Sio Moore predicts a great season

[Doggie Style]

I'll call BS on this as well. Zach Frazer certainly had his warts, but he was light years beyond what McEntee showed last year. And as well as McCombs played, there is no comparison to Todman. Throw in Frey transferring, losing an all league OG, and 2/3 of the LB corps (2 of which performed at an all league level)......I can't see how you can make this statement.

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Jimmy, you are spot on! Your points are all solid but I thin the BIGGEST difference between the Fiesta Bowl team and last years starting lineup, THE OFFENSIVE LINE!! You cant even compare last years team to the previous roster.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

============================
Jimmy, you are spot on! The BIGGEST difference between the Fiesta Bowl team and last years starting lineup, THE OFFENSIVE LINE!! You cant even compare last years team to the previous roster.

In fairness, I think the difference between the 2010 and 2011 OLines has far more to do with injuries and adjusting to brand new blocking schemes than it did from losing Hurd and Olivier. Ryan (btw, has anyone heard updates on him lately?) and Masters were banged up last year pretty good.

 

[businesslawyer]

In fairness, I think the difference between the 2010 and 2011 OLines has far more to do with injuries and adjusting to brand new blocking schemes than it did from losing Hurd and Olivier. Ryan (btw, has anyone heard updates on him lately?) and Masters were banged up last year pretty good.

I agree with this.

 

[Doggie Style]

In fairness, I think the difference between the 2010 and 2011 OLines has far more to do with injuries and adjusting to brand new blocking schemes than it did from losing Hurd and Olivier. Ryan (btw, has anyone heard updates on him lately?) and Masters were banged up last year pretty good.

======================
Fair point, but it also has something to do with the fact that our o-line has been our bread and butter since moving to the BE. We have been somewhat spoiled there as we have usually been rock solid in run and pass protection. When we have a down year like last year from a pass protection standpoint, we tend to react. I said it in the spring, our season will sway in the direction the o-line takes us bcuz we are strong again at D. I hope they get off to a strong start!

 

[businesslawyer]

======================
Fair point, but it also has something to do with the fact that our o-line has been our bread and butter since moving to the BE. We have been somewhat spoiled there as we have usually been rock solid in run and pass protection. When we have a down year like last year from a pass protection standpoint, we tend to react. I said it in the spring, our season will sway in the direction the o-line takes us bcuz we are strong again at D. I hope they get off to a strong start!

Speaking of which, does any one know if Jimmy Bennett is working out yet? The question marks on the OL are obviously a lot less overwhelming with him lining up at LT.

 

[BlueMAB]

Your own quote defies your explanation, sorry.

In any event, we had bigger holes last year than just QB, and pointing that out is not an attack on Edsall because it wasn't necessarily Edsall's fault. We had no depth at RB. Todman blew up and left for the NFL and Frey transferred out. That has very little to do with Edsall, but it's still the truth. We didn't have much depth a LB last year, either. WR was a huge problem, and we were below average at safety. Pointing that out is not necessarily attacking the former coach.

You see what you want to see.

My intent was to point out that the roster was not bare. There is talent on the roster, and the number of guys on all conference/national award lists is evidence of that.

Disagree or make it about whatever you want, I don't care. This team is talented, and if we don't win at least 8 or 9 games against this schedule, we should all be very disapointed.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Speaking of which, does any one know if Jimmy Bennett is working out yet? The question marks on the OL are obviously a lot less overwhelming with him lining up at LT.

I've heard he's a full go for this summer. I'm looking at a line like this against UMass:

LT - Bennett
LG - Greene
C - Mateas
RG - Masters
RT - Friend

I also expect Cruz and Bullock to battle for starting spots and are probably the next 2 guys in.

 

[BlueMAB]

There was something buried in weyo's post about the QB play.

"Also folks, you got to have faith in the coaching staff. They came into this real late in the process last year and were left with whatever Edsall had scraped together. Which, by the way, wasn't a whole hell of a lot especially at the most crucial offensive position...QB. Toddman left a year early. That could have made a huge difference. Frey transferred out. That hurt. "

Yeah, that was only about QB play.

All I did was compliment a number of players on the roster and call the former coach a "" (neither of which was me being sarcastic).

 

[businesslawyer]

I've heard he's a full go for this summer. I'm looking at a line like this against UMass:

LT - Bennett
LG - Greene
C - Mateas
RG - Masters
RT - Friend

I also expect Cruz and Bullock to battle for starting spots and are probably the next 2 guys in.

I think that seven-deep talent is fine. If Bennett is healthy, the OL's performance will have more to do with the transition being over, and being comfortable with the new schemes, than a lack of talent. Oh -- and a QB who gets rid of the ball on time.

 

[BlueMAB]

If the o-line stays healthy, and we get just average production from our OL/QB/WR there is no reason we can't ride this defense to 8 or 9 wins, more if the offense is able to produce.

Whitmer seemed to get rid of the ball on time. he had a nice rapport with the BCU transfer who's name escapes me (Phillips?). we actually ran simple 10 yard timing routes that were completed succesfully. we haven't been able to do that in years.

 

[mattp]

I've heard he's a full go for this summer. I'm looking at a line like this against UMass:

LT - Bennett
LG - Greene
C - Mateas
RG - Masters
RT - Friend

I also expect Cruz and Bullock to battle for starting spots and are probably the next 2 guys in.

that line sounds pretty good to me. i think some people are forgetting that we changed our o-line blocking schemes last year, and that was probably a big reason for the drop-off in performance there. plus judging by the spring game the o-line should look better by virtue of improved play at QB. it's amazing the difference between the QB needing 3 seconds and 4 or 5 to figure out what they're doing with the ball and how much different it made the line look

 

[BlueMAB]

I hope we aren't all taking Moe Petrus for granted.

He was fantastic for us for 4 years, Mateas is learning a new position, and we shouldn't expect the transition to be seamless.

 

[Waquoit]

Assuming you were not being facetious (and since you actually posted that you agreed with me on something once this week already, I will assume that post was serious), thank you for making my point.

No problem, I'm here to help.

But as far as you most recent comment, the new QB is going to rid of the ball on time. And as a bonus, it's going to be delivered to the correct side of the receiver. I'm really thinking we are going to be good this year. I'm trying to guard against irrational exuberance.

 

[Dann]

wow this thread took off. the day of the MD game i think win or lose i'm going to just stay off here lol.

 

[pj]

wow this thread took off. the day of the MD game i think win or lose i'm going to just stay off here lol.

You know that's not possible.

 

[Dann]

You know that's not possible.

i have gone missing for 24 hr stints before pj. just ask my gf.

 

[businesslawyer]

No problem, I'm here to help.

LOL. I wish I had a purpose!

 

[pj]

i have gone missing for 24 hr stints before pj. just ask my gf.

That was your gf. This is the boneyard!

 

[metsfan2323]

We had roughly the same overall talent last year that we had when we went to the Fiesta Bowl.

If by roughly you mean not even close on offense then you are right.

We had an NFL caliber running back last year? The conversation should end there but...

Frazer was an average QB at best but he was much better then McEntee. Frazer actually excelled at avoiding sacks, he always got rid of the ball in the face of pressure whereas McEntee swallowed the ball too many times to be counted.

Sherman.

Zach Hurd?

Frey?

Honestly this was a cheap shot. I don't even think you believe it.

 

[businesslawyer]

If by roughly you mean not even close on offense then you are right.

We had an NFL caliber running back last year? The conversation should end there but...

Frazer was an average QB at best but he was much better then McEntee. Frazer actually excelled at avoiding sacks, he always got rid of the ball in the face of pressure whereas McEntee swallowed the ball too many times to be counted.

Sherman.

Zach Hurd?

Frey?

Honestly this was a cheap shot. I don't even think you believe it.

We returned five starters on average. Below average. We returned our placekicker, punter, kickoff specialist, punt returner and one of two kickoff returners on special teams -- above average. We returned nine -- nine -- starters on defense. Way, way, way above average.

So if by cheap shot you mean I failed to focus on the one part of the roster that would make your point and ignore the rest of it, guilty as charged.

 

[metsfan2323]

We returned five starters on average. Below average. We returned our placekicker, punter, kickoff specialist, punt returner and one of two kickoff returners on special teams -- above average. We returned nine -- nine -- starters on defense. Way, way, way above average.

So if by cheap shot you mean I failed to focus on the one part of the roster that would make your point and ignore the rest of it, guilty as charged.

This is a simpleton's analysis. You can't just count returning starters in football you need to use a weighted average. QB and RB are probably the two most important positions on the team. The Cupboard was bare at QB thanks to Endres, and Todman would have rushed for 500 more yards then McCombs did last year. I'm still waiting for McCombs to break a tackle, just one.

Overall the Big East was better last year too but that's another story.

 

[pj]

We returned five starters on average. Below average. We returned our placekicker, punter, kickoff specialist, punt returner and one of two kickoff returners on special teams -- above average. We returned nine -- nine -- starters on defense. Way, way, way above average.

Again, this is misleading. On defense, the problem was lack of depth. Apart from Gratz and Blidi, there were first-year players in the secondary, and Blidi was injured part of the season. At linebacker we had starters but no one behind them -- not even poor players for depth! -- and they got worn down in games. The result was we couldn't stop the pass.

This was my point -- in football it doesn't matter if you have 9 great players on the field, if you have 2 schlubs the other team will exploit those two and go to town. That was the trouble last year, and it was present on both sides of the ball.

 

[businesslawyer]

Again, this is misleading. On defense, the problem was lack of depth. Apart from Gratz and Blidi, there were first-year players in the secondary, and Blidi was injured part of the season. At linebacker we had starters but no one behind them -- not even poor players for depth! -- and they got worn down in games. The result was we couldn't stop the pass.

This was my point -- in football it doesn't matter if you have 9 great players on the field, if you have 2 schlubs the other team will exploit those two and go to town. That was the trouble last year, and it was present on both sides of the ball.

You are literally making things up. We dressed seven or eight LBs for games last year. The second unit, which we saw a few times in blow outs, consisted of Jerome Williams, Kenney and Osiecki. Brandon Steg also dressed and played on specials. There was a huge drop off behind many of the starters. That is a problem we've had compared to our peers from day one. It was hardly new last year.

 

[businesslawyer]

This is a simpleton's analysis. You can't just count returning starters in football you need to use a weighted average. QB and RB are probably the two most important positions on the team. The Cupboard was bare at QB thanks to Endres, and Todman would have rushed for 500 more yards then McCombs did last year. I'm still waiting for McCombs to break a tackle, just one.

Overall the Big East was better last year too but that's another story.

I do not disagree that QB is by far the most important position on the field. I wouldn't disagree if you want to say TB is second, although the difference between that and other positions is not nearly as significant.

Of course what I did was simplistic. That doesn't make it wrong. If you have a position weighted formula that people use to show why our losses were so much greater than average, show it to me. I'm all ears. (Not all 'eers -- that is another topic altogether.)

 

[Doggie Style]

Speaking of which, does any one know if Jimmy Bennett is working out yet? The question marks on the OL are obviously a lot less overwhelming with him lining up at LT.

===============
That's a good question, I haven't heard anything at all. I think it would b a good question for one of Dez's open forums. I would like him to give an update on where the line stands not only on performance at camp but depth as well. I hope we find another stud in the underclassman ranks that were not expecting much from, once camp breaks.

 

[UConnDan97]

Todman would have rushed for 500 more yards then McCombs did last year. I'm still waiting for McCombs to break a tackle, just one.

This is about the seventh post that I have read today on various threads in the Boneyard that essentially knock McCombs for not being Todman. This past year, everybody and their grandmother knew that we could only effectively move the ball on the ground (like most years), and McCombs STILL got 1,244 yards this past year! Are you serious? You're still waiting for him to break a tackle? Perhaps that's because they weren't in position to MAKE the tackle!

Here are the stats:

Jordan Todman 2010: 334 carries, 1,695 yards, 5.2 ypc
Lyle McCombs 2011: 275 carries, 1,244 yards, 4.2 ypc

Was Todman better? Yes, but that was his third year. This was Lyle's first. If you told me that someone in their first year on the field would gain over 1,200 yards....and people would consider it a weakness....then I would have said you are as crazy as those fans are. No offense, but c'mon guys!

 

[metsfan2323]

This is about the seventh post that I have read today on various threads in the Boneyard that essentially knock McCombs for not being Todman. This past year, everybody and their grandmother knew that we could only effectively move the ball on the ground (like most years), and McCombs STILL got 1,244 yards this past year! Are you serious? You're still waiting for him to break a tackle? Perhaps that's because they weren't in position to MAKE the tackle!

Here are the stats:

Jordan Todman 2010: 334 carries, 1,695 yards, 5.2 ypc
Lyle McCombs 2011: 275 carries, 1,244 yards, 4.2 ypc

Was Todman better? Yes, but that was his third year. This was Lyle's first. If you told me that someone in their first year on the field would gain over 1,200 yards....and people would consider it a weakness....then I would have said you are as crazy as those fans are. No offense, but c'mon guys!

Dude, learn the definition of context and read the post by BL I was responding to. I was responding to BL's rediculous assertion that the 2011 team was "roughly as talented" as the 2010 team. It clearly was not and the drop off from Todman to McCombs is the strongest example of that (as your stats show) so I used it in rebuttal to BL. McCombs was a redshirt freshmen last year of course he wasn't as talented as Todman. Somehow BL thinks he "roughly" was.

McCombs was solid last year and better then expected, but he needs to improve alot to ever be held in the same regard as Todman, Brown, Cauley and even Dixon. Thats not a knock just a fact. Not only could he not break a tackle in 2011 but he could not take a long run to the house without getting gassed and falling over himself. I look forward to see him do it in 2012, 2013 and 2014. I'll be rooting for him just like you.

Why is it that everyone gets to take shots at McEntee for his shortcomings but if you point out some facts about McCombs game everyone gets riled up?

 

[UConnDan97]

Dude, learn the definition of context and read the post by BL I was responding to. I was responding to BL's rediculous assertion that the 2011 team was "roughly as talented" as the 2010 team. It clearly was not and the drop off from Todman to McCombs is the strongest example of that (as your stats show) so I used it in rebuttal to BL. McCombs was a redshirt freshmen last year of course he wasn't as talented as Todman. Somehow BL thinks he "roughly" was.

McCombs was solid last year and better then expected, but he needs to improve alot to ever be held in the same regard as Todman, Brown, Cauley and even Dixon. Thats not a knock just a fact. Not only could he not break a tackle in 2011 but he could not take a long run to the house without getting gassed and falling over himself. I look forward to see him do it in 2012, 2013 and 2014. I'll be rooting for him just like you.

Why is it that everyone gets to take shots at McEntee for his shortcomings but if you point out some facts about McCombs game everyone gets riled up?

First of all, if you want to talk about context and facts (either of which, I'm not sure you grasp), please answer the following questions for me:

1) Where in my data or my statement does it say that there was a strong dropoff between Todman and McCombs? If anything, the data supports how close McCombs was. Yes, McCombs was about 450 yards shy of Todman, but he was also shy about 60 carries, too.

2) "Not breaking tackles and falling over himself"; who are you describing? The leading rusher in the Big East, or Corey Haim from the movie "Lucas"?? It's hard to tell which.

3) If you are looking for the people that are taking shots at McEntee, I'm not one of them. I've already posted today that I believe he will be the backup to Whitmer, and not Nebrich.

We agree on one thing; I'll be rooting for him just like you. But keep in mind that we are talking about a guy that had such a good rookie campaign that he is the co-favorite along with Graham of Pitt to be the top running back in the Big East this year. That's the context...

http://www.bigeastcoastbias.com/201...med-to-doak-walker-award-watch-list#storyjump

 

[metsfan2323]

keep in mind that we are talking about a guy that had such a good rookie campaign that he is the co-favorite along with Graham of Pitt to be the top running back in the Big East this year. That's the context...

http://www.bigeastcoastbias.com/201...med-to-doak-walker-award-watch-list#storyjump

and yet would we be completely shocked if someone surpasses him as the best running back on our team this year?

You are a good poster so I am going to step out of the ring on this one and concede defeat.

 

[BlueMAB]

and yet would we be completely shocked if someone surpasses him as the best running back on our team this year?

Yes. Most people would.