I don't know about you guys but I'm ready for some football, 2010 style, so let's put the past away for the next three or four months and focus on the task ahead. We've won another National Championship, now it's time for a back to backer.
Seems most folks think that our defense is just too young! No, wait we have to replace our whole special teams squad! What's that? Our QB can't complete enough long passes to keep defenses honest....Wow, the naysayers are coming out of the woodwork. What was it last year....hmmm, oh our offensive line was unproven, and our QB had never started a college game before. (There's that QB thingy again). As I recall we won all our games. Did we have luck along the way? You bet we did, but we could always look to someone else to step up when we slipped at one position or another. I sorta look at this team the same way. I think they will pick each other up.
I think they will do so early and often, taking advantage of their first opponent's ( San Jose State ) obvious lack of SEC caliber players.
I think they will handle Penn State fairly easy. Let's face it Penn St. is trying to find a new QB in Fall camp. And as much as I like Coach Paterno, one has to wonder if, first he's the guy calling the shots, and second if he is calling the shots, then how effective will he be with his health now an issue. I think we win that one by playing sterling defense, and also show we can play special teams with anyone.
That brings us to a Duke team that was... I believe a .500 ball team last year. It might be tougher than you think simply because it's the first road game. But after the shine wears off the "Dukies" in the second quarter, we should ease on out of there with an easy win.
Now comes the tricky part. I know that last year we handled Mallett pretty good. We hurried him and disrupted his timing, and that was the difference in the game. It's gonna be a tough task this year. First of all it's at their place, they'll feel a sense of comfort in that. Second it's gonna be the toughest offense we will have faced to that point in the season. The third and probably the most important facet in this game will be field position. That is where our special teams, that everyone is crying about, has to step up and be counted in a big way. We can't average 32 yards a kick and win this game. We must make them drive the length of the field to beat us. If we give them 55 yards to go for a score they'll eat our lunch. If we handle the field position part well, at least we make them eat time and maybe settle for field goals, or throw one down the middle and get it picked. And let's not leave this out, last year we gashed them up one side and down the other on offense...they had no defense to stop us. Well the word is now, they are better this year on defense. That's why we play the games though, and we will know much about our team after that game is over.
That's as far as I'll go for now, to look past those first four games wouldn't even be guesswork, it'd be foolish. If we come home with a win in Ark. and are 4-0, we could be real trouble for the rest of our opponents. RTR
Bot out
Seems most folks think that our defense is just too young! No, wait we have to replace our whole special teams squad! What's that? Our QB can't complete enough long passes to keep defenses honest....Wow, the naysayers are coming out of the woodwork. What was it last year....hmmm, oh our offensive line was unproven, and our QB had never started a college game before. (There's that QB thingy again). As I recall we won all our games. Did we have luck along the way? You bet we did, but we could always look to someone else to step up when we slipped at one position or another. I sorta look at this team the same way. I think they will pick each other up.
I think they will do so early and often, taking advantage of their first opponent's ( San Jose State ) obvious lack of SEC caliber players.
I think they will handle Penn State fairly easy. Let's face it Penn St. is trying to find a new QB in Fall camp. And as much as I like Coach Paterno, one has to wonder if, first he's the guy calling the shots, and second if he is calling the shots, then how effective will he be with his health now an issue. I think we win that one by playing sterling defense, and also show we can play special teams with anyone.
That brings us to a Duke team that was... I believe a .500 ball team last year. It might be tougher than you think simply because it's the first road game. But after the shine wears off the "Dukies" in the second quarter, we should ease on out of there with an easy win.
Now comes the tricky part. I know that last year we handled Mallett pretty good. We hurried him and disrupted his timing, and that was the difference in the game. It's gonna be a tough task this year. First of all it's at their place, they'll feel a sense of comfort in that. Second it's gonna be the toughest offense we will have faced to that point in the season. The third and probably the most important facet in this game will be field position. That is where our special teams, that everyone is crying about, has to step up and be counted in a big way. We can't average 32 yards a kick and win this game. We must make them drive the length of the field to beat us. If we give them 55 yards to go for a score they'll eat our lunch. If we handle the field position part well, at least we make them eat time and maybe settle for field goals, or throw one down the middle and get it picked. And let's not leave this out, last year we gashed them up one side and down the other on offense...they had no defense to stop us. Well the word is now, they are better this year on defense. That's why we play the games though, and we will know much about our team after that game is over.
That's as far as I'll go for now, to look past those first four games wouldn't even be guesswork, it'd be foolish. If we come home with a win in Ark. and are 4-0, we could be real trouble for the rest of our opponents. RTR
Bot out
