09-20-2011, 08:23 AM
That Skov won't be back before the end of the season.
Nah. I'm just messing with you.
Fullback: I've had this conversation so many times I can't remember where and when. Hewitt is a TE playing out of position. Great passing option, but the kid does not stand out in the blocking dept.  Meinken had a good run, but I haven't seen enough games to know if 1) he really can block 2) would be a no brainer to carry on short yardage and goal line scoring chances. I suspect the jury is still out on #1 and the answer is "no" to #2.  We might have seen the best of Meinken against Duke. He was recruited as a big guy who had very good speed (for a big guy). He got a showcase carry near the end of the game against a physically beaten Duke team. What I haven't seen is the power to get the 1 or 2 yds. up the gut against stacked defenses.  Which brings us back to Skov.  If Skov can be that guy with power in traffic and the ability to really STICK a block, he should stay at fullback. Gonna need all the help we can get after Luck graduates.
At linebacker: We have a very highly recruited Blake Lueders playing behind Chase Thomas. No shame in that, but the question is whether Lueders has developed or will quickly develop into a LB that can start. It's a genuine question, not a final judgment on his ability. But with Thomas done after this season and a question mark on how quickly and how well Shane Skov plays again ... and Bergen graduating that's a LOT of starters gone or questionable. We have Noor Davis coming in, but he's another LB projected outside. Lancaster, Tarpley, Hemschoot, Debniak. If it comes down to finding two starting ILB out of that group, then a move by Skov to defense might make sense.
Nah. I'm just messing with you.
Fullback: I've had this conversation so many times I can't remember where and when. Hewitt is a TE playing out of position. Great passing option, but the kid does not stand out in the blocking dept.  Meinken had a good run, but I haven't seen enough games to know if 1) he really can block 2) would be a no brainer to carry on short yardage and goal line scoring chances. I suspect the jury is still out on #1 and the answer is "no" to #2.  We might have seen the best of Meinken against Duke. He was recruited as a big guy who had very good speed (for a big guy). He got a showcase carry near the end of the game against a physically beaten Duke team. What I haven't seen is the power to get the 1 or 2 yds. up the gut against stacked defenses.  Which brings us back to Skov.  If Skov can be that guy with power in traffic and the ability to really STICK a block, he should stay at fullback. Gonna need all the help we can get after Luck graduates.
At linebacker: We have a very highly recruited Blake Lueders playing behind Chase Thomas. No shame in that, but the question is whether Lueders has developed or will quickly develop into a LB that can start. It's a genuine question, not a final judgment on his ability. But with Thomas done after this season and a question mark on how quickly and how well Shane Skov plays again ... and Bergen graduating that's a LOT of starters gone or questionable. We have Noor Davis coming in, but he's another LB projected outside. Lancaster, Tarpley, Hemschoot, Debniak. If it comes down to finding two starting ILB out of that group, then a move by Skov to defense might make sense.