#SWARM - RELOADED

[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Looks like a you have a bright future on that defensive line with Pierre Turner; garnering Freshman All American honors and recording 5 sacks....nice.

As for your recruiting class, great snag with the 4-star wideout, but I'm curious how Davion Williams at middle linebacker pans out for you; 6'4", 228...great size, but not too massive to be slow. Hopefully he turns out well for the Swarm.

Turner was great, and he should be really good again this season. Williams may start, he's good, and the 4 star WR Nic Johnson has great hands and routes, but lacks athleticism. He'll definitely get his shot.

Solid work in recruiting, should be a fun year in the new look AAC next season. Excited to see how Slaughter fares with Oregon State as well!

It was a solid class. Really wanted the JUCO corner Mills that FSU stole from us, but we reeled in some gems. Oregon State are pretty bad for a P5, no 90+ guys and most of the 80s are RS seniors. Gonna be a tough task for Slaughter, recruiting will be key.

Interesting alignment! I like that you’re challenging yourself with a tough division. I like seeing Nebraska back in the Big 12 for the nostalgia value. I would have preferred reuniting all of the old Big 8 in the north and adding two teams to the south, but that’s just me haha!

Looks like coach Dobzinksi has his work cut out for him at Illinois with Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State and Wisconsin in that division!


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Division is gonna be harder for sure, USF look the best on paper and closed out 2017 with 5 straight wins. Looking at UCF, they fell off hard talent wise, Louisville are good, but we should be able to compete, because spoiler alert, Henderson got a boost with the manual progression. A few guys got deductions, but overall I got very lucky with not many big regressions, and I have a handful of real playmakers.

Big 12 will be really interesting, I actually don't know much of the conference's history so I'm not even familiar with the old Big 8. Dobzinski definitely is in a tough spot, the Illinois offense is actually very similar to ours with a stud QB, solid skill players, and a weak (by Big Ten standards) line.

Thanks for checking in guys! QB transfers and preseason news will be out in the next couple days!

[joshuahuskers]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Big 12 will be really interesting, I actually don't know much of the conference's history so I'm not even familiar with the old Big 8. Dobzinski definitely is in a tough spot, the Illinois offense is actually very similar to ours with a stud QB, solid skill players, and a weak (by Big Ten standards) line.

WELP now I feel really old.

[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

WELP now I feel really old.

Haha yeah I'm pretty young. I'm actually younger than you were when you started your Wisconsin State dynasty, based on what you said in your thread.

[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

2019 Grad Transfer QBs

So this was fairly time-consuming, I can't use the editor with this file because even the modded TB editor won't load it. I doubt I'll ever do this for any other position, too much work and QB is the only position that's really going to take a team from 5 wins to 10.

Criteria were: Player must be RS JR, SR or RS SR, I've heard of a lot of guys enrolling early or even taking super heavy courseloads in order to graduate in 3 years so I figured why not throw in some elite RS JRs to make for more competitive teams. 90+ OVR for P5 guys to leave, 85+ for G5 guys. Not a hard and fast rule, just a guideline I followed. I also only did 9 transfers, there were 6 more guys that met the criteria but I chose not to transfer, Bama for instance has a RS JR QB who's an 88, hasn't played a snap but he will start next year, and I wasn't going to send him to some lowly MAC/Sun Belt school.

Courtney Sims, 92 OVR: Houston --> Iowa

Sims has been pushed out by breakout freshman Justin Cohen (99 OVR), and Iowa gives sophomore Eric Thompson (81 OVR) another year to develop.

Bryan Norwood, 91 OVR: FSU --> Auburn

Huge get for Auburn, as they're stacked at every skill position, and now WR Allen McLaughlin (96 OVR) has an elite QB throwing to him. True freshman Jeff Durbin (76 OVR) needs time, and he'll have at least a year to develop behind Norwood, who has 2 years left on his 5-year clock.

Greg Moore, 90 OVR: Northwestern --> Cincinnati

Cincy are solid, and could contend for the division now with Moore at the helm for the next 2 seasons.

Ryan Mitchell, 86 OVR: BYU --> Nevada

Nevada didn't have a good replacement for Devon Jordan, who's now with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mitchell buys them another year to find a longer term option. We're going to get a look at Mitchell when we play Nevada this year.

Justin Caldwell, 97 OVR: Michigan State --> Notre Dame

MSU have sophomore Andy Nelson (99 OVR) as a starter, and Caldwell makes this ND team a contender in the Big Ten.

Jacob Neal, 94 OVR: Stanford --> TAMU

True freshman Sean Marshall (85 OVR) isn't quite ready to be a star, so he'll develop behind Neal. Stanford start senior Larry Haynes (99 OVR), and have true freshman Andrew Busch (87 OVR) waiting in the wings. Neal has never thrown a pass. His high school tape was legendary, but injuries and elite QBs at Stanford have blocked him from playing. If he shows out, he'll be drafted high next year.

Jeff Thomas, 92 OVR: Syracuse --> UCF

UCF aren't as good as last year, when they finished #25. But Thomas is an elite QB who could lead them to an AAC title. We're going to see Thomas this year in conference play.

Nic Larsen, 88 OVR: Ohio State -- > SDSU

Larsen was the 3rd stringer behind sophomore and Heisman favorite Jabari Valentine (96 OVR) and freshman Danny Washington (90 OVR). He steps down to a G5 school as he'll hope to be picked up by an NFL team come spring.

Christian Quinn, 91 OVR: Tulsa --> Rice

Quinn is an undersized pocket passer who's been stuck behind Rian Milton (99 OVR) for 3 years. He started one game last year, completing 18 of 26 passes for 337 yards and 2 scores. Like Larsen, he steps down from P5 play to try and secure a future as a football player.

[joshuahuskers]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Wait did I read this correctly that Houston had a 99 OVR freshman QB?? How'd he get so highly rated?

[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Wait did I read this correctly that Houston had a 99 OVR freshman QB?? How'd he get so highly rated?

So part of the system I use for progression is these breakout freshmen. 3 from each position group get 10, 15, 20 point boosts, it's at my discretion. I rolled Houston for QBs, and Justin Cohen had already gotten a 20 point awareness boost (also part of the system, roughly 20% of incoming QBs get an AWR boost otherwise you get almost exclusively RS seniors, and half of them complete under 55% of their passes), so he ended up a 97, then offseason progression took him to 99. I like getting freshmen and sophomores starting as much as I can, way more realistic. Starting this season, I'm also creating 7-10 elite recruits with overalls ranging from 85 to 95.

[TrophyKing80]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

I like the idea; it does make it a bit more realistic. But so would being able to hire/fire your own coaches, contracts with monetary values, so you can weigh a six-figure HC job at a G5 program against a seven-figure Coordinator gig at an elite program. Oh well, dare to dream, and make due with what we have, right?

[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

I like the idea; it does make it a bit more realistic. But so would being able to hire/fire your own coaches, contracts with monetary values, so you can weigh a six-figure HC job at a G5 program against a seven-figure Coordinator gig at an elite program. Oh well, dare to dream, and make due with what we have, right?

Yeah I'm not a fan of random coordinators, and I do wish we had position coaches. Monetary contracts would be cool too, but like you said, gotta make do with what you've got.

Appreciate you and everyone else commenting, stay tuned for some preseason news!

[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Reports by Isaac Robinson - July 29th, 2019

Preseason Newsflash

Winners and losers, position battles, dismissals, injuries and more

Who's Hot, Who's Not


B.J. Henderson looks much improved

HOT: B.J. Henderson. After an up and down season in which he led the nation in picks while starting just 11 games, Henderson has come into camp looking fantastic. He's bulked up to 221 pounds, up from 213 last year, and looks much more composed in the pocket. He's a bit quicker, a bit stronger, throws it a bit harder, but the composure is the biggest thing. He could tear up the American this year, and if he shows out, he could even be drafted come spring.

NOT: Robert Coley. Coley came into camp battling several guys for the #1 and #2 wideout spots, and the sophomore has shown flashes, but has had a case of the drops and still struggles to make contested catches. Fellow sophomore Eric Monroe will likely see more snaps than Coley.

HOT: Xavier Meeks and Nic Johnson. Meeks moved to wideout from QB over the offseason, and it looks to be paying dividends for the 4th year junior. The 6'3, 213 pounder runs in the mid 4.4s, has a 41 inch vertical, and has great ball skills for someone who's never played out wide. He stuggles going over the middle, but he's fairly sure-handed and is good at getting open, even if his routes aren't the best. And where Meeks struggles, freshman Nic Johnson shines. Johnson is a walking stereotype: 5'10 white guy, runs a 4.7, tough as nails, will never drop the ball, and works his butt off. He won't beat anyone deep, but he is so fundamentally sound that it doesn't matter. He'll likely be on the field in most 3 and 4 wide sets as a safe option.

NOT: LG Ben Motley and OLB Lenny Hancock. Motley, a senior, will miss his final college campaign after he was ruled ineligible due to academics. Hancock redshirted last year, and was in line to see time on special teams, but he was busted for a DUI and underage drinking over the summer, then failed to show up to his court date. Upon learning of this, HC Dion Barkley cut him.

Position Battles

RDE: Bryan Young will line up as the left end. The senior had 8 sacks and 20 tackles for a loss last season, and will be the best pass rusher on this defense once again. But right end is wide open, with senior Corey Hayes (20 TAK, 7 TFL, 3 sacks), senior Sean Brown (28 TAK, 9 TFL, 3 sacks), and sophomore Joe Davenport (3 TAK, TFL) all expected to split time to start the season. We'll see if any one of them rises up and claims the spot.

MLB: Davion Williams picked up a bad ankle sprain in camp, and is expected to miss the first 3 to 4 weeks of the season. When he comes back, he'll fight with sophomore Rob Morgan for the starting middle linebacker spot. Williams hits harder, reads plays better, and is better in coverage. Morgan is a bit quicker and a surer tackler, but hasn't played much other than special teams, so he doesn't have an edge in experience.

WR1/2: Nic Williams, Xavier Meeks, Robert Coley, Travis Vaughn, and Eric Monroe will all compete for the sports out wide. Meeks and Johnson seem to have the edge right now, but Monroe and Coley will be breathing down their necks and will see snaps on offense. Vaughn has played well, but Barkley is leaning towards playing younger players, and Vaughn is a fifth-year senior.

Meeks dwarfs the 5'10 Kevin McFarland

Campbell causing trouble in camp

Kevin Campbell was one of the worst QBs in all of college football last season. Playing at El Camino CC in California, the 6'1, 201 pound junior tossed just 17 scores against 26 picks in 21 starts, and ran for over 2000 more yards than he threw for. He also completed just 43.8% of his throws in his time at El Camino. But, he runs a 4.3 at 200 pounds. So the interest was there at tailback and DB, and he eventually signed with the Swarm as a tailback. Only problem is, Campbell is now saying he wants to play QB, even demanding he attend some quarterback training sessions. He's been allowed to do so, but reports are that it hasn't been pretty, as much like Xavier Meeks who's now a wideout, Campbell has a very strong arm but doesn't read defenses well and has little pocket awareness. He's made several passive-aggressive social media posts saying things like "They really don't know what they have, cream always rises" accompanied by the hashtag "Stay Woke" and a picture of him throwing the ball. Campbell has played running back in scrimmages and has performed well, often flashing his elite speed and elusiveness, but he seems to be set on playing QB and has been very lazy when he doesn't get the ball, not putting in much effort in route running or in picking up blitzes. Dion Barkley refused to entertain any notions of discord however, saying that Campbell will fall in line.

Look, Kev knows why we brought him in. He can say what he wants, post what he wants, all I care about is that he helps us win on Saturday. If he does his best, we have no issue. If it turns out he's our best QB, sure he'll start. But right now, he's playing running back. This is my team, I put out the best lineup that's gonna help us win. If he's an elite QB, he'll play there.

[joshuahuskers]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Love big bodied receivers, and I love moving Meeks to the outside there. He sounds like a physical specimen - I think he’s going to be a stud.

Sounds like Henderson is really making some progress at QB as well - that combo could be lethal!


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[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Love big bodied receivers, and I love moving Meeks to the outside there. He sounds like a physical specimen - I think he’s going to be a stud.

Sounds like Henderson is really making some progress at QB as well - that combo could be lethal!


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My wideouts are beasts haha. 6'0, 6'3, 6'1, 5'11, 6'3, 6'5, 5'11, 6'7 and only one is under 200 pounds. Henderson got up to a 92 with manual progression, got a little buff in addition to the +5 he got in regular progression. I have to do the roster and preseason national preview, then I can get started on year 2! Thanks for checking in!

[Tyro11]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Got a good unit coming back. I'm on the Henderson train

[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Roster

Offense: Same pistol-shotgun offense from last year with a lot of 3, 4 and 5 wide sets. Downhill running, vertical passing.

Defense: Aggressive man coverage, lots of blitzing. 4-3 base, but mostly running nickel.



B.J. Henderson won us some games last year, and he's had a fantastic offseason. Bulked up a bit, looks much more accurate, throwing it a bit harder. Stan Jones is still the backup, but he's a senior. Barrett Phillips didn't improve. Very disappointing from him, and Westlake State may have to think about recruiting a QB, because Henderson could declare if he can get the Swarm wins on the national stage.

Position Grade: A. Henderson looks phenomenal, but the depth could become an issue as soon as next year. Could we see Kevin Campbell play?





Mark Montgomery will be the bell cow. He bounced back from his broken vertebrae and has decided to play his senior season. At 255, Montgomery runs a 4.5, can block, can catch, and runs hard. He could be picked up by a NFL team. Kevin Campbell and Frank Nelson will be the change-of-pace backs, with Johnny Nash likely seeing a few snaps here and there.

Position Grade: B-. This backfield is talented.



Josh Roach returns, he'll once again be the main slot receiver, with converted QB Xavier Meeks locking up one of the outside spots. Dion Barkley is tentatively starting Nic Johnson opposite Meeks, but Eric Monroe, Robert Coley, and Travis Vaughn are going to get their chances as well. Coley still has a case of the drops (7 last year), so this is Monroe's time to cement his position as the Swarm's best deep threat.

Position Grade: C+. These guys are all great athletes (Nic Johnson excepted), so they could be really good. But the hands and route running aren't really there across the board. This team lacks a proven #1.



Barrett Miller will once again be a good safety blanket for Henderson. Don't expect many grabs from Ricky Alston. Jeremy Watson is intriguing, but is very raw and will need at least a couple years before he's ready to be a real contributor.



Tom Arnold and Adam Jackson made huge strides over the offseason, and will start at center and right guard, respectively. Kevin Dobzinski (cousin of CAC Jon Dobzinski), will start at left guard. They're solid, but both tackle spots are shaky. Tim Pembroke dropped weight and comes in at 331, but he's unproven. J.P. Scruggs has great footwork, but lacks power and stuggles to open holes in the run game.

Position Grade: C+. There is talent here, but no depth, and the tackles could struggle.



Bryan Young had 8 sacks and 20 TFL last year, and he's too good for most of the tackles in this conference to handle. Expect good numbers from him. Corey Hayes likely plays right end, with Terrance Hodges, Sean Brown, and Joe Davenport all getting some snaps too. Pierre Turner will look to build on his 12 TFL, 5 sack freshman campaign that saw him named a freshman All-American.

Position Grade: C+. Young is the only standout here.



How about Nick Watts? The true freshman came in better than expected, and is this team's best coverage backer. He and Leon Alexander will be the 2 main guys, as this defense will run a ton of nickel. Davion Williams is out with a bad ankle sprain until at least week 3, and will likely just redshirt.

Position Grade: C+. These guys are great athletes, but not well-rounded football players. Watts can't really tackle, Alexander is undersized, Williams likes to go for the highlight-reel hits too much, Rob Morgan can't cover anyone.



Mark Landrum was terrific last year, both in pass coverage (5 picks, 4 PD), and run support (14 TFL, 2 sacks). The hard-hitting junior will likely once again be the main slot corner in the nickel. Kevin McFarland was productive as a true freshman and had a huge pick-6 in the AAC title game, but Jeremy Jackson and Danny Patrick are unproven.

Shannon Wilkinson is a very dependable free safety, but on the strong side, Tyrell White is our best option as none of the 3 we brought in are anywhere near ready to play. White isn't as slow as Kyle Wagner was last year, but he's bad at reading plays and terrible in man coverage. But, he got hurt in camp and will miss the first 3 weeks. Don't be surprised if the Swarm try Arthur Rogers in that spot, and he could claim it for good.

Position Grade: C. Landrum and Wilkinson are the only 2 sure things. McFarland doesn't have experience starting, although he did play very well as the dime corner last year, and hopefully Danny Patrick can do the same this year. SS is a real concern, and none of the young guys we have at safety look exceptional.



Joe Romero returns for his senior year. He was good last year, going 7/9 on field goals and reliably making his PATs. Adam Ferwerda is waiting in the wings. Kevin Tate is a very good punter who should help us a ton.

Position Grade: B. Good players here.

Schedule

Only one ranked team for now, but don't let that fool you; all of these teams can give the Swarm a tough time. The offense is going to have to put up big numbers to get wins. Our guess is anything from 7 to 10 wins.

[young22]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Report by Isaac Robinson - August 17th, 2019

Rash of injuries in camp

Westlake State must have been going hard in training camp, because a few players got injured. Here's the list, and it includes some key players.

RG Adam Jackson: 6-8 weeks, partial ACL tear.

MLB Davion Williams: 2-3 weeks, sprained ankle.

SS Tyrell White: 2-3 weeks, fractured wrist.

The Jackson injury hurts the most. Jackson (85 OVR) is the Swarm's best lineman, and now either Ronnie Johnson (62 OVR), Adam Washington (64 OVR), or tackle Sean Robinson (64 OVR) will have to start the season. This is a huge blow for an already weak line, and now who knows what kind of time B.J. Henderson will have in the pocket. Williams likely wasn't going to play a ton anyway, and White was going to have to prove himself at safety, so losing them isn't a huge blow, but losing Jackson for potentially 6 games could really screw this team over. We have to start the year well.

[moose141]

Re: #SWARM - RELOADED

Love all of the offseason storylines, especially the position changes and the newcomers stirring up the pot. Should be interesting to see how you use Campbell, because he looks talented and like you said he could end up being a QB next season if BJ has a big year and decides to bolt. I was going to comment on how thin you were on the line, and then you get the brutal luck of the injury to your best lineman as well... could be a rough start to the year before you get things figured out in the trenches.

What's your roll strategy for determining training camp injuries? I think now that I'll officially have all of the 'real' players out of my dynasty I'd like to throw in some twists and turns like that as well. I didn't see any specifics in your opening post.