2019 Football Concerns

[Homedawg]

Yep... But that was that offense.


We have:

- Better OL
- Better WRs
- Better QB (not that Fitz was bad.... just a bad system to change into over night)
- More seasoned RBs.
- double threat on occasions with KT and Stevens out there at the same time.


I'm super excited!

I'll give you this, you are the most optimistic person on this season I've seen. I hope you are right. I do. But i can't see through the glasses you are looking through. 6-0?? and lots other stuff. I think you are setting yourself up for a major crash and burn!

[Homedawg]

We are 2 plus deep on the DE. Rivers/ Adams/Spencer/Jones with 3rd from Odom etc.




I agree. Cole/Landrews are going to shock people.




Agree.. it will be Autry, and from what I am told Kendall Jones (sr) will be passed by Lovett because Lovett is that good. Jackson is going back to his natural position on the DL because the depth on offense is good.

Jones won't play because he's NO good!!!!! Now i do think Lovett will be a good player in time.

[Coach007]

I'll give you this, you are the most optimistic person on this season I've seen. I hope you are right. I do. But i can't see through the glasses you are looking through. 6-0?? and lots other stuff. I think you are setting yourself up for a major crash and burn!

Nah. I know that we could drop a game due to a fluke or even to a better team.

My predictions are from the belief that the defense will not be worse than 15th in the nation and that the offense will be more than a little improved due to the OL, the QB seeing the field better and more accurate.

We beat Auburn last year and not much has changed for them, but a ton has changed for Ms St. I don't see UT being an issue either. 6-0 is not a pie in the sky type thing.

[R2Dawg]

Some valid concerns by 34 however anyone could equally make the case that we could be better in spots as well. Take the philosophy that 34 used and every team, every year is going to be worse due to the experienced starters lost. Eventually we don't win a game and never will because is the returning players could not beat out the starters last year that couldn't win a game, then we suck.

I think another thread could be started that says - things not to be concerned about or things that will be better this year.

My spin:

DT - some dropoff with depth but not falling off the cliff
QB pressure - we got lot of pressure last year with blitz from all over safety, LB, CB, etc. No difference this year.
QB play and RPO - yep big watch for here. If the changes go the way Jo expects, we are gonna move the chains.
Secondary - on paper, we return a lot. so much that we are going to be real, real good. Yep DL does affect secondary coverage play.
OL and RB - if our OL is as good as everyone says, then I think RB health will be fine. We have some young depth to work in too.
WR - yep a big unknown. QB improvement will reveal if it was more QB play or WR play.
Locker room - every team is different, depends on how the leaders handle this. We'll see. If Tommy does as expected, there will be no drama. If it is up and down then could be some issues.
Yep SEC is tough, road tougher. No different than any other year.

We don't have to win 11-12 games this year for me to feel like Jo has it going the right direction but our O better be improved and hold steady on D. Need 6-7 wins to go with the former before I feel like we are OK with Joe.

[Bothrops]

"Tommy Gunn" haha I like it, a tribute to the late Duke Morrison.

If our passing game isn't much better this year with Tommy Gunn and our recieving corp, it never will be. Tommy has a nice warm up to better and better competition to start out the season. I think he eats it up.

DL will be a work in progress but won't get really tested until LSU. Last I checked, Spencer was too heavy for his skill set, but we should be ok off the edge, at least ok.

Erroll Thompson should have an AA type performance this season. Time for Leo to move the needle and get in there.

TE- a couple of these guys should feel well aged by now and ready to be physical leaders at the position.

Receivers aren't as bad as everyone thinks, because if they were, they'd be among the worst not only in P5, but G5 as well.

OL these unit should be as advertised. Moorhead will have better units here during his tenure than Mullen did.

RB - I have zero worry here. I mean none.

DB - more talent with less experience, will need time to get up to speed, but should be better at some point. Extremely tough position to play in this league.

Bottom line is, these guys have got to want to win worse than the competition. That's the hardest thing to instill, if even possible.

[Coach34]

So is it safe to say that last years sack numbers are inflated because of Simmons? It's laughable that you think the corners were better last year than this year.

Yes- last year's sack numbers were helped tremendously by Simmons.

I didnt say anywhere the CB's were better last year than this year. Dantzler is certainly better than both. But I am saying they will have to cover longer this year- and that will absolutely lead to being worse on pass defense than we were in 2018. Our depth in the Secondary is worse than last year- that plays a part when you have to sub for injury or rest. Teams are going to have more time to throw- period. And that will help other offenses. We should have a good defense- but it will be 4th best in the West for its ceiling- and about 6th overall in the SEC.

[RezDog7]

Yes- last year's sack numbers were helped tremendously by Simmons.

I didnt say anywhere the CB's were better last year than this year. Dantzler is certainly better than both. But I am saying they will have to cover longer this year- and that will absolutely lead to being worse on pass defense than we were in 2018. Our depth in the Secondary is worse than last year- that plays a part when you have to sub for injury or rest. Teams are going to have more time to throw- period. And that will help other offenses. We should have a good defense- but it will be 4th best in the West for its ceiling- and about 6th overall in the SEC.

I don't think any reasonable State fan believes we will be as good on defense as we were last year. Our strength will be LB but would also argue that Dantzler, Smitherman, Cole and Landrews is a pretty secondary as well. Hopefully Shoop can scheme enough to help with the loss of talent on the DL and the defense can stay in the top half of the SEC.

Now, assuming our offense is better this year than last because QB makes better decisions and receivers aren't getting 100 mph knuckle balls, them our offensive scoring improves. If that happens, we will win more than you are suggesting. I'm saying 8-4 with a chance at 9-3.

[cheewgumm]

Everyone on D suffers without Simmons there. Specifically Rivers and the DBs.

If defenses force our QB to run, we are in trouble.

[Coach007]

Yes- last year's sack numbers were helped tremendously by Simmons.

And could be helped by different schemes this year.

Our depth in the Secondary is worse than last year- that plays a part when you have to sub for injury or rest.

Shoop states they will be improved.

Teams are going to have more time to throw- period.

You don't know that...Period.

You think that due to 1 guy because last years performance shows the group will improve at the DE position.

[Jarius]

Everyone on D suffers without Simmons there. Specifically Rivers and the DBs.

If defenses force our QB to run, we are in trouble.

Yea, we would not want a quarterback that also played wide receiver to have to carry the ball.

[GeorgeKaplan]

Me too

Welcome back, Coach.

Say, any more plans to sabotage another Egg Bowl to make yourself look smart on a message board again?

[TrapGame]

And 2 home games I consider sure losses, Bama and LSU. We have 2 really tough road games in aTm and auburn, and we have a toss up with tenn

Why is LSU a "sure" loss?

[msstate7]

Why is LSU a "sure" loss?

I think LSU is gonna be really good this year. Maybe I'm wrong... we'll see

[Jarius]

LSU will never be more than pretty good with Ed as a head coach and they will never be a sure loss as long as he is their coach.

[msstate7]

LSU will never be more than pretty good with Ed as a head coach and they will never be a sure loss as long as he is their coach.

It was a sure loss last year. I offered anyone here pumping sunshine a ban bet. One bit, but I let em off the hook bc it was a sucker bet. LSU will be better than last year and we will be worse... home field flips though, so maybe if we catch the breaks

[Coach007]

It was a sure loss last year. I offered anyone here pumping sunshine a ban bet. One bit, but I let em off the hook bc it was a sucker bet. LSU will be better than last year and we will be worse... home field flips though, so maybe if we catch the breaks

HAHAHAH!!!! NOPE!

[Coach34]

Welcome back, Coach.

Say, any more plans to sabotage another Egg Bowl to make yourself look smart on a message board again?

depends on if I hear that our coach is leaving or not. Our coach was leaving as of the last 2 home EB's- we'll see if it's 3 in a row.

[TrapGame]

It was a sure loss last year. I offered anyone here pumping sunshine a ban bet. One bit, but I let em off the hook bc it was a sucker bet. LSU will be better than last year and we will be worse... home field flips though, so maybe if we catch the breaks

Jesus man, you need to get on some Zoloft or stop listening to The Cure or something.

[Tbonewannabe]

It was a sure loss last year. I offered anyone here pumping sunshine a ban bet. One bit, but I let em off the hook bc it was a sucker bet. LSU will be better than last year and we will be worse... home field flips though, so maybe if we catch the breaks

Neither of those is a given. We very well could be overall better just from Stevens putting us in the correct positions and knowing where to throw the ball.

[msstate7]

Jesus man, you need to get on some Zoloft or stop listening to The Cure or something.

FPI had us 8th in 2018.
S&P+ had us 8th in 2018.
FEI had us 8th in 2018.

You wanting to bet we finish higher (1-7) in any of those metrics?