LB Deuce Spurlock commits to UF

Spurrier made a comment once about quick LB's. Something to the effect of them not being an automatic panacea because they can "run themselves out of position just as quickly as they can run themselves into it." He made it sound like he believed the fundamentals were the most important aspect of the position, rather than pure, raw athleticism.

 

There's no doubt about that. Also, I think it takes a lot of repetition of being able to disengage and get through traffic and recognize where the play is developing, who you have to get leverage against, and making sure you have your assignment, and recognizing quickly if you are getting tricked by misdirection. The middle of the field is where you can really stand out as looking bad if your play isn't sound.

 

I love that statement and it holds true for any position. If your going in the right direction a fraction of a second before everyone else, a couple of decimals in ten yards doesn’t mean much. That to me along with outstanding balance is what separated Emmitt from many other players. He got to wherever he was going first because he was headed there before anyone else. Zack Thomas same thing.

 

Nobody runs a forty on a football field unless they are on the way to the endzone a couple times a year. Who can run ten yards in traffic with other guys trying to impede you.

 

What uniform number do we think Deuce will wear?

 

Elusiveness is much more important in general, although speed can mean the difference in getting to the edge and gaining nothing or something or also can mean the difference in a long touchdown or being hauled down from behind and settling for a field goal or nothing, so it's not everything, but no one can deny it's something.

 

If Emmitt had speed, it wouldn’t be fair I guess but I was thinking in terms of all players. Linebacker especially, it not elusiveness that gets them through traffic but maybe vision and instinct. Why does a certain guy make so many more tackles on kickoffs than the other guys. It’s usually not speed and all that distance is involved. Houston was too slow to play at UF? He sure can get to the qb in the nfl though. Measurables lol.

 

Lol, replace Burney and take his number

 

I think it has to do with recognition at speed. Some eventually get it, and it takes time to be able to read the speed of the game. Unfortunately Houston did some boneheaded things with us and just didn't look very good. I don't think it was ever about ability. I had high hopes for him when we recruited him.

 

I think there’s an innate ability to do with vision and timing. Full blast doesn’t always get you there the fastest. Will’s Mays was asked about the most important think in center field. He said when the ball is hit, freeze, one flinch in the wrong direction and it’s too late.

 

The same number Adam Lane wore.

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I'll see myself out

 

It’s open

 

Oh my! Thanks for the belly laugh.

 

Maybe Emmitts number if he’s twice as nice.

 

The wisest, smartest thing I ever heard come out of Urbans mouth was to go as hard as you can for 3 - 4 seconds. He would say that in the locker room right before heading unto the field. Always resonated with me.

 

That was the message behind "maximum strain" but Mullen was disingenuous and lazy so it didn't have the same effect.

 

At the NSD press conference Napier raved about the athleticism of all of the incoming linebackers which have all been part of team workouts.