We have enough pieces and experience to score some points through the air. Hopefully we have put some time and effort into the running this offseason. That will only make it better. I just wonder how much patience they will have trying to run it. Its gonna take some IMO.
We are going to be damm good guys. It is time to face the facts. Running game will be 6-8 ranked in the league, solely because of Graham and the passing game opening the defense up. Don't forget, Marlin Lane is injury free and a year deeper in the program. If healthy, Bray to Hunter, and Rogers will be the top trio in college football, outside of perhaps Los Angeles. Don't forget Patterson and Rivera. Offensive Line has a lot to prove this year and I think they want to/will prove it. 3rd year in the program for a lot of these guys. The whole team is probably a lot stronger. and I am sure these boys on the o-line are as well. If we get that solid 7 to 10 guy contribution from the d line, (we have enough bodies there now) it will mask our deficiencies at LB, even though i think our top 4 LB's will be solid to very good. I have a sneaky feeling that the secondary is going to surprise us. Press coverage works wonders, imo. Coleman, Waggner, Brewer, and the 4th guy is TBD. Gordon will be effective in nickel packages. Palardy and Darr scare the living hell out of me though. Definite weak spots.
The redzone scares me as does short yardage situations. Special teams scares me. Depth at LB and the secondary in general scare me.
We have several bodies in the secondary if I am not mistaken. Is this another situation of quality over quantity for you JG?
Perhaps I should have listed what worries me as well. What I listed are the definite best case scenarios, and it is likely that not all of it will happen. I do think you can take the running game, and oline prediction to the bank. I have nothing to base it off of other than a gut feeling, but that it is all anybody has at this point.
Still pretty concerned about the secondary. Waggner will be fine but Brewer showed me nothing last season. None of the other DBs have proven much.
Randolph finished the season playing okay, Waggner will be a decent CB but after that, what do you have? Coleman was overwhelmed last season but he should be better this year, Gordon has proven he's a nickel back and not much else, Teague is Teague and the rest are young and unproven. I do think Bonner can play but not right away. McNeil is most likely going to be a very good safety. Even if the young guys pan out, they'll take a lot of lumps.
For our defense to be able to hold their own, it's going to rest in the hands of the front 4, er, 3. I am a firm believer that a dominant D-line can mask weaknesses easier than anything else on a defense. I'm still learning the 3-4, but if these guys can do their part and make it easier on the LBs, our defense is capable of holding their own.
We had plenty of bodies last year too, but they weren't good bodies. This year, Waggner should be good at CB and Gordon at nickel. Randolph, Moore, and probably Coleman need to grow up fast. Unless McNeil and Bonner manage to grow up even faster.
