Growing up: Leadership for Tomorrow

Tevin Washington will have to step up next year as the next Tech quarterback (unless he gets supplanted by one of the 4+ other QBs we’ll have for next year.) Of course, right now he’s played exactly zero downs against FBS competition, only playing against SCSU this year and JSU last year, so for now he remains a big question mark.

In the B-backs, Anthony Allen and Lucas Cox are both graduating, leaving Preston Lyons, Richard Watson, and a couple of freshmen on the depth chart there. Lyons looks pretty decent when he gets the ball, but I don’t know about him being a leader. Watson’s a question mark – he’s barely played at all, so we’ll have to wait and see about him. Of all the A-backs that are returning next year, B.J. bostic looks the most promising. The rest I’m not so sure about – none have really stood out this year except maybe Orwin Smith.

Defensively… um, well, Jerrard Tarrant’s returning? Stephen Sylvester looks decent right now too. Not sure about anyone else.

Yes, any team will thrive when a leader or leaders are apparent. I’m thinking of leadership as an indicator from a level of maturity and talent, not just tenure. "Shoelace’ Watson is a sophmore, but has the attntion of the media due to his fleet footedness. An anti-comparison, in my book, is Tyrell Pryor. Pryor has had accolades thrown at his feet, but (in my opinion) has only been mildly successful at being a team motivator. Talent does not make you a defacto leader.

When thinking about how CPJ recruits and coaches, including his time at Navy and GSU, he looks for a complete team tha works together, not eleven four/five star individuals that happen to be on the field at the same time. I guess team dynamics is the intangable that has to start from the begining. Thinking about our historic recruiting class of 2006, they had a vision about being champions from the start. Just like at work, or any other social function, getting the right group together is magical, and is hard to pinpoint why there are times things gel and other times it does not.

I’m less concerned of ‘who’ the next Dywer or Nesbitt or Thomas will be. I am curious as to how the team responds to being a more tight knit group, and how they can use each others strengths to maximize our sucess for each game.

there’s ALWAYS potential. I like the look of B.J. Bostic. Great recruit and he’s had some really good shining moments so far. I’m curious as to how he’ll do with more touches. As far as Allen, I haven’t seen him perform well in traffic very much this season. I like him better last season on the perimeter when his dreads could start spinning because we all know that gives him extra populsion. When I watch other high-rated runners from other teams plow through, you see them slinging themselvs, throwing out tons of energy. Yards after contact. They make themselves difficult to tackle. I just don’t get that feeling watching us. I want to feel the passion through the TV.

Tarrant seems to have flashes of greatness. He’s either running in a pick-6 or he’s looking that the back of someone’s jersey as they scamper into the endzone thinking “Crap, I was supposed to be covering him.” I would love to see our defense produce another demonic pass rusher like D. Morgan. Someone who is a true threat. We lost some real talent in the last few years on defense in Michael Johnson, D. Morgan, and I’ll even throw Burnett in there.

Someone always rises….

Offensive:
BJ Bostic -Very excited about him as he fills out.
Orwin Smith -mark my words…love this kid
Steven Hill – if he remembers how to catch…
David Sims – dark horse
Charles Perkins – Dark horse

Defensive:
I Love Julian Burnett now! and the next year and the year after that!
I can’t wait to see the Days recruits (both syndyn, and Jabari)
Ryan Ayers —kid looks like another Morgan Burnett

Notice the youth on defense…expect leaders to emerge for Groh from Groh’s players.

Izaan Cross? He has shown flashes of greatness and he’s only a sophomore. I can see him becoming a great on defense. Charles Perkins definitely next year at bback.