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by graypony » Mon Apr 23, 2001 1:51 pm
For any of those of saw the scrimmage Saturday or have watched practices:
1. Are we going to be a lot better offensively?
I thought Luker was the best looking QB last spring, but I can understand the coaches going with experience. Was there just too many playmakers out this spring to tell?
2. Was it just me, or does it seem to everyone else that the defensive secondary will be massively improved from last year? Who stood out and who should we look for? Are there any "playmakers"?
I thought it might have been one of Coach Cavan's finest decisions to move Coach Henderson to the secondary.
3. What is the extent to DD Lee's re-injury and will he be recouperated to work out this summer or go through two-a-days?
He reminds me of the type of players Jimmy Johnson drafted to make the Cowboys a power 9 or 10 years ago: athletic, fast, and aggressive. Jarian James is that same type of player.
4. Is the key going to be the OL? Last year it was the secondary, though they did seem to mature as the year went on until the 2nd quarter against TCU. Can the OL carry this team to a bowl?
5. Are there any true freshman who can contribute right away, and if so, who are they?
6. Aldrige looked fantastic in what little action I saw this spring. He looked like I thought he would look last fall. Is it that we are weak in the OL that he looks good or is he that good and it just took a year to adjust from OLB to DE?
BTW, look for our other DE, Pratt, and those who are in academic trouble to become eligible during summer school. I have seen these kids do a lot better when they have just one or two classes to concentrate on in the more relaxed summer school setting.
7. I know that it is still 4 months away, but I am ready for September to get here. Are we not going to be better with the new QB and so many starters coming back?
Please, if you have an opinion, and I know you all have, express it honestly to any or all of the above questions, without rose colored glasses.
Could this be our breakout year (like NCarolinaSt had last year) or another disappointment?
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by Guest » Mon Apr 23, 2001 2:41 pm
I think the defense will be much improved this year. I look for it to regain its past "bend but dont break" form. Shumann is too good of coach to let the breakdowns we saw last year continue. I also love the enthusiasm of Belin and Giles in practice. This has to translate to the team. The defense is starting to look fairly deep to me if we can get a few guys back off of injury. As for the newcomers, I would expect that Marcus Walker from Louisana could provide some depth on the dline if they choose to play him. On offense, i felt like you could tell absolutely nothing from the spring. Too many guys out. The o line remains a concern and looks like the definite key to the season. Sterling Harris continued to show he can pancake people but it seems to me he really struggles when no one lines up directly opposite of him. When he has to 'find' his man he doesnt seem to get a good piece of him. We need Chandler back and Hargis to really emerge. Johnny Freeman should be much improved next year after aclimating to new position. As an upperclassman, I expect he could be the same kind of star Jacoby Rhinehart became. I still wonder if Freeman could be a dynamite dback and play both ways at times.
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by ponytalk » Mon Apr 23, 2001 4:36 pm
<B>1. Are we going to be a lot better offensively?</B>
I do not think so. I think Luker has a better arm and mind than McCown, but I think McCown was a better athlete. Out O-line is worse this year. The offense cannot produce if the QB has no time or the RB has no blocking. I think that is the wall that we must overcome to be successful. I do not think the offense will be better this year. It would also help if the coaches used all of our targets, instead of two a game. We have a ton of depth at WR and RB, and now at TE.
<B>2. Was it just me, or does it seem to everyone else that the defensive secondary will be massively improved from last year? Who stood out and who should we look for? Are there any "playmakers"?</B>
I think Henderson's move to secondary coach was also a smart one. From what I hear he is a hell of a coach. I think the DB's have matured, but I think they still have a ways to go. We might have had too great of expectations last year. I think our corners are good, but the safeties are weakness.
<B>3. What is the extent to DD Lee's re-injury and will he be recuperated to work out this summer or go through two-a-days?</B>
I don't know his injury, but I sure hope he will be 100% for the fall. He is a punisher. I disagree on your feelings that he has speed, but he can do some destruction in the middle. I want to see DD Lee in the middle and Vic and Jarrian outside, with their awesome speed and hard hitting. DD Lee, Jarrian James, and Vic Viloria are some of the hardest hitters on the team. That is an awesome threesome I cannot wait to see next year.
<B>4. Is the key going to be the OL? Last year it was the secondary, though they did seem to mature as the year went on until the 2nd quarter against TCU. Can the OL carry this team to a bowl?</B>
As I said before, yes. I do not think that the OL can take us to a bowl. I do not even think that they can take us to 5 games.
<B>5. Are there any true freshman who can contribute right away, and if so, who are they?</B>
Maybe some olinemen. I think we should red shirt the d-linemen since we seem to have some depth there. Birdwell, Blagg, Croy, Post, and I am forgetting someone.
<B>6. Aldridge looked fantastic in what little action I saw this spring. He looked like I thought he would look last fall. Is it that we are weak in the OL that he looks good or is he that good and it just took a year to adjust from OLB to DE?</B>
I think KA is going to be AWESOME. He is huge and I think he had a great spring weight room performance. I think he is better than Pratt. Pratt cannot get his act together.
<B>7. I know that it is still 4 months away, but I am ready for September to get here. Are we not going to be better with the new QB and so many starters coming back?</B>
No. Our schedule is very tough next season, especially the opening 4 games. With the offense we have I think that we will have trouble. Our confidence will be low coming out of the first four games, and it seems that we had motivational problems last year. I think SMU Football is in a hole right now and we will be the same as last year. The defense seems to have improved, but they will be on the field for too much of the game and get worn down quickly.
The talent of the team has not changed. We lost some important seniors. What it is going to take for us to have a successful season is a change in the coaching. Kueck and Cavan’s game time play calling stunk last year. If that does not change, we are really in trouble.
<B>Please, if you have an opinion, and I know you all have, express it honestly to any or all of the above questions, without rose colored glasses.</B>
As you can see, there is nothing pretty about my opinion. These are my thoughts, and my glasses are completely clear.
<B>Could this be our breakout year (like NCarolinaSt had last year) or another disappointment?</B>
No way. This is not the breakout year, at all. If any year was, it should have been last year. We had the stage set, the schedule, and everything. It was a true disappointment. And NC State has an unbelievable QB with Rivers. There is no way we will compare to them any time soon.
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by Charleston Pony » Mon Apr 23, 2001 7:16 pm
GP: I for one believe an improved offense is our only hope for a "break-out" season. We will be deeper and more experienced on the defensive side (assuming we can stay healthy...something I don't need to tell you). If we see any improvement in the kicking game, together with a solid defense, we should fare better with field position. I think it will be critical that we stay in games this year and our guys don't get demoralized. That's what I saw last year because we just don't have the offense to outscore anybody.
What killed us too often last year was stupid mistakes and untimely turnovers. Luker sat and watched and we can only hope he LEARNED...but with our offensive line still the weakness of this team, the QB WILL play under a lot of pressure and will have to avoid forcing things that just aren't there. Luker has a quicker release than Josh ever had and if he can make his reads, I'm optimistic we can play smarter this year. I thought Page did a decent job last year coming into a new system, so having either one of these guys on the field might help us avoid the frequency of mistakes we had last year.
Our OL is not real athletic and appears better suited to run vs. pass blocking. I have to wonder if we won't see a more conservative approach this year with our trying to grind things out a little more than last year. The experimentation with Brown as a lead blocker might be a sign of things to come?
Hey, I don't care if it gets ugly. As the guy once said; just win, baby! I will take it a step farther than the post above that suggests the 1st 4 games are critical...we will know after those 1st two games whether we have any chance of having a break-out season.
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by Big D » Mon Apr 23, 2001 9:50 pm
greypony, I still have rose-colored glasses, and I refuse to take them off for 2 more seasons. I agree with a lot of what all have said. I think the O-line is the concern, Luker and Page will have to become experienced very fast,(I know Page played last year) this is D-1. I think the defense will be Way better than last year's. If only everyone will get elligable and stay healthy. I was impressed with the D in the only scrimmage that I saw.(R&B) I just really think they are going to be good. We have better depth this year, so maybe they won't get as tired(because they will be on the field a lot). I guess my rose colored glasses aree only partially tinted, because I see offensive problems, but HOPE they will gel as a unit and score lots of points! By the way, glad to see JD made it through the spring unhurt. I hope he got some confidence that things weren't going to break, so he can let loose and show everyone what he's really got. Best of luck to him and ALL the Ponies!
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by jettison » Tue Apr 24, 2001 11:24 am
I don't have many answers, but I would find it humorously ironic that a year after the Mustangs had a bad year following a spring and summer of excited and optimistic fans... that they have a good year following a spring and summer of disappointed and pessimistic fans.
Predictions and advice are the junkmail of life. That's why many bookies become junkies and serve life. (what?)
The bottom line is that the Mustangs have as good a chance as any to succeed in their current environment, and I will be there to wish them a fun day in the sun.
[This message has been edited by jettison (edited 04-24-2001).]
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by BUS » Tue Apr 24, 2001 12:33 pm
Number one reason D will be better is SIZE. Starters and back ups have put on 20 to 30 lb's with coach designed weight plan this winter. Even Comet has put on muscle and looks mean.
If we come back after summer with even more muscle and speed due to weight room changes - we could suprise teams.
Let us hope we come out of the locker room pumped up and ready to play the first half.
Go Mustangs
Mustang Militia: Fight the good fight"
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by SMUPonyFan » Tue Apr 24, 2001 1:49 pm
BUS, since when do you care about size?
Honestly, I think the part about coming out of the loccer room is dead on right. 70% or more of football is mental, I do not think we had the right mentallity last year, except for one game...Kansas.
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