The 2024 hype-filled make not make it until opening kickoff thread

I've tried to temper expectations in recent memory because of a combo of BVS and inept coaching, but this year is going to rival 1996 with expectations and excitement. And I already cannot wait for August 31 to get here.

 

To me it’ll be about lb and db play getting us off the field in key games. We will basically have 7 new starters. Pili will help. 44 needs a lot of work. He took bad angles or ran into blocks too often. Who will play corner opposite Gibson. Who at star. Who at safety along with the transfer.

 

I texted this to Card, I’ll put it here too. Any time you feel it getting out of control, just take a look at this photo.

 

The Oregon State transfer at CB, Turrentine at safety and Jourdan Thomas at star

 

Lots of hype for Ole Miss. Warranted?

 

With Carter and Pili returning, I would think we'd see less of 44.

 

If Dart is returning, yes. QB play is so important in modern football, and they have a good one coming back.

 

Yeah the thought of our defense is going to keep me in check. Offense should be fun and will cover for the defense more than it did this past season, but Banks and co. will have us all throwing shit at the TV at some point.

 

Was the defense so bad? Seemed more consistent than the year before. Definitely a better pass rush. Not having a top offense meant every mistake mattered more. Defense was not getting much help but were getting put back out there pretty quick.

 

There’s apparently a Temple CB coming to visit. Maybe it goes in the other thread

 

Sometimes I just thought they had exactly the wrong plan

 

No, it wasn’t.

 

The defense had 3 horrible first halves in big games which put an already struggling offense out of sink. 53/60 passing and 23/29 3rd down conversions in first halves at UF, v Ga and at Mizzou. Crazy, horrible numbers. It doesn’t get worse. No different than people claiming Iowa had a great defense but was outscored 92-0 vs top 25. Can’t play scared, play bad and choke 3 big games away by the 3rd quarter. We knew those games our offense may not get the ball 4 times in the 2nd half. We cannot give up so many long deflating drives next year. 20 play 10 minute drive was ridiculous.

 

I didn’t watch the Missouri game, but the Florida game was a terrible plan. They had an unconfident QB and no real downfield threats on the outside, and we let them dink and dunk and do exactly what they wanted to do. They should’ve been in that guy’s kitchen every snap

 

Banks does a lot of weird shit and the DBs aren’t coached well at all. There will be plenty of the same issues next year. The offense put them in bad spots this year, but the biggest issues I saw didn’t have a lot to do with being put in bad spots. It’s more philosophical and technical than situational.

 

There should be much better athletes on the backend next year which would allow the defense to play more aggressively.

 

And their pass pro was suspect.

 

I know I’m pretty much the only one on this island but I am sticking with my “giving up a 20-play drive in the first half is fine, actually” take. If you make someone convert six third downs in a row to score, they will eventually mess up. The problem with the Missouri game is that we stopped making them convert all the third downs and started getting gashed. Similarly, the Florida game turned on its head when we gave up a 50-yard touchdown run.

The third down stuff bothers me, but it’s mostly about how many third-and-longs we gave up against Florida. When the other team makes their mistake and you’ve got them in 3rd and 12, you have to get off the field. If you can’t do that well over half the time, you’ve got problems. If you’re just giving up 3-4 yards every play and making them fight for inches on third and four and be mistake-free everywhere else, it’s different. Do that, and the defense only needs one little win to shift a possession. If they can erase their mistakes with 15-yard passes, you no longer have a bend-but-don’t-break.

 

What then, though, when keeping your your defense on the field for so many plays creates the injury problems we’ve experienced? Those thin defenses have been utterly eviscerated at the end of season big games the past few seasons.