highlander wrote:JasonB wrote:Don't underrate how much more difficult the schedule is this season. We did things last year like pull out the Duke game even though we made a ton of mistakes. We lose @Clemson, Miami, and Louisville this year if that happens, of course, but Baylor, @TCU, Syracuse, @Wake and @BC are all going to be interesting games for a variety of different reasons. The ACC was really down last year, but I would expect a step up this season.
JasonB - are we on balance better this year, or just different?
I'm hoping to get out to practice next week, we will see.
On paper, I think we are a little better overall on the roster. Certainly deeper. But also certainly younger, and vets tend to push you through closer games and keep the team focused.
QB - Jennings I expect a step up, but as much as I like Hawkins if Jennings gets hurt we have zero experienced depth.
RB - I love McFall, and high on Harden and Green and the unknown of Johnson is intreaguing. But Brashard was amazing last year.
TE - Best room in the country
WR - I think Hudson is going to be great. Mello is an athletic freak who hopefully can consistently produce in his last year. Lots of really nice freshmen. Knight will cover most of the loss of Rodrick. I like getting Goffney back. The talent of the room has taken a step forward, but a lot of that talent is inexperienced. I think if Hudson stays healthy, the group is better than last year.
OL - Better and deeper than we have had since the DP. We finally have a line deep enough to really run tempo and I think that will make a difference.
Overall, on offense, I think we are better than last year. Should be more consistent and less dependent on explosives - last year we were very dependent on explosives from KJ, BS, RJ, Daniels. But the health of KJ, Hudson, RJ is really important.
DL - last year's line was amazing, not just talent but also how they worked well as a unit. I think this group will be more explosive off the edge in terms of rushing the QB, but not nearly as good against the run. Roberts was amazing on that edge, and you saw the difference without him in the BC game.
LB - I am a huge Kilgore fan. We lost a lot but I think Kilgore will help us be just as good as last year.
CB - I think we will take a step up. Crossley was good, but had backend issues. Deuce and the Syracuse transfer and a ton more depth will make us better. The kids are going to be really good.
S - I think NWO and Moses are great. And I saw enough from Polley in the spring that he is the next great player at that spot. At nickel, Sanders was really good for us last year. But I saw enough from Chambers stepping up that I think he will continue to evolve, and Spencer and JMJ are athletic enough to challenge. So I think we are as good at this spot as last year.
So, on defense, better in the secondary, worse on the line. It is going to be a completely different defence than we have seen the last two years. Symons is going to get creative. I think you are going to see teams try and grind us down. But I also think an improved secondary and the edge rushers are going to be a nightmare for opposing offenses when they have to throw the ball, so you might actually see more negative plays.
In short, we are going to be very different. Less reliant on explosives on offense, more reliant on explosives on defence. But I think better overall.
The challenge is that Clemson has an amazing Roster. Miami I think has some really top end talent that gives them a slight roster edge over us. We have a top end talent edge over the TCU roster, but overall the rosters are pretty close, so being away that is a 50/50 game. Baylor we have a top end talent advantage and an overall roster advantage, but the difference isn't huge, so that game is going to be pretty close. Louisville is hard to predict - the offense looks scary, but overall the roster doesn't freak you out too much - they didn't upgrade the overall talent as much as I thought they were going to. Cal and Stanford both improved their roster and will be more competitive than last year. Syracuse is going to completely depend on QB1. BC I loved last year the second half of the year, but their roster looks like crap. I thought BOB had them moving in the right direction, but after looking at the roster I'm not quite sure he is recruiting at a high enough level. The Wake roster is pretty bad.
I have us at 4th in the league in terms of roster talent behind Clemson, FSU, and Miami. Last year we were 6th, so we have improved. But I think Baylor, TCU, Clemson, Miami, Louisville will all be tough games and there is potential for @Cal, @BC, and Syracuse to give us some fits.
I would be ecstatic with 10-2 this season. I'm probably expecting 9-3 or 8-4. That expectation changes if I get out there and DT is playing really well, the backup WR look great, and McFall is dominant.
