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The safeties

We are young in the tooth at DB and our safeties just haven't developed like we hoped they would. Polk and Perkins are the best we have and I wouldn't be surprised if next years safety play is even worse. Sandersfield and Mahnke are to slow for the BCS level but are on the field because we couldn't recruit anyone better for the last couple of years. Orms is pretty decent in the nickel. He is shifty but not fast which works well when you are covering the quick twitch athlete out of the slot. I think he may start at Safety next year in the rover position while Polk plays the position that helps out in the run game.
 
The Safeties are non existent because they are lined up 20 yards behind the LOS because our CB's are average at best
 
Biggest thing with Polk is his instincts or lack thereof imo. Physically, he's ok. Instincts are huge at safety and anticipation is up there as well and Ive yet to see either from him. I dont think you can really teach instincts for a position, you either have it or you dont. He could do mucho film work to help him diagnose plays better and use that to get better positioning. I dont know about taking him out of the lineup this quickly but Id like to see some other guys get reps there. Hopefully we blow CSU out of the water early and get young guys some much need pt.
 
The Buffs have made me believe that the secondary is the hardest place to recruit. Is that really the case? I cant remember the last time we had a good secondary.
 
UtterBuffLuv said:
The Buffs have made me believe that the secondary is the hardest place to recruit. Is that really the case? I cant remember the last time we had a good secondary.
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We've put DBs in the NFL and had all-conference DB performers at a decent rate. They're a bit harder to scout out of high school, but there are a lot of guys who have the physical tools to be developed for the secondary and can be good.

Our issue has been that we haven't been successful at recruiting DLs. That's a position that's pretty easy to scout and there aren't too many each year that have the potential to be really good college football players. Our pass defense problems are mostly due to an inability to land good DLs and, therefore, force teams to be one dimensional while also getting a great pass rush without blitzing.
 
This may be the wrong thread, and I hate to say this because he seems like probably a good kid, but I never want to see Mahnke play another snap for the Buffs. The only time I ever notice him is when he's being burned or being dragged into the end zone by a tight end. His attempted tackle on the TEs 2nd touchdown was pathetic. The kid is not a D1 player and I'd much rather see what Nobriga, Daigh, or even Lowel Williams can do.
 
Getting Gerald Bowman in a recruiting upset would be big for us at this position. Pretty doubtful though.
 
Harlos is the most intriguing prospect at CU, he is going to be good. I like both the freshmen safeties.
 
Buffnik said:
I think we're stronger with Orms in the Nickel and Sandersfeld or Terror at safety. Orms is a good nickel who will only get better as the season progresses. I think we need to let him develop there. He could be a playmaker for us.
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I agree with this. Polk is playing a really deep centerfield and is too late to the ball to be a "terror". I'd love to see Moten or Olatoye step up at CB, move Sandersfield to FS. Perkins is a step or two slow right now as well. Hopefully he is getting a little better each week, but I'd like to see Terrel Smith some during the games and see if he can make some positive noise.
 
Buffnik said:
Perkins doesn't have the athleticism to be a playmaker. That would be ok, given his football IQ, if he was paired with an all-conferece type safety.

I'm ready to see more of Terror Smith back there. I'm also ready to see us get some reps for Harlos since he has already burned his redshirt on special teams. Definitely Washington too (over Harlos) if he has already seen the field.

Or move Sandersfeld back there and live with the growing pains of having Moten (or Deji or Vigo) learn on the job at cornerback.
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Met Harlos' mom at a Wolfgang Puck Express on Waikiki - she came up to me cuz I was wearing CU gear. Will told her he's close to starting. Wondered at the time, then checked the depth chart where he was 3rd so let it go as youthful exuberance. Now I'm back to wondering.
 
SnowBuff said:
Polk gets benched, plz move him to RB
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Speculation?

I'd be all for that move. Polk has had a couple years now and simply doesn't seem to have the instincts for safety. We also need a big RB and we have a big depth chart gap at RB between the senior class and then nothing until we hit scholarship freshmen.

We have to make some moves and shuffle things up. This isn't working and we could potentially make 2 positions better.
 
Buffnik said:
Speculation?

I'd be all for that move. Polk has had a couple years now and simply doesn't seem to have the instincts for safety. We also need a big RB and we have a big depth chart gap at RB between the senior class and then nothing until we hit scholarship freshmen.

We have to make some moves and shuffle things up. This isn't working and we could potentially make 2 positions better.
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Pure speculation. But he doesn't have the mind/instincts for LB either, although he couldn't be worse than Mahnke.
 
Im not positive but pretty sure I liked his clips playing rb. Same time, we had some guy name Scott at rb commit. I still dont know who that is? Kidding aside, we were talking about this in chat the other day and Id like the Polk to rb move.
 
I'm totally in favor of a Polk to RB move. Too bad he already used his redshirt year, much potential was wasted with that move.
 
UtterBuffLuv said:
The Buffs have made me believe that the secondary is the hardest place to recruit. Is that really the case? I cant remember the last time we had a good secondary.
Click to expand...

IMO, safety is the toughest position to find top flight recruits. You need someone with the wheels of an elite corner, passable cover skills, and the tackling ability and read/react skills of the best middle linebackers - and they have to be big enough to take down TE's solo. When a HS coach gets ahold of a kid with enough physical talent to play the position, they'll usually put them on the offensive side of the ball. So there's always a shortage of good HS safeties. Every year there are maybe 10-15 recruits coming out of HS who have the potential to make an impact, and nearly all of them end up at the glamor schools. There is a noticeable dropoff to the second tier guys, and an even bigger leg down to the borderline guys we've been landing for the last decade.

There's also no 'good' way to mask a lack of talent back there. If you're weak at safety, any OC worth his salt will find a way to take advantage. I really do admire Polk for stepping up and trying to play the position, and wish it would have worked out better. There's still some chance he could come around and start putting things together, but he's into his junior year now so it needs to happen soon. If this is as good as it gets, then we're wasting a ****load of talent keeping him on D. He probably should be taking handoffs and catching screen passes like he was recruited to do. I think Polk may have gotten ****ed over worse than anyone, even Hansen, by ole joosebox in the big picture. Unfortunately if you take an honest look at the cupboard, the guys coming up behind him probably aren't going to be an improvement.
 
i agree. polk is so slow on his reads. and as everyone is saying bad instincts. im all for trying him at RB. he is a big physical players. if we can move will jeff last year, why not try polk? i know its a different side of the ball, but we did recruit him as a RB. i just dont think he would be up for it.

I wouldnt mind seeing terrell out there and kyle washington. KW is huge
 
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