Where Does Micah End Up?

[I. Melvin]

Unless we go to a 3-4 next year (I think he'd be great as one of the two middle backers in that formation), does he move to DE?

Will he grow to the point where he'll one day be a DT?

[jwade]

Talked about this a little in the chat on Sunday evening.

I'm in the camp that believes he will move to DE, and the sooner the better for his career. I believe it will happen no later than next fall camp, and possibly in the spring. There are some inside the UKprogram who believe he will grow into a DT before he's finished. If he puts on enough good weight, that could be his best position.

I see Johnson as a tweener right now. He doesn't have the lateral quickness you want in a LB, he doesn't have the height and long arms you'd like to see in a DE, and he's not big enough to play DT. But, he's too good an athlete to not see the field at some position. Despite some physical limitations, I think DE is where he fits best right now.

If I'm not mistaken, he hasn't taken a snap other than special teams for the past two weeks. Meanwhile, Braxton has had two games with double-digit tackles. Micah isn't going to play much MLB the remainder of this year unless Braxton is injured.

UK is firmly committed to the 4-3 as long as Brooks is here. I know you like to bring up the 3-4 at least once every 3 months or so, but it's not going to happen. Brooks allowed Archer to install it the first season, it failed, andthat ship has sailed. Brooks is a 4-3 guy.

Jim

[sardiscat]

He needs to be at DE or DT. He's not an SEC LB, and he's not going to be an NFL LB. Doesn't have the lateral speed.

[baldcat]

I still like the idea of putting him at both DE and LB to give the opposing O some different looks.

But that's why I'm here typing and not making six figures as a coach.

He is too tremendous of an athlete to be pacing the sidelines.

[BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN]

How about some touches at FB ?

[I. Melvin]

Great idea! Especially in goal-to-go situations. (Can you imagine the crowd?)

BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN wrote: How about some touches at FB ?

[BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN]

I. Melvin wrote: Great idea! Especially in goal-to-go situations. (Can you imagine the crowd?)

BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN wrote: How about some touches at FB ?




Biography:

As a junior Johnson rushed for over 1,200 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns in just six games. Much of that yardage came in the last three games of the season when he switched to running back from fullback

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=48&p=8&c=1&nid=1758758



Michael Bush was recruited as a QB but was shifted to RB which he also played in HS. Why couldn't a similar switch be done with Micah.

[johnkyblue]

I like him at MLB. MLB is not about lateral speed but being able to take on a center and winning.

[sojourner]

I don't claim to be an expert but I would think that all linebacker positions at the SEC levelrequire lateral speed.

[johnkyblue]

You would have to admit the OLBs moreso, right?

[sardiscat]

You watch other SEC MLBs much? Does Patrick Willis have good lateral speed?

[johnkyblue]

There are different kinds. Right now, Micah is more or less a run stopper with responsibilities in the middle of the field.

You cannot look at the pieces individually. You have to look at the pieces as a part of the whole. If you are going to give him TE/RB pass coverage responsibilities then he should have more, but since he is who he is, giving him run responsibilities from tackle to tackle makes more sense.

Who knows how he is going to progress? Is he going to run a lot and get faster or is he going to eat and lift a lot? Is he going to grow taller? We don't know these things and he is such a talent that letting him do what he wants to do is what makes sense.

[VIIBanners]

I'll settle this:

We need him at DE and FB on the goal line. There you have it.;)

[EricBigNally]

I said from day 1 that I would like to see Micah get a few carries here and there. I think he could get a great defensive player, whether that is on the line of as a linebacker, I don't know. I am not going to pretend to be able to tell everyone what it takes to be an SEC level linebacker vs. d-lineman. I think he is athletic enough to be able to learn several different positions and give different looks to try and confuse opposing teams. I think he could be an excellent power runner though to power out those extra yards here and there.

[Coldstream]

I think he'll end up at DE since he does have that explosive first step and great upper body strength. The FB is a possibility but that may be up to Maurice Grinter and Moncell Allen fulltime.

[sojourner]

johnkyblue wrote: You would have to admit the OLBs moreso, right?


Sure because they would have to also coverbacks in passing situations.

I personally don't care where Micah plays. It is not like we are exactly tearing up the other teams defensively. We can use all of the help we can get.

[poodoo]

sojourner wrote:

I personally don't care where Micah plays. It is not like we are exactly tearing up the other teams defensively. We can use all of the help we can get.


Your comment caught my attention, sojourner, because I do wish Micah could be on the field somewhere on defense (and I wouldn't mind seeing him also at the fullback position near the goal line). However, at the same time I fully support the coaches' giving Braxton Kelley all the snaps at the middle linebacker position after howBraxton has performed the past couple of games not sharing snaps.

Perhaps, though,Micah has only prepared for that one defensive spot andwould not be successful at another spot at this point. It will be interesting to see where Micah does end up next season. There's no doubt that he isa GREAT specimen who can help us a lot once hefully learns his assignments.