Just Realized ...

[ojaipony]

We are going to be VERY good next year. Let's look at the facts across the board by position versus last year where we are upgrading pretty much across the board:

- QB (enough said assuming GG makes it). If not, look at CP: "Compiled 29-1 record as a starting quarterback at Junipero Serra... LED THE STATE with over 3,500 passing yards and 42 touchdowns, earning first-team All-State and All-CIF honors... Ranked as the No. 2 quarterback and No. 13 player overall in the state by CaliHiSports.com... Guided his team to an undefeated 15-0 season in 2009, throwing for 44 touchdowns" ... The ONLY reason this guy wasn't a 4 (or even 5) star was his height. We are very lucky to have him. He LED THE STATE. #2 QB IN THE STATE ... California ... Dude threw to Robert Woods. Time to give this guy his props. Solid, solid backup.

- RB. Enough said. Best in conference, one of best in the nation. And, with KC healthy and lil' Fridge (Wimbley), we will be even deeper there this year which I hope makes Zach even better (more rest for him).

- WR. DJ is probably best in the conference now. Thompson, Holman, JJ, and Holleman are all now a year older/more experienced and you have a Parade All-American in backup role (Dieter) plus Lagassi which is probably an upgrade to Beasley. And they will ALL be working with one of the best WR coaches in all of college football (definitely an upgrade in coaching there for sure).

- OL. Here's the debate. Personally IMHO, we are upgrading at center (Junk, former all conference, probably the best center in the conference now) and another OL (Gottschalk - just look at the guy's bio: 14th-best center in the nation by Rivals... All-CIF Pac-5 Division First-Team selection... Serra League Most Valuable Lineman) with another very experienced OL (Collins). We will be deeper here than we've been in a while. The only REAL replacements are 2 guys. Biggest question mark but I feel we'll be better. Beach's position will not be an upgrade nor, probably, will be Lereibus. But others will be. And an upgrade in coach here as well.

Defense...

Dline: NG is same, all conference. Margus is a freak, all conference. And Christian Holloway (possibly the best athlete on the entire defense) and Grenier on the other end.

LB: Enough said. By far, the best LB corps in the conference. Probably 3 all conference next year.

DB: Acker is solid and Middleton is an upgrade.

Safeties: They will certainly be bigger and Roundtree looks to be a beast. We will be deep here with AJ Justice and perhaps Randolph. Upgrade athletically at this position.

Special Teams will be rock solid - there are lots of guys competing for PT and will be working hard to impress, especially some young talented guys.

So, my fellow PF-ers, it's time to realize (contrary to what some of you want to believe) we will be VERY good next year. (And with that home schedule, THIS will be our break out year - people will be talking about SMU next year nationally). If we didn't have Baylor, TCU, AND aTm on the schedule I'd go as far as saying we finish top 25 but I'm not sure right now if I'm ready to say that yet. We should all be expecting to be conference champs next year and getting behind this team. We haven't been anywhere near this talented across the board since 1986.

[jpe747]

Good assessment ojaipony. It looks pretty promising. Add coach Phillips to the already offensive minded strategy and SMU might have yet another +.

[ojaipony]

I added JP (probably as you were typing your reply).

We need to start a buzz that this team is going to be VERY good in 2012 (definitely the best post-DP). Let the buzz start here and let it spread throughout the team, the students/alumni, DFW, educated sports fans, and then ultimately the nation!

[jpe747]

Boo! I wanted to mention it! LOL Little joke...actually, I'm really excited about the possibilities. You listed them well.

[SMU 86]

We can win CUSA.

[BCS STANG]

Middleton seems like a long shot to me but the rest seems pretty accurate. As long as the new OL can hold their own we'll have another 8 win season. Heard Gilbert is learning the RnS and expected to arrive at the beginning of Summer for voluntary workouts. This may be our best team in a while but we have a brutal OOC schedule.

[smubrooks]

I think Connor Preston is going to be the starter at the beginning of the season. We'll see if GG can steal his job. I'm expecting a 22-25 ranking and a CUSA championship at the end of the season.

[SMUer]

I just hope we start special teams work early this year. It took game 4-5 until we found a guy that could catch punts.

[AusTxPony]

No mention of the kicking game...what's up there?

[JonesDoe]

I added JP (probably as you were typing your reply).

We need to start a buzz that this team is going to be VERY good in 2012 (definitely the best post-DP). Let the buzz start here and let it spread throughout the team, the students/alumni, DFW, educated sports fans, and then ultimately the nation!

Great Post and a good plan.. It would also be great to see some evidence of the "death house gang" getting on board and putting some optimistic spin in their predictions on next season. Give a little credit where it is due (Jones) (recruiting).

[SMU1990]

Well said!

Go Ponies!

[JasonB]

QB: Unknown. Gilbert struggled behind a bad oline at UT and ours is the biggest unknown. His backup is a redshirt frosh with no PT. There is hope and potential, but a huge, huge unknown.

RB: great

WR: will be fine.

Oline: Beach for Gott: downgrade
Leribus for ??: downgrade
Tennison for McJunk: slight upgrade or even
Turner for Collins: downgrade, otherwise Collins would have started last year
Brooks for ??: downgrade
Position by position, I think the line is not as good next year. There is hope, but I will be pessimistic until I see sprint practice.

dline: Hunt the last 3 games was better than Frazier, so upgrade
Thompson for anyone - downgrade.
I think we will be okay on the dline, but we know Grenier is a solid backup in CUSA, so if he starts that is not a great sign.

LB: awesome

CB: Aker next year will be better than Acker this year, and that was decent.
The other corner, whomever it is, will be a downgrade from Crawford, who has a shot at the NFL.
S: Smith will be better next year.
Whomever comes in for Banjo will be worse than Banjo for the first few games at least.

Whenever you graduate that many key players, there is going to be an impact. Even UT feels it from time to time...

[ponyinNC]

If we win 1 out of the 3 games against Big 12 teams, i'll be happy. If we win 2 of those, i'd say we would be ranked in the top 25 at that time. If we won all 3, my head would explode.

Take care of business in CUSA and we will be fine. Go 2-2 in OOC schedule, maybe 3-1

[ojaipony]

Good stuff JasonB. My OPINIONS inserted below ...

QB: Unknown. Gilbert struggled behind a bad oline at UT and ours is the biggest unknown. His backup is a redshirt frosh with no PT. There is hope and potential, but a huge, huge unknown.

Disagree. No unknown here. GG - experience and recruiting/paper-wise - is the best quarterback we may have possibly EVER had coming in to SMU (if anyone wants to argue with me - who else has come in here who has already played in a freaking NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP game and almost came back and won it? When did we ever have a 5 star-type QB come here?)

RB: great

WR: will be fine.

Oline: Beach for Gott: downgrade (agree - for now)
Leribus for ??: downgrade (agree)
Tennison for McJunk: slight upgrade or even (upgrade)
Turner for Collins: downgrade, otherwise Collins would have started last year (agreed)
Brooks for ??: downgrade (agree)
Position by position, I think the line is not as good next year. There is hope, but I will be pessimistic until I see sprint practice.

dline: Hunt the last 3 games was better than Frazier, so upgrade
Thompson for anyone - downgrade. (definitely disagree - I believe Holloway will end up being much better than Thompson who was vastly overrated - he showed up in a big play here and there but there's a reason he's getting no NFL love right now).
I think we will be okay on the dline, but we know Grenier is a solid backup in CUSA, so if he starts that is not a great sign.

LB: awesome

CB: Aker next year will be better than Acker this year, and that was decent. (Acker is vastly underrated - when was he burned? if it's quiet from a CB perspective, that means the dude is a stud)
The other corner, whomever it is, will be a downgrade from Crawford, who has a shot at the NFL. (disagree - Crawford made some big plays but he was burned quite a bit and was vastly undersized - he will not make it in the NFL)
S: Smith will be better next year.
Whomever comes in for Banjo will be worse than Banjo for the first few games at least. (very much disagree - Banjo is a great person/leader (which we will definitely miss) but he wasn't that great in the passing game and was vastly undersized as well)

Whenever you graduate that many key players, there is going to be an impact. Even UT feels it from time to time...

[ojaipony]

No mention of the kicking game...what's up there?

I think it's the same - same punter/placekicker - I think we'll be okay there. Not great, but ok.