and implement it. Only the really good ones can make them happen ...... and just on the other side of the ball, that is why Al Borges and most, if not just about all of Hoke's coaching staff (see where they all landed after leaving M), were NOT good coaches.

[hack]

Have they said they are going quarters?

[Jeff Buchanan]

No ...... Brian at mgoblog is speculating they are based on an offer made to an M recruit, can't remember his name, saying they were going to work him in as SAM, just like Peppers.

The implication is that Peppers is going to play a SAM role in a Quarters type D because he is perfect for that role. It optimizes his skill set. He is the kind of guy that can play what is called a Star in the Quarters D. While he lines up as a SAM, usually over the slot, he is capable of dropping into coverage in his assigned quarter of the field.

I don't think it's a slam dunk and Brian opined that he had to see it first in either the spring game or maybe later in the fall. IMO, it's entirely possible that the first time we see it is in the opening game of the season v. Hawaii.

[iam416]

M has the CBs to run quarters. I think Peppers is a bit undersized to play the SAM in that scheme, but he'll be great against horizontal constraint plays. They still need to get good LB play. You can still formation Peppers outside and run power in the box. Or you need your DL to dominate the OL.

When Ohio State played Oregon, OSU's DL whipped them, especially Bennett and Washington. And Darron Lee was fantastic.

When MSU shut down OSU in the wind and rain, MSU's box defenders did a great job and OSU was unwilling to stretch the field horizontally or pass in the middle of the field.

When you play Wisky and Iowa and MSU you have to recalibrate a bit. At that point, Peppers if far more a LB than S, and his size could be an issue.

[hack]

What I am asking, essentially, is whether there would be two other linebackers on the field or one. Is it a move to shore up the LB unit or not?

[iam416]

2. 4-2 with Peppers to the strong side and, for run formation, they'll cheat up safety in the box. Corners are always on an island. If you have the "no fly zone" you can shut people down. If your corners are so-so, eh, not so much.

[Wellington_beefhouser]

Peppers in the box may be a fix for the debacle that was "the game" last year.