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I only joined this mighty Mecca of Mustangs in September of last year. I was wondering this: Did you guys know that our D was going to be as bad as it was? Where does what we are seeing in training this year compare to last?

Last year, I had expectations much like those I have had each year as a Mustang fan: that we were going to turn it around and win. Since this time last year, I have learned from the wise PF regulars that i should have no expectations. It is a much better place to be.

Nobody thought last year's defense would be equal to the unit the year before, but I don't think anyone predicted the cratering last year's D went through. Problem — we lost Justin Rogers, Brandon Bonds and Adrian Haywood from the year before, and we had a bunch of small guys on the defensive line and at LB. In addition, the DBs were playing miles off the line of scrimmage, which is fine when you're playing a track team of fast WRs, but against some of the teams we saw last year, it made no sense.

This year, the couple of times I popped in during the spring, we look better. Maybe a lot better — we'll see. Serge Elizee is the kind of space-eater at DT who can keep blockers from getting to the LBs, and Patrick Handy is quick enough to generate an interior pass rush. Anthony Sowe, Youri Yenga and Jordan Johnson showed promise last year - especially Yenga. Justin Smart's move to MLB makes the LBs much bigger, as do the bulked-up Will Bonilla and Pete Fleps, and a couple of newcomers. DBs seem better — McCann is a stud, Derrius Bell really came on at the end of the season, and Rock Dennis seems to be capable of living up to the promise we saw last year, and could be the key to the defensive backfield. Several young defensive players could play, especially in the secondary.

Mustangsabu wrote:I only joined this mighty Mecca of Mustangs in September of last year. I was wondering this: Did you guys know that our D was going to be as bad as it was? Where does what we are seeing in training this year compare to last?

Know that our defense was going to be bad?!?

Two things come to mind that were the main theme.....

Kool-Aid

Lido Deck

i didnt come in with good expectations but i thought we would at least play .500 ball

Not sure when it was, but a lot of us figured we had some issues when it was learned Carrington wouldn't be playing

I expected no better than 5-7 and expected the defense to be the culprit brought on by an ineffective pas rush leaving a below average secondary exposed, which in turn put pressure on the offense and putting too much on Willis' shoulders.

RednBlue11 wrote:i didnt come in with good expectations but i thought we would at least play .500 ball

We did. We played the first halves.

I posted a lengthy detailed analysis of the reasons that every unit on the defense was weak last year in the days before the season opener. Called it Grading the Defense. Not a popular opinion-a lot of posters claimed I didn't know what I was talking about.

Stallion wrote:I posted a lengthy detailed analysis of the reasons that every unit on the defense was weak last in the days before the season opener. Not a popular opinion.

dap to you sir

FWMustangGirl wrote:Last year, I had expectations much like those I have had each year as a Mustang fan: that we were going to turn it around and win. Since this time last year, I have learned from the wise PF regulars that i should have no expectations. It is a much better place to be.

I am so proud right now.

I had high expectations last year. But I've run out of kool-aid -- we're going to do at least twice as good as we did last year.

I did not post a lengthy detailed analysis last year, but said 127 times that I was worried about our D. I hope to make it to 128 this year.

You should be proud, jt.

We can argue about this over lunch tomorrow, but I think this all hinges on the semantics of the term "expectations." I have an expectation that we'll see great improvement this coming year over the last.

Let's look at Webster's definition: ""Latin exspectare , to look forward to to consider probable or certain <expect to be forgiven> <expect that things will improve> b: to consider reasonable, due, or necessary <expected hard work from the students>"

I don't think the sun rising tomorrow is certain. But I do consider it reasonable and probable that the team will improve. Not due, not necessary, not certain, but probable.

I guess some context is appropriate here. Whenever I have espoused my theory of no expectations, it has been in the context of the team, and specifically wins and losses. As for individuals, we should all expect, and even demand, that each player give his all at every stage of the game, and I myself do. As for the team results, I'll stick with hope for now.

But I will say this...indications are that the tide may be turning on the Hilltop with an emphasis on returning to competitive athletics. The day we are entitled to expect wins in football and men's basketball may not be too far off.