Let's look at Kristoff. He "started" games in 2011 and 2012 at SS when Hughes was hurt or not available. Other than walkons, there weren't really any other players listed at SS. This year was his first year as the real "starter". Should he have started, or do you think Ingol or Toran Davis were better?
I would have like to have seen either of those two get a shot. I saw very little of Macer and Davis was non-existent outside of kickoff duty. Its hard to say that they would perform better, but there's little chance they could perform significantly worse...at least in pass coverage.
Next let's look at TT. Yes, there were times he wasn't playing that well, but, on the whole, I don't think Vick would have been better. Perhaps in time Vick will be a better QB than TT, but at this point, he just isn't there yet.
We'll never know what really happened with TT, but at times I wonder if his removal wouldn't have been a net positive, even if the play at QB suffered.
Finally, what about Russell? Should Blair Brown have been starting? When Brown was hurt, then who? Or, do you think they would have been better off moving Moore back to MLB, and starting Jovon Johnson at WLB?
How would I know, since we never saw Brown. I don't even know what number he wears. That's pretty strange considering he got major kudos from Arkley all last year, and our play in the middle of the field was very bad. And yes, moving Moore back could have been an option. Keeping Johnson on the field certainly makes us more athletic.
All these three positions have one thing in common - they had little depth this year.
That's fair to say for MLB but not true for QB and safety. We've brought in lots of safeties over the years (Macer, Davis, Alexander). If Kristoff, Carpenter and Hughes are our best options then we are trouble...and it showed this year. And Vick has been baking in the oven for 3 years...he should be fully cooked.
The part that concerns me most is that some of these guys just aren't athletic when compared with other teams in the conference. I'm watching BG tonight and Carpenter is the size of Boo Boo Gates' leg. BG's defense just looks sooo much more bigger, stronger, faster. Its either a strength and conditioning problem, or a recruiting problem and I can't tell which.