Make Your Picks: Ragin' Cajuns Football 2016

[zephyr]

My expectation is 5-7 and offense is my biggest concern. Very little experience at QB and coming off a year which we did not use our most prolific offensive player very well, I'm not sure what to expect but we don't have guys on the outside that really impress me or for which I feel can make a huge impact. We lacked the big play potential last year and I think much of that issue will remain for this year.

Defense was actually OK last year but just stayed on the field way too much and that is never a good sign. Just don't see where we have many gimme games on this schedule and just don't know if we have the talent to be a 9 win team. People say all of this stuff about having our backs against the wall and everything but I just wonder if we have the talent on either side of the ball to actually do something about it and HUD will have to earn that money this year and install a scheme for which we can produce some points.

[scotto_25]

The triple option is quickly learned. The question is ability.

No new offense is quickly learned (especially with new coaches and limited time). The biggest problem with the option is that everyone must know exactly when to motion, where to motion to, and most importantly - make the pitch. This has been the biggest problem with new option teams. That pitch can be a 81tch.

[CrazyCajun]

My expectation is 5-7 and offense is my biggest concern. Very little experience at QB and coming off a year which we did not use our most prolific offensive player very well, I'm not sure what to expect but we don't have guys on the outside that really impress me or for which I feel can make a huge impact. We lacked the big play potential last year and I think much of that issue will remain for this year.

Defense was actually OK last year but just stayed on the field way too much and that is never a good sign. Just don't see where we have many gimme games on this schedule and just don't know if we have the talent to be a 9 win team. People say all of this stuff about having our backs against the wall and everything but I just wonder if we have the talent on either side of the ball to actually do something about it and HUD will have to earn that money this year and install a scheme for which we can produce some points.

christy,Johnson,Bradley,jaquet,Barnes a year older... We will have a lot more options this year on the outside

[Just1More]

No new offense is quickly learned (especially with new coaches and limited time). The biggest problem with the option is that everyone must know exactly when to motion, where to motion to, and most importantly - make the pitch. This has been the biggest problem with new option teams. That pitch can be a 81tch.

I think it's right to say that it isn't a hard offense to learn. It's more about whether the personnel have the right athleticism to run it. If you don't run it like a fine tuned machine, defensive speed on the other side of the line can eat your lunch. You do have the advantage that so many defenses are geared toward covering the spread that a lot who think they can cover the option... do not cover it well. But you are right... that pitch can blow up in your face.

[zephyr]

christy,Johnson,Bradley,jaquet,Barnes a year older... We will have a lot more options this year on the outside

All are pretty much unproven. I understand improvement and expect something from them but just don't know how much. Since Hud has been here, our passing game has had some real vertical threats and I don't see that out of any of these guys based on last season. Needless to say, I am very skeptical of this offense and its true ceiling of potential.

[CrazyCajun]

All are pretty much unproven. I understand improvement and expect something from them but just don't know how much. Since Hud has been here, our passing game has had some real vertical threats and I don't see that out of any of these guys based on last season. Needless to say, I am very skeptical of this offense and its true ceiling of potential.

Shelby Christy is an sec transfer and Johnson is a senior who has been here. We have at least 6 more options than last year and if we can't find 1 or 2...well this ride has been fun but it's over. HUD had one of the better offenses for 4 straight years... Basing everything off of last year that was a total nightmare cluster phk is kinda unfair. Outside receivers will never look very good with a bad oline, a QB running for his life and our QB who got the most snaps is now at RB. If our Oline is as good as I think they will be... Those guys you weren't impressed with will start to look a whole lot better.

[Just1More]

My expectation is 5-7 and offense is my biggest concern. Very little experience at QB and coming off a year which we did not use our most prolific offensive player very well, I'm not sure what to expect but we don't have guys on the outside that really impress me or for which I feel can make a huge impact. We lacked the big play potential last year and I think much of that issue will remain for this year.

Defense was actually OK last year but just stayed on the field way too much and that is never a good sign. Just don't see where we have many gimme games on this schedule and just don't know if we have the talent to be a 9 win team. People say all of this stuff about having our backs against the wall and everything but I just wonder if we have the talent on either side of the ball to actually do something about it and HUD will have to earn that money this year and install a scheme for which we can produce some points.

I'm not sure what we have talent-wise. Not that I doubt what we have. I just don't know. Last year was such a farce of a coaching job, it may end up that we could have taken that exact talent and gotten our 8 wins and a bowl. Others might disagree... and they'd be wrong... but our coaching staff blew last year massively. We had personnel issues... we always have... but the coaching from preparation to scheme... was atrocious.

It wasn't just Elijah being misused. It wasn't just Haack and Nixon being misused. Our line was slow (because they were never in shape)... and our route running was a joke... and play selection - don't get me started. I'll say it again... we almost couldn't have tried to screw up our offense and done any worse. THAT should give us some hope... if Hud actually believes he and his staff screwed the pooch last year. If he KNOWS that he did... we probably have all the talent necessary to get back on track.

And our defense is completely an unknown. This should be the year, however, to see if Coach Smith and hopefully some healthy talent have a defense that actually disrupts at the line and covers downfield... in a simultaneous operation.

[CrazyCajun]

I'm not sure what we have talent-wise. Not that I doubt what we have. I just don't know. Last year was such a farce of a coaching job, it may end up that we could have taken that exact talent and gotten our 8 wins and a bowl. Others might disagree... and they'd be wrong... but our coaching staff blew last year massively. We had personnel issues... we always have... but the coaching from preparation to scheme... was atrocious.

It wasn't just Elijah being misused. It wasn't just Haack and Nixon being misused. Our line was slow (because they were never in shape)... and our route running was a joke... and play selection - don't get me started. I'll say it again... we almost couldn't have tried to screw up our offense and done any worse. THAT should give us some hope... if Hud actually believes he and his staff screwed the pooch last year. If he KNOWS that he did... we probably have all the talent necessary to get back on track.

And our defense is completely an unknown. This should be the year, however, to see if Coach Smith and hopefully some healthy talent have a defense that actually disrupts at the line and covers downfield... in a simultaneous operation.

Also didn't help that we were breaking in a few new players on the oline, then injuries hit for the first time in 5 years... Was the first time since HUD has been here we needed the backups. I think after quave went down there wasn't really anyone to get them going. I think they will be much improved.

[Fais do-do]

8-4 If we play well against Boise St.
4-8 If they "2 girls, 1 cup" us to death!

[Just1More]

Also didn't help that we were breaking in a few new players on the oline, then injuries hit for the first time in 5 years... Was the first time since HUD has been here we needed the backups. I think after quave went down there wasn't really anyone to get them going. I think they will be much improved.

That's a very true statement. We were spoiled with the OL from the prior few years, having been veterans with massive experience. And Quave getting injured really hammered the unitj... a great lineman and a leader lost. I still felt they looked like a sluggish bunch overall. You make a good point... the OL improving just from a health and some experience gained... with a massive dose of being in shape for the season... might be something to give us some hope.