Spring game, players that stood out...

[HoopsDawg]

I don't have many comments on the game, but here's who stood out to me.

Brian Cole: I was really impressed with his burst to the ball and to the ball carrier. Looks like a playmaker

Dantzler: I hope he can put on at least 5-10 pounds over the summer, but he did a pretty good Jon Banks impression with that number 13. He showed good ball skills and he came up and laid a hit one time which was impressive.

Nick Gibson: Looks like we won't have much of a drop off when Aeris needs a rest.

Tim Washington: I wasn't really that high on him when we signed him, but he showed a little something at LB. Makes me feel better about our depth behind Leo and Dez.

Overall, I think our defense is going to be drastically improved from last year.

Offensively, I just don't know what to say about Rankin at Center. I'm still hoping that's just a move to have depth behind Calhoun, but it's very puzzling/concerning to me. None of the WR's impressed me very much. Todd showed that he could get some separation but he looks very raw. Hopefully, he can get on the JUGGS machine and work on refining some things and can help us.

[Tbonewannabe]

I don't have many comments on the game, but here's who stood out to me.

Brian Cole: I was really impressed with his burst to the ball and to the ball carrier. Looks like a playmaker

Dantzler: I hope he can put on at least 5-10 pounds over the summer, but he did a pretty good Jon Banks impression with that number 13. He showed good ball skills and he came up and laid a hit one time which was impressive.

Nick Gibson: Looks like we won't have much of a drop off when Aeris needs a rest.

Tim Washington: I wasn't really that high on him when we signed him, but he showed a little something at LB. Makes me feel better about our depth behind Leo and Dez.

Overall, I think our defense is going to be drastically improved from last year.

Offensively, I just don't know what to say about Rankin at Center. I'm still hoping that's just a move to have depth behind Calhoun, but it's very puzzling/concerning to me. None of the WR's impressed me very much. Todd showed that he could get some separation but he looks very raw. Hopefully, he can get on the JUGGS machine and work on refining some things and can help us.

If our WRs don't wear out a few JUGGS machines then we better hope our TEs are phenomenal. Our DBs looked like they wanted the ball a lot more than our WRs. That is one thing that Bear was fantastic at. Fighting for the ball like its a rebound and you are Dennis Rodman.

[ShotgunDawg]

Todd is raw and needs to be more sure handed, but I was impressed his ball skills. I thought he really showed some instincts for adjusting his body and using it to make a play. Now he just needs to learn finish the play.

[Tbonewannabe]

Todd is raw and needs to be more sure handed, but I was impressed his ball skills. I thought he really showed some instincts for adjusting his body and using it to make a play. Now he just needs to learn finish the play.

I will say Couch "looks" like a SEC WR. Hopefully between Couch, Todd, or Mitchell, one of them steps up. Fitz decision making has to be better in the Fall than it was on Saturday. It looked like he didn't take it very seriously but throwing Ints will lose games in the fall.

[HoopsDawg]

I will say Couch "looks" like a SEC WR. Hopefully between Couch, Todd, or Mitchell, one of them steps up. Fitz decision making has to be better in the Fall than it was on Saturday. It looked like he didn't take it very seriously but throwing Ints will lose games in the fall.

He does look the part, but on the field he looks better suited for a TE/WR hybrid role. Maybe he can run some inside routes like Bear did at times.

I think our passing yardage is going to come from Aeris out of the backfield. Then it's going to be Mixon and the TE's in the middle of the field. And about 5-7 targets per game to Gray. The other outside receiver spot is going to occupy a DB and maybe catch 30 balls all year. Todd needs to master the 9 route.

[Tbonewannabe]

He does look the part, but on the field he looks better suited for a TE/WR hybrid role. Maybe he can run some inside routes like Bear did at times.

I think our passing yardage is going to come from Aeris out of the backfield. Then it's going to be Mixon and the TE's in the middle of the field. And about 5-7 targets per game to Gray. The other outside receiver spot is going to occupy a DB and maybe catch 30 balls all year. Todd needs to master the 9 route.

Hopefully Gabe Myles stays healthy and Thomas is pretty fast in the slot. I wouldn't mind running some 2 TE sets with D Lee at Fullback. Dan needs to get creative like he did when he first got here.

[starkvegasdawg]

Abram stood out.

[Pollodawg]

A lot of people are fretting about Fitz's performance Saturday, but he's one of the people I'm least worried about.

[Pollodawg]

And it's the spring game. You can tell nothing, and it means nothing.

[GTHOM]

Kobe Jones

Cam Dantzler

Nick Gibson

Errol Thompson

Brian Cole

Jonathan Abram

Gabe Myles looked like he fixed the drops

[justwin]

was quite impressed with Eiland @ LT on maroon. 6'8" 320 and just swallowed up Green/Spencer/Fletch all 1H as they couldn't get around him or bye him....all while Fitz wasn't allowed to run. Was nice seeing Aeris & Nick cut off his butt for those runs too. Kind of liking the idea of him as a 3-4 year starter @ LT. Moves much better than I thought. I only saw 1H though.


Eiland Jenkins Rankin Calhoun (or Williams) Reese L to R. good to go

[lamont]

was quite impressed with Eiland @ LT on maroon. 6'8" 320 and just swallowed up Green/Spencer/Fletch all 1H as they couldn't get around him or bye him....all while Fitz wasn't allowed to run. Was nice seeing Aeris & Nick cut off his butt for those runs too. Kind of liking the idea of him as a 3-4 year starter @ LT. Moves much better than I thought. I only saw 1H though.


Eiland Jenkins Rankin Calhoun (or Williams) Reese L to R. good to go

if Eiland starts for us- we will be a 5-6 win team. The defense didnt blitz and get after us in the Spring Game.

[Commercecomet24]

I noticed there were some well thrown balls by Nick and Key that were dropped or knocked out. There were also several times defenders hit way early but no PI was called. Receivers gotta put those away on the bright side though they were getting some separation and our run game with Aeris/Gibson looked good and that was without hardly any QB runs. I honestly don't know how much you can glean from that game Though without 2 ol starters and half the starting wr corps not playing. I could see anywhere from 6 wins to 9.

[lamont]

We are a 7-5 football team.

Part of the reason the D looked so good was Mixon and Gray sitting out- plus 2 OL starters
Part of the reason the OL didnt look rough was the D hardly blitzed
Our struggle in the passing game shows our lack of talent at WR

We will be better on D in 2017
Our offense will be solid in 2017 unless we have OL injuries- we have zero depth.
Our kicking game is shit

[sleepy dawg]

We are a 7-5 football team.

Part of the reason the D looked so good was Mixon and Gray sitting out- plus 2 OL starters
Part of the reason the OL didnt look rough was the D hardly blitzed
Our struggle in the passing game shows our lack of talent at WR

We will be better on D in 2017
Our offense will be solid in 2017 unless we have OL injuries- we have zero depth.
Our kicking game is shit

Kicking doesn't mean shit until you are shit. Kicking should never cost you games, but occasionally win them for you. Ours has, and will again, cost us games.

[Commercecomet24]

We are a 7-5 football team.

Part of the reason the D looked so good was Mixon and Gray sitting out- plus 2 OL starters
Part of the reason the OL didnt look rough was the D hardly blitzed
Our struggle in the passing game shows our lack of talent at WR

We will be better on D in 2017
Our offense will be solid in 2017 unless we have OL injuries- we have zero depth.
Our kicking game is shit

I think that's a pretty fair assessment on all points although I hope Day might help in the kicking game. And I think with Mixon and Gray back the WRs will be a tad better. I think our TEs and RBs may be big in passing game this year.

[GTHOM]

We are a 7-5 football team.

Part of the reason the D looked so good was Mixon and Gray sitting out- plus 2 OL starters
Part of the reason the OL didnt look rough was the D hardly blitzed
Our struggle in the passing game shows our lack of talent at WR

We will be better on D in 2017
Our offense will be solid in 2017 unless we have OL injuries- we have zero depth.
Our kicking game is shit


Would you be happy with a 8-5 season

[Commercecomet24]

Would you be happy with a 8-5 season

Only if the 8th win occurred during regular season cause bowl games don't count*********

[thf24]

We are a 7-5 football team.

Part of the reason the D looked so good was Mixon and Gray sitting out- plus 2 OL starters
Part of the reason the OL didnt look rough was the D hardly blitzed
Our struggle in the passing game shows our lack of talent at WR

We will be better on D in 2017
Our offense will be solid in 2017 unless we have OL injuries- we have zero depth.
Our kicking game is shit

Shows how far we've come in 10 years that that many glaring deficiencies equates to a 7-5 projection rather than 3-9.

[confucius say]

We are a 7-5 football team.

Part of the reason the D looked so good was Mixon and Gray sitting out- plus 2 OL starters
Part of the reason the OL didnt look rough was the D hardly blitzed
Our struggle in the passing game shows our lack of talent at WR

We will be better on D in 2017
Our offense will be solid in 2017 unless we have OL injuries- we have zero depth.
Our kicking game is shit

Anything from 6-6 to 8-4 would not surprise me.

[Barking 13]

It looked to me that the scrimmage was designed to showcase the DB's, where we were totally deficient last year.

[dawgday166]

Shows how far we've come in 10 years that that many glaring deficiencies equates to a 7-5 projection rather than 3-9.

I agree. Let's give Mullen a lifetime contract and make sure he makes lots of money cause that's important ... and in the meantime let's fire Cannizaro ... he sucks **

We'll lose 4 games to SEC W and probably 1 to the East. If mstate7 would only start dogging Mullen maybe Dan would surprise me this year ****

Could and probably are a lot of reasons Fitz threw interceptions but one thing I noticed ... he don't put much touch on the ball when it's called for. Everything is a bullet. He needs to get better at that. If he doesn't he'll never go to the next level. WRs didn't help him much. Passing game didn't look too hot to me the other day. D was very vanilla too. Run game looked ok but ... D was very vanilla too. RBs didn't have to pass block. Gibson looked good running the ball. Overall looks to me like the O has a ways to go.

Something to remember ... what our O faced on Saturday isn't Bammer's, Auburn's, or LSU's D.

One thing that impressed me was ball skills of DBs. Ordinarily we drop all kinds of interceptions. Our DBs seem to have hands and ball skills even if our WRs don't. And they hit you too.

I think we should dump Abram so Saban can pick him up. Saban is probably short on hard ass hitting DBs over in TTown ****

ETA: And I forgot to add that our kicking game still sucks pretty damn bad.

[lamont]

Would you be happy with a 8-5 season

With this team? Yes I would. But that doesnt mean there wont be alot of frustration when we get dominated against the upper tier.

2018 will bring higher expectations.

[HoopsDawg]

We are a 7-5 football team.

Part of the reason the D looked so good was Mixon and Gray sitting out- plus 2 OL starters
Part of the reason the OL didnt look rough was the D hardly blitzed
Our struggle in the passing game shows our lack of talent at WR

We will be better on D in 2017
Our offense will be solid in 2017 unless we have OL injuries- we have zero depth.
Our kicking game is shit

Random is usually over optimistic with his predictions (I'm serious), so that means we will probably go 6-6.

[HoopsDawg]

I will say that I'm pretty high on our defense. I think Grantham is a major upgrade from Sirmon. We have a lot of talented guys out there. Simmons and Leo were wanted by Bama. Peters and Gay were heavily recruited by LSU. Abram and Rivers played at UGA. Sweat and Cole played at Michigan State and Michigan. Cory Thomas was committed to UT at one time. We have 8-10 quality bodies on the D-line, maybe not NFL guys, but legit SEC players. It doesn't matter who starts on the D-line b/c we are going to roll a lot of guys through. Our safety talent is MUCH improved. We have 4 legit guys at Safety now. At corner, Peters, Durr, Dantler, and Cleveland should be good enough and we might add Shaq Wiggins to that group.

Offensively, that's not much we can do at WR. Mixon and Gray have to make plays. Here's what I hope happens on our O-line:

LT: Rankin
LG: Jenkins
C: Calhoun
RG: Story
RT: Reese

That line has a chance to be solid. Those are our best 5 guys. Maybe Champion and Williams can push Story. If Reese can't play RT, we will have to put Jenkins at RT and Reese at OG, but I really hope we can leave that left side alone.

[msstate7]

Random is usually over optimistic with his predictions (I'm serious), so that means we will probably go 6-6.

Idk about that. Last season he said Mullen should be sec COY if we won 6. We were some bad luck away from winning 7/8.. chip shot missed fg vs USA, Fred Ross dropping perfect pass in OT vs byu, and Kentucky nailing a long kick to beat us.

[Reason2succeed]

It looked to me that the scrimmage was designed to showcase the DB's, where we were totally deficient last year.

So it wasn't just me that noticed that Fitz and KT were just airing in out and going for home run throws? They threw more deep passes in the Spring game than Mullen has called in some full seasons.

[lamont]

Idk about that. Last season he said Mullen should be sec COY if we won 6. We were some bad luck away from winning 7/8.. chip shot missed fg vs USA, Fred Ross dropping perfect pass in OT vs byu, and Kentucky nailing a long kick to beat us.

Did we win 6? Nope. South Alabama missed a FG also- stop with the ifs and buts. The bottom line is we were not a good enough team to win 6 games- just as I said.

I nailed us in 2016
Too optimistic in 2015
I nailed us in 2014
Too optimistic in 2013
Nailed us in 2012
Too optimistic in 2011
Can't remember 2010
Too optimistic in 2009

Seems like I nail us in even years and am too optimistic in odd years for some reason

[lamont]

Hoops:

I think Parker or Williams starts ahead of Story

It really grinds me if Calhoun starts at center without getting one rep there this Spring

[lamont]

And I'll remind Hevesy7 Mullen has never exceeded my season record prediction

[ShotgunDawg]

I think we will do extremely well in games where we can run the football & terrible in games where we can't. It's pretty much that simple for me.

Here is the schedule:

Charleston - Can run the football - W
Louisiana Tech - Can run the football - W
LSU - Hmmmm, Can run the football a little - Nail biter
Georgia - Hmmm, Can run the football a little - L due to being on the road
Auburn - Can't run the football - L
BYU - Can run the football - W
Kentucky - Can run the football - W
Texas A&M - Can run the football - W
UMass - Can run the football - W
Alabama - Cannot run the football - L
Arkansas - Can run the football but have to face Bert's offense - Nail biter
Ole Miss - Can run the football - W

So there we have it - I have 3 automatic losses & 3 nail biters. In games where our OL is significantly outclassed the opponents DL, we have NO chance to win because we are so run heavy. The season comes down to the LSU game, Arkansas game, & Georgia.

[lamont]

The last 2 years LSU has shut us down running the ball more than anyone. Don't expect us to run well this year either

[ShotgunDawg]

The last 2 years LSU has shut us down running the ball more than anyone. Don't expect us to run well this year either

OK. That's an L then

[lamont]

OK. That's an L then

I had to take a look- last 2 years combined:

Vs LSU 58 carries/ 99 yards

Vs Bama- 77 carries/ 183 yards

[Bothrops]

We will struggle to score any points whatsoever against LSU. However, I think they will struggle to score touchdowns on us early, but not fg's.

I can see a 16-0, or 16-7 halftime score with 9 of their points being fg's. I doubt we hit a single fg in the game and probably don't try to kick after the first attempt.

[HoopsDawg]

Hoops:

I think Parker or Williams starts ahead of Story

It really grinds me if Calhoun starts at center without getting one rep there this Spring

That's actually encouraging if those 2 are better than Story.

Hev does this BS every year in the spring. Sometimes it's just playing a guy at LG all spring knowing he will be your RG in the fall. The only explanation is that we have no one on the team who can play center other than Calhoun. So he worked Rankin there in case Calhoun gets hurt. Logical thinking would say Rankin is your LT no matter what. And if Calhoun gets hurt, you turn to Williams.

[Maroons]

The last 2 years LSU has shut us down running the ball more than anyone. Don't expect us to run well this year either

We may or may not. But I like our chances A LOT better going against a D without Jamal Adams and Beckwith.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

7-5 or 8-4

[justwin]

if Eiland starts for us- we will be a 5-6 win team. The defense didnt blitz and get after us in the Spring Game.

Hilarious...no, we won't