Offseason Questions - Part 4

Round 4 of offseason questions. Let's do this...

1. Should we expect to see the linebackers be more impactful and not take the wrong angles this year?

I actually laughed out loud at this. For all the defending I do of this team for reasons I'm not even really sure of, it's hard to find any way to sugarcoat how bad the tackling was last year. I'd like to believe that with Tem Lukabu gone and Duggan/Coach Aazaar running the defense that fundamentals will be much, much better. As a BC guy no one wants to see a turnaround more than Duggan, I think he'll have those guys flying around and yes, hopefully taking better angles while tackling in the open field. Don't forget about the veteran presence of Paul Rhoads coaching the OLB's too. You have to think a voice like that will carry quite a bit of weight if guys aren't playing properly.

2. How's Kwan Williams progressing?

Any time you get to play in 11 games as a freshman, you're automatically going to be ahead of the curve heading into Year 2. Williams should be part of the rotation up front and with Coach Vince guiding his development, the sky's the limit for him. He had 11 tackles last year and while listed at 6'1, 312lbs, I would bet he's more like 6'2/6'3 and about 320 or so by the time camp starts. Again, he's only a sophomore, so he's going to get bigger too. Really looking forward to talking to Coach Vince and seeing what he thinks about the young man in greater detail.

3. Can we get some nuggets of where the basketball team is headed for the Euro trip, who are they playing, anyways to watch, etc.?

This is just for preseason football questions for now, BUT, I have actually been playing Twitter DM tag with Coach Grant trying to set up a time for a quick sit down or phone interview so I can put together a 'catching up with MBB" story in August. Hoping to speak with him in the next week or so.

4. Are the DB's going to be lockdown caliber?

I'm assuming this was sarcastic, but whatever. Aside from the offensive line and backup QB spot, the secondary is probably my third biggest question heading into camp. There's a lot of talent in the group, but lack of playing time also means a lot of unknowns. Elijah Jones was recently named to the East-West 1000 list and will also be representing BC at ACC Media Day with Morehead and Mahogany. There's really, really high hopes for him. I think he and Harvard transfer Alex Washington have the capability of being "lockdown" guys. As a sophomore, Jalon Williams had to play 12 games last year, so another year under his belt and another full offseason could translate to a big year for him too. Just based on Hafley's background and the amount of bodies in that room, that camp competition is going to be fantastic to see who ends up slotting in where.

5. Who is the staff most excited about? Please, please don't be "everyone"

Everyone.

But seriously, I think the biggest thing the program is excited about is the health and depth. But, the biggest name that immediately came to mind was Ryan O'Keefe. Out of any of the players, he's the one guy that makes everyone's eyes light up every time we mention his name. Defense or offense, as soon as we ask about him, the smiles get bigger and guys just shake their head talking about his ability. The speed element he brings just opens up so many possibilities and even if the O-line is mediocre, Morehead has already talked about his job being easy. Get the ball out quick to O'Keefe and let him go to work. If you're looking for that one "must see" player for the team heading into camp, it's O'Keefe and everyone in that building would agree.

6. Which players do the staff make the biggest offseason jumps in terms of weight and speed? Which non-starters from last year does the staff think will start this year? Which players have NIL deals?

I'll have to ask the PR department for a list of guys, but I don't believe there's a ton of them yet. I know a handful of guys have minor deals, but don't want to get any specifics wrong. I'll have the entire list of guys who do have deals by the end of this week.

As for the biggest offseason jumps weight and speed wise, Dino Tomlin comes to mind first, as does Joe Griffin who (from what I've heard) looks like a completely different guy as he continues to develop into that No. 1. Alex Broome may be short, but he's built like a freakin tank (especially lower half) and had definitely gotten bigger when we saw him during spring ball. Ezeiruaku was already a specimen, but he looked more ripped in April too. Kam Arnold is basically a create-a-pro in Madden if you've seen his workouts on IG. Obviously, Mahogany has had a full year to get bigger and more agile too. Phil Matusz is beloved by all of the players and I'm sure he's been busting his ass to make sure they're busting theirs.

As far as non-starters last year being starters this year, I mentioned Washington earlier and I do think he's a Day 1 corner on either side of the field. Younger guys that could get a bigger role early, Josiah Griffin quickly comes to mind. He was too dominant at Springfield Central to not get some run early I think, unless he just looks overwhelmed as a freshman during training camp. I highly doubt that's the case though. Williams who we discussed earlier is another good one too. Owen McGowan played mostly special teams in 11 games last season, but I wouldn't be shocked if he makes a jump and gets involved in that LB rotation more. I think Xavier Coleman absolutely needs more touches at RB this year and I would be surprised if we don't see more Jeremiah Franklin at tight end this year whether Takacs is on the field with him or not. Hafley raved about him in spring ball.