2009 Football Rankings

[Just1More]

_ Anybody got anything else to add. It took me a long time to type this piece so I better get some dialogue out of you knuckleheads!!!!!! _

J1M knucklehead read it and can't speak wrt the rest of the conference. I do think we are a stronger team than most fans seem to believe. The new skill talent isn't completely green and with an offense built to their strengths, we may be a lot more pleased than some predict... behind a better OL and a healthier and better defense. I couldn't really guess where that puts us against the rest of the conference. Some on the field leadership springs from the ranks this year and a lot can happen.

I like the schedule... Southern at home with a follow at home against Kansas State. We take it to LSU and Nebraska... pick ourselves up and continue... regardless. The off week with NT (H) followed by WKU (away) is also a nice schedule situation for our team to get prepared and face less than the toughest conference foes to start conference action.

No doubt, for us, .500 overall is a battle. If we are healthy, we are competitive. The key to me is whether our OC is talented enough to capitalize on our new skill people's strengths. Our success has a lot more to do with how good the coaches plan and adjust than it is the individual gifts from our stable of QBs, RBs, and WRs. I was impressed with our OC last year.

Some people seemed to have forgotten that our 3 fabulous senior skill players last year also were the 3 fabulous junior skill players that lead us to 3-9 the year prior. They didn't learn to "run better" in their senior years. Our OC made adjustments based on a talent he had and did not have. "He" made the difference last year. I think he can do it this year with his new offensive assets. JMO

[zephyr]

_ J1M knucklehead read it and can't speak wrt the rest of the conference. I do think we are a stronger team than most fans seem to believe. The new skill talent isn't completely green and with an offense built to their strengths, we may be a lot more pleased than some predict... behind a better OL and a healthier and better defense. I couldn't really guess where that puts us against the rest of the conference. Some on the field leadership springs from the ranks this year and a lot can happen.

I like the schedule... Southern at home with a follow at home against Kansas State. We take it to LSU and Nebraska... pick ourselves up and continue... regardless. The off week with NT (H) followed by WKU (away) is also a nice schedule situation for our team to get prepared and face less than the toughest conference foes to start conference action.

No doubt, for us, .500 overall is a battle. If we are healthy, we are competitive. The key to me is whether our OC is talented enough to capitalize on our new skill people's strengths. Our success has a lot more to do with how good the coaches plan and adjust than it is the individual gifts from our stable of QBs, RBs, and WRs. I was impressed with our OC last year.

Some people seemed to have forgotten that our 3 fabulous senior skill players last year also were the 3 fabulous junior skill players that lead us to 3-9 the year prior. They didn't learn to "run better" in their senior years. Our OC made adjustments based on a talent he had and did not have. "He" made the difference last year. I think he can do it this year with his new offensive assets. JMO _

I think you summed it up the best. While those 3 players were undoubtedly great student athletes in the program's history, I think there is a little smoke there that clouds the issue. Like I stated, Chery was invaluable due to his versatility in the return game, situational runner and receiver. However, his stats were accumulated literally in a 2 week period last year. Des put up some nice numbers but I expect some of those rushing yards he had to be canceled out by an improved passing game this year. Where I am concerned the most is at RB. Fenroy was the man for 4 years and we didn't have to worry about fumbles, missed blocking assignments and he was a gamer. We have some talent coming in but we haven't seen most of them in action. I believe we have more depth and the best O-line in the conference.

There are already some adjustments I'm happy about. We will run more out of set formations like the I-formation and under center rather than strictly running the zone read. I like that based on our new personnel. I know we will still run it but we should be a little more versatile. I also like the schedule. I like getting two home games to start.

I believe this conference is going to be even more balanced than it has in the past. Troy lost some guys but they have all their major playmakers back and the best linebackers, hands down, in the conference in Boris Lee and Bear Woods. They also have one of the top 2 running backs and best receiver. ASU is loaded with seniors and they have the most starters coming back of anybody. They also have the best defensive player in Alex Carrington. It will be interesting.

[zephyr]

bumping to the top. tired of arguing with ULM fans on the legal name of our school