Phil Steele's offensive rankings brings some sobering info

[lamont]

Also, OM has the recruiting star power at OL, but are we convinced they are going to be better than us on the OL? They gave up more than 2 sacks a game last year. We gave up 1.4 and return 3 starters with a senior at center. I think our OL has much more potential to surprise in the positive than the negative.

I'd certainly put OM's OL ahead of ours- not sure how you couldnt


I look for us to be in the 9-11 range on the OL overall

[Bothrops]

I'd certainly put OM's OL ahead of ours- not sure how you couldnt


I look for us to be in the 9-11 range on the OL overall

If we can add Hodges I'd call it about even.

[lamont]

adding Hodges would be huge- we need an experienced OT badly

[Dawg61]

Steele ranks State on offense this way:
RB-13

Hahahaha what a ****ing joke!!! Have we ever in the our history had the 13th best rushing attack in the SEC (11th best before the stepsisters got added) oh and our QB almost rushed for the All-Time SEC rushing record for a QB last year but I am sure that doesn't matter cause he is listed as a QB not a RB

[lamont]

Hahahaha what a ****ing joke!!! Have we ever in the our history had the 13th best rushing attack in the SEC

Our RB's were absolutely 13th in the SEC last year

[QuadrupleOption]

Our RB's were absolutely 13th in the SEC last year

You aren't wrong but he said 'rushing attack', not RBs. We were #4 in total rushing yards and YPC, #5 in rushing yards per game (233), #9 in rushing TDs.

Fitz's rushing abilities have to be factored into our running game and its expected effectiveness. We won't have the #13 rushing attack in the conference this season.

[Pollodawg]

Seems like many of you were saying last year how wrong Steele was last year too. Except he ended up being pretty close

What were his predictions for MSU last season?

[FISHDAWG]

Arkansas OL was awful last year, Austin Allen was sacked and ungodly amount. He was sacked 34 times for -256 yds.

I don't think they punted ... not one time against us last year

[maroonmania]

Swap the RB and WR prediction rankings and I could live with it. I really don't give a flying flip what we did throughout the entire year last year at RB because Mullen and Knox wasted tons of carries on Holloway and Shumpert. The future should be based on what happened the last 4 SEC games where Williams had 450 yards rushing and averaged over 6 yards per carry. Plus we have a 4 star backup in Gibson and Hill coming in as a 4 star and the most college ready RB Mullen has signed out of HS. Its a freakin' joke that he has us tied with UNM for last. The Bears don't have a clue what a RB is and only use one as a diversion for their passing game. Now WR is another story, pretty much everything is an unknown there past Gray (given we lost Dear) and even Gray wasn't very effective last year against good competition. Anything better than 13th or 14th at that position as far as a pre-season prediction is gravy. Could be slightly low at OL and maybe even QB but I'm not going to fuss about those too much.

[Pollodawg]

This is a Mullen team. It will do Mullen team things. 7 win floor 9 win max.

[Dawg61]

Aeris Williams is gonna make a lot of writers and posters look like idiots this year. He is about to blow up. Bookmark me

[bulldawg28]

The good side of that is they have 4 starters returning

My bet of 8 wins still stands and your still running

[Liverpooldawg]

Phil Steele? YAWN.

[MedDawg]

During Mullen's years State has finished in the SEC for team rushing: #4 in 2016, #10 in 2015, 3, 8, 9, 6, 2, 4. Our "running game" will be just fine. We have been in the top half of team rushing nearly every year.

Basing team rushing potential only on returning RB rushing yards means squat. If they don't want to count QB rushing yards for our RB's, then they da*n well better add QB rushing yards to our QB's ranking and put Fitz higher than 4th. FITZ LED THE ENTIRE SEC IN YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE LAST YEAR. Don't just ignore 1,300 QB rushing yards because QB's are based on passer ratings.

[maroonmania]

During Mullen's years State has finished in the SEC for team rushing: #4 in 2016, #10 in 2015, 3, 8, 9, 6, 2, 4. Our "running game" will be just fine. We have been in the top half of team rushing nearly every year.

Basing team rushing potential only on returning RB rushing yards means squat. If they don't want to count QB rushing yards for our RB's, then they da*n well better add QB rushing yards to our QB's ranking and put Fitz higher than 4th. FITZ LED THE ENTIRE SEC IN YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE LAST YEAR. Don't just ignore 1,300 QB rushing yards because QB's are based on passer ratings.

Well to be fair if you took the rushing element away from Fitz in the QB rating there is no way we would have the #4 QB group.

[Coach007]

Steele ranks State on offense this way:

QB-4
RB-13
WR-9
OL-13

QB- with the talent at QB in the SEC this year, I have no problems with a #4 ranking heading into the season. Hurts, Allen, Stidham, Fitz, Eason should all have good seasons. Then you look as LSU, SC, Kentucky, Mizzou all return solid QB's as well. Florida finally has a full stable of QB talent. Best QB talent the SEC has had at once that I can remember

RB- He has us at 13 due to looking at the whole group- and while that may be a little low- its hard to put us in the top 10. State RB's return 777 yards- 11th most in the SEC. Bama, Georgia, Auburn, LSU, A&M, and Mizzou are loaded at RB. Those teams return a minimum of 1600 yards at TB. State fans obviously feel good about our RB situation-especially after starting a munchkin at TB before Williams- but when you look at the entire SEC, its loaded at RB.

WR- 9th. Thanks Phil- I'll take it. Gray and Mixon should have good seasons. Need a bounce-back season from Myles. Our TE group should play a big part in the success of our passing game this year. Depth at WR is a huge concern- staying injury-free at WR is paramount for this season's success

OL- 13th. I dont think our OL will be this bad- but there is lots of concern. We dont return many starts- somewhere around 40 or the high 30's total. Our Center will not have played one college play as a Center. Another starter will not have played one college play in college and will be green. There is no depth at OT or C.
On the bright side- Rankin played well the 2nd half of 2016, Calhoun is a good OG. Jenkins has alot to learn at Center- but he is a good OL player. Williams was improving before his injury last year. We do have OG-depth in case someone goes down there. This group probably struggles the 1st half of 2017 because of the tough early schedule and then comes on the 2nd half of the season.

There is certain reason for optimism in 2017 and this certainly could be a 7 win team in 2017. However- its not hard to see the concerns for 2017.

QB-2
RB-7
Wr- 4
OL- 9

Defense- 5

[TUSK]

You aren't wrong but he said 'rushing attack', not RBs. We were #4 in total rushing yards and YPC, #5 in rushing yards per game (233), #9 in rushing TDs.

Fitz's rushing abilities have to be factored into our running game and its expected effectiveness. We won't have the #13 rushing attack in the conference this season.

I've a hard time believing Fitz will be effective "RB" against an average/above average SEC Run D... unless he gets way more accurate & better pass pro...

That being said, if the pocket breaks down, he might make some big plays...

[Coach007]

I've a hard time believing Fitz will be effective "RB" against an average/above average SEC Run D... unless he gets way more accurate & better pass pro...

That being said, if the pocket breaks down, he might make some big plays...

Chemistry. It's there. Watch out for Couch and Johnson

[TUSK]

Chemistry. It's there. Watch out for Couch and Johnson

Is Couch the LB from Auburn, AL????

don't think I know 'em....

[HSVDawg]

Those WR rankings and RB rankings are both comically wrong for different reasons. Steele is a clown. This shit has no bearing on the outlook for the season for anyone who actually pays attention. If our D improves to the "Grantham standard" of minimum Top 40-50 scoring D and overall D, we will win 8 or 9 games. If it doesn't, we will win 6 or 7. Simple as that. Everything else is just background noise.