Spring Practice Show Me 2018
My little spring practice show me preview series (MLSPSMPS) rolls on. Today’s class is 2018 and they are either Juniors or Redshirt Sophomores. They are starting to get that grown man strength. They have attained two years in the program and should have a decent amount of familiarity. For most in this class, this year will be the make or break year. Will make the leap and deliver on the promise they showed as recruits? Or will they simply be really good football players who got a free education and the ride of a lifetime? This year will reveal most, if not all.
The 2018 class has suffered a little more attrition than usual for myriad reasons that most plugged in DAWG fans understand and are probably like me and don’t feel like rehashing it. However, those who stay will be champions. This I believe. Bigly. So let’s get to the candidates.
On offense, we have Zamir “Zeus” White. Came to RBU back in 2018 off of a torn ACL in his last game of high school. This was unfortunate, but early enough that we might have him ready for the fall, which was important. Then the news came out that he tore his other ACL in fall camp. It was such a bummer. Speaking for myself, I was hella pumped to see this kid go off, only to be denied. Then we just had to wait another year.
In 2019, we got mostly Zamir, and not much Zeus. He was usually fourth up behind D’Andre Swift, Brian Herrien, and James Cook. When he did get in there it seemed like he suffered from a lack of vision and hit the hole with little if any cuts. Other times he looked like he ran right into the ass of the Center or the Guard. In the Sugar Bowl he began showing glimpses. I was allowing myself to get excited again.
So for 2020, will we see Zeus? Or more Zamir? I’m hoping for the former. And if we get Zeus, we need to make sure we enjoy it because he will be in the NFL in 2021.
On the defensive side, we have Adam Anderson. He was probably the defensive recruit I was most excited about. His freshman year in 2018 he showed some flashes. In 2019, he seemed to get passed up or only play sparingly. He was recruited as an outside linebacker, but played some on the inside too. I think part of it is his body type. It seems as though he has trouble keeping on bulk. The young man is an athletic freak and if he puts it all together, he will turn some heads. If he doesn’t, he will be a special teams fixture, but probably won’t be playing on Sundays in the NFL.
Yet I want to see if he can get in on the rotation. If he’s playing with the OLBs, he has to compete with Azeez Ojulari, Nolan Smith, Jermaine Johnson, and senior Walter Grant who’s played a bunch. On the ILB section, it will be tough to beat out senior Monty Rice, super soph Nakobe Dean, and two guys in his class who are definitely not slouches…Channing Tindall and Quay Walker. If he wins one of those third LB spots, he’s made the leap and showed me something.
