Can the Hogs inexperienced offense handle the blitz?
Our kicking game.
As I told Clay earlier this summer, I have the premonition that the Hogs will have an outstanding season resulting in a SEC West championship. However, although I am extremely confident, I can only trust the coaching staff will ensure our offense can adequately handle the blitz and our kicking game will experience a tremendous improvement.
The blitz concerns me the most with an inexperienced QB, RBs and OL. If I’m TCU, my defense has been working on various blitz packages since last Spring. Hopefully CBB and Coach Enos will have the Hogs well prepared.
As for the kicking game…oh boy. My fingers are crossed. Can we make the pressure FGs? Can we go a season without any blocked kicks? How’s our return game? Can we greatly reduce our opponent starting at the 35 yard line or better from our kick offs? Once again, I am trusting CBB and his staff have taken the appropriate measures to get our kicking game at a championship level. It was very discouraging last season that CBB and his staff never made the proper adjustments during the season eventually resulting in the MSU loss.
I’m concerned about our pass defense. It appears we have the best front 7 in years with some depth which should help the secondary.
I’m also worried about the young backs pass blocking. That typically takes experience in a game.
But overall I’m more optimistic than I have been in years. Talked to my brother in law yesterday that lives in Fayettville. We have a real good feeling about this year. It could be a big one. Get past TCU with a win and good things can happen.
However, this now appears to be in pretty good shape with Jake R. evidently doing a nice job. I also believe that our RB’s are going to be pretty good with the help of the 2 good fullbacks
Injury to key players concerns me a lot. I hope when they get to the Texas State game, it is played with 2nd and 3rd team players and no 1st team players are used to avoid injury in such a cupcake match up.
I agree fuzz. While overall depth is much better than last season; most of the depth is not experienced depth. We still have a few players, whom if injured, would cause real challenges for the team. The starting QB, MLB, and the young RBs represent either vastly superior personnel over the next level or vastly more experience. These are difference makers.
If these stay healthy, I suspect the Hogs will be dandy.
daBoar that is exactly what I am saying. I sure we dont see any to key personal. Do any of the rest of you feel the same as I do about 1st team players in the Texas State game?
Great question. I generally feel pretty good about the team. As to the question: Oline jumps up first. Have they meshed (and that inculdes running back in the pass game)? Then comes secondary. We read how much better they are and that the front is great which always helps, but they had so far to go. Last season it was like they were just out there to watch the guys in the other shirts catch the ball. They were very, very bad.
Surly, they have learned how to protect on place kicks, but I will believe it when I see it. Finally, like you I would like to see us start the other teams at the 25 for a change. Kick off coverage has to improve. A kick deep into or out of the end zone would help instead of to the 5.
Is everyone expecting to much from the players and coaching staff. I see people talking about what La Tech has to replace, we have 2 (yes 2) returning starters on offense (I consider a starter as someone who started at least 75% of the games last year. That’s Ragnow and Skipper, and Ragnow is in a new position (I know Skipper has moved around, but I believe he’s back at the position he played last year). The defense (our weakest in years, including the Petrino years) returns many of the same players, and seems to be beating the offense. I don’t know if that’s a good sign or not. My early prediction was 5 games, not being able to see the team myself until Sep 3, I can’t change my prediction, or my concerns. Ask me again after La Tech, and I’ll give you an updated opinion.
Playing Alcorn State might be better than a break. I do think the three games against Alabama, Ole Miss and at Auburn is a very tough turn after playing the state of Texas.