Two veterans' positions changed

[HarveyGlass]

Sergio Spencer, a fifth-year senior, is now a safety instead of running back.
Brandon Heath, a sophomore, is now a linebacker instead of safety.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...22/1002/SPORTS

"All jobs will be open" Kragthorpe says.

[Empire Lindy]

I had heard rumblings about both of these guys... some real football buffs had noticed the same when the rosters were released last week.

Personally, I like Heath moving up to become a linebacker. We have a lot of depth at the safety positions anyway and Heath is purported to be a BIG hitter. With the holes we have at LB, he might be able to step in and contribute immediately with his size. Plus that gives us another guy with cover experience in passing downs.

Spencer I'm not sure I like as much. I know that the RB spot is very crowded, but can Spencer really move over in one off-season and contribute all that much more at a place where we have enough depth to move a safety recruit to LB? I think the biggest knock on Spence was that he was just too small to take the beating of being a RB (see his injury last year). Well, aren't most safeties big guys who make big hits in today's game?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that Sergio may be making the move to defense more directly to become a special teams ace.

[wkuCardinal]

Who knows how much time, if any, Sergio saw on the defensive side of the ball in practice last year, or how much defensive work his game has gotten this offseason. Safeties are not really big guys. They are fast guys, who hit hard. Don't have to be big to hit hard!

[Empire Lindy]

Not to argue the point too much, but I can't imagine Spence saw a bunch of time considering he couldn't even stay healthy enough to play his primary spot at RB. I know he was injured for a good 1/3 of the season if not more. Seemed like he never came back after that MTSU game.

Also I have to take issue with the size of safeties in today's college game. That position has changed tremendously in my opinion in the past 5-10 years. Those guys are BIG now, certainly bigger than Sergio.

Latarrius Thomas - 6'2", 206lbs
Terrance Butler - 6'3", 212lbs
C.J. Peake - 6'2", 210lbs
Sergio Spencer - 5'10", 185lbs.

One of these things is not like the other. I could have bought SS as a CB, but he just doesn't measure up with the rest of the guys competing for PT at the safety spots this year. Even Brandon Sharp, who was a small guy to play FS, weighed in at 200 pounds his senior season.

[wkuCardinal]

There are big safeties.. a lot of them.. but I bet I could find some great guys that ARE Serg's size. Never-the-less, I'll trust Ron English when he says a certain player could see time on his D-squad over my own opinion or anyone else's really.

[Empire Lindy]

I hear ya... just saying I'm skeptical of this working any better for Sergio. Seems like either way the kid is going to see a lot of pine and special teams snaps.

[bling49]

I agree the strong safety position has seen a larger player, especially at the pro level.

I kind of take issue with the smaller LB's Louisville has played the last couple seasons it seems like 200lbs is a good weight and attainable for a college player but after 5-years in a DI strength program Spencer is still 185lbs.

There's a reason the bench press test in the NFL combine is 225 lbs, they figure that is the average weight of the pro player and I doubt it's much less at the DI level.

Lets for arguements sake say 215 lbs or 210lbs.

Spencer sounded like he welcomed the change, although what other attitude can you have when your told your moving positions really?

I dont know if he is the answer for that position but I too will trust in coach English and say he is putting the best player on the roster to have a smashmouth defense.

[HarveyGlass]

Don't you have to really know the defense inside and out, all the way down to the linemen to play safety? It doesn't seem like a position you can play with no experience doing it. Maybe he was a safety in HS, idk.

[Empire Lindy]

As a strong safety, I would say yes. If they try to put Sergio in as a free safety, I think he would have less onus to know and understand his teammate's assignments. I don't think he's going to be the defensive QB like Kerry Rhodes or Preston Smith have been.