News Article: DT Terrence Cody: Biggest Tide signee ready to compete

Crimson Surfer · May 21st, 2008, 03:00 PM

Biggest Tide signee ready to compete

	Quote:
	It was good news to learn of the biggest signee set to arrive in just a few short weeks. “I am going up to Alabama in June,” Terrence Cody said. “I finished school about two weeks ago, but I had to stay here for graduation. I am real happy to be out of here and heading to Alabama.”

IMALOYAL1 · May 21st, 2008, 04:00 PM

Great. I'm glad he trimmed some weight.

Calvinwebster · May 21st, 2008, 05:18 PM

	Quote:	IMALOYAL1
	Great. I'm glad he trimmed some weight.

From 400 to 380. I think he will be a little lighter on his feet!!!!

SavannahDare · May 21st, 2008, 07:16 PM

I think he's going to lose even more than he plans to. If he's already down to 380 and hasn't even set foot on campus, I'd wager he has another 20-30 pound loss ahead of him this summer. 6'5" and 350/60ish ain't no joke!

Calvinwebster · May 21st, 2008, 07:25 PM

	Quote:	SavannahDare
	I think he's going to lose even more than he plans to. If he's already down to 380 and hasn't even set foot on campus, I'd wager he has another 20-30 pound loss ahead of him this summer. 6'5" and 350/60ish ain't no joke!

It said in the article that he was going to try and be around 370-375. I really like the fact that he has worked and lost 20 lbs before ever stepping on campus. It shows where his heart is and that he wants to win.

IMALOYAL1 · May 21st, 2008, 09:05 PM

	Quote:	Calvinwebster
	It said in the article that he was going to try and be around 370-375. I really like the fact that he has worked and lost 20 lbs before ever stepping on campus. It shows where his heart is and that he wants to win.

Much better than some we've had show up 30 to 40 lbs gained when they really needed to loose weight. I think Coach Saban's demeanor instills the attitude that hard work is mandatory for any player who wants a spot in the rotation.

rgw · May 21st, 2008, 09:16 PM

	Quote:
	“It’s great to have the top class," Cody said. "I liked us getting the top class. It was real big. We brought in a lot of good guys for us."

It was REAL big thanks to Cody. :P

Crimson Hawk · May 21st, 2008, 10:04 PM

Summer workouts should be very interesting this year. Actually, what happens in summer workouts, & in the weightroom, from now till August is gonna have a huge impact on our season. Possibly moreso than any in recent memory.

BigEasyTider · May 21st, 2008, 11:11 PM

Pardon the poor pun, but this is big news for the Tide.

Size is nice, but you have to be able to move in this game. Huge guys with a ton of strength that cannot move laterally and cannot explode off the ball simply cannot play at a high level in this league.

Ahmad Childress was 6'6 and weighed at times over 370 pounds. Anthony Bryant was 6'3 and often times weighed over 350 pounds, and during his time at Alabama he set damn near every power lift record at Alabama. However, neither were ever even average players in this league. Childress only played in 2003 because of a complete lack of depth, and was a complete non-factor. Anthony Bryant, on the other hand, had only one really big play in his career -- the safety against Auburn in 2003, which actually resulted from a blown block by an Auburn lineman -- and going into his senior year he was beaten out by an undersized walk-on. Bottom line, I don't care how big you are, unless you can move laterally and explode off of the ball, you'll never be a particularly good player in this league.

And that's where it's big for Cody. He has the size, but he has to be able to move, and in all honesty the lost weight will go a long way towards that cause. I hope he can continue to shed the pounds and get in better paying shape. There will be a direct connection between his ability to do that and his level of performance in 2008.

BEATtutorsee · May 21st, 2008, 11:38 PM

	Quote:	Crimson Hawk
	Summer workouts should be very interesting this year. Actually, what happens in summer workouts, & in the weightroom, from now till August is gonna have a huge impact on our season. Possibly moreso than any in recent memory.

Yep, and just how many of this year's signees that are able to participate in said workouts will have a large impact on the coming season as well IMHO. It'll be beneficial not only for them but for the guys already on the team because something tells me these guys (signing class) are coming to try and win some jobs.

Bamabuzzard · May 22nd, 2008, 08:37 AM

	Quote:	BigEasyTider
	Pardon the poor pun, but this is big news for the Tide. Size is nice, but you have to be able to move in this game. Huge guys with a ton of strength that cannot move laterally and cannot explode off the ball simply cannot play at a high level in this league. Ahmad Childress was 6'6 and weighed at times over 370 pounds. Anthony Bryant was 6'3 and often times weighed over 350 pounds, and during his time at Alabama he set damn near every power lift record at Alabama. However, neither were ever even average players in this league. Childress only played in 2003 because of a complete lack of depth, and was a complete non-factor. Anthony Bryant, on the other hand, had only one really big play in his career -- the safety against Auburn in 2003, which actually resulted from a blown block by an Auburn lineman -- and going into his senior year he was beaten out by an undersized walk-on. Bottom line, I don't care how big you are, unless you can move laterally and explode off of the ball, you'll never be a particularly good player in this league. And that's where it's big for Cody. He has the size, but he has to be able to move, and in all honesty the lost weight will go a long way towards that cause. I hope he can continue to shed the pounds and get in better paying shape. There will be a direct connection between his ability to do that and his level of performance in 2008.

If he can get penetration, has quickness off the ball and has lateral movement that will be a bonus for what we really need him for and that's simply to take up space. If he can take up space in the middle and simply plug a hole that will go a long ways in our defense being that much more successful. What I don't think will happen with Cody is after the play you seeing him two and three yards of being pushed off the LOS. Last season our middle was just to light and at times I saw the DT's walking back to the LOS from OUR side of the defense. They were getting pushed two and three yards down the field.

GreatDanish · May 22nd, 2008, 10:45 AM

Based on what I've seen some people say, all we really need at the nose tackle position is a 400+ pound dude standing there because he will take up space and plug the holes.
In order for him to be a factor, he'll have to be able to move to those holes, push the OL out of his way to get there, or a combination of both. Good news is that for his size, Cody seems to have the ability to do that. I haven't seen a lot of film on him, but in order for him to be an impact player from day one, he will have to show that he has endurance, some level of quickness, and brute strength.
He's not going to have to get to the quarterback quickly, catch a RB coming around the corner, or drop back into coverage, but he will have to do a lot more than stand there, take up space, and being glad he's a 400 lb NT.

Bamabuzzard · May 22nd, 2008, 11:00 AM

	Quote:	GreatDanish
	*Based on what I've seen some people say, all we really need at the nose tackle position is a 400+ pound dude standing there because he will take up space and plug the holes.* In order for him to be a factor, he'll have to be able to move to those holes, push the OL out of his way to get there, or a combination of both. Good news is that for his size, Cody seems to have the ability to do that. I haven't seen a lot of film on him, but in order for him to be an impact player from day one, he will have to show that he has endurance, some level of quickness, and brute strength. He's not going to have to get to the quarterback quickly, catch a RB coming around the corner, or drop back into coverage, but he will have to do a lot more than stand there, take up space, and being glad he's a 400 lb NT.

No that's not the thought process. But on the other end some people think that if he can't hurdle the center at the snap of the ball, throw two blockers to the ground at the same time then he won't be effective. Which is total crap.

A man that size with ANY KIND of leg drive will help the defense. Even if the leg drive is only enough to keep him at the same spot he lined up at before snap. Him just being able to do that eliminates that part of the LOS for a rb to run through because at that point all he has to do is stick an arm out or lean over to put a body on the RB. His mass alone will slow a rb down with any contact. But if he can do more than that, which I think he'll be able to do our defense will GREATLY benefit.