Sio Moore predicts a great season

[businesslawyer]

Just can't stop talking about Edsall, can you bl?

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.

 

[businesslawyer]

There was no attack on Edsall. Excalibur has already explained this in his post.

And it would be my fault if Wing-U turned the thread incorrectly why exactly? He posted something -- I responded.

 

[Excalibur]

Can someone fill me in on which post got Wing-U up in arms about Edsall leaving the cupboard bare? I am completely lost with how this thread has taken that turn...

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

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

We had roughly the same overall talent last year that we had when we went to the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, we lost our QB but he was well below average. Yes, we lost an All-American TB but replaced him with an all-conference one. Again, I do not want to be too harsh on the new staff in what was for them a transition year, but our below .500 finish had far more to do with the transition than it did with an overall decline in talent from 2011 to 2012.

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.

 

[pj]

We had roughly the same overall talent last year that we had when we went to the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, we lost our QB but he was well below average. Yes, we lost an All-American TB but replaced him with an all-conference one. Again, I do not want to be too harsh on the new staff in what was for them a transition year, but our below .500 finish had far more to do with the transition than it did with an overall decline in talent from 2011 to 2012.

This completely overlooks the fact that in football the distribution of talent matters more than a few good players. An All-American can be neutralized; but there's no way to cover up for a weak player. One failed assignment blows up the whole play.

Last year the team was strong at some position, weak at others. That makes a weak football team.

The Fiesta Bowl team had competent players everywhere. They may not have had more stars, but they had fewer weaknesses.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

And it would be my fault if Wing-U turned the thread incorrectly why exactly? He posted something -- I responded.

Your post implied that someone attacked Edsall in this thread and Wing-U was simply responding to that attack.

If I misunderstood your post, I apologize.

 

[UConnDan97]

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

Thanks. Now, I can tread carefully through the rest of this thread (I can't imagine what is going to shake out of this one, including finding some way to get this into talking about Marinatto and Penn State).

 

[businesslawyer]

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.

It's college football. Every year, you are supposed to lose about 40% of your starters and a higher percentage of your top players. That is normal attrition made up for by everyone else on the roster stepping up.

The only thing that was unusual about the 2011 to 2012 transition from a personnel standpoint was the unfortunate series of events to anyone who might have competed with McCombs to start at TB. Frey leaving for a different academic opportunity, DJ only getting a few snaps all year, Meme not recognizing the opportunity and leaving early and Hyppolite losing so much time to injury that he never got in the mix. The rest of the attrition was normal.

You know, I don't remember discussing this much during the regular season but it really ended up being a big deal that Meme didn't come back for his 5th year. He left when he was well behind Todman, DJ and Frey on the depth chart, but he could have ended up at least sharing time with Lyle. Oh well.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

It's college football. Every year, you are supposed to lose about 40% of your starters and a higher percentage of your top players. That is normal attrition made up for by everyone else on the roster stepping up.

The only thing that was unusual about the 2011 to 2012 transition from a personnel standpoint was the unfortunate series of events to anyone who might have competed with McCombs to start at TB. Frey leaving for a different academic opportunity, DJ only getting a few snaps all year, Meme not recognizing the opportunity and leaving early and Hyppolite losing so much time to injury that he never got in the mix. The rest of the attrition was normal.

You know, I don't remember discussing this much during the regular season but it really ended up being a big deal that Meme didn't come back for his 5th year. He left when he was well behind Todman, DJ and Frey on the depth chart, but he could have ended up at least sharing time with Lyle. Oh well.

While his position on the depth chart may have had an impact, I believe Wylie's decision not to come back for his 5th year was primarily due to his health.

 

[Excalibur]

It's college football. Every year, you are supposed to lose about 40% of your starters and a higher percentage of your top players. That is normal attrition made up for by everyone else on the roster stepping up.

The only thing that was unusual about the 2011 to 2012 transition from a personnel standpoint was the unfortunate series of events to anyone who might have competed with McCombs to start at TB. Frey leaving for a different academic opportunity, DJ only getting a few snaps all year, Meme not recognizing the opportunity and leaving early and Hyppolite losing so much time to injury that he never got in the mix. The rest of the attrition was normal.

I agree with almost all of this, and would point out only that the losses and resulting lack of depth at LB were significant as well. RB and LB were probably the two biggest foundations of the team's success in the second half of 2010.

 

[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.

============================
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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[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.