Way too early top 25 for 2017

[TJL]

FSU should not be number 2, Francois didn't prove he can carry the team, O-line needs help, and they are losing the best player in program history.

 

[mcnabb7542]

And tell us why you would have UGA at 13. BTW, USC is way way to high, maybe 18 or so

Yeah isn't 3/4 of their Oline hitting the draft with the stud wide out and corner?

 

[Across The Field]

Well, we still don't know about Peppers. Assuming he goes pro...

I'm excited about Evans and Higdon at RB. Both are better pure runners than Smith was. I think Smith remained the start because of pass blocking. Hurst, Mone and Gary on the D-line and hopefully Jeremy Clark (injured in the first or second game) can get a 6th year and be our starting safety.

So while they weren't technical "starters" at RB, between Higdon and Evans they had almost as many touches this season as Smith did. Same thing for Hurst and Mone on the D-line and many other players. So I don't think the transition at many positions will be as drastic as "losing 10 defensive starters" sounds.

Didn't Peppers' mother already start contacting agents? I think he has to go, or at the very least he won't be able to return to the college game.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Didn't Peppers' mother already start contacting agents? I think he has to go, or at the very least he won't be able to return to the college game.

If it were that cut and dry, it seems like he would have already declared.

 

[Deep Creek]

Given how that OL performed on New Years Eve, is that a positive?

Yep, sometimes you want some new ones.

 

[7Samurai13]

If it were that cut and dry, it seems like he would have already declared.

What parents do, doesn't effect the player, even if they are trying to negotiate bribes from universities. Am I right Auburn fans?

 

[Deep Creek]

TCU at #19...LMAO. They'll do good to stay out of the bottom half of the Big 12. They lose three DL starters in Carraway, Collins and McFarland who were their best defensive players. Their secondary couldn't tackle an old lady with a walking cane much less cover a receiver! Those 10 starters on offense coming back didn't exactly put on an air raid clinic either!

19. TCU

2016 record: 6-7, 4-5 Big 12
Returning starters: 10 offense, 7 defense, 2 special teams

Key losses: OT Aviante Collins, DE James McFarland, DT Aaron Curry, DE Josh Carraway, SS Denzel Johnson

Outlook: The Horned Frogs limped through a 6-7 campaign in 2016, but they might be poised for a big bounce-back next season. After going 4-8 in 2013, coach Gary Patterson guided TCU to 23 wins in the next two seasons combined. Next season, the Horned Frogs might have as many as 10 senior starters on offense, including quarterback Kenny Hill and tailback Kyle Hicks. Hill will have to cut down on his 13 interceptions in 2016. TCU will have to replace three of its starting defensive linemen, but seven starters are coming back on that side of the ball. The Horned Frogs will have Big 12 road games at Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Oklahoma, but they'll play West Virginia and Texas at home.

 

[Across The Field]

If it were that cut and dry, it seems like he would have already declared.

He's gone. One doesn't put together a 40+ question document to send to agents if they actually were considering coming back to campus.

Besides, even if he did come back, you guys are getting gutted on both sides of the ball. Next year may end up being a swoon year before Harbaugh's kids get up and running.

 

[Wamu]

Didn't Peppers' mother already start contacting agents? I think he has to go, or at the very least he won't be able to return to the college game.

First I've heard of that. But after briefly looking some stuff up I found this. From mlive.com...article from 11-28-16: Report- Jabrill Peppers' mother bracing for NFL agent interviews. Does actually mean she went through w/ any of the interviews though.

 

[socaljim242]

Yeah isn't 3/4 of their Oline hitting the draft with the stud wide out and corner?

O line is thin for sure . There are bodies just not a lot of starting experience. Thankfully Darnold is great when moving. Receiver is the deepest spot on the team.D Burrnett had three TDs in the Rose Bowl he's a soph. Adoree will be missed for sure but at corner they have freshman 5* Jack Jones ready to jump in. It's Adorees big plays on kick off and punt returns that will be missed.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

He's gone. One doesn't put together a 40+ question document to send to agents if they actually were considering coming back to campus.

Besides, even if he did come back, you guys are getting gutted on both sides of the ball. Next year may end up being a swoon year before Harbaugh's kids get up and running.

I don't know. Like I said in a post somewhere in this thread, so many kids played this year who weren't technically "starters" that it's not like we're replacing starting seniors with totally fresh backups. I don't expect our defense will be AS good as it was this year, but I think our offense should improve with another year under Speight. I still expect a 9 or so win season. With the way Michigan is recruiting, I don't think you'll see a drastic drop in production under Harbaugh.

 

[Across The Field]

I don't know. Like I said in a post somewhere in this thread, so many kids played this year who weren't technically "starters" that it's not like we're replacing starting seniors with totally fresh backups. I don't expect our defense will be AS good as it was this year, but I think our offense should improve with another year under Speight. I still expect a 9 or so win season. With the way Michigan is recruiting, I don't think you'll see a drastic drop in production under Harbaugh.

I don't think we'll see a drastic drop once he gets his guys up and running, but damn, this is going to be rougher than when OSU lost all of those guys last year. Plus your schedule isn't the easiest. Florida, at Penn State, at Wisconsin, vs. Minnesota and vs. Ohio State. That's a difficult schedule when you're bringing in such a fresh team. Maybe he pulls a 2014 OSU and all of those underclassmen become instant studs, but that's a pretty rare occurrence.

 

[ElTexan]

There will be five SECw teams in the top 15. Aggy will be in the top 10.

 

[socaljim242]

There will be five SECw teams in the top 15. Aggy will be in the top 10.

You can book that.lol

 

[WABLTY]

We'll probably suck because our defense is the worst tackling unit in the country, but on paper we return a lot. 2 of our 3 best receivers (and the most talented ones), both RBs unless Ballage goes early, all the quarterbacks that got hurt plus Barnett's transfer, 4 offensive linemen that were starters at one point (injuries) and 9 starters on defense including the top returning pass rusher in the conference.

But without changes in the defensive and OL assistants I have little faith that will translate to getting their shit in order.

 

[UNA Lion]

Would like to see Bama get a stud QB that can throw accurate darts like a champ


.... but that's been a wistful pipe dream for decades.

 

[WABLTY]

Would like to see Bama get a stud QB that can throw accurate darts like a champ


.... but that's been a wistful pipe dream for decades.

Hopefully he's at ASU now.

It doesn't really matter. We have more Elite 11 QB's on the roster than 4 star+ OL. Will trade QB's for beef.

 

[sooner78wakeboard]

Alabama, Florida State lead Way-Too-Early 2017 Top 25

7. Oklahoma State
8. Washington
9. Wisconsin
10. OU

Really, Okie State above OU?

But realistically, as long as we make it to the final 4 in week 15. I'll take it....

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I don't think we'll see a drastic drop once he gets his guys up and running, but damn, this is going to be rougher than when OSU lost all of those guys last year. Plus your schedule isn't the easiest. Florida, at Penn State, at Wisconsin, vs. Minnesota and vs. Ohio State. That's a difficult schedule when you're bringing in such a fresh team. Maybe he pulls a 2014 OSU and all of those underclassmen become instant studs, but that's a pretty rare occurrence.

It's about equal to what OSU experienced this year with all the guys leaving. But very few of our incoming freshman this past season maintained their redshirts. Most played and I suspect because Harbaugh knew this was coming. Chris Evans was a true freshman this year and played about 1 snap for every 2 Smith got. OSU did the same thing from 2015-2016.

 

[Deep Creek]

We'll probably suck because our defense is the worst tackling unit in the country,

Texas Tech and TCU?