A few football thoughts....

[Johnson85]

Liberty Bowl. Memphis
RT KJones. RT KJones
RG Dollar Bill. RG. Smith or Reese???
C Sharp. C. Sharp
LG. Smith. LG N Jones
LT N Jones. LT. Dollar Bill

I had not taken time to consider the composition of the line in the Liberty Bowl v. this year. It's pretty damn concerning when you describe this year's line as "Basically the same as the one at the Liberty Bowl, except switch Dollar Bill from OG to LT and Nick Jones from LT to OG, and also put Reese in instead of Cole Smith."

Now granted I didn't think of Cole Smith as a problem when he started, so if we are able to upgrade from him, that is nice, and Nick Jones was still in his JUCO to SEC transition, so he could be considerably better. But still, Texas Tech gave up over 32 points a game in the regular season and we scored 7? Even taking into account that people were playing new positions, that is pretty shitty.

[FISHDAWG]

I think our main concern would be to hope we don't have a lasting injury to key personnel and hope to keep them healthy ... we have the talent to win more games than we will lose ... I think our O-line will be fine with hopefully fewer penalties from the right tackle this year ... On the other side I keep hearing Dolla Bill is holding his own...Cross gets a whole lot of credit from this board because he was a first round draft pick but he wasn't the entire O-line by himself... We will miss Polk but someone will emerge ... I think (actually hope is a better word) we upgraded our kicking....If we stay healthy we will be fine ... And I assure you we WILL beat Kentucky and probably Arky as well ...... Arnett will take care of his side of the ball with what he has to work with

[Jarius]

1. Can our 5 block 3 this year in the SEC? I think some message board posters with their wool have forgotten how bad our scheme was before Charles Cross started playing like an NFL LT last year. Cross is gone. We are going to have issues. Maybe not as bad as the bowl game without Cross, but look back to the 2020 season.

2. When teams can drop 8 AND don't have to spy on the QB, that makes it really tough on the offense. I don't see us beating UK or Arkansas this year. They know how to defend Leach. Prediction: 6-6, low tier bowl.

3. Leach can commit to a couple of more draws and traps per game but as long as our splits are so wide, it won't matter. Physical run blocking is part scheme and part mentality that is difficult to achieve in the Air Raid.

4. FYI: If anyone wants to know what the "perfect scheme" for MSU football is, watch the Baltimore Ravens. Mobile QB, Power running game, multiple formations (2 TE's, FB, Pistol, etc.) and play-action, downfield passing game. I go back to the greatest coach in MSU history, Jackie Sherrill, at "MSU we need to play physical football, bring your lunch pale" We aren't going to win track meets with the elite recruiting programs over time.

You should probably edit your post about Kentucky knowing how to defend the air raid. I know you have to look pretty hard to find negatives on an MSU team that returns 17 starters off a 7 win team, but you should at least try to be objective and not make up shit.

[HoopsDawg]

You should probably edit your post about Kentucky knowing how to defend the air raid. I know you have to look pretty hard to find negatives on an MSU team that returns 17 starters off a 7 win team, but you should at least try to be objective and not make up shit.

Stoop's 2020 game plan was perfect. Shut us down completely. Awful offense. He did the same game plan in 2021 but UK turned the ball over 4 times. Doesn't mean the strategy was wrong. Will did play great though.

[thf24]

Block 3 with 5 consistently and every perceived problem with this offense solves itself. There should be nothing else to it with the experience we return this year.

[confucius say]

There is no doubt the OL is a concern and the reason I can?t get on board with these 10 win predictions some are making. That being said, our defense is going to be very good and is going to be the main reason I?m on board with us winning 8. 7 or 8 wins is most likely but one of those wins to be Ole Miss

People are predicting 10-2? Are they high?

[confucius say]

Stoop's 2020 game plan was perfect. Shut us down completely. Awful offense. He did the same game plan in 2021 but UK turned the ball over 4 times. Doesn't mean the strategy was wrong. Will did play great though.

And that game plan got torched in 2021. Their 4 turnovers had nothing to do with their defensive game plan.

Stay mostly healthy and We're going to be 7-5/8-4 which, amazingly, is a bad year to some people on here. Swap uga for any other East team at home and we're 8-4/9-3.

[confucius say]

1. Can our 5 block 3 this year in the SEC? I think some message board posters with their wool have forgotten how bad our scheme was before Charles Cross started playing like an NFL LT last year. Cross is gone. We are going to have issues. Maybe not as bad as the bowl game without Cross, but look back to the 2020 season.

2. When teams can drop 8 AND don't have to spy on the QB, that makes it really tough on the offense. I don't see us beating UK or Arkansas this year. They know how to defend Leach. Prediction: 6-6, low tier bowl.

3. Leach can commit to a couple of more draws and traps per game but as long as our splits are so wide, it won't matter. Physical run blocking is part scheme and part mentality that is difficult to achieve in the Air Raid.

4. FYI: If anyone wants to know what the "perfect scheme" for MSU football is, watch the Baltimore Ravens. Mobile QB, Power running game, multiple formations (2 TE's, FB, Pistol, etc.) and play-action, downfield passing game. I go back to the greatest coach in MSU history, Jackie Sherrill, at "MSU we need to play physical football, bring your lunch pale" We aren't going to win track meets with the elite recruiting programs over time.

1. OL is my biggest concern. But I don't think 2020 is a fair comparison. We were transitioning from a power run team to pass sets all game. Nobody knew what they were doing, including a first rounder in cross.

2. What? Neither ark nor ky defended the air raid well last year. We outgained ark 486-393 but missed 3 FG. We outgained KY 438-216 and will was 36-39 for 344 yards.

3. We will never be a physical run blocking team under leach.

4. Jws is not the greatest coach in our history.
More to the point, that power running game that you say is the perfect offense for us failed us the better part of 120 years. I'd much rather have a mobile qb and throw the football.

[Prediction? Pain.]

I've been MIA for a while, but as I'm starting to peruse the site more frequently in the run up to the season, I'm finding that the preseason threads have been all over the map, y'all. Floors of 9 or 10 wins? Ceilings of 5 or 6? We're both beating UGA and definitely losing to Arkansas and Kentucky? Leach is simultaneously the best and worst offensive coach we've had in decades? It's like we've all decided to do shrooms and now can't figure out which pant leg we're supposed to put on first.

But I'm game to micro dose with the rest of you. Here are my thoughts on some of the jibber jabber:

1. Can our 5 block 3 this year in the SEC? I think some message board posters with their wool have forgotten how bad our scheme was before Charles Cross started playing like an NFL LT last year. Cross is gone. We are going to have issues. Maybe not as bad as the bowl game without Cross, but look back to the 2020 season.

2. When teams can drop 8 AND don't have to spy on the QB, that makes it really tough on the offense. I don't see us beating UK or Arkansas this year. They know how to defend Leach. Prediction: 6-6, low tier bowl.

3. Leach can commit to a couple of more draws and traps per game but as long as our splits are so wide, it won't matter. Physical run blocking is part scheme and part mentality that is difficult to achieve in the Air Raid.

4. FYI: If anyone wants to know what the "perfect scheme" for MSU football is, watch the Baltimore Ravens. Mobile QB, Power running game, multiple formations (2 TE's, FB, Pistol, etc.) and play-action, downfield passing game. I go back to the greatest coach in MSU history, Jackie Sherrill, at "MSU we need to play physical football, bring your lunch pale" We aren't going to win track meets with the elite recruiting programs over time.

• Our offense in 2020 was horrific and obviously way, way worse that 2021's group, but I don't know that Charles Cross' one additional year under his belt is the sole (or even prime) difference maker. WSU's offense regressed and bombed in Leach's first year, too, and there he wasn't even converting a run-first offense like he was here in 2020. But, just like we did last year, WSU saw marked offensive improvement in Year 2. And that trajectory continued the rest of Leach's stint there (with a random not-so-hot year of offense in 2017 thrown in the mix). Not saying that losing Cross won't hurt. It absolutely will. But I don't see us regressing to a Croom level of ineptitude when we return basically everyone but one stud lineman. And if we do, then yeah, that's total B.S.
• Others have mentioned this, but our offense handled Kentucky and Arkansas just fine last year. Kentucky's D gave up more points and yards to us last year than to anyone other than Tennessee. And we gained more yards against Arkansas (486) than everyone other than U. Miss. and Bama.
• I don't know, but I feel like the "best" offense for us is whatever works. And last year, Leach's offense worked pretty well. Despite being the 11th most talented team in the conference, in SEC games we were 4th in total offense and 5th in scoring offense. And if you look at advanced stats, like % of drives that resulted in TDs or % of yards available that we gained per drive, last year was the best offense we've had in a decade other than the two led by Dak Prescott in '14 and '15. (And even then, last year's wasn't too far behind.)

Well Sir you just dont know what you are talking about because Year 3 for Leach in any program is awesome!!!

This is by far his best roster at State and he has his QB who is going to be for the Heisman come December!!!!`

We were a kicker away from 9-3 last year and we are now better!!! Stop being a Leach hater!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't gone back to look at Texas Tech, but Year 3 at WSU they went 3 - 9. The offense was pretty good, but it wasn't leaps and bounds better than it was in Year 2. And it certainly wasn't elite. The "Year 3" narrative, at least based upon WSU, confuses me a bit.

I find this year very interesting

On the positive:

Veteran QB with veteran OL
3rd year under Leach
Solid WR group
Good RB's
Very good DL
Good LB's
Good Secondary
Defense should be top notch
Veteran teams at State usually rack up wins

Negatives?

Air Raid in Red Zone
Looked terrible in rain games
Georgia on the schedule
Leach's history of losing in a wtf fashion

Ready to see how it turns out

An Air Raid O-Line gets manhandled in the redzone. Defense has to cover less space and can cheat the LBs up to the LOS. Our running game is NOT a power scheme. Our RBs are receivers first, run second. Do we even hand off in practices? IDK because I have never seen a Leach team in practice.

Last year, we were 7th out of 14 SEC teams in the % of red zone trips that resulted in a TD in SEC games, tied with UGA and ahead of U. Miss and Tennessee, among others. For perspective, the best we've been in that metric since 2009 was Moorhead's last year, when were were 3rd in the SEC. (In 2014 and 2015 with Dak, we were 4th. In 2017 with the Fitz-led run attack, we were 8th.) As for Leach's air raid: In five of Leach's eight seasons at WSU, they finished in the top half of the PaC 12 in red zone TD% in conference games. And in four of those five seasons, they were top three.

[Goldendawg]

An Air Raid O-Line gets manhandled in the redzone. Defense has to cover less space and can cheat the LBs up to the LOS. Our running game is NOT a power scheme. Our RBs are receivers first, run second. Do we even hand off in practices? IDK because I have never seen a Leach team in practice.

Actually we did practice RTDB in last Saturday's practice. Up the middle, off tackle, ( Woody got hurt a little on one play), and believe it or not Will and Sawyer even ran an option at once each. Hail State!

[Homedawg]

People are predicting 10-2? Are they high?

Yes...

[TrapGame]

Here's my football thoughts.

I'm ready for some ****ing football. I'm tired of all the talk good or bad.

[Goldendawg]

Here's my football thoughts.

I'm ready for some ****ing football. I'm tired of all the talk good or bad.

At this time, players are tired of hitting each other at all schools. It's almost time to hit someone else and see how good we really are! Hail State!

[WhiskeyPirate]

1. OL is my biggest concern. But I don't think 2020 is a fair comparison. We were transitioning from a power run team to pass sets all game. Nobody knew what they were doing, including a first rounder in cross.

2. What? Neither ark nor ky defended the air raid well last year. We outgained ark 486-393 but missed 3 FG. We outgained KY 438-216 and will was 36-39 for 344 yards.

3. We will never be a physical run blocking team under leach.

4. Jws is not the greatest coach in our history.
More to the point, that power running game that you say is the perfect offense for us failed us the better part of 120 years. I'd much rather have a mobile qb and throw the football.

Yea that power run game is the answer to beating Alabama and Georgia. I?m sure we can just out talent them with a ?power run game?. Great logic.

I mean why doesn?t Vandy run the power I. Talent on talent, that?s how little schools can beat the big dogs.

The Texas tech game is great for trolling if you omit the fact 16 players were missing off the two deep.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Or maybe just maybe 2020 was our first year running the scheme with no spring and kids who had never done it??

We beat UK and beat Arkansas but got it stolen from us but they own Leach. Ok.

I will ban bet you we go better than 6-6. You and Liverpool hate Leach. Just say I hate leach. Its ok I wont hate you like you hate him

[BuckyIsAB****]

And not to pick this apart anymore but we have tightened the splits when we needed to. It is going to be ok. Leach is never going to change and he is always going to win.

[BuckyIsAB****]

I find this year very interesting

On the positive:

Veteran QB with veteran OL
3rd year under Leach
Solid WR group
Good RB's
Very good DL
Good LB's
Good Secondary
Defense should be top notch
Veteran teams at State usually rack up wins

Negatives?

Air Raid in Red Zone
Looked terrible in rain games
Georgia on the schedule
Leach's history of losing in a wtf fashion

Ready to see how it turns out

Every offense that has ever existed looks like shit in the rain more times than not. We went to UGA with 41 kids and had them beat but a Mullen daddy ball kid playing safety lost the game. I agree the air raid has problems in the red zone but it can be negated. Especially by a veteran group. If only we were still running QB power and counter and sprint out we would be 10-2 for sure then

[RiverCityDawg]

So we're back to saying 2020 is in some way indicative of what this offense is typically going to be for us? Or maybe it was all Charles Cross?

I see we've run out of legitimate arguments...

[BuckyIsAB****]

Stoop's 2020 game plan was perfect. Shut us down completely. Awful offense. He did the same game plan in 2021 but UK turned the ball over 4 times. Doesn't mean the strategy was wrong. Will did play great though.

How many times did we turn it over in 2020 against UK? Google it. Cant have it both ways. I vividly remember a TD turned pick in the end zone thanks to our WR. We went up and down the field on them and then our best skill player got cut after the game bc the greatest coach of all time and then the softest one of all time put up with his crap for years. Leach didnt. You have a one sided memory

[Commercecomet24]

I've been MIA for a while, but as I'm starting to peruse the site more frequently in the run up to the season, I'm finding that the preseason threads have been all over the map, y'all. Floors of 9 or 10 wins? Ceilings of 5 or 6? We're both beating UGA and definitely losing to Arkansas and Kentucky? Leach is simultaneously the best and worst offensive coach we've had in decades? It's like we've all decided to do shrooms and now can't figure out which pant leg we're supposed to put on first.

But I'm game to micro dose with the rest of you. Here are my thoughts on some of the jibber jabber:

• Our offense in 2020 was horrific and obviously way, way worse that 2021's group, but I don't know that Charles Cross' one additional year under his belt is the sole (or even prime) difference maker. WSU's offense regressed and bombed in Leach's first year, too, and there he wasn't even converting a run-first offense like he was here in 2020. But, just like we did last year, WSU saw marked offensive improvement in Year 2. And that trajectory continued the rest of Leach's stint there (with a random not-so-hot year of offense in 2017 thrown in the mix). Not saying that losing Cross won't hurt. It absolutely will. But I don't see us regressing to a Croom level of ineptitude when we return basically everyone but one stud lineman. And if we do, then yeah, that's total B.S.
• Others have mentioned this, but our offense handled Kentucky and Arkansas just fine last year. Kentucky's D gave up more points and yards to us last year than to anyone other than Tennessee. And we gained more yards against Arkansas (486) than everyone other than U. Miss. and Bama.
• I don't know, but I feel like the "best" offense for us is whatever works. And last year, Leach's offense worked pretty well. Despite being the 11th most talented team in the conference, in SEC games we were 4th in total offense and 5th in scoring offense. And if you look at advanced stats, like % of drives that resulted in TDs or % of yards available that we gained per drive, last year was the best offense we've had in a decade other than the two led by Dak Prescott in '14 and '15. (And even then, last year's wasn't too far behind.)

I haven't gone back to look at Texas Tech, but Year 3 at WSU they went 3 - 9. The offense was pretty good, but it wasn't leaps and bounds better than it was in Year 2. And it certainly wasn't elite. The "Year 3" narrative, at least based upon WSU, confuses me a bit.





Last year, we were 7th out of 14 SEC teams in the % of red zone trips that resulted in a TD in SEC games, tied with UGA and ahead of U. Miss and Tennessee, among others. For perspective, the best we've been in that metric since 2009 was Moorhead's last year, when were were 3rd in the SEC. (In 2014 and 2015 with Dak, we were 4th. In 2017 with the Fitz-led run attack, we were 8th.) As for Leach's air raid: In five of Leach's eight seasons at WSU, they finished in the top half of the PaC 12 in red zone TD% in conference games. And in four of those five seasons, they were top three.

As always, great stuff, my man! So many people on here post their opinion and state it as fact without actual facts to back it up. Looks totally different when somebody(like you always do)brings it in black and white. Thanks again Pain for posting. Post more please!