[BamaChamps]

Player 1 - 103 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 7 ints, 0 forced fumble

Player 2 - 99 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 ints, 1 forced fumble

Player 3 - 77 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 1 ints, 7 forced fumbles

Player 4 - 111 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 ints, 1 forced fumble

Player 5 - 114 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 ints, 3 forced fumbles

Which player had the most impressive stats for a LB this season?

[scottc]

depends on the type of LB (and the stats against good teams, as I could probably get something going against cupcakes). but in my opinion, the 7 interceptions or 7 forced fumbles speaks volume

[Kinnick]

The 12.5 sacks and 7 ff seems to be the best line. I know Te'o's line is the first one and although his 7 picks are impressive, none of his other stats pop up. It's obvious he is not a blitzer, he is just a very solid dropping into coverage and stopping the run. I was listening to the Sirius CFB station this morning and they were saying Te'o might not even be a starter on Alabama.

[BamaChamps]

Player 1, Manti Te'o, Notre Dame 12-0
Player 2, C.J. Mosley, Bama 12-1
Player 3, Jarvis Jones, Ga 11-2
Player 4, Kevin Minter, LSU 10-2
Player 5, Ryan Shazier , Ohio St 12-0

All these players have comparable stats and all are on highly winning programs, but only one is getting a Heisman invite. @ Kinnick, Te'o would be Bama's third best linebacker behind Mosley and Nico Johnson.

[scottc]

The reason why i didnt mention the sacks is because forced fumbles and sacks are similar stats. if you show the number of pass breakups for each, i am sure the first line will have the most (or close to it).

Either way, a high number of interceptions and forced fumbles is telling of the intelligence of a player as anyone can make a tackle.

most impressive LB stats, obviously the 2 we are all talking about.

[WeWantTheVest]

Originally Posted by Kinnick

I was listening to the Sirius CFB station this morning and they were saying Te'o might not even be a starter on Alabama.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in awhile. Te'o would be 3rd at the absolute worst on a defense that runs a base 3-4. He might even be second in my opinion. ESPN winning again.

[BamaChamps]

Originally Posted by scottc

The reason why i didnt mention the sacks is because forced fumbles and sacks are similar stats. if you show the number of pass breakups for each, i am sure the first line will have the most (or close to it).

Either way, a high number of interceptions and forced fumbles is telling of the intelligence of a player as anyone can make a tackle.

most impressive LB stats, obviously the 2 we are all talking about.

Te'o - Pass break ups 4, solo tackles 52, tackles for loss 5.5
Mosley - Pass break ups 2, solo tackles 61, tackles for loss 7
Jones - Pass break ups 2, solo tackles 47, tackles for loss 22.5
Minter - Pass break ups 5, solo tackles 48, tackles for loss 13.5
Shazier - Pass break ups 10, solo tackles 69, tackles for loss 17

If Te'o wasn't playing for overhyped ND, he wouldn't even had recieved an invitation, just like his peers. And I couldn't disagree more about tackles especially solo tackles. It takes skills and discipline to be a good tackler and not to allow yards after contact. I've seen a lot of missed tackles just look at any game with West Va lol.

The best stats to me by a small margin belong to Shazier, his team is undefeated. Where is his invite? I bet most people in the media don't even know his name.

[Kinnick]

Originally Posted by WeWantTheVest

This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in awhile. Te'o would be 3rd at the absolute worst on a defense that runs a base 3-4. He might even be second in my opinion. ESPN winning again.

Te'o is limited as a LB. He can't blitz. He is fantastic in pass coverage. He is basically a huge safety. In the SEC you have to be able to do everything.

[MountaineersFan]

You can't compare sacks for LBs. A team that very rarely blitzes their MLB he isn't going to get any sacks at all. Same goes for solo tackles. Some defenses use their DL to keep the OL off the LBs so they can fill the holes and make tackles. Other defenses rely on their DL to make plays. Both ways will affect the type of stats the LB gets. I also think its harder for a defensive player who is the sole star of the defense than a team that has more than one (meaning DE vs DE, LB vs LB, CB vs CB). When you are the only stud of the defense, offenses will scheme around you. If there are several studs on a defense, it makes it that much harder to scheme giving both players a chance to shine.

I will say this about Te'O though....his INTs are slightly inflated. Over half of his INTs were off deflections another player forced. Te'O just happened to be in the right spot at the right time.

[MountaineersFan]

I still say Te'O is a starter on Bama's or anyone elses defense and he shines there as he did at ND

makes me sick sticking up for ND