DT recruiting

[FeatheredCock]

In my opinion, we have 2 DT's committed in this class already. Gerald Turner is around 260, and David Johnson is 255. Now, I am sure they were not told this, as telling someone that the goal is to move them to the most unheralded position in football is not a good recruiting strategy, but this is probably in their plan. After Melvin, you could see how Lawing and Ward probably like the idea of recruiting big athletic LB types and letting them grow into DT's.

I would bet they mess around at LB/pass rushers for a year or two, and by their Jr years, they have their hands in the ground. Alfy Hill fits this role perfectly also, but DT will not be a big need by the time he graduates. I think this is a good strategy. We all know Lawing is the one who can pull this off.

Anyways, I truly believe this is the plan. I also believe those two may be resistant to it. It will be interesting to watch, but I can assure you, we will not be left with nobody at any particular position. That does not happen to smaller programs, much less USC.

 

[GCF Staff Support]

I think it's easier to sell these big framed guys on becoming DTs much more so than OLs. A lot of them already know they are destined for DT when they sign, anyway. Not really a matter of growing some of them into DTs...rather a matter of they are going to out-grow DE/LB, anyway, & they know it and the coaches know it & did from the get-go. Yet, because they played DE (or LB) in H.S. & are listed that way by recruiting/scouting services, many fans think that they are simply DE "washouts" & we need tackles so we try to grow them into that role. A 255-260 Lb. youngster with the right frame who is dedicated in the weight room & follows the right diet can easily be 285-290 or more by the time he's a RS soph which is about when an SEC DT should begin to figure in the rotation. I know this goes back quite a ways, but Roy Hart , the NG that anchored that '87 defense (& allowed Joe Lee Dunn to do so many diff. things), arrived at Carolina at 6'0" 240 Lbs. Even then, elite DTs/NGs were already at least 280 Lbs. When I saw his height & weight on the signee list, I thought, "Boy...this dude's kinda short for a DE...guess this is why Georgia didn't take him & we had to 'settle' for him"!!. Roy turned out to be an outstanding interior DL & had a nice career in the NFL!!