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Posted by eleem (Member # 884) on 09-03-2007, 07:15 AM:

Sophomore linebacker Micah Johnson was impressive in his third collegiate start last night.

Johnson, starting for the injured Braxton Kelley, finished tied with Johnny Williams for the team lead in tackles with seven and also had a pass deflection that led to an Ashton Cobb interception in the fourth quarter.

Link

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 09-03-2007, 07:41 AM:

I never understood how a great talent like Johnson had such a bad last year. I know he was a freshman but his talent was beyond reproach. It just seems something was wrong with him last year. The coaching staff kept bringing up the point about him not knowing the system. He played linebacker where you run and tackle. He could do that just like he did against Eastern. What ever his problem was last year it looks like it has been corrected and hopefully this year will be a great one for him...

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 09-03-2007, 08:37 AM:

JMO, but some people have a little harder time adjusting to the college life and big time football, being just another good athelete on a good football team over being "THE STAR" of your high school team.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 09-03-2007, 08:48 AM:

Catmandoo,

I don't think that the middle linebacker's job in Archer's defense was quite as simple as 'run and tackle'. Most probably Archer was trying some variation of the Tampa 2 defense, which is immensely popular in the pros. In that scheme, the middle linebacker has a very difficult role, and must correctly read the offense, make a snap decision, and either drop into coverage or stuff the run. He must make several decisions as to how to react in the span of a half-second or so, and if he muffs it, the whole scheme falls apart.

Ask any defensive coordinator about the tampa 2; He will tell you that it succeeds or fails based upon the success of the Middle Linebacker's decisions. I suspect from Micah's own comments about 'thinking too much, and not just playing' that he was trying to understand a very complex position and had a difficult time adjusting. I don't know if Brown has a simpler scheme, or if Micah now 'gets it', but his play this last game seems to have been superb.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 09-03-2007, 09:18 AM:

tt, i see your your point and understand what your saying but if that was the case why not play him a position that elminated those responsibilities? We did not have a solid defense last year and the middle linebacker position was not the only one Johnson could play. We needed help in most every defensive position last year and Johnson had the body and speed to play a lot of them...

For what ever reason Johnson just didn't seem to be the player that he should have been. Something seemed to be bothering him all season but what ever it was it looks like he is past it and is going to have a good season this year..Maybe Tubby had something to do with it. [Wink]

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 09-03-2007, 09:27 AM:

Tiptree, one other question why would the coaching staff take a true freshman and start him at the middle linebacker position in the first place? You are correct about Archers defense but no matter how good he was he had very little chance of succeding. They would have been far better off red shirting him than doinng what they did. Yes, i know it's easy to second guess after the fact but it just seemed strange to me all last year and i had to get it off my chest...I'm done now.. [Smile]

Posted by Max Beasley (Member # 1320) on 09-03-2007, 09:39 AM:

.....as frosh., nor was Dennis Johnson, Tim Couch, and many other high profile HSers. I believe the whole transfer from HS to coll. and to SEC MLB is a big step that some may find their niche with sooner than others. With a year under his belt, I look for bigger and better to come from Micah before this year is out (but last year didnt bother me at all because I would never be too surprised by whatever contributions a frosh might make.)

Posted by prophet (Member # 2089) on 09-03-2007, 03:04 PM:

One of the media that broadcast the NFL recently had a feature on the play of the middle linebacker in the "Cover 2" (basic version of Tampa 2) and showed the many qick decisions that the player must make. They showed Brian Urlacher and pointed out why he is the best at the position. Their comment was that only the QB had more analysis and decision making.