Griz D might have 3 All Conference Linebackers by year end. All of last years All Conference recipients were Seniors. I hope see something like this....Buss 1st Team, Strahm 2nd Team, & Dante Olsen/Banks or Vika as 3rd Team. They are going to be a fun group to watch.
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3 All Conference Linebackers
- Thread starter blackfootipa
- Start date
SeattleBobcat
Well-known member
already handing out awards before spring ball even... :lol:
Buss and Strahm were both 3rd team last year and they are the only returning linebackers from last years rewards. Mostly making an observation and prediction. 
Olsen is going to be a beast.
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Olsen is going to be a beast. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
A lot of times conference politics seems to come into play and getting an entire starting group from a position on the 1st team doesn't happen. I think in 2013 Tripp, Coyle, and JP were split apart 1st, 2nd, 3rd (or honorable mention) team, but I'm not 100% sure - would have to go back and check. If that group didn't sweep 1st team I don't see this one doing it.
Buss has all the potential in the world to be 1st team and maybe in the talks for defensive MVP. However he's a known quantity now and teams will be keying on him. If he can fight through the attention he's going to get from opposing teams the sky is the limit.
Strahm I see as a possible 3rd/2nd team guy. Physical, imposing, hard hitting. To get the votes though he's going to have to continue to improve in pass coverage when needed and show improvement on play recognition and gap assignments, which was mostly good last year but had a few glaring mistakes to many fans eyes (cat game the prime example).
Banks. Not sure. He's a solid backer but lacks the flashy stats of takeaways, TFLs, and sacks. With the focus on stopping Buss he could have some great chances to start to get those, but time will tell.
Vika is the future of this corps but he's got 1 more year of rotation and ST duty. Maybe he could get an ST nod like Strahm did in 2015?
Buss has all the potential in the world to be 1st team and maybe in the talks for defensive MVP. However he's a known quantity now and teams will be keying on him. If he can fight through the attention he's going to get from opposing teams the sky is the limit.
Strahm I see as a possible 3rd/2nd team guy. Physical, imposing, hard hitting. To get the votes though he's going to have to continue to improve in pass coverage when needed and show improvement on play recognition and gap assignments, which was mostly good last year but had a few glaring mistakes to many fans eyes (cat game the prime example).
Banks. Not sure. He's a solid backer but lacks the flashy stats of takeaways, TFLs, and sacks. With the focus on stopping Buss he could have some great chances to start to get those, but time will tell.
Vika is the future of this corps but he's got 1 more year of rotation and ST duty. Maybe he could get an ST nod like Strahm did in 2015?
BWahlberg said:
Nothing destroys "conference politics" like winning.
Conference Champs with league-leading defense might do the trick. One can hope, right?
There needs to be improvement/consistentrncy from all 3 to be 1st, 2nd, 3rd team respectively as discussed. If not by games 3-5 in season, I hope coaches have the guts to give others chances as I think our backups are just as talented at LB That didn't happen at safety at times last year and hurt us.
George Ferguson
Well-known member
I.M.O.#90-C.C. said:
Josh Buss was a First-Team linebacker last season and everybody knew it. He could miss a multitude of tackles and he's still not only the best LB the Griz have, he's the best defensive player the Griz have.
alabamagrizzly
Well-known member
Who was our last all American at LB? Buss will be that guy, even with the attention. Cue Dennis Green here. That's what other teams will be saying about Buss. Personally I think Banks needs to lose his job. Not that he's not bad, just not as good as the boys behind him.
SoldierGriz said:
Actually even in winning seasons we see it rear it's head. 2011 we had Tru and Roots as our two starting corners and by far the best pass coverage corners in the conference. However Tru got 1st team and Roots 2nd team. It's the way it goes and those awards, while nice, are moderately meaningless anyways.
blackfootipa said:
Vika is a Mike and Dante backs up Buss, so unless there is some reshuffling of responsibilities or injuries to starters, I don't see that happening for the younger backers this year
alabamagrizzly said:
Tripp was the last LB to be named All-American
CV Griz Fan
Well-known member
BWahlberg said:
Meaningless? Yes. Brock Coyle as 2nd team BSC LB was a total injustice.....
kyle_sample said:
Who backs up Banks?
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BWahlberg said:
Roots was very good that year. But to just assume that our 2 guys were the two best in the whole conference is BS. Obviously Tru was, but the guy who beat out Roots for 1st team was TJ Lee, who has gone on to a have a successful career playing professionally in Canada. I didn't look at the stats, but statistics for the cornerback position (besides interceptions/pass break ups) aren't very telling of performance level necessarily. It's not always politics, sometimes other teams have better players than UM even if Um's players are very good.
BWahlberg said:
Am I making it up or was KVA, arguably the most important & productive player on the defense that year prior, left off any all-BSC team & Gamboa, who literally disappeared for stretches in some games, was included. Some % of the voters didn't seem to actually see them play. So it's not likely you'll see three, even if all three somehow deserved recognition.
G-BEARS said:
That year, imo it was.
Roots, 51 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 3 Ints, 10 PBU's, 1 FF
Lee, 48 tackles, 0.5 TFLs, 2 Ints, 3 PBU's, 0 FF
Lee obviously went on to have a professional career while Roots didn't, but the choice for was the better corner that season in the Big Sky was wrong.
BWahlberg said:
My recollection is that Tripp and JPK were first team, and Coyle was 2d team. A great showing. Some thought Coyle deserved better. JPK was a great college linebacker. Better than most Griz fans realize. Mobile and a terrific tackler, with few mistakes.
George Ferguson said:
Don't know if Buss deserved to be first team, as I don't know the others. He's a terrific player who will continue to get better. Nice instincts and speed. Can make tackles in the backfield and in space. Can get to tackles. However, he didn't play great every game and he made multiple mistakes in various games. Assume he would admit that.
