The 3-2-1 Column: Defensive ends, recruiting trends, All-ACC and more

[Chris Peak]

In this week's 3-2-1 Column, we're talking about the defensive end position, long-term effects of recruiting, All-ACC and more.

https://pittsburgh.rivals.com/news/the-3-2-1-column-on-defensive-ends-recruiting-trends-and-more

 

[Farnox]

Excellent column Chris.

 

[thebadby2]

Hendrix as a potential all-ACC DE?

What is that based on? Unfulfilled potential? Obviously not performance to date. The only wild card there is how much of that has been due to his foot injury, and whether or not he has ever been completely healthy here. I suppose if that foot has never been completely healthy, and if it is now, we might see a different player. Otherwise, he has been unimpressive to date.

Weaver on the other hand is on track to be a potential all-ACC player, maybe not this year. He certainly flashes more than Hendrix during live game action.

 

[Jpripper88]

Hendrix as a potential all-ACC DE?

What is that based on? Unfulfilled potential? Obviously not performance to date. The only wild card there is how much of that has been due to his foot injury, and whether or not he has ever been completely healthy here. I suppose if that foot has never been completely healthy, and if it is now, we might see a different player. Otherwise, he has been unimpressive to date.

Weaver on the other hand is on track to be a potential all-ACC player, maybe not this year. He certainly flashes more than Hendrix during live game action.

I think this is a great example of the hypocrisy some struggle with on here. Multiple posters have said that about Hendrix over the last 3 years. Interestingly these are the same posters who make excuses for the recruiting by saying "stars don't matter." The question is: If you aren't basing that potential for Hendrix on stars, what are you basing it on?

 

[thebadby2]

I think this is a great example of the hypocrisy some struggle with on here. Multiple posters have said that about Hendrix over the last 3 years. Interestingly these are the same posters who make excuses for the recruiting by saying "stars don't matter." The question is: If you aren't basing that potential for Hendrix on stars, what are you basing it on?

Hendrix certainly looks the part physically. But he was mediocre at best last year as a starter. Again, maybe he was playing hurt, I actually posted that a couple of times last year-because he’s a guy who rarely gets his name called or does anything to make you notice him out there.

Most of these transfers from big programs to lesser programs left because they simply weren’t good enough or motivated enough to earn meaningful reps at the programs they left. Which recent transfers have made a significant impact for us? Peterman in Year 2 with the benefit of a masterful offensive scheme? Maybe Dontez Ford, who was about an average at best starting receiver at this level?

I think you’re right about the “star factor”, there were a number of posters lasr year who continued to post that Clark was a better TE than Orndorff right up until the day Clark flaked out of Pitt, based on absolutely nothing but his rivals ranking as a recruit. If that dude had some special talent I never saw an iota of it in his time at Pitt. He wasn’t especually fast, he wasn’t especially athletic, he wasn’t some devastating blocker, and he had bricks for hands. In short, he made Orndorff look like Gronk.

 

[Chris Peak]

Hendrix as a potential all-ACC DE?

What is that based on? Unfulfilled potential? Obviously not performance to date. The only wild card there is how much of that has been due to his foot injury, and whether or not he has ever been completely healthy here. I suppose if that foot has never been completely healthy, and if it is now, we might see a different player. Otherwise, he has been unimpressive to date.

Weaver on the other hand is on track to be a potential all-ACC player, maybe not this year. He certainly flashes more than Hendrix during live game action.

Hendrix and Weaver are both based on potential at this point; last season, both had roughly the same production, and while Weaver came into 2017 having no college experience, Hendrix only had slightly more - a point that often gets overlooked. He played a handful of games at Tennessee and less than one game when he got to Pitt; last year was his first year of full-time, season-long playing time.

I think the coaches believe that he was still learning, to some degree, just like Weaver was. If Pitt's defense is going to be as good as some believe it can be in 2018, then both of those guys need to have big seasons.