HIBBLER
By Parrish Alford
Daily Journal
OXFORD – Sometimes position changes don’t necessarily equate to more playing time or a bigger role for the player making the swap.
C.J. Johnson switched to linebacker and helped. Cody Core signed as a receiver, played some defense, and ultimately blossomed back at receiver later in his career.
Jeremy Liggins is a guy who hasn’t found a big role as a niche quarterback or a tight end. Whether offensive tackle is the position that does it for Liggins won’t be known until he returns from suspension.
It doesn’t look good for Liggins at left tackle if you’re learning a new position but missing most of camp. Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze estimated yesterday that it might be near the end of camp before Liggins returns.
As position changes go, Willie Hibbler is an interesting case.
He’s just a redshirt freshman, so he’s making the move from tight end to linebacker early.
He moved from tight end to linebacker in the spring. He’s 6-foot-3, 231 pounds. The fact that he began at tight end speaks to his athleticism. Scout.com ranked Hibbler the No. 7 tight end in the 2015 signing class. Rivals.com called him the No. 23 athlete.
He was listed second at middle linebacker behind DeMarquis Gates on the preseason depth chart. That chart did not include transfers Rommel Mageo and Detric Bing-Dukes.
It’s been a bit of an adjustment for Hibbler to go from trying to lose defenders to trying to stick to the offensive guy.
“It was a major move. It’s pretty different from running routes and catching the ball. Once you move to linebacker you’ve got to actually cover that position and stop them, stop people from making catches, running away and scoring touchdowns,” he said.
During viewable periods on Thursday, the middle linebackers getting the most reps were Mageo, the Oregon State grad transfer, Temario Strong and Bing-Dukes.
It was interesting to hear Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze express slight concern for Mageo’s speed.
“I think the speed to which we play may be a little different than how he has been used to practicing. He’s made some adjustment to that, but we’re excited about him,” Freeze said.
This is the speed analysis for a guy who led Oregon State with 87 tackles last year and was a two-year starter in the Pac-12.
Bing-Dukes doesn’t look particularly gifted with speed.
This is the long way around to say Hibbler’s got a shot to do something at linebacker if he stays healthy.
He’s one to keep an eye on.
parrish.alford@journalinc.com
Twitter: @parrishalford