Just a feeling, maybe I'll be dreadfully wrong. I think we weren't as bad as our record indicated last year. Maybe it's a fool's hope, but I'm not dreading this season like I thought I would.
Why do I feel like we're actually going to be pretty good in football this year?
- Thread starter Alvious
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I have hope, mixed with dread. I hope that a reasonable defensive scheme will turn us into an aggressive team that attacks opponents. But...we lost some serious talent. On the other side, my optimism about Sullivan and Porter is offset by concern about the line and WRs.
STs, I fear, are hopeless, yet again.
If we land an awesome transfer QB and a couple of DTs, sure.
Or if Sullivan really amazes us and our OL gels.
Or if Sullivan really amazes us and our OL gels.
Objectively, the only reason for optimism would be the new DC and the new energy brought by the new position coaches.
That said, I’ll have whatever you’re having.
I'll have some too.
Hard to imagine they'll be worse than last year, esp. with significant coaching changes with new young blood who want to build careers.
I do think there is precedent for seeing immediate improvement in the defense simply due to coaching. However, there is no getting around the lack of depth at DT, so I think the improvement will be modest.
We have a chance to see some improvement on offense as well, but we are very unproven at WR, and we will be depending on previously injured QB and RBs to stay healthy. IF everyone stays healthy and makes normal incremental gains, we would be improved on offense too.
Unfortunately ” improvement” still means probably 3-4 wins with a 6 win ceiling.
We have a chance to see some improvement on offense as well, but we are very unproven at WR, and we will be depending on previously injured QB and RBs to stay healthy. IF everyone stays healthy and makes normal incremental gains, we would be improved on offense too.
Unfortunately ” improvement” still means probably 3-4 wins with a 6 win ceiling.
While I have next to no optimism for this season...this is also what makes college football so much fun - never underestimate the ability of ~100 college guys and their coaches to surprise us - for better or worse. Their ability to click out of nowhere, achieve next-level athleticism and athletic IQs from one year to the next, etc. - all runs circles around the NFL which is more boring to me than ballet.
Because you have been smoking killer weed and are unbelievably HIGH
I think we have a decent chance at 6-6 with a ceiling of 8-4 this year. Braun replacing JON on defense is going to have a huge impact, and with a few more key transfers, we could improve significantly.
I think we take one, maybe two more transfer DTs.
Also happen to think Story has a chance to be a REALLY good 3-tech, but there’s not much else behind him besides Flakes and incoming transfer Lawson. Gant and Roberts at leas have the size to be rotation contributors as true freshmen, wish one of those guys had been able to enroll for spring ball. I also wouldn’t be terribly surprised if Kilbane eventually bulked up and played 3-tech, mostly depending on whether we need him to stay outside at DE or not. Bastone has bulked up, but having him or PJ Spencer play extended snaps would be… not good.
The timing on this was glorious.
Yes Sir. Agree on all points - I also wouldn't be surprised to see Kilbane end up inside. I expect you will see Bastone or Spencer in the rotation, unless we're able to bring in at least one more transfer DT who can play a lot of snaps in the BT. Plus, regardless, I assume one or two of the top 4 DTs will get dinged, and we'll have to roll with Bastone/Spencer at times.
Even with the new DC and new excitement and buy in from the players, its hard to realistically see us being able to defend the run decently this year. We're just too undermanned at DT - similar to 92 and 93 when Barnett just arrived. I expect teams will score big points on us, and if Bryant/Sully and this offense doesn't find a new gear.... I think we're still at least a year away from looking like a solid Big Ten team again.
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Sounds reasonable, 3-4 wins if the coaching changes yield some improvement. A chance at 6 wins if we get a couple more upsets, and I hope we will be more competitive overall in our losses.
Very fair given the last two years.
It’d be great to see a poll on how many fans would take the over or under at 3.5…
Gotta believe Bastone and Spencer are at least as good as Lawson. Doesn't mean they're upper echelon P5 players, but serviceable rotation guys (read warm bodies) until we can get some better players. So at this point you have Story, then four warm bodies including Flakes, and two incoming frosh. Add in 1 or 2 transfers, and we could be okay.
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