What about your team has you worried this year?

[BoiseStateFan27]

The Grant Hedrick turnover

Defensive line

Wide Receiver was one too, we need a true deep threat to emerge, Matt Miller is a good target for shorter yardage, we have some guys starting to emerge though.

 

[KnightAndDay]

QB - Holman's only playing experience came in mop-up duty in blowouts.

RB - Stanback excelled at times last year and struggled at others. I've yet to see him prove he can be a true #1 RB.

Oline - Youth and depth considered. We lost 3 oline starters the nfl last year

 

[Wild Turkey]

I think we'll be fine @ QB.

OL is a bit of a concern, I need to look up and see how many combined starts they have among them. Last year was the lowest for that since like 2007. I suck with names, but I didn't like seeing that center transfer at all.

LB - not really worried about our front 7 at all honestly. I think they are going to be pretty good as long as we can stop with them getting into trouble.

CB - yeah secondary in general is my biggest concern, especially the CB's. They got burned a few too many times last year. Eddie Jackson is apparently healthy again, that is great news and gives us some much needed depth that I was concerned we wouldn't have.

And to add to this, outside of specific positions I'm worried about our leadership among players. Talent doesn't go so far without a good bit of heart.

Field Goal Kicking?

 

[LawDawg]

Field Goal Kicking?

Ouch ... LOL.

 

[4down20]

Field Goal Kicking?

What's that? Is it important?

 

[LawDawg]

I've said it before Gumps ... your problem, if there is going to one, is at QB. You've been remarkably fortunate to have almost flawless QB play during your run. It isn't that either QB was a beast - they were both very good, and very good in your system, and most importantly, they just didn't lose games for you. I think you've forgotten what can happen when a QB throws 2 picks and fumbles once. That's how 12-0 becomes 10-2. Maybe your new QB does fine. It might even be that he is more talented than your McQBs, but can he play that consistently and error free for 12 games? Were I a Gump, that would be my concern.

 

[4down20]

I've said it before Gumps ... your problem, if there is going to one, is at QB. You've been remarkably fortunate to have almost flawless QB play during your run. It isn't that either QB was a beast - they were both very good, and very good in your system, and most importantly, they just didn't lose games for you. I think you've forgotten what can happen when a QB throws 2 picks and fumbles once. That's how 12-0 becomes 10-2. Maybe your new QB does fine. It might even be that he is more talented than your McQBs, but can he play that consistently and error free for 12 games? Were I a Gump, that would be my concern.

I don't worry about the QB because of our strength at RB.


and this:

 

[LawDawg]

I don't worry about the QB because of our strength at RB.

Doesn't make sense. You have good QBs ... but, you simply don't remember what it is like to have a QB throw a couple picks and a few fumbles. Seriously, in your NC years, did either McQB have a 3 turnover game? You can have the best RBs in the land (and you may just well have that), but you've had damn near perfect QB play the past 6 years. The numbers say that can't continue indefinitely. Not saying this is the year, but at some point your QB evaluation will give you problems.

 

[4down20]

Doesn't make sense. You have good QBs ... but, you simply don't remember what it is like to have a QB throw a couple picks and a few fumbles. Seriously, in your NC years, did either McQB have a 3 turnover game? You can have the best RBs in the land (and you may just well have that), but you've had damn near perfect QB play the past 6 years. The numbers say that can't continue indefinitely. Not saying this is the year, but at some point your QB evaluation will give you problems.

Do you think it's just random that we have had "damn near perfect QB play the past 6 years"?

I don't.

It may happen, hell I don't know. But it's not what I worry about.

And I do remember what that was like, it happened in our last game.

 

[UtahUte]

For Utah it is LB's and Corners. We only had 3 int's last year. and were -11 so something needs to change there. As for our LB's our two best from last year sustained injuries during the spring and are most likely gone until mid year.

 

[LawDawg]

Do you think it's just random that we have had "damn near perfect QB play the past 6 years"?

I don't.

It may happen, hell I don't know. But it's not what I worry about.

And I do remember what that was like, it happened in our last game.

Of course it isn't random ... it is highly unusual is my point. One of the reasons that teams haven't had extended winning streaks and NC streaks like you have had is because it is highly unusual to have 3 straight QBs who play error free ball (or go without getting injured ... that run has been pretty remarkable as well). You guys are recruiting at a level that hasn't been seen in the BCS era, so if it is going to happen to someone, Bama makes sense. But, each generation of QBs that comes to pass will make it likely that talent evaluation will let you down.

You make my point with your last sentence ... even though you won the statistical battle with OU, you lost in part because of imperfect QB play. The chances are against you that you will have a QB that will play as perfectly as the McQBs.

Don't take this as a negative ... don't like you gumps, but respect what you have done. No true college football fan could do otherwise. I'm just saying that to dismiss QB play as nothing to worry about, especially in light of the OU loss, doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

[4down20]

Of course it isn't random ... it is highly unusual is my point. One of the reasons that teams haven't had extended winning streaks and NC streaks like you have had is because it is highly unusual to have 3 straight QBs who play error free ball (or go without getting injured ... that run has been pretty remarkable as well). You guys are recruiting at a level that hasn't been seen in the BCS era, so if it is going to happen to someone, Bama makes sense. But, each generation of QBs that comes to pass will make it likely that talent evaluation will let you down.

You make my point with your last sentence ... even though you won the statistical battle with OU, you lost in part because of imperfect QB play. The chances are against you that you will have a QB that will play as perfectly as the McQBs.

Don't take this as a negative ... don't like you gumps, but respect what you have done. No true college football fan could do otherwise. I'm just saying that to dismiss QB play as nothing to worry about, especially in light of the OU loss, doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Bad games happen, as AJ and the OU game shows. It happened against A&M when we lost to them as well. Everyone talked about how it was all Manziel, but I honestly thought the defense won the game for them, in addition to bad play calling by Nuss.

We may see a drop off in QB play, I don't know. But I honestly can't see a QB that makes a ton of mistakes playing at Alabama for Nick Saban for that long or have that many games put on their shoulders. And in terms of physical ability, I don't see how we can be that far off considering we had a walk on that just transferred to Oregon St and will be starting for them.

I mentioned this in a recent post, but the majority of National Championships won in the past decade have been behind 1st year QB's.

2013 - Winston 1st year
2012 - AJ 2nd year, but back to back
2011 - AJ 1st year
2010 - Cam 1st year
2009 - McElroy 1st year
2008 - Tebow was a 2nd year starter, but had playing time before being a starter in a National Championship.
2007 - Flynn was a 1st year starter IIRC.

It's just not a position where they throw people into the fire right away. Flynn was 1st year starter, but 5th year senior for example. It's a position that is often a ?, but being a 1st year starter isn't that big of a concern. They get prepped.

Meanwhile the idea of a true freshman CB scares the piss outta me.

 

[td2play]

Bad games happen, as AJ and the OU game shows. It happened against A&M when we lost to them as well. Everyone talked about how it was all Manziel, but I honestly thought the defense won the game for them, in addition to bad play calling by Nuss.

We may see a drop off in QB play, I don't know. But I honestly can't see a QB that makes a ton of mistakes playing at Alabama for Nick Saban for that long or have that many games put on their shoulders. And in terms of physical ability, I don't see how we can be that far off considering we had a walk on that just transferred to Oregon St and will be starting for them.

I mentioned this in a recent post, but the majority of National Championships won in the past decade have been behind 1st year QB's.

2013 - Winston 1st year
2012 - AJ 2nd year, but back to back
2011 - AJ 1st year
2010 - Cam 1st year
2009 - McElroy 1st year
2008 - Tebow was a 2nd year starter, but had playing time before being a starter in a National Championship.
2007 - Flynn was a 1st year starter IIRC.

It's just not a position where they throw people into the fire right away. Flynn was 1st year starter, but 5th year senior for example. It's a position that is often a ?, but being a 1st year starter isn't that big of a concern. They get prepped.

Meanwhile the idea of a true freshman CB scares the piss outta me.

Any team including Bama that gives up 8 sacks in a single game is going to have problems. AJ played pretty good considering he was running for his life when he dropped back to pass. If Bama has problems on the O-line combined with a rookie QB that would be a big concern.


As far as my team goes it all falls to the QB position. I doubt that Knight can play at the level he did against Bam for a full season. He may never be that good again. On top of that he is not very big and his style lends to taking hits.

Someone earlier mentioned the defense as a weakness and I couldn't disagree more. Even in the two games we lost last year it was all on the offense being ineffective. You keep going 3 and out and I don't care how good your defense is they are gonna get tired.

 

[OnlyCrimson]

Team cohesiveness and selfish players are my only concerns.

 

[oaknightshockey1]

Our defense lost 3 starters in 24 hours

 

[The Crimson King]

We may have the single greatest rushing attack in NCAA history. Other than that, everything has me worried.

 

[hokiehi21]

QB
FG kicker
DE depth
Inside linebackers

 

[hokiehi21]

The coach sucks

The whole offense sucks

The defense is slightly better than sucking

The losing streak to that one cow team is gonna reach 11.

 

[Agent Orange]

The coach sucks

The whole offense sucks

The defense is slightly better than sucking

The losing streak to that one cow team is gonna reach 11.


Other then those I think we are good.

I thought you were a Michigan fan until you mentioned a cow team.

 

[LvilleSooner]

“and you have players running all over the field appearing not to know where they should be”.


Dawg - I will come onto the field if they start that shit !

“you better have a 325 pound nose tackle for his 3-4 to work”


Sheldon Rankins – 6-2 / 300 Letterman
DeAngelo Brown – 6-1 / 320 Letterman
Johnny Richardson – 6-3 / 344 freshman
Like I said, it’s the secondary / safety position I’m most concerned with. D line & LB corp are solid.


C’mon Labor Day ! ! !