if we get this guy, it's one more to a very long list of players in this class that will either start or see very significant pt. And not only JUCO guys. Speaks well for this class but not so well of the last staff.
I honestly think guys like Gabe Wright, Blackson and Whitaker are far better than they've shown to this point. To me, they were a prime example of the overall problem with this program under Chizik. Wright was grossly out of shape by season's end and none of them displayed any real toughness or fight.
The comments from former players and people "in the know" about the way practices were conducted under Chizik, with the lack of hitting or just getting after it in general, looks to be spot on. As I've said before, in going to a practice every year, I was walking around like the kid in the candy store, just giddy as a 6th grade German school girl to be there. But looking back, the fact was....they never hit....ever...other than a little light scrimmaging where they didn't go full contact. And yes, music blasted over the loud speakers at least half the practice. Under Tuberville, I thik I saw him a grand total of twice at practice, and that was usually just milling around and glad-handing...
But...they did get after it in practice. The O-linemen were always matched up against the D-linemen in different drills and they beat the shit out of each other with coaches in their ears, making up new cuss words as they went. Heard a Corch tell Monreiko Crittenden after one play, "Congratulations, you just wrote a new chapter in the book of shit."
I really believe Gus Malzahn knows full well what was wrong in this program and I'm hoping he has his staff on the same page regarding how to fix it. And I think that starts in how they will now approach strength and conditioning and how they handle getting after it in practice. And with a big time JUCO playa and a 5 star stud coming in on the interior line, both 300 lb+ guys, the current "starters" better get in shape and grow a set....or they can ride the pine or hit the road.
I hope that's the attitude.