[VIP] Jack Gibbens, Monty Rice, and the Role They Play at Linebacker
Who's going to get the starting job next to Azeez Al-Shaair?
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Folks, this morning, we have a fine example of the rare occasion during which procrastination actually helps. That’s right - I went down this weird internet rabbit hole well over a month ago trying to understand the specific roles of the linebackers in this Titans defense.
I ended up studying Jim Schwartz’s wide nine defense, quarters coverage, and the hybrid of the several different defenses that the Titans’ unit made up. What I had was about two pages worth of notes and no idea how to tie it all together into a coherent article. So, I just kept putting it off and putting it off.
This week, my procrastination actually paid dividends because the inside linebacker spot next to Azeez Al-Shaair is apparently up for grabs between Jack Gibbens and Monty Rice. All my “research” is once again relevant, so I better strike while the iron’s hot. Let’s dive into this competition.
I thank those of you who tuned into A Football Show on Monday to see me filling in for Braden. I had fully intended to go on the show and defend the honor of Rice before reading that Dr. Gibby was getting some of the first-team reps in practice. That had me wanting to sweep my “Monty Rice is underrated” take right under the rug for no one to ever see or remember ever again. But, why did I think that in the first place?
I’d point you back to a piece I wrote over on SoBros Network back in February when I took the time to study Rice along with the other inside linebackers the Titans fielded in 2022. You can read the whole damn thing if you’d like, but what I want you to really take from it are my notes on three guys: