[BostonCard]

So Solly T as a Freshman was an inferior interior to Nate C?  Or even the then group of OLB's?  Give me a break, coaching staff.....

Remember that we burned Harrison Phillips' redshirt that year (as he and Thomas were both in the same class), so it clearly wasn't a case that the staff was unwilling to burn a defensive lineman's redshirt.  More likely, they thought that Phillips was closer to being ready than Thomas.  That may seem hard to believe given what Thomas became in his (academic) sophomore and junior years.  I think the staff probably underestimated Thomas.  However, it is important to remember that players' abilities are not static, and don't even move forward linearly.  Sometimes, players make big jumps.  The staff can and does make mistakes, but since none of us were in practices that fall, I tend to give this staff a lot more leeway on specific decisions.

BC

[BostonCard]

So Solly T as a Freshman was an inferior interior to Nate C?  Or even the then group of OLB's?  Give me a break, coaching staff.....

Remember that we burned Harrison Phillips' redshirt that year (as he and Thomas were both in the same class), so it clearly wasn't a case that the staff was unwilling to burn a defensive lineman's redshirt.  More likely, they thought that Phillips was closer to being ready than Thomas.  That may seem hard to believe given what Thomas became in his (academic) sophomore and junior years.  I think the staff probably underestimated Thomas.  However, it is important to remember that players' abilities are not static, and don't even move forward linearly.  Sometimes, players make big jumps.  The staff can and does make mistakes, but since none of us were in practices that fall, I tend to give this staff a lot more leeway on specific decisions.

BC