David Sims likes the move to B-back
David Sims is a football player looking for a position.
He has spent the past two seasons playing quarterback at Georgia Tech. However, with Tevin Washington returning and Synjyn Days battling for the No. 1 spot, coach Paul Johnson decided that Sims should try B-back during the spring because he liked Sims’ athleticism and wants to get him on the field. Sims said he was already thinking about asking to move, so he didn’t mind the change. A quarterback at Calhoun County High School in St. Matthews, S.C., he was recruited as a running back by some schools because he rushed for a school-record 2,800 yards in his career.
He said he’s enjoying the change after two days of practicing in the rain in helmets and shorts.
“It’s still a little bit of a learning experience, getting in the stance and getting out,” he said.
Sims said he thinks he can bring a combination of Anthony Allen’s toughness and Jonathan Dwyer’s breakaway speed. They are the former B-backs who rushed more than 1,300 yards each of the past three seasons. Plus, Sims said he has a little bit of shiftiness.
Of course, he has to know where to go. He said he’s still learning what he and assistant coach Brian Bohannon call his “track.”
The team will practice in pads on Friday, which will also be the first time that Sims will experience that first hit on the handoff at the line of scrimmage.
“Friday should be fun,” he said.
Though Bohannon said it will take two weeks to get a feel for his grasp of the position, he hopes Sims is competing for a starting spot by the end of the spring. The team doesn’t have an established returner at B-back. Johnson described the returners — Preston Lyons, Richard Watson and Charles Perkins — as group of good players. However, none of them have a lot of experience. Lyons and Watson didn’t combine to rush for more than 100 yards last season.
Bohannon said he asks each of the backs each day to pick out one or two things they can improve on, so that they come back as a better football player. Sims mentioned working on the handoff, as well as holding the football high and tight against his chest, which helps reduce fumbles.
“We will see what goes on with that position,” Johnson said. “I am comfortable with it. We have more guys there than anywhere else. I am not worried about that position at all.”
Inside the inside linebackers
Across the middle of the field, at inside linebacker, another battle is brewing between several players trying to fill the position held last season by Brad Jefferson.
One of those players is Quayshawn Nealy, who will be a redshirt freshman when the 2011 season begins.
Julian Burnett, who led the team in tackles last season, will likely start at one inside ‘backer. Nealy is competing with Albert Rocker, Daniel Drummond and B.J. Machen at the other spot. They’re all around the same size (each are between 6-1 and 6-3, and are listed between 230-235 pounds). Nealy said he’s still learning the 3-4 scheme, but he has a much better understanding now than he did last year.
“The way coach Groh teaches the defense is meaningful and easy to understand,” he said. “At first, coming in as a freshman and coming from a 4-3 defense, I couldn’t really understand what’s going on. But now after the installation process I have a better grasp. Pretty much everything’s coming 1-2-3.”
As far as the competition at the position, Nealy said his advantage may be his speed.
“Once I get it, I’m like a bullet,” he said.
Etc.
Saturday’s practice is the first one that will be open to the public. It will start at 9 a.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium. … Johnson said he was encouraged by the players’ attitude on Wednesday. “They were bouncing around and looking good,” he said. He said the coaches are watching the players’ fundamentals and assignment awareness during the drills in helmets and shorts. “We are doing the same type of practice we do in pads, just no contact,” he said.
– Doug Roberson, AJC
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80 comments Add your comment
Giddyup
March 31st, 2011
11:11 am
Um, what?
Giddyup
March 31st, 2011
11:12 am
Anyway…
Let Vad and Tevin push eachother, name a starter in mid august. Will be good for all involved.
Delbert D.
March 31st, 2011
11:26 am
One of the spring practice gallery photo showed Tevin Washington, a B-back and a tailback in an I-formation. Is CPJ going to implement more of the flexbone, ala Air Force?
Delbert D.
March 31st, 2011
12:09 pm
A short brief on “backs” in answer to “what the …. is a B-back”?
Basic definitions:
Quarterback – lines up one quarter of the distance behind the line to the Fullback
Halfbacks – line up one half the distance behind the line to the Fullback
Single Wing:
Quarterback – Lines up behind center of guard
Tailback – lines up behind Center at Fullback depth
Halfback – Lines up beside Tailback
Wingback – Lines up behind End
Enter the T-formation:
Quarterback – lines up behind Center
Fullback – lines up behind Quarterback at same depth as Halfbacks
optional:
Wingback – one of the Halfbacks lines up to his side of the line just off the End
Flanker – lines up to the opposite side of the line some distance outside the End
Slot – Lines up between the Tackle and the Split End on his side of the line*
* In “Strong” formation, sames as above except the opposite side Halfback swings over to fill the Slot
Historical Variants: Notre Dame Box, Wing-T, TCU Spread (predecessor to “Shotgun”, with passer/runner lined up in T-formation Fullback position, and QB line up behind Guard. Used Split Ends. QB could move over and take the snap from center.
Enter the I Formation:
Quarterback – as above
Fullback – lines up closer to and directly behind the QB
“I” back – In a 4-back “I”, lines up behind the Fullback
Tailback – In a 3-back “I”, lines up behind the Fullback
many variations on this, with Wing, 2nd Fullback, etc.
Pro-set (classical):
Quarterback as above
Fullback and Running Back (Halfback) same distance to the line, split behind QB at T-Formation depth.
*Wishbone:
AB as above, Fullback close behind QB, 2 Halfbacks, deeper than and split behind Fullback
*based on and developed from the Veer offense
Modern iterations:
Except for Quarterback, make up names and call them what you want to. H-back, A-Back, B-back, Deep-back, Up-back, 1-back, 2-back ad infinitum
Treat this as an unofficial Wiki and feel free to add comments.
superDawg
March 31st, 2011
12:55 pm
macriod dawgfan is correct all that is yellow is not gold.
GDBurdell
March 31st, 2011
2:08 pm
tek is about to get blown-up this year. PJ is staring down the barrel of a 3 to 4 win season.
proposal: change “old” gold to “piss” yellow gold, tek sucks!
GDBurdell
March 31st, 2011
2:10 pm
haha funny to see like 2-3 people posting under like eight different names trying to act like tek has all of these different supporters
moe
March 31st, 2011
2:13 pm
more like can we throw it to them jp
GT fan...
March 31st, 2011
2:20 pm
FACT: dawgfan is an idiot … I know the truth hurt dawgfan, but deal with it.
Just b/c a coach calls a pass play doesn’t mean the QB has to pass the ball. If the receivers are covered or protection breaks down, I doubt seriously the QB has been COACHED to make the pass regardless! Come-on man, that sounds a little idiotic doesn’t it??
Go back and watch the “broken arm” play ….. had AA & JN been on the same page you will see that AA was OPEN all the way up til the time JN decided to throw the ball … not when CPJ was “letting him” throw it. A quick pass & catch would’ve = TD, go back a watch if you don’t believe me. The play is TOTALLY on the BB & QB, not the coach.
GT fan...
March 31st, 2011
2:24 pm
GDBurddell … yeah GT is starring down the barrel of a 3 to 4 win season, just like your dogs are starring down the barrel of a 10 to 11 win season right?
dawgfan
March 31st, 2011
2:50 pm
Macrotech, we’re talking about a coach with a senior QB who only completed 40% of his passes. Are we to believe that the other 60% is all on Nesbitt? I thought Johnson ruled the offense with an iron fist? Why does he get all the credit for all of the successes but the players get blamed for all of the failures. YES, often times interceptions are caused by a bad play call. That interception was one of those instances in my opinion. Nesbitt completes 40% of his passes and Johnson let’s him drill in it to the endzone with reckless abandon. It was a bonehead move to let Nesbitt do that.
Memo to high school football prospects: Come play at Georgia Tech where EVERYTHING is your fault but very few even bother to come watch you play.
Thanks.
macrotech
March 31st, 2011
3:29 pm
dawgfan, I don’t think that it is unique that CPJ calls the plays and expects his players to execute. THIS is a universal understanding amongst ANY that have ever played the game. Nesbitt tried to squeeze a pass into a small window…he SHOULD have pulled the ball down and gotten any yardage he could by running the ball. This would’ve given the offense another shot at getting some points…heck, Nesbitt might have scored on his own. We’ll never know, but CPJ was not at fault on how that played out. The best part of our offense is that it keeps the defense guessing…we run the ball MUCH more than we throw it…props to the VT defense for being ready for the least expected. It’s fun watching you obsess…and for that, I say, “Thank You”! Your concern is valued!
Jacket Man
March 31st, 2011
4:21 pm
Perkins will have a chance to be the ACC POY next season if things play out correctly. He’s the real deal.
Stinger 2
March 31st, 2011
6:19 pm
I believe most GT fans now believe passing the football will never be a significant part of a CPJ offensive scheme. So what can be done to win more games? Improve the time of posession by making the running plays take more time. In 2010 the GT TOP advantage averaged about 5-6 minutes per game which was good. To have a winning season, the defense will need to greatly improve. If it does not the offense needs to say on the field much longer. Longer play counts along with running plays that take more time. Use the clock as much as possible without risking a delay of game penalty.
Tech Guy
March 31st, 2011
7:38 pm
Tech’s passing game is weak mainly because the receivers drop passes, so it will be difficult to score more than 20 points against good teams. The key to Tech having a winning season is the defense. Groh’s guys will have to hold good teams below 20 points. He is a good defensive coach, but it make take another year of recruiting and coaching to acheve the desired results. Once Groh has the defensive players he needs and we have receivers who can catch the ball, Tech will compete for the ACC Championsip.
Tech Guy
March 31st, 2011
7:43 pm
Georgia will have a great season this year and win the SEC Championship. The stars are lining up for them. When a team has great talent and two seasons of disappointment, the players play above their talent level.
George Stein
March 31st, 2011
8:46 pm
I think UGA will have a decent year, Tech Guy. I think the SEC Championship is a bit of a stretch. Something tells me the boys from T-town or Baton Rouge will have something to say about that.
Tech will be fine this year. The turnovers were largely a fluke and a function of a small sample size. That will probably correct itself this year. If that happens and the defense becomes simply competent, we should win no fewer than 8 or 9 games.
Mark Richt
April 1st, 2011
9:08 am
Stinger2:
Interesting concept you have. What happens when Tech is down by 13 with 4 minutes left in the game? Run the ball. Chew clock?…
Or immediately switch to that stellar passing offense and quickly score 14 points?
Buzz
April 1st, 2011
9:23 am
If Tevin Washington is our starter this year we will not do better than .500. I Days can’t beat him out then he better find another position, because Vad is the future.
dadgumitpaw
April 1st, 2011
9:35 am
GDBurdell is a genius! He has figured out that there are only two Tech fans and they are posting under different names! Come on GD, how about another gem!? LMAO!!!
Jacket68
April 1st, 2011
10:12 am
Doug
I’ve read this for several days now. In the meantime Royal sticks with Tech and Roddy Jones wins award. How about catching up?
Thanks,
Murray
51WTGW50
April 1st, 2011
10:18 am
Name change 5150 is going with 51Whats The Good Word 50.
Synjyn Days can pass. He was pretty at it in High School. He may not have the stats VAD does but he is more Stocky or solid built that VAD right now. Vad is still tall and needs some more meat on him.
George Stein
April 1st, 2011
10:22 am
Seriously, Coach Richt? Do you find many teams coming back from a 14 point deficit with 4:00 left in the game? I can’t imagine the odds are greater that 5%.
Heck, UGA couldn’t come back one TD down against UCF with the best WR in the country, a solid rookie QB, an underrated WR in Durham, and a TE they should target more often.
I guess the point is that it’s foolish to judge our offense based on those circumstanses, just like it’s stupid to base judgement o your offense on its performance in the bowl game.
juvenal
April 1st, 2011
10:46 am
68, mercer beat 2 of our Fr. pitchers……we only use our good pitchers mid-week vs. 1 in-state team……
J W
April 1st, 2011
11:33 am
IMHO – I think David Sims will be the most pleasant surprise on this years team by mid-season. Got couple of growing pains to endure during practice and recognize real-game-speed, but he’s a smart kid and can handle what is ahead.
Doug Roberson
April 1st, 2011
12:13 pm
Jacket, we have another blog that covers recruiting. There’s lots about royal there. I don’t cover it. I was off yesterday.
GDBurdell
April 1st, 2011
2:11 pm
three or four wins this year for the tekys, yes it is that bleak
haha yeah, I’ll say it again:
there are 2-3 tek fans posting under like 90 differant names so it looks like tek has all of these people who don’t just come on this blog to hate on the sorry pile of S that is Ga ‘tek’
macrotech
April 1st, 2011
5:08 pm
GDBurdell, you forgot to tell us about the pups winning the national championship in the upcoming season!!! I’m certain that it was an oversight on your part…glad I could be a friend! Is this the time that you’d cry out, “Lick ‘em…woof, woof”?
Sarah Palin
April 1st, 2011
6:12 pm
You boys can find me on Facebook.
GDBurdell
April 3rd, 2011
10:42 am
hey “macrotek” wtf does tek have to do with UGA?????? they beat your team down every year and they aren’t in your conference(did you know that)…three to four wins THIS SEASON write it down!!!!!!!