Football Depth Chart

[maroonmania]

But it is a P5 roster

We certainly hope it is. We will find out soon enough.I guess.

[confucius say]

Lose the ASU game and I'll be pissed. All 4 non-cons and 1 low fruit SEC team like Arkansas would be a good rebuilding year. There's some light at the end of the tunnel.



I'm an optimist not a delusional idiot. This program is in a hole.

ASU is picked to win the Big 12 and has the preseason player of the year who is a Heisman candidate playing QB. That would be a massive win. I still think TN at home is your big upset chance.

[TrapGame]

ASU is picked to win the Big 12 and has the preseason player of the year who is a Heisman candidate playing QB. That would be a massive win. I still think TN at home is your big upset chance.

They don't have Scooby Doo. That's a huge plus. I don't understand how Leavitt is considered a Heisman candidate.

And like 34 said, "It's the Big 12."

[StarkVegasSteve]

ASU is picked to win the Big 12 and has the preseason player of the year who is a Heisman candidate playing QB. That would be a massive win. I still think TN at home is your big upset chance.

I just don't see it with Arizona St. Leavitt is going to have to carry a lot more of the load this year. There's no Skattebo there when things get tough.

[confucius say]

He's a really good runner. That's what worries me more than his arm.

[SpaceBully]

Kromenhoek is a more talented version of Fitzgerald. He can play and COULD be deadly in this system. Unfortunately for him, he may have the second coming of Cam Newton also in the QB room with him.

As for Shapen, yes he QB?d the Toledo game. Our first 3 drives in that game had 2 killer penalties and 2 sacks where Shapen had about a second to throw. On our fourth drive, we get a false start penalty at the 1 after Shapen had driven us down there and had to settle for a FG. Our 5th drive, after we are down 21-3, Shapen again gets sacked and it kills the drive. You can blame stuff on Shapen last year, but the Toledo game is not something he should catch blame for.

Whoever our QB is will only be as good as the OL in front of him.

[SpaceBully]

Don't understand the blame that Shapen gets for Toledo at all. If he threw 3-5 interceptions and was below 50% completing his passes and maybe had a fumble or two in there then Ok.

Our defense gave up 41 points and our offensive line simply didn't show up.

I saw one poll the other day that had N. Illinois at #25. So there's that.

[Hot Rock]

5-7 and you dont beat OM, I am out. I dont mean shit but still.

You serious? Ole Miss? roster is way better than State?s. Yes, State can win it but if they do then they are probably going bowling and Lebby should be coach of year candidate.

Yes DC is suspect but he has better players this year but he has to show he belongs. Why keep him? We are desperate for some continuity and No decent DC is taking this job right now. Plus, the defense did play better toward end of year and Lebby brought in some experienced analyst to help.

5-7 if any fashion means this team has made huge strides! You out? I was never OUT! Even during the Croom years. Why quit now? I may want a new DC after this year but Lebby? Give the guy a chance.

[KOdawg1]

As bad as we were last year, we still almost won that game vs. Arizona State on the road.

Take away the roided out white dude and they are absolutely beatable at home.

[Coach34]

As bad as we were last year, we still almost won that game vs. Arizona State on the road.

Take away the roided out white dude and they are absolutely beatable at home.

I get having optimism and all that. Hope springs eternal. But I'm worried about playing the Nasty Bunch in the opener. Is our roster better than last year? Absolutely. Is their roster better? Yes also.

We likely win but I dont think it will be easy. Vegas had it at -14 and it has since dropped to -13.5. People are betting on the Nasty Bunch.

[KOdawg1]

I get having optimism and all that. Hope springs eternal. But I'm worried about playing the Nasty Bunch in the opener. Is our roster better than last year? Absolutely. Is their roster better? Yes also.

We likely win but I dont think it will be easy. Vegas had it at -14 and it has since dropped to -13.5. People are betting on the Nasty Bunch.

Won't be a gimme for sure. They're basically half of Marshall's team from last year that won the Sun Belt. Just get in and out with a win.

[maroonmania]

Yes DC is suspect but he has better players this year but he has to show he belongs. Why keep him? We are desperate for some continuity and No decent DC is taking this job right now.

This is ridiculous, whether last year when Lebby first made the hire or this year. Most any G5 DC would take our SEC DC job given the 7 figures we are paying Hutzler. And there are probably some P4 DCs that would have taken it. Coordinating a defense and forming a gameplan and making in game calls is totally different than being a defensive position coach. Lebby would have been much better served to have gotten someone who had experience already having been a quality DC on some level. Hutzler was sold to us as some great recruiter but that certainly hasn't been the case for us. Of course I could recruit to Alabama.

[Todd4State]

This is ridiculous, whether last year when Lebby first made the hire or this year. Most any G5 DC would take our SEC DC job given the 7 figures we are paying Hutzler. And there are probably some P4 DCs that would have taken it. Coordinating a defense and forming a gameplan and making in game calls is totally different than being a defensive position coach. Lebby would have been much better served to have gotten someone who had experience already having been a quality DC on some level. Hutzler was sold to us as some great recruiter but that certainly hasn't been the case for us. Of course I could recruit to Alabama.

Heck, we have two guys on staff right now that I would promote to DC in a heartbeat over Hutzler in McIntyre and Rhoads. I don't think anyone would be shocked if that ends up happening eventually.

Last year there was hardly any coaching turnover in the SEC and for the first time I can remember I think everyone returned their head coach. Maybe because of the political stuff involving college football plus insanely high buyouts but my guess is that could lead to a lot more turnover this next offseason now that schools know what they're working with. We could very well see coaching changes at Auburn and LSU this offseason and not to mention people like Kentucky and Arkansas- two SEC blueblood jobs plus two other SEC jobs coming open would create a lot of turnover in college football.

Was that a factor in keeping Hutzler? Potentially and probably.

[Todd4State]

I saw one poll the other day that had N. Illinois at #25. So there's that.

Not surprised since they're on our schedule. As soon as they beat Notre Dame Selmon should have bought them out.

[Todd4State]

I just don't see it with Arizona St. Leavitt is going to have to carry a lot more of the load this year. There's no Skattebo there when things get tough.

And I think if we played them in Starkville instead of Tempe we would have won. Barely. But they barely beat us at home with a NFL running back.

We are significantly better than we were at this time last year.

[Todd4State]

I get having optimism and all that. Hope springs eternal. But I'm worried about playing the Nasty Bunch in the opener. Is our roster better than last year? Absolutely. Is their roster better? Yes also.

We likely win but I dont think it will be easy. Vegas had it at -14 and it has since dropped to -13.5. People are betting on the Nasty Bunch.

I don't think it will be easy either and Lebby better win because if he loses that game he is going to lose a ton of support. Similar to Croom losing to Maine.

I'm just not sure that he can recover from it. And probably won't.

[ZedFedder]

Northern Illinois beat Notre Dame but they are not some G5 juggernaut.

[R2Dawg]

I don't think it will be easy either and Lebby better win because if he loses that game he is going to lose a ton of support. Similar to Croom losing to Maine.

I'm just not sure that he can recover from it. And probably won't.

Agree. I said in another thread, this game be tougher than some expect and want. Still doesn't mean we are not much improved and can't have a good year win 4-6 games.

But yeah if we don't win, it may be over for Lebby, the wheels will come off.

[Pancho]

not saying it ends up in a 5 or 6 win season but the record must be now worse than 3-1 after the first 4 games.

[confucius say]

And I think if we played them in Starkville instead of Tempe we would have won. Barely. But they barely beat us at home with a NFL running back.

We are significantly better than we were at this time last year.

True. But they improved a ton over the season. They lost to Texas in overtime at the end. Not sure what they have back other than Heisman candidate QB (15 in Heisman odds), but they are picked to win Big 12