jakez4ut
Patience... It's what's for dinner
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- Jul 7, 2005
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and rightfully so i guess...before the season started, we all had somewhat tempered expectations. then the season got started..and based on what you saw thru the first part of the season...expectations got adjusted..again, rightfully so. We had played our way to having a shot at a really great season.
but at the end of the day, as we sit here at 7-3, we're a long way away from the 11-1, 10-2 we thought was still possilbe 3 weeks ago. and seemingly, it has gotten so bad so fast, it has us scratching our heads...we're now back to the same place we were before the season started...coaching changes, championships vs. bowl wins, who's the class of the SEC etc, etc, etc...
When at the end of the day, this team has turned out to be what a lot of us thought they would be...we just took the long road to get there.
We're a pretty good football team. nothing more.
i think we all knew as the season progressed, well, you did if you watched this team play all year, the defense wasn't exactly great. they are very opportunistic, but not dominant in any way shape or form. the Arkansas game was a reflection, imo, of the AF game. ONly this time, no EA, and one Darren McFadden. AR played the same game AF did...keep away. only this time we didn't score on every possesion, they did, practically it seemed.
After watching 10 games, and watching a lot of other teams play as well, i think it's pretty clear we simply don't have the personnel up front on either side of the ball to compete with the elite. i think our skill position players are very good, when healthy. and believe it or not, getting crompton in these past two games, though he took his lumps, will pay dividends in the future.
So, as we end the season, questions that have been answered:
1. Eric Ainge can in fact play. he has had a great year, and his senior year doesn't seem now to be the chore it once could have been.
2. WR's can in fact catch the ball and make HUGE plays. Again, we may lose some talent there, but i think we have enough young talent and people coming back that 07 shouldn't be a big drop off.
3. We do in fact have some RB's. all three will be back and Coker i think has established himself as the guy. i see plenty of PT for Foster and Hardesty next season as well.
4. The TE is back. the past 2-3 games, i've been impressed with Cottam. I think he'll be even more involved next season.
Questions going forward:
1. The whole defense. Opportunistic is great if you can get 3-4 turonvers a game. but we need a defense like we're used to. the front four has to get better and LB's must be able to provide better run support and pass defense. Pressure on the qb needs to come from the front four more. the secondary will get young again, though i still see a bright future for Morely. The D will be the big question mark going in to next season. how much better will age and experience make them, and how much depth did we build this year?
2. Offensive line. obvious sore spot. Pass protection has been OK all year, but against the better d's we've faced--UF, LSU and ARK, i think it's clear that we are not on the same page as far as talent goes up front. Run blocking has been poor all year, and again, must get better. will all the experience guys like Ligon and Mcneil got this year be the difference? who replaces Sears? i expect more youth up front next year...but better in the middle.
3. Special teams...it's been a mixed bag this year...some real good, and some real bad and a whole lot of average. is this a personnel issue or do they finally get serious about it and put ONE person in charge as a ST coach?
So some questions got answered, some didn't. it should translate in to a 9-3 regular season with a pretty good bowl at the end. Nothing spectacular, and nothing that should a)get anyone too optimistic about what was actually accomplished and b)not get anyone too down about where the program is currently headed.
i'm curious to see how recruiting is affected when all is said and done. I think Coach Cut has remade himself and will have some folks wanting to play for him. As for Chavis and the D, it's obvious we need help, so PT on a Defensive rotation could lure some prospects our way. the Defense could really be the only thing holding us back next year, depending on the O line.
so, i'm disappointed, but not ready to jump ship. when all is said and done, we are basically what we thought we were...a pretty good football team that improved over last year, but are a year or two away from SEC Title caliber.
beat Vandy, beat KY...go to the bowl, get the extra practice and let's see what happens in recruiting...and we'll do it again next year!:salute:
but at the end of the day, as we sit here at 7-3, we're a long way away from the 11-1, 10-2 we thought was still possilbe 3 weeks ago. and seemingly, it has gotten so bad so fast, it has us scratching our heads...we're now back to the same place we were before the season started...coaching changes, championships vs. bowl wins, who's the class of the SEC etc, etc, etc...
When at the end of the day, this team has turned out to be what a lot of us thought they would be...we just took the long road to get there.
We're a pretty good football team. nothing more.
i think we all knew as the season progressed, well, you did if you watched this team play all year, the defense wasn't exactly great. they are very opportunistic, but not dominant in any way shape or form. the Arkansas game was a reflection, imo, of the AF game. ONly this time, no EA, and one Darren McFadden. AR played the same game AF did...keep away. only this time we didn't score on every possesion, they did, practically it seemed.
After watching 10 games, and watching a lot of other teams play as well, i think it's pretty clear we simply don't have the personnel up front on either side of the ball to compete with the elite. i think our skill position players are very good, when healthy. and believe it or not, getting crompton in these past two games, though he took his lumps, will pay dividends in the future.
So, as we end the season, questions that have been answered:
1. Eric Ainge can in fact play. he has had a great year, and his senior year doesn't seem now to be the chore it once could have been.
2. WR's can in fact catch the ball and make HUGE plays. Again, we may lose some talent there, but i think we have enough young talent and people coming back that 07 shouldn't be a big drop off.
3. We do in fact have some RB's. all three will be back and Coker i think has established himself as the guy. i see plenty of PT for Foster and Hardesty next season as well.
4. The TE is back. the past 2-3 games, i've been impressed with Cottam. I think he'll be even more involved next season.
Questions going forward:
1. The whole defense. Opportunistic is great if you can get 3-4 turonvers a game. but we need a defense like we're used to. the front four has to get better and LB's must be able to provide better run support and pass defense. Pressure on the qb needs to come from the front four more. the secondary will get young again, though i still see a bright future for Morely. The D will be the big question mark going in to next season. how much better will age and experience make them, and how much depth did we build this year?
2. Offensive line. obvious sore spot. Pass protection has been OK all year, but against the better d's we've faced--UF, LSU and ARK, i think it's clear that we are not on the same page as far as talent goes up front. Run blocking has been poor all year, and again, must get better. will all the experience guys like Ligon and Mcneil got this year be the difference? who replaces Sears? i expect more youth up front next year...but better in the middle.
3. Special teams...it's been a mixed bag this year...some real good, and some real bad and a whole lot of average. is this a personnel issue or do they finally get serious about it and put ONE person in charge as a ST coach?
So some questions got answered, some didn't. it should translate in to a 9-3 regular season with a pretty good bowl at the end. Nothing spectacular, and nothing that should a)get anyone too optimistic about what was actually accomplished and b)not get anyone too down about where the program is currently headed.
i'm curious to see how recruiting is affected when all is said and done. I think Coach Cut has remade himself and will have some folks wanting to play for him. As for Chavis and the D, it's obvious we need help, so PT on a Defensive rotation could lure some prospects our way. the Defense could really be the only thing holding us back next year, depending on the O line.
so, i'm disappointed, but not ready to jump ship. when all is said and done, we are basically what we thought we were...a pretty good football team that improved over last year, but are a year or two away from SEC Title caliber.
beat Vandy, beat KY...go to the bowl, get the extra practice and let's see what happens in recruiting...and we'll do it again next year!:salute:
