Asmodeanreborn
Well-known member
Alright, this thread comes a bit early as our recruiting class isn't even finalized, but on the other hand, I also don't think much of our recruiting class will play next year in any larger capacity.
First, I reaaaaally hope Vander Waal is as talented as he looks on tape. Looking at yesterday, I do think he'll have the weapons to succeed as they're all (minus a very solid fullback) coming back with a year of experience and should be able to help him out. He doesn't need to be an all-star to replace Allen, if he can "just" be a higher percentage guy, he should be able to lead the offense to better results than this past season.
I believe Overstreet could put on another 10-15 lbs and become more of a punishing runner (5'11, 230 is about Rashaad Penny-sized). One of the reasons he started getting successful toward the end was that the initial hesitation in his running game disappeared. He didn't second-guess his decisions, and instead just committed 100% to hitting the lanes at full speed, and planting hard when making the cuts. That meant he'd almost always end up with positive yards, even when the blocking failed to keep holes open.
In comparison, a certain other running back is still slow to hit the holes, runs upright, and almost never makes the cut-back. It's so incredibly frustrating to watch. Almost the only time he's really successful is when utilized in a receiving capacity. I think it's fairly safe to say that we need somebody else to fill the role as the #2 runner. I would not be opposed to picking up a JuCo guy for this.
The o-line had a rough go at it in general this year, but in all honesty, the pass protection got a lot better down the line. The last two losses weren't because of them, it was because of weird play calling and a QB who often couldn't hit the sides of a barn from the inside. I hope they become better at run blocking as well, so that 3rd and 3 no longer becomes a guessing game as to whether we'll make it or not.
In the skill positions, the receivers finally learned to catch the ball - sometimes even when it was poorly thrown. That 1-handed catch yesterday was amazing, for example. I think we'll also see a couple of guys taking the next step. Jared Scott seems to have learned how to get open, but with his size, he doesn't need to be. If he can put on a bit more weight (he looks pretty skinny still), he'll be a wonderful mismatch because of his size and athleticism who won't care if he gets hit hard by a safety or corner.
I think the big difference maker will be the guy I criticized the first half of the season for being useless, though: CJ Johnson. He's found ways to get open, and I think a couple of his last touchdowns show that he's learned to catch even moderately difficult passes in stride.
I suppose the big question mark for our offense is the OC, though. Last year I wasn't sure, but now I'm pretty much 100% sure that he's at fault for our offense being as bad as it was. With a defense as strong as ours, we should have won more games, even with Allen out.
Which gets me to our defense. I'm not sure what there is to say here. I really hope Hazelton and Wingard both stick around another year. The unit's already special, and although we lose a couple of solid players, we also have VERY talented guys to fill the gap: Coldon is probably the number one example that stands out. With solid coaching, I think he'll be a ball hog. Another guy to keep your eyes on is DE Victor Jones, who was our highest rated recruit in 2017. Hopefully he'll be somebody who makes enough of an impact that we won't fear the drop-off when Granderson goes to the NFL.
Can we get to 10 wins next year, playing Washington State at home and Mizzou on the road? It's probably going to be tough, but if our offense can get even to top 75 and defense stays roughly the same, I'd say so.
First, I reaaaaally hope Vander Waal is as talented as he looks on tape. Looking at yesterday, I do think he'll have the weapons to succeed as they're all (minus a very solid fullback) coming back with a year of experience and should be able to help him out. He doesn't need to be an all-star to replace Allen, if he can "just" be a higher percentage guy, he should be able to lead the offense to better results than this past season.
I believe Overstreet could put on another 10-15 lbs and become more of a punishing runner (5'11, 230 is about Rashaad Penny-sized). One of the reasons he started getting successful toward the end was that the initial hesitation in his running game disappeared. He didn't second-guess his decisions, and instead just committed 100% to hitting the lanes at full speed, and planting hard when making the cuts. That meant he'd almost always end up with positive yards, even when the blocking failed to keep holes open.
In comparison, a certain other running back is still slow to hit the holes, runs upright, and almost never makes the cut-back. It's so incredibly frustrating to watch. Almost the only time he's really successful is when utilized in a receiving capacity. I think it's fairly safe to say that we need somebody else to fill the role as the #2 runner. I would not be opposed to picking up a JuCo guy for this.
The o-line had a rough go at it in general this year, but in all honesty, the pass protection got a lot better down the line. The last two losses weren't because of them, it was because of weird play calling and a QB who often couldn't hit the sides of a barn from the inside. I hope they become better at run blocking as well, so that 3rd and 3 no longer becomes a guessing game as to whether we'll make it or not.
In the skill positions, the receivers finally learned to catch the ball - sometimes even when it was poorly thrown. That 1-handed catch yesterday was amazing, for example. I think we'll also see a couple of guys taking the next step. Jared Scott seems to have learned how to get open, but with his size, he doesn't need to be. If he can put on a bit more weight (he looks pretty skinny still), he'll be a wonderful mismatch because of his size and athleticism who won't care if he gets hit hard by a safety or corner.
I think the big difference maker will be the guy I criticized the first half of the season for being useless, though: CJ Johnson. He's found ways to get open, and I think a couple of his last touchdowns show that he's learned to catch even moderately difficult passes in stride.
I suppose the big question mark for our offense is the OC, though. Last year I wasn't sure, but now I'm pretty much 100% sure that he's at fault for our offense being as bad as it was. With a defense as strong as ours, we should have won more games, even with Allen out.
Which gets me to our defense. I'm not sure what there is to say here. I really hope Hazelton and Wingard both stick around another year. The unit's already special, and although we lose a couple of solid players, we also have VERY talented guys to fill the gap: Coldon is probably the number one example that stands out. With solid coaching, I think he'll be a ball hog. Another guy to keep your eyes on is DE Victor Jones, who was our highest rated recruit in 2017. Hopefully he'll be somebody who makes enough of an impact that we won't fear the drop-off when Granderson goes to the NFL.
Can we get to 10 wins next year, playing Washington State at home and Mizzou on the road? It's probably going to be tough, but if our offense can get even to top 75 and defense stays roughly the same, I'd say so.
