OK OK
No credit for the unknown.
I think my sense is there are a lot of blind spots. First, I give a lot of credit to Vechery and Rutherford; we have depth in those two - and that is a lot different from what we have had in the last 4 years. And on the Defensive Line, beyond Marinan, you have a solid core of RFR/RSO coming to the field at once: Atkins, Lawley, Okounam, Murphy. You can't go both ways. We thought highly of some of these kids when they first arrived. I expect that they can PLAY. Balis had his two years. Now let's see. My sense is that we have seen quite a few DLinemen get better in the latter years than the OLine. Second, I think we are more solid at LBs (Walsh, Joseph, Levenberry on the interior; Diggs + the Carrezola/Stapelton/Ormsby combo). A lot more talent across the second tier of the Defense. Third, Summers and Williams are better than OK Corners. A rising John Robinson is desperately needed. I agree on Melonfonwu. And we are going to miss Adams. That Safety spot is the most glaring neon spot on the Depth chart; my true hope is that Poindexter (who was an outstanding Safety at UVA) has groomed the competitors in Watkins and McAllister. Fourth, Receivers beyond Noel Thomas is a sincere hope. Both Beals and Mayala LOOK the part; and that has not always been the case. I can think of quite a few guys that we put on the field that just did not show lightning. Both those kids look like they can really rise. Both Bloom and Myers should be in their Prime as College TEs; both - injury free - should have solid production all year. Yes, we had a bunch of kids that we thought should be productive TEs; now we need the former QB and the MMA star to step up. Fifth, we have to be better at RB. Those OLine should give us far more opportunity. And Vickers and Hopkins SHOULD BE better than DiLorenzo (2.8 ypc) and Marriner (1.8 ypc) in a rotation.
Depth? I think this is just two guys looking at the same Roster in very different ways. It is year 3. Many many kids are rising right now. I would be surprised if a good half dozen aren't truly solid.
Your Predictions Game by Game?
I also think UVA will be very tough. Lots of talent that have arrived under London with a good solid HC. (*hmmm that also was Tom Herman taking over for Levine)
UCF, Syracuse, East Carolina, Tulane, Maine will have bumpy years with a new regime; good for us.
Navy will be down. Can we get up for our First Away game? I believe.
Temple and Cincinnati are known quality; both will take our very best to win.
BC should be a mess in November.
Houston is just going to be a real challenge; but we might fly into there with a solid D and a ton of confidence.
And ... I simply don't buy that USF will be some formidable Goliath. We can beat them there; we have the capacity to shut their Offense down.
That leaves the Shirreffs. Obviously, we need him very healthy for all 12 of these. I think we can sneak beyond 6 wins to 8. I count 6 quick.