BuffNut99
Club Member
Hey,
Just wanted to start a positive thread about (in my opinion) the brightest spot from the 2008 season, the secondary, and take a glance and what it might look like in 2009 and get everyone's take on the unit.
Out: Ryan Walters, DJ Dykes, Gardner McKay, Joel Adams
Opinion - We lose alot of leadership and toughness with Walters graduating, but he was never the most talented guy on the field. Dykes and McKay never turned out to be Big 12 starter-types. Aside from experience and leadership, we're not losing alot here.
In (so far): Parker Orms, Paul Vigo (?)
Opinion - Orms could be the Patrick Mahnke of 2009, the type of guy that you can never have too many of. Vigo (recruiting class of 2008, grayshirt) may or may not be a Buff, and may or may not wind up in the secondary.
Returning: Cha'pelle Brown, Ben Burney, Jimmy Smith, Anthony Perkins, Jalil Brown, Anthony Wright, Jonathan Hawkins, Patrick Mahnke, Travis Sandersfeld, Lamont Smith, Vince Ewing, Matt Meyer, Bret Smith, Trace Adams, Steven Hicks
Opinion - In the cornerback area, Cha'pelle Brown and Jimmy Smith quietly became one of the best CB duos in the conference last year, and in my opinion, the ceiling on Jimmy Smith is just huge. Both have all-conference potential. Throw in a (hopefully) healthy and repaired Ben Burney, and you have some depth there. I kept wondering all year where in the heck were Anthony Wright and Jonathan Hawkins - kids who appear to have great potential but combined for only 31 snaps last year (if anyone knows more, please comment).
As for safeties, the front runners for the positions vacated by Walters and Dykes will be the youngsters who started for them due to injuries at the end of the year, Anthony Perkins and Patrick Mahnke. Perkins impressed me by just being very solid - he seemed to be in the right place the vast majority of the time, didn't miss many (if any) tackles, and kept a cool head as a freshman in a spread-happy conference. Mahnke was perhaps more impressive, but for different reasons. In addition to stepping in unexpectedly and performing very well, he did so while very hurt (not that you could tell) and showed to me the potential to make game changing plays. He very nearly won the Nebraska game with a sack, and showed an intimidating ability to hit. I expect Parker Orms to get some playing time both at safety and on special teams, and to demonstrate leadership as well.
As for the rest, Steven Hicks was the highest rated prospect in this group from the 2008 class - it will be interesting to see what he looks like on the field. Travis Sandersfeld was very good on special teams last year, and Jalil Brown scored the most special teams "points" for the second year in a row in addition to having a nice interception and return against Texas. He is a physical specimen, and should do well in nickel and dime situations, but doesn't seem to have enough of the complete package to be a starter on defense. Lamont Smith, Vince Ewing, Matt Meyer, Bret Smith, Trace Adams -- honestly, who knows? Paul Vigo was part of the 2008 class and grayshirted - whether he steps on to the field in 2009, and at what position, are open to speculation.
Please share your thoughts and comments.
(On another note, does anyone else see the potential for name confusion here? I mean we have two Anthony's, two Brown's, three Smith's, another Hawkins, and we get another Adams...)
Just wanted to start a positive thread about (in my opinion) the brightest spot from the 2008 season, the secondary, and take a glance and what it might look like in 2009 and get everyone's take on the unit.
Out: Ryan Walters, DJ Dykes, Gardner McKay, Joel Adams
Opinion - We lose alot of leadership and toughness with Walters graduating, but he was never the most talented guy on the field. Dykes and McKay never turned out to be Big 12 starter-types. Aside from experience and leadership, we're not losing alot here.
In (so far): Parker Orms, Paul Vigo (?)
Opinion - Orms could be the Patrick Mahnke of 2009, the type of guy that you can never have too many of. Vigo (recruiting class of 2008, grayshirt) may or may not be a Buff, and may or may not wind up in the secondary.
Returning: Cha'pelle Brown, Ben Burney, Jimmy Smith, Anthony Perkins, Jalil Brown, Anthony Wright, Jonathan Hawkins, Patrick Mahnke, Travis Sandersfeld, Lamont Smith, Vince Ewing, Matt Meyer, Bret Smith, Trace Adams, Steven Hicks
Opinion - In the cornerback area, Cha'pelle Brown and Jimmy Smith quietly became one of the best CB duos in the conference last year, and in my opinion, the ceiling on Jimmy Smith is just huge. Both have all-conference potential. Throw in a (hopefully) healthy and repaired Ben Burney, and you have some depth there. I kept wondering all year where in the heck were Anthony Wright and Jonathan Hawkins - kids who appear to have great potential but combined for only 31 snaps last year (if anyone knows more, please comment).
As for safeties, the front runners for the positions vacated by Walters and Dykes will be the youngsters who started for them due to injuries at the end of the year, Anthony Perkins and Patrick Mahnke. Perkins impressed me by just being very solid - he seemed to be in the right place the vast majority of the time, didn't miss many (if any) tackles, and kept a cool head as a freshman in a spread-happy conference. Mahnke was perhaps more impressive, but for different reasons. In addition to stepping in unexpectedly and performing very well, he did so while very hurt (not that you could tell) and showed to me the potential to make game changing plays. He very nearly won the Nebraska game with a sack, and showed an intimidating ability to hit. I expect Parker Orms to get some playing time both at safety and on special teams, and to demonstrate leadership as well.
As for the rest, Steven Hicks was the highest rated prospect in this group from the 2008 class - it will be interesting to see what he looks like on the field. Travis Sandersfeld was very good on special teams last year, and Jalil Brown scored the most special teams "points" for the second year in a row in addition to having a nice interception and return against Texas. He is a physical specimen, and should do well in nickel and dime situations, but doesn't seem to have enough of the complete package to be a starter on defense. Lamont Smith, Vince Ewing, Matt Meyer, Bret Smith, Trace Adams -- honestly, who knows? Paul Vigo was part of the 2008 class and grayshirted - whether he steps on to the field in 2009, and at what position, are open to speculation.
Please share your thoughts and comments.
(On another note, does anyone else see the potential for name confusion here? I mean we have two Anthony's, two Brown's, three Smith's, another Hawkins, and we get another Adams...)
Last edited:
