Foxsports.com lists Xavier Carter as a breakout player in 2004 check it out http://www.foxsports.com/content/view?contentId=2407776
"...likely be the fastest player in college football..." I like the sound of that! I sure hope his hands are good.
I think we're impressively stacked at the WR position. I don't see where the questions are at that position. Remember we all these guys: Dwayne Bowe, 6'3", 202, SO ** Craig Davis, 6'3", 185, SO ** Early Doucet, 6'1", 210, FR Skyler Green, 5'10", 180, JR * Amp Hill, 6'3", 190, RSFR Xavier Carter, 6'3", 190, FR Lavelle Hawkins, 5'11", 175, FR These are 7 guys that I would take any day. And think if Clayton would've stayed....it would be the 'Elite 8.' I really can't pick a favorite of the 7. I know Skyler is in for sure....the rest is up for grabs.
I'm almost positive the top 3 are Green, Bowe and Davis. Amp Hill's healing plays a factor. Doucet and Carter will be given serious looks. It just depends on how fast they can pick up the offense.
Hopefully Bowe, Davis, & Amp Hill were able to learn from Clayton & Devery on how to be complete WR's and can filter that down to Early & Xavier. You can't expect the WR's to be better than last year but the potential is staggering. They look to have a good mix of size and speed. Wasn't Amp Hill ahead of the other freshmen before his injury last year? I guess you may have to factor in Addai also and I'm assuming Webster will stick to D. I know coaches often talk about developing a "personality" and it would look like our offensive personality would be to run the ball down people's throats. With Jimbo's creativity and the flexibility of our skill players, I'd like to see us have gameplans that vary depending on the opponent. If Oregon St has a solid front 7 but a weak secondary, spread the field and air it out. If their D-line is small but their secondary is solid, primarily run the ball. Of course, if we lose one of these games I might be asking why we didn't run the ball more and thinking we may need more of a personality.
I think with the receiving corps and OL that we have, there is no reason why any one of our QBs can't get the job done. I think we have alot of vertical guys. XC is definitely one. Skyler, Lavelle, and Early look like similar athletes and can take on any defender underneath. The vertical guys can really stretch the field. Amp looked phenominal in his high school video clips. His injury has really slowed him down. I really hope he can recover 100%.
I'll go with Brett on this one. The freshmen won't step on the field in game one and know Jimbo's offense completely. We've seen some promising track speedsters who couldn't catch the ball and we have guys four years in the system who still can't crack the starting lineup. The first freshman who plays will likely be the one that's quickest on the uptake and doesn't drop the ball, even if he's not the fastest man on the field. :champs:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Michael Clayton have one hell of a Freshman year? I know I was extremely impressed and he was the perfect compliment to Josh Reed. Don't count any of these guys out for 40+ catches and 6 TD's. It can (and in my opinion will ) happen. My biggest concern is QB, which I think will work itself out as the season progresses. ldskule: :lsug: :champs: :lsup: :bball: :helmet:
We can only hope that one of these guys is another Michael Clayton. He is an exception, even for the most talented freshmen. Having a reception in every game played while he was at LSU is remarkable. To answer your question, yes he had a stellar freshman campaign with 754 yards on 47 receptions and 6 TDs (receiving). I remember thinking how special he was, and would be, in the loss to Ole Miss that year. He made what I consider to be one of his most spectacular catches when he wrapped his arm around a defender to cradle the ball blindly as he was falling in the endzone. Anyone have a picture of that?
Amp was most impressive of all the recruits 2 years ago from the ones I saw. Was awesome. Let's hope he heals properly and soon. These guys listed above aren't benny brazelle. These dudes can catch and play football.