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View Full Version : Season Wrap Up With SVS-Just Competing Cannot Be Good Enough



StarkVegasSteve
12-01-2025, 08:36 PM
I have taken a few days to kind of gather my thoughts and talk to a few people about where things are. Friday wasn?t great, because we lost to Ole Miss for a 3rd straight year and 5th time in 6 years. However, the future was put on display. And I think we all saw something to build off of.

1. I thought Kamario looked ok on Friday. He missed 2 TD throws(wrong read on a Thompson option route and missed Thompson wide open in the end zone). However, his athleticism was put on full display. I think the passing will get there. I do think we will be bringing in a portal QB, but it will be in a backup role. He is who we have to build around an he is a HELL of a piece to build around.

2. I thought our RBs regressed as the year went on, and I think our Line play probably contributed to that. I thought Fluff looked decent in spurts. I think he is going to have a good year next year being the feature back and playing alongside Kamario.

3. Our WRs have came to play 2 years in a row. I have been extremely impressed with our recruiting in the portal out of that position group. I hate that we only got a year from Thompson. I hope we can hang on to Evans. I think we will get as least 3 WRs out of the portal, and possibly 4.

4. Our line is shit. There is no other way to put it. Hopefully Lewis and Owens improve but we need to really hammer that position in the portal. They were a definite Achilles heel the entire year.

5. Our D Line was improved but not to the level it needed to be once we lost Whitson. We need to improve talent AND depth at that position.

6. I think our LB group is in a really good spot. Jalen Smith and Tyler Lockhart are two really good building blocks and Zakari is going to be great for us next year.

7. Kelley Jones is elite and we need to hope he does not pursue the NFL. The rest, ehhh. Corey Bell has to go. His portal recruiting, and honestly HS recruiting, has been bad the last two years. Brumfield was absolutely abused on Friday. Ole Miss hunted him.

8. I thought our safety group was some good and some bad. Manning was a good pickup for us. I thought Isaac was hit and miss at times. I was a tad disappointed in Tony Mitchell. I expected more out of him.

9. Special teams started off incredible with the Ferrie 55 yarder and unfortunately that was kind of the high water mark. We were really sloppy with our operations, Ferrie missed some easy ones, the botched snap at Mizzou, two times we get a stop only for field goal block to get a stupid penalty and the team end up scoring a TD. Odom needs to go there.

10. I do not know if I have ever seen a team where 2 plays could have changed the outcome of the season. The Shapen pass against Florida and the stupid roughing the passer penalty against Texas. If Shapen just eats that or throws it away, we kick the FG and win. And if Deonte Anderson just does not give Arch an extra shove, we take over up 17 at the Texas 38.

11. This is a MASSIVE offseason for Lebby and Co. They need to hit the portal hard on both LOS and shore up the secondary. We also need a backup QB, another( and possibly 2) RB, 3-4 WRs, and a TE. That is probably, all in, a 8-11 mil commitment. That will be on top of restructuring current player deals.

KB21
12-01-2025, 09:45 PM
A couple of things I would like to point out. We had some guys on defense who were here in 2024 that got better with development in 2025. Trevion Williams was better. Kelley Jones was better. Deontay Anderson was better. Kalvin Dinkins was at least available all season and showed some signs of upward mobility. Brylan Lanier was better.

So, I think there is reason to hope that we have some younger guys who will also get better from 2025 to 2026. Guys like Jalen Smith, Tyler Lockhart, Derron Gullette, and Zakari Tillman at LB. Tyshun Ellis should figure into the picture at either linebacker or edge. Kyle Johnson at CB. Tony Mitchell at the safety/linebacker hybrid spot. Lokavian Jackson was a win in recruiting last cycle.

On the OL, you don't rely on this, but a lot of those players brought in were young. Flapjack Owens was a sophomore. James was a sophomore. Keenum was a sophomore. Steen was a junior, but he along with the other three didn't get to go through spring practice with the team from what I remember. Lewis was a redshirt freshman. Do we have anything in TJ Lockhart, who was a redshirt freshman? It's not unreasonable to expect some upward movement from some of these guys in addition to what they add in the portal.

At WR, he didn't have the numbers, but I was impressed with Williams body control and ability to extend for catches while knowing where his feet are. I think we could see a big jump from him, Frisco, and Ricky.

Turfdawg67
12-01-2025, 09:57 PM
I want to comment on #10, but I know where it would head and ruin a very good recap thread. Thanks SVS

DawgFromOxford
12-01-2025, 10:29 PM
A big season of what ifs.

Do or die next season for Lebby

Coach34
12-01-2025, 10:44 PM
2026 will decided in the portal

Maroon Glasses
12-01-2025, 10:56 PM
Spot on SVS and KB.

I dont know how much I trust our O line and D line to improve tho but that's just me. Definitely have to hit the portal.

Agree on the RB's regressing. Fluff wasn't the same after the injury. He seemed to really lack explosiveness and quickness. I look forward to him in '26 tho. It's tough mentally to come back from injuries. Hopefully time helps with that.

CaptainObvious
12-02-2025, 12:13 AM
On #1, is Kromenhoek already gone?

RisperDawg
12-02-2025, 12:16 AM
Agree about Fluff. Gayten looked good at times as well, so hopefully he will progress. Hopefully Seth Davis can get back to his pre-injury self as well.

I'm with you on the O-line as well. What I was hearing was positive coming into the season, and we see what we got.

As SVS was saying, D-line looked improved with Whitson. Relatively speaking, they still seemed better than last year, even after his injury. Lol. That gives me some hope there, especially with the potential staff changes.

Todd4State
12-02-2025, 08:58 AM
I honestly don't think I have felt this optimistic about our team after an Egg Bowl loss ever.

And by Friday I have a feeling I'll be even more optimistic.

StarkVegasSteve
12-02-2025, 09:44 AM
On #1, is Kromenhoek already gone?

No but for all intents and purposes he is gone. He is not going to stick around and be the backup. He sees the writing on the wall. Now, he could decide that he just likes being a backup and we will be happy to keep him on the roster and keep paying him. But everything I have heard is that he is going to go the G6 route and try to show out at that level and get back to the P4 level.

Coursesuper
12-02-2025, 10:20 AM
It's fairly easy to see that 4, which is correct for sure, is one of our greatest weaknesses.

Coach34
12-02-2025, 10:21 AM
And by Friday I have a feeling I'll be even more optimistic.

I think we are getting things back on track- I just dont have faith we have the money to buy a team good enough to do anything

MrCoachKlein
12-02-2025, 12:19 PM
Spot on SVS and KB.

I dont know how much I trust our O line and D line to improve tho but that's just me. Definitely have to hit the portal.

Agree on the RB's regressing. Fluff wasn't the same after the injury. He seemed to really lack explosiveness and quickness. I look forward to him in '26 tho. It's tough mentally to come back from injuries. Hopefully time helps with that.

Wasn't it a high ankle? If so, he won't be fully healthy for a couple more months. He could not cut like he could before that injury.