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Thoughts on Silas Redd and Other USC Developments...

  • * It's not clear at this point whether Silas Redd remains at PSU or is open to a transfer (the latest news suggests the former), but I have been watching a lot of his tape today. He is a good back. Not a great back (he doesn't have the breakaway speed for that, nor the sheer power), but a very good back. His feet are very quick and he has excellent vision from what I can tell. He initiates contact at the end of his runs and he is a true north-south runner-- no dancing around with this guy. He is a one-cut-and-go type of RB who will flourish behind a strong OL. You'll note in the PSU highlights that he is often running through truck-sized holes and not even getting touched until the second level. I'm not sure what happens when he gets hit early; can he break a tackle? Do his legs go dead on contact? Can he run in traffic? Not sure about any of that but he is clearly a productive and very polished runner. He would be a value-add to our offense, no doubt.

    Here's the interesting thing to me. Redd looks a lot like the type of back I envision DJ Morgan to ultimately be, minus DJ's breakaway speed. Morgan can make one cut and explode through a hole when he's 100% healthy. I'm not sure if DJ's vision compares to Redd's, but he definitely has the potential to be a Redd-type RB for us in the future. Perhaps the coaching staff would rather have a sure thing in Redd for 2012 then something of a question mark in Morgan? Anyway, it's all a moot point until we hear some definitive word on Redd's future.

    * Another RB who reminds me of Silas Redd, at least based on his HS film, is Justin Davis. How convenient that he's a future Trojan.

    * I love George Farmer and his potential, but I would call him the 5th WR on our roster at this point. That's not to disparage George in any way-- it's rather to praise Nelson Agholor and Devon Flournoy. Agholor looks simply tremendous in the camp footage I've seen. He is a natural ball-catcher, soft hands, good catching technique, effortlessly bringing in the ball in stride. He reminds me a startling amount already of Robert Woods.

    Flournoy was the 2nd best WR on the field during the Spring Huddle (Woods was sitting out) and played with great confidence and attitude. More importantly, it was clear from that scrimmage that Barkley trusted him. That's big. I look for Flournoy to be a major part of the passing offense this season.

    As for Farmer, he is apparently getting it done in the classroom and I think his growing maturity level is going to be the key to him breaking out in the next year or two. Just needs to focus, work hard, and stay healthy.

    * Cyrus Hobbi moving to center is about as logical as it gets. Smart kid, plays with a low center of gravity, and getting stronger every day courtesy of our S&C program.

    * I think we're definitely taking one more DB in this recruiting class. No question in my mind. It could be a CB, it could be a safety. Jermaine Kelly (pure CB) would be fine. Tyler Foreman (S-CB) would be fine. Leon McQuay (S) would be fine. But the more I see of Su'a Cravens, the more I think he could easily become a LB in the near future. I don't see much man coverage out of him in his game film, nor a lot of downfield zone responsibilities. He seems more your ideal in-the-box player who roams around and creates havoc. So to mitigate against that possibility, I'd definitely have one more guy coming in who can cover people deep. I think Willis and Goodman are OUT, so one of the above three or perhaps another kid is going to fulfill that need. Soon, I would guess.

    RichSC

  • RichSC said...

    * It's not clear at this point whether Silas Redd remains at PSU or is open to a transfer (the latest news suggests the former), but I have been watching a lot of his tape today. He is a good back. Not a great back (he doesn't have the breakaway speed for that, nor the sheer power), but a very good back. His feet are very quick and he has excellent vision from what I can tell. He initiates contact at the end of his runs and he is a true north-south runner-- no dancing around with this guy. He is a one-cut-and-go type of RB who will flourish behind a strong OL. You'll note in the PSU highlights that he is often running through truck-sized holes and not even getting touched until the second level. I'm not sure what happens when he gets hit early; can he break a tackle? Do his legs go dead on contact? Can he run in traffic? Not sure about any of that but he is clearly a productive and very polished runner. He would be a value-add to our offense, no doubt.

    Here's the interesting thing to me. Redd looks a lot like the type of back I envision DJ Morgan to ultimately be, minus DJ's breakaway speed. Morgan can make one cut and explode through a hole when he's 100% healthy. I'm not sure if DJ's vision compares to Redd's, but he definitely has the potential to be a Redd-type RB for us in the future. Perhaps the coaching staff would rather have a sure thing in Redd for 2012 then something of a question mark in Morgan? Anyway, it's all a moot point until we hear some definitive word on Redd's future.

    * Another RB who reminds me of Silas Redd, at least based on his HS film, is Justin Davis. How convenient that he's a future Trojan.

    * I love George Farmer and his potential, but I would call him the 5th WR on our roster at this point. That's not to disparage George in any way-- it's rather to praise Nelson Agholor and Devon Flournoy. Agholor looks simply tremendous in the camp footage I've seen. He is a natural ball-catcher, soft hands, good catching technique, effortlessly bringing in the ball in stride. He reminds me a startling amount already of Robert Woods.

    Flournoy was the 2nd best WR on the field during the Spring Huddle (Woods was sitting out) and played with great confidence and attitude. More importantly, it was clear from that scrimmage that Barkley trusted him. That's big. I look for Flournoy to be a major part of the passing offense this season.

    As for Farmer, he is apparently getting it done in the classroom and I think his growing maturity level is going to be the key to him breaking out in the next year or two. Just needs to focus, work hard, and stay healthy.

    * Cyrus Hobbi moving to center is about as logical as it gets. Smart kid, plays with a low center of gravity, and getting stronger every day courtesy of our S&C program.

    * I think we're definitely taking one more DB in this recruiting class. No question in my mind. It could be a CB, it could be a safety. Jermaine Kelly (pure CB) would be fine. Tyler Foreman (S-CB) would be fine. Leon McQuay (S) would be fine. But the more I see of Su'a Cravens, the more I think he could easily become a LB in the near future. I don't see much man coverage out of him in his game film, nor a lot of downfield zone responsibilities. He seems more your ideal in-the-box player who roams around and creates havoc. So to mitigate against that possibility, I'd definitely have one more guy coming in who can cover people deep. I think Willis and Goodman are OUT, so one of the above three or perhaps another kid is going to fulfill that need. Soon, I would guess.

    Always enjoy hearing your perspective RichSC. All good stuff.

    hb4sc ●

  • Here's the interesting thing to me. Redd looks a lot like the type of back I envision DJ Morgan to ultimately be, minus DJ's breakaway speed. Morgan can make one cut and explode through a hole when he's 100% healthy.

    Interesting comparison. Redd is a compact and very powerful guy, not really the case with Morgan. I haven't watched enough tape to see if that power manifests itself on the field through broken tackles and moving the pile forward, but he was very productive last year despite teams knowing he was really the only offensive threat.

    stoptothink

  • stoptothink said...

    Interesting comparison. Redd is a compact and very powerful guy, not really the case with Morgan. I haven't watched enough tape to see if that power manifests itself on the field through broken tackles and moving the pile forward, but he was very productive last year despite teams knowing he was really the only offensive threat.

    Redd doesn't look overly powerful to me. He's bigger than DJ but he's not really a big guy himself. They're both about 5'9-5'10" and neither one has those thick legs that compare to, say, Moody McNeal's.

    RichSC

  • Love your thoughts and perspectives Rich. We have SOOO much talent on our current roster and committed future Trojans. Love all the positive stuff we have to look forward too. We can win it all this year with our current players and would be sweeter for them all if they accomplished it on their own.

    signature image signature image signature image

    bruincrusher

  • stoptothink said...

    Interesting comparison. Redd is a compact and very powerful guy, not really the case with Morgan. I haven't watched enough tape to see if that power manifests itself on the field through broken tackles and moving the pile forward, but he was very productive last year despite teams knowing he was really the only offensive threat.

    Maybe Redd is powerful in the weight room, but he hasn't really shown it on the field. In fact he goes down on the first contact more often than not. I personally wouldn't compare his running style to DJ's though. Redd seems more of the jitterbug type. While DJ at 100% was a very good "juker" he'd rather make one cut and go.

    NEmeans124960

  • N.E.means said...

    Maybe Redd is powerful in the weight room, but he hasn't really shown it on the field. In fact he goes down on the first contact more often than not. I personally wouldn't compare his running style to DJ's though. Redd seems more of the jitterbug type. While DJ at 100% was a very good "juker" he'd rather make one cut and go.

    If you watch Redd's highlights, he's not a jitterbug guy, either. One cut and go. North-south runner all the way.

    RichSC

  • RichSC said...

    * It's not clear at this point whether Silas Redd remains at PSU or is open to a transfer (the latest news suggests the former), but I have been watching a lot of his tape today. He is a good back. Not a great back (he doesn't have the breakaway speed for that, nor the sheer power), but a very good back. His feet are very quick and he has excellent vision from what I can tell. He initiates contact at the end of his runs and he is a true north-south runner-- no dancing around with this guy. He is a one-cut-and-go type of RB who will flourish behind a strong OL. You'll note in the PSU highlights that he is often running through truck-sized holes and not even getting touched until the second level. I'm not sure what happens when he gets hit early; can he break a tackle? Do his legs go dead on contact? Can he run in traffic? Not sure about any of that but he is clearly a productive and very polished runner. He would be a value-add to our offense, no doubt.

    Here's the interesting thing to me. Redd looks a lot like the type of back I envision DJ Morgan to ultimately be, minus DJ's breakaway speed. Morgan can make one cut and explode through a hole when he's 100% healthy. I'm not sure if DJ's vision compares to Redd's, but he definitely has the potential to be a Redd-type RB for us in the future. Perhaps the coaching staff would rather have a sure thing in Redd for 2012 then something of a question mark in Morgan? Anyway, it's all a moot point until we hear some definitive word on Redd's future.

    * Another RB who reminds me of Silas Redd, at least based on his HS film, is Justin Davis. How convenient that he's a future Trojan.

    * I love George Farmer and his potential, but I would call him the 5th WR on our roster at this point. That's not to disparage George in any way-- it's rather to praise Nelson Agholor and Devon Flournoy. Agholor looks simply tremendous in the camp footage I've seen. He is a natural ball-catcher, soft hands, good catching technique, effortlessly bringing in the ball in stride. He reminds me a startling amount already of Robert Woods.

    Flournoy was the 2nd best WR on the field during the Spring Huddle (Woods was sitting out) and played with great confidence and attitude. More importantly, it was clear from that scrimmage that Barkley trusted him. That's big. I look for Flournoy to be a major part of the passing offense this season.

    As for Farmer, he is apparently getting it done in the classroom and I think his growing maturity level is going to be the key to him breaking out in the next year or two. Just needs to focus, work hard, and stay healthy.

    * Cyrus Hobbi moving to center is about as logical as it gets. Smart kid, plays with a low center of gravity, and getting stronger every day courtesy of our S&C program.

    * I think we're definitely taking one more DB in this recruiting class. No question in my mind. It could be a CB, it could be a safety. Jermaine Kelly (pure CB) would be fine. Tyler Foreman (S-CB) would be fine. Leon McQuay (S) would be fine. But the more I see of Su'a Cravens, the more I think he could easily become a LB in the near future. I don't see much man coverage out of him in his game film, nor a lot of downfield zone responsibilities. He seems more your ideal in-the-box player who roams around and creates havoc. So to mitigate against that possibility, I'd definitely have one more guy coming in who can cover people deep. I think Willis and Goodman are OUT, so one of the above three or perhaps another kid is going to fulfill that need. Soon, I would guess.

    A couple of points of agreement:

    1. I believe your comparison between Redd and Davis is spot on except Davis will be a little bigger. Redd also has a very nice second cut and quick feet - but as you noted, doesn't seem to have the breakaway speed to finish after he hits the second level.

    2. I've also gone on record as stating that Cravens looks more like a linebacker for the Bailey Backer position, as I've come to call it, which is a hybrid SS. My concerns are similar to yours in that I haven't seen much from him in the way of coverage in his films which leaves me with a question mark as to his coverage ability. Oh, I'm sure it's above average, but is it on par with the rest of his 5 star skills and talents? I think his ultimate position depends on the talent around him - Do we need a slightly undersized OLB with outstanding cover skills (for a LB) or do we need an outstanding run stopping SS with good, but not great, cover skills (for a SS)? I will say, however, that Redfield and Cravens shut it down when they played together so that may well speak to Craven's coverage ability. I just haven't really SEEN it so it's a question mark. I think that where Cravens ultimately ends up depends on who we are playing that week, down and distance, formation, and how good the talent around Cravens develops. He might even allow us the flexibility to shift in and out of defensive alignments at will. How much fun would that be?

    3. Given Cravens potential as a LB and 3 CB's already on the roster I think I'd go with McQuay as my 3rd option, assuming Willis and Goodman are out. Nothing wrong with a consensus Top 5 safety with a 4.2 GPA.

    This post was edited by phear_SC on 7/24/2012 at 1:49 PM

    Cry Havoc; and let slip the dogs of war!

    phear_SC

  • Thanks for the analysis Rich. I disagree about Farmer, when he is healthy he is a better WR than Flo, an can stretch the field like noone else on the roster. Nelson is going to be playing RB from what Kiffin said today, but even if he were at WR it behooves USC to use a guy like Farmer who carries a completely different skill set than Agholor, who I agree is like a woods clone. Good situation all around with these guys.

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    Alonzo Harris

  • RichSC said...

    Here's the interesting thing to me. Redd looks a lot like the type of back I envision DJ Morgan to ultimately be, minus DJ's breakaway speed. Morgan can make one cut and explode through a hole when he's 100% healthy. I'm not sure if DJ's vision compares to Redd's, but he definitely has the potential to be a Redd-type RB for us in the future. Perhaps the coaching staff would rather have a sure thing in Redd for 2012 then something of a question mark in Morgan? Anyway, it's all a moot point until we hear some definitive word on Redd's future.

    Rich, this is an interesting comparison. I'm not sure I agree with the fact that they have similar styles, but I think both of their styles will yield similar results (if that makes any sense).

    Redd seems to use his quick feet to do a lot of dancing right before contact with the player - and I'm not sure that I saw him make anyone miss completely and get away from them. That's a little worrisome for someone whose tape consisted of ALOT of highlights against ID State, Toledo, etc.

    He had a nice spin move once or twice, but it was spinning off of contact and then going down - not spinning to elude a defender and get away. But then again, he's only a true junior this year.

    AbsenteeTrojan

  • RichSC said...

    Redd doesn't look overly powerful to me. He's bigger than DJ but he's not really a big guy himself. They're both about 5'9-5'10" and neither one has those thick legs that compare to, say, Moody McNeal's.

    I see you're points and agree with them, but the difference in size is a bid deal. Redd is 5'10" 230, while DJ is 5'10" 190. Red has a more developed power game, but DJ's ceiling is much higher, I think.

    signature image

    Fight on, family.

    USCbestofthePac ●

  • USCbestofthePac said...

    I see you're points and agree with them, but the difference in size is a bid deal. Redd is 5'10" 230, while DJ is 5'10" 190. Red has a more developed power game, but DJ's ceiling is much higher, I think.

    My understanding is he is 5'10 - 209lbs.

    Cry Havoc; and let slip the dogs of war!

    phear_SC

  • Alonzo Harris said...

    Thanks for the analysis Rich. I disagree about Farmer, when he is healthy he is a better WR than Flo, an can stretch the field like noone else on the roster. Nelson is going to be playing RB from what Kiffin said today, but even if he were at WR it behooves USC to use a guy like Farmer who carries a completely different skill set than Agholor, who I agree is like a woods clone. Good situation all around with these guys.

    Let me be clear: I am not saying (and have never said) that Flournoy is an outright better player than George. Just that, due to injuries and (possibly) academic situations, George fell behind a bit which allowed other kids to get reps and move up the depth chart. It's obviously a day-to-day, fluid situation with all of these WR's (Flournoy had a great Spring Huddle; maybe George has a great Fall Huddle to close out camp). All things being equal, Farmer should be very much in the 3rd WR equation. We already know Kiffin loves his ability.

    RichSC

  • RichSC said...

    Redd doesn't look overly powerful to me. He's bigger than DJ but he's not really a big guy himself. They're both about 5'9-5'10" and neither one has those thick legs that compare to, say, Moody McNeal's.

    He's every bit as thick as McNeal, just 3" taller. http://bigstory.ap.org/photo/silas-redd-3

    As far as how their game translates?..You're kind of the man with that around here so I'll defer to you.

    This post was edited by stoptothink on 7/24/2012 at 3:28 PM

    stoptothink

  • More like Justin Fargas....and we know how that worked out

    Freedom through Vigilance

    pdxtroy ●

  • stoptothink said...

    He's every bit as thick as McNeal, just 3" taller. http://bigstory.ap.org/photo/silas-redd-3

    As far as how their game translates?..You're kind of the man with that around here so I'll defer to you.

    Wow, he does look like he has some serious legs in that picture. Much bigger than DJ, you're right.

    As far as how it translates... I don't see him running through people, he basically hits the hole and hits it hard. Not really a power runner, not a breakaway runner... more of an efficient, north-south, no-nonsense move-the-chains guy.

    RichSC

  • When talking about taking another DB, are guys like Johnson and Byrd out of consideration now? If so, why? Are McQuay, Foreman and Kelly that much better? Fresno might not qualify as exactly "local", but I still like the Cali guys.

    I do, however, like McQuay's GPA (4.73), although his SAT score (900) is kind of weird with that GPA.

    Joesocal

  • Joesocal said...

    When talking about taking another DB, are guys like Johnson and Byrd out of consideration now? If so, why? Are McQuay, Foreman and Kelly that much better? Fresno might not qualify as exactly "local", but I still like the Cali guys.

    I do, however, like McQuay's GPA (4.73), although his SAT score (900) is kind of weird with that GPA.

    I would love to have Johnny Johnson. I don't think Byrd is the kind of DB we're looking at; he may be a LB-in-waiting.

    RichSC

  • Joesocal said...

    I do, however, like McQuay's GPA (4.73), although his SAT score (900) is kind of weird with that GPA.

    I remember thinking the exact same thing a few years ago when Wayne Lyons signed with Stanford. He was the valedictorian of Fort Lauderdale(FL) Dillard, with a 4+ GPA...and a 17 ACT. I recognize the standardized testing blah blah blah, but if your school's valedictorian is scoring below the 30th percentile on the ACT, you have a serious problem.

    stoptothink

  • stoptothink said...

    Redd was very productive last year despite teams knowing he was really the only offensive threat.

    This is what I keep coming back to.

    How much better would he be behind SC's line with MB7 and the receivers balancing out the running game perfectly ?

    PS- thanks Rich. Good stuff; as always.

    USCTraveler ●

  • Joesocal said...

    When talking about taking another DB, are guys like Johnson and Byrd out of consideration now? If so, why? Are McQuay, Foreman and Kelly that much better? Fresno might not qualify as exactly "local", but I still like the Cali guys.

    I do, however, like McQuay's GPA (4.73), although his SAT score (900) is kind of weird with that GPA.

    900? Something must be wrong with that number. 900 was a horrible score back when it was out of 1600, it's now out of 2400 I believe.

    signature image

    ProUSC

  • ProUSC said...

    900? Something must be wrong with that number. 900 was a horrible score back when it was out of 1600, it's now out of 2400 I believe.

    Most still only count the 2-part score. 900 will get your application to any university immediately tossed in the trash, regardless of your GPA...but it will get you past the NCAA clearinghouse.

    stoptothink

  • That's still incredibly low. Isn't the minimum score 400 per section? (800 or 1200?) Or was it 200? (400, 600)...

    Either way, 900 is not good.

    Embowaf

  • RichSC said...

    * It's not clear at this point whether Silas Redd remains at PSU or is open to a transfer (the latest news suggests the former), but I have been watching a lot of his tape today. He is a good back. Not a great back (he doesn't have the breakaway speed for that, nor the sheer power), but a very good back. His feet are very quick and he has excellent vision from what I can tell. He initiates contact at the end of his runs and he is a true north-south runner-- no dancing around with this guy. He is a one-cut-and-go type of RB who will flourish behind a strong OL. You'll note in the PSU highlights that he is often running through truck-sized holes and not even getting touched until the second level. I'm not sure what happens when he gets hit early; can he break a tackle? Do his legs go dead on contact? Can he run in traffic? Not sure about any of that but he is clearly a productive and very polished runner. He would be a value-add to our offense, no doubt.

    Here's the interesting thing to me. Redd looks a lot like the type of back I envision DJ Morgan to ultimately be, minus DJ's breakaway speed. Morgan can make one cut and explode through a hole when he's 100% healthy. I'm not sure if DJ's vision compares to Redd's, but he definitely has the potential to be a Redd-type RB for us in the future. Perhaps the coaching staff would rather have a sure thing in Redd for 2012 then something of a question mark in Morgan? Anyway, it's all a moot point until we hear some definitive word on Redd's future.

    * Another RB who reminds me of Silas Redd, at least based on his HS film, is Justin Davis. How convenient that he's a future Trojan.

    * I love George Farmer and his potential, but I would call him the 5th WR on our roster at this point. That's not to disparage George in any way-- it's rather to praise Nelson Agholor and Devon Flournoy. Agholor looks simply tremendous in the camp footage I've seen. He is a natural ball-catcher, soft hands, good catching technique, effortlessly bringing in the ball in stride. He reminds me a startling amount already of Robert Woods.

    Flournoy was the 2nd best WR on the field during the Spring Huddle (Woods was sitting out) and played with great confidence and attitude. More importantly, it was clear from that scrimmage that Barkley trusted him. That's big. I look for Flournoy to be a major part of the passing offense this season.

    As for Farmer, he is apparently getting it done in the classroom and I think his growing maturity level is going to be the key to him breaking out in the next year or two. Just needs to focus, work hard, and stay healthy.

    * Cyrus Hobbi moving to center is about as logical as it gets. Smart kid, plays with a low center of gravity, and getting stronger every day courtesy of our S&C program.

    * I think we're definitely taking one more DB in this recruiting class. No question in my mind. It could be a CB, it could be a safety. Jermaine Kelly (pure CB) would be fine. Tyler Foreman (S-CB) would be fine. Leon McQuay (S) would be fine. But the more I see of Su'a Cravens, the more I think he could easily become a LB in the near future. I don't see much man coverage out of him in his game film, nor a lot of downfield zone responsibilities. He seems more your ideal in-the-box player who roams around and creates havoc. So to mitigate against that possibility, I'd definitely have one more guy coming in who can cover people deep. I think Willis and Goodman are OUT, so one of the above three or perhaps another kid is going to fulfill that need. Soon, I would guess.

    Great observations Rich

    Thank you

    USCfamily

  • Joesocal said...

    When talking about taking another DB, are guys like Johnson and Byrd out of consideration now? If so, why? Are McQuay, Foreman and Kelly that much better? Fresno might not qualify as exactly "local", but I still like the Cali guys.

    I do, however, like McQuay's GPA (4.73), although his SAT score (900) is kind of weird with that GPA.

    He may just be one of those people who don't do well on standardized tests for whatever reason. I've known people like that - smart and do well, but they just can't handle testing.

    USC TROJANS FOOTBALL 2012: PREP, NOT HYPE! | Help A Better LA bring peace to the South LA community. Are you in? http://www.abetterla.org/

    sc85sis

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