The key to this coming season

[Tray Dub]

Has to be the o-line play. We've been a great running team the last couple of years, but that's been with basically the same dominant o-line. Now we lose a few starters, and we'll have relatively inexperienced guys. I think we've taken for granted what humongous holes our RB's have been able to run through. I think the line will be our biggest and most important question mark, and will probably decide if we can be undefeated going into the USC game.

And thank god Greatwood is still around to break in the new guys.

[VinnyKnuckles]

Has to be the o-line play. We've been a great running team the last couple of years, but that's been with basically the same dominant o-line. Now we lose a few starters, and we'll have relatively inexperienced guys. I think we've taken for granted what humongous holes our RB's have been able to run through. I think the line will be our biggest and most important question mark, and will probably decide if we can be undefeated going into the USC game.

And thank god Greatwood is still around to break in the new guys.

Yeah, it is pretty unlikely these young guys are going to step right in and immediately perform at the same level as NFL caliber players that had a lot of experience, such as Unger and Tupou. Most people just focus on the defensive line when addressing the concerns for next season, but there is no guarantee that the offensive line will be able to facilitate the same sort of dominating rushing attack either.

[gofightingducks]

O-line play to open up holes for Blount and Brown and to protect Masoli. Staying healthy (HUGE!). And two parts on the last one is the D minimizing passing yards a game and because I am weary of the D, the offense putting up a lot of points (40+ again).

[Mops]

For offense I agree the offensive line will be the most important part of this team's success. If we can have a good transition of the guard here we should be fine. We lost Scott and Willimas at WR but I forsee Maehl, Dickson, and Holland to replace those catches very well. Also, keep tabs on Redshirt LaMichael James for catches out of the backfield.

Kaiser, Holmes, and Thran will be fine. What is important is that Weems, Carmichael, and Asper can make the jump from back-ups and become legit starters. If we are forced to rely on Stevens, Cody, York, Fox, and Armstrong to play key snaps we might hit some bumps in the road.

[NCDucks]

OL will be solid. Greatwood will play the best 5, and after a solid offseason with spring ball and lifting, this group will be prepared and ready to go.

[Oracle]

With Greatwood's skill at evaluating talent and the highly rated recruits we have been bringing in and having the ability to redshirt and learn and grow better I'm not too worried about the O-Line. I think we may have a few growing pains but overall I expect another very strong group.

The D-line is by far my biggest concern. Having to rely on Juco guys that have never even been on campus as starters or important backups is more frightening by far to me.

I'm sure greatwood has a very good idea of what he's got for the O-line. He's known this was coming for quite some time and his lack of juco recruiting tells me that he has what he needs on the team to be successful.

[stewbertwilloughby]

Of coarse the OL is a key, but I think a new center is the biggest part of it. Hopefully Greatwood can get Stevens ready to play next season. Or maybe a new lineman will step up out of nowhere, those are my favorite. Also I would say the teams leadership is a key. I see Thurmond, Ward, Masoli, and Blount as team leaders, but I don't know if they can be the same as Reed, Johnson, Unger and Chung. Leadership was one of the reasons 2004 and 2006 weren't the greatest of years.

[whosyourwally]

one of my biggest concerns for next year is the receivers' ability to block. williams' blocks on so many plays this year were equally or more important than those of the oline. When you run side to side like ducks do, you have to take the cb's safteys and lbs out of the play. jwill did that better than any wr ive ever seen (sometimes 2 or 3 at time). hopefully he passes on his passion to the younger guys before he leaves.

[gregspechtismyhero]

IMO our key to success is our ability to stop the pass next year. We have some great backs this year and I think that if we could get some good coverage downfield, we could let the big boys pressure the QB into making some bad decisions. To me, that's the only question mark for next year. Can our talent-packed secondary step up and make plays? If the answer is yes, I don't think it's out of the question to be talking about a Rose Bowl.

[flyingduck]

Don't forget about Drew Davis at WR. He was peaking before he got hurt last year. He certainly has the potential to be similar to Paysinger or even D-Will next year.

D-Line is by far the biggest concern.

[Tray Dub]

The reason I think the o line's play is more important than the d line's is because we have very solid LB's to bail them out. The o line can't really be bailed out. I mean great RB's and movable QB's help, but if the o line blows an assignment, the play's basically busted. If the d line allows a hole to form, we've got a second line of defense that can help.

[gregspechtismyhero]

The reason I think the o line's play is more important than the d line's is because we have very solid LB's to bail them out. The o line can't really be bailed out. I mean great RB's and movable QB's help, but if the o line blows an assignment, the play's basically busted. If the d line allows a hole to form, we've got a second line of defense that can help.

Well then that goes for every team, every year. But we're talking about next year. Our O-Line has been dominant ever since I can remember, and with Greatwood back, I don't think we have to worry about it. Our key to success are the positions that have let us down (i.e. DB, LB) in the past. The reason we lost against BSU and Cal is because we allowed them to bomb it downfield and convert on 3rd or 4th and long. IMO we have everything else locked down (knock on wood) the only thing I see is the eventual emergence of our highly-talented secondary to step up when we need them to. And, in most cases, they didn't do that last year.

[ARGHimaPirate]

D Line is by far the largest weakness. That is evident in the amount of JC D linemen we took in this years recruiting class. We were thin last year and we lost our two starters. Plus with the loss of Reed our defense has to try and compincate for a the production that he brought. Tukuafu is a great SDE but he is the only known commodity we have coming back in the front four. Aside from losing Unger we have tons of talent coming back on the O line. So hopefully the JC guys we got at DT and DE will be able to fill the voids left by the departing seniors.Also with out a strong D Line our linebackers will be exposed like they were this past year because they will be overpursing the run, especially with the play action pass . With a strong D line that issue would minimized.

[briarduck]

I think the key to the season is winning every game...kidding!

Seriously though the key is the controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and I'm worried less about our offense side and more about our Defensive side. Greatwood will have our guys ready to go and no they may not be as good as last year (or the year before) but they don't have to be, its our defense that gives me most of my worries!

GO DUCKS!!

[Tray Dub]

It's not that I think our o line is less talented than our d line. It's that I think our o line is much, much more important. A team can survive a mediocre d line. It can't survive a mediocre o line (ask ASU).