I think it's entirely possible for this team to reach the 8-9 win mark. I think the offense will be alright, but not great. I think the defense will be improved enough from last year and be good enough to win some games. I think it'll take a while to turn around almost a decade of turmoil and turnover.
That is a strange interpretation. Daz was TEs and Tackles. Hevesy was Gs and Cs. Daz wasn't the brains of the operation. Or any operation.Why would anyone think the OL will be improved? We just do not have the OL on scholarship to be improved and, I am not sold on Hevesy being a great OL coach. He was demoted under Meyer. The Daz became the OL coach, with Hevesy coaching under The Daz. The Daz was actually a good OL coach - amazingly...
I expect vast improvements.
I agree. We've heard this for 9 years. And each year they lead the league in some category of suck.Why would anyone think the OL will be improved? We just do not have the OL on scholarship to be improved and, I am not sold on Hevesy being a great OL coach. He was demoted under Meyer. The Daz became the OL coach, with Hevesy coaching under The Daz. The Daz was actually a good OL coach - amazingly...
Well, I define terrible as bottom 30. I'd call 60 ish to be below average. That's where I suspect we will be with any improvement on OL and a QB who can at least run the option with some proficiency.Several things stand out:
1. We have been so bad on the OL and at QB for so long, that I would embrace "averagely good" at those positions as a stroke of Devine intervention.
While I suspect you might be right, consider that the classes impacted by a good season this year are 2020 and beyond - assuming performance is sustained. Mac’s classes didn’t start looking better until he had back to back 10 win seasons and even then it was the next class, not current. Good recruiters are worth their weight in gold and you’d be hard pressed to identify one on the current staff. If Mullen can consistently win big, recruits will come... eventually. If Mullen can hire a few plus recruits, recruits will come... quickly, which makes winning big easier and more likely.5. Recruiting will be profoundly influenced by the quality of play on the field. We've got a lot to prove to the top-tier recruits. To think otherwise is folly, IMHO.
FIFY. Mac’s classes didn’t start looking better until he hired Jujuan Seider.
at this point it is all “gonna” and almost no “did”.
With Jefferson & Grimes, they have the speed & experience to beat man to man coverage.We are loaded at WR (assuming Van Jefferson & Grimes both make it in), RB, our OL should be solid, assuming no major injuries. The defense should be solid. Are we going to try and pound the ball, given that we will face 8 & 9 man fronts? Will our QBs be able to recognize single coverages? Will both our WR and QBs recognize blitzes and run slants to slow the blitzing down? There is a lot of talent in the skilled positions. Will we be able to take advantage of it?