buckmarkduck wrote:And the OL imho, will be much improved. The 4th quarter program will be huge for these guys.
This is one of the biggest concerns for me next season, because we can forget the QB or run game if we can't get the OL sorted out. Do you think this improvement will come from the existing line or new guys stepping up? This OL certainly didn't do TS a lot of favors last season and I think it has a very limited ceiling. Not sure how to classify the JuCo guys but the rest of the line (Walk, Moore, Forsyth) would be heading into what would normally be their redshirt senior season. They did well for being 1st time starters last year but they certainly don't look like guys who have been playing for 4 years already. Hear any buzz about any of these guys on mock boards? Neither do I... honestly it's kind of disappointing for a HC who was an OL himself and is an elite recruiter.
Not a knock on CMC, just a bit disappointing. The class this year was amazing but I have no idea if they'll be ready to go this season.
Stony Brook lost to Villanova lost night, 16-13. Spring FCS football, they’ll either be in shape or beat up. Hopefully we can pull out a win in that one.
As far as the OL, I’m expecting improvement. Both from existing guys getting experience and in better shape, plus I doubt we see the same lineups, jobs will be up for grabs. It would be great to have better play from both tackle spots. I’ve thought that both guards, Bass and Walk, move significantly better than the tackles. I also thought Bass was the most consistent, which is troubling when the other guys have been in the program so much longer than him. Did we ever find out what happened with Jonah T?
So here's a question I have as it relates to the 2021 Season: Should the Schools try to start the season earlier by a few a weeks to accommodate for potential game cancellations and allow for intra-league last week changes?
Everything right now seems like there is no planning for any potential road blocks that could occur.
Duck07 wrote:So here's a question I have as it relates to the 2021 Season: Should the Schools try to start the season earlier by a few a weeks to accommodate for potential game cancellations and allow for intra-league last week changes?
Everything right now seems like there is no planning for any potential road blocks that could occur.
It doesn't seem they're planning on road blocks since many believe enough people will be vaccinated so that stoppages won't be needed.
I think we have the most talented roster in the Pac12 with all of the departures that USC had of their top talent. That said, I don't think it's a massive difference. We should be favored in 11 of our 12 games next year, but I also think we drop 1-2 games that we shouldn't. Expectations should be to win the North at minimum and likely the conference as well, but playoffs shouldn't be an expectation. We don't have the roster that: Bama, Clemson, Georgia etc have just yet.
Nobody cares but I feel the need to post my record prediction after my lucky prediction in 2019. The more I think about this season the more pessimistic I am, I just feel like there are so many holes. I think some positions will be outstanding, such as WR and LB, then some will be average like the Oline, then some will be wildly inconsistent like the secondary. I just am lacking faith in the completeness of this team. I’m going with 8-4 with losses to Ohio St (they’re too talented), UCLA (Chip is wanting a win against Oregon, he was close last year, he’ll be ready to get it this year), Washington (angry fans, road game, loud environment Ducks don’t show up), and Utah (same as Husky game). I’m not losing faith in Mario, I still think someday he’ll make Oregon great, but I did believe Oregon was impacted by covid more than most of the teams in the country and due to the effects of Covid and all of the holes in the roster it’s caused, Mario is having to start all over. I sure hope I’m wrong.
The real danger to this team is injuries anywhere in the defense. It doesn't quite have good depth yet.
Popo has had injury issues. If he goes down, you're tossing freshman Keanu Williams into the game. Dorlus is going to be good but his backup is Poti who I have never read about in a practice report. If either of them goes down, the 3rd guy on the depth chart is a way undersized true freshman.
Starters at ILB look strong. But if any of them goes down, you'll be giving a walk on or true freshman Keith Brown significant playing time.
Secondary actually has a ton of scholarship players but I'm guessing most are developmental projects. Injury to a starter will hurt there too.
This isn't like the offensive side of the ball where an injury to a starter at pretty much any position can be replaced without too much of a dropoff.
