Until we beat an actually talented team that is mildly well-coached and not fully imploding (see UCLA last year), I don't buy it.
This year we are going to have to up our game considerably to beat UCLA down there, Utah on the road and Stanford at home. None of those games are games we should feel confident about. Even if somehow we manage to take the Jakey B factor out of those games (UCLA seems primed to give Jakey a 11-23 performance, to me) and win, we will get stomped by USC in the championship game.
We are shrivel dicks until we aren't.
I personally don't see why there is so much hype around us this year. I think people are sort of saying 'oh, well, now they have a Sr. QB so they will be great!'
Unfortunately, I see a ton of holes. Our offense is going to be absolute shit unless we completely re-tool it. Our top WR is Aaron Fuller (who dreams he could one day be Braxton Berrios) and our offensive line is a fucking nightmare. This is the piece where I don't see the optimism.
We are going to get kicked in the dick at Auburn (that is a nightmare matchup for us) and we cannot afford 1 injury on the OL. We have no one at WR, despite having an offense that will inevitably throw to set up the run.
If Bush institutes a common-sense 'hey, look at this personnel!' approach, we can definitely win the Pac... but I don't think he will and I don't think we will.
We have the following major issues:
Our QB sucks: especially in critical situations and he is incapable of making the 6-7 plays you need to make in close games to win... he may make 3 all season. Our OL sucks: we cannot pass block in the interior. Our WRs suck: we have talent, but we will play the worst players because our offense is too complicated. Our DL will try to rotate 6 and we only have 3 (Gaines, Johnson, Levi). We have no pass rush: Benning and Amandre suck until they don't. Bowman can pass rush, but can't play the run. BBK is a starter: if he doesn't get pushed out of the way and manages to make contact, he always falls backwards 2-3 yards. Myles Bryant is a starter: hopefully he won't be, but we love practice players.
To me, I think this is potentially an 8-9 win team. Losses: Auburn, @UCLA, @Utah and Oregon on the road or Stanford at home.
Last year, we should've lost at home to Utah because our offense is fucking retarded. Our offense is retarded until it's not.
DDY is just pointing out all the flaws on this year's team. Last year's team (along with a once every 30 year favorable schedule, that most of us will never see again in our lifetimes) should have cake-walked to the Pac-12 champ game and had less holes than this years squad.
There is a 60% chance this team starts off 1-2, and I don't think we beat both UCLA and Oregon in back to back weeks. I can see 9-3 very very easily.
Something would have to seriously wrong if we go 9-3 this year. This team is loaded.
I trust the coaches track record with player development. I expect the edge rush to be much much better. The secondary is insane. Gaines, Jaylen, and Levi will all be better on the interior.
Miles Gaskin Ahmed will be better. The line will be better. The receivers scare me a bit, because I don't know if they will play the actual talent or have a QB who will trust them to make plays.
It's very hard to go undefeated, so we drop 1. But it's a playoff or bust type of year.
Until we beat an actually talented team that is mildly well-coached and not fully imploding (see UCLA last year), I don't buy it.
This year we are going to have to up our game considerably to beat UCLA down there, Utah on the road and Stanford at home. None of those games are games we should feel confident about. Even if somehow we manage to take the Jakey B factor out of those games (UCLA seems primed to give Jakey a 11-23 performance, to me) and win, we will get stomped by USC in the championship game.
We are shrivel dicks until we aren't.
I personally don't see why there is so much hype around us this year. I think people are sort of saying 'oh, well, now they have a Sr. QB so they will be great!'
Unfortunately, I see a ton of holes. Our offense is going to be absolute shit unless we completely re-tool it. Our top WR is Aaron Fuller (who dreams he could one day be Braxton Berrios) and our offensive line is a fucking nightmare. This is the piece where I don't see the optimism.
We are going to get kicked in the dick at Auburn (that is a nightmare matchup for us) and we cannot afford 1 injury on the OL. We have no one at WR, despite having an offense that will inevitably throw to set up the run.
If Bush institutes a common-sense 'hey, look at this personnel!' approach, we can definitely win the Pac... but I don't think he will and I don't think we will.
We have the following major issues:
Our QB sucks: especially in critical situations and he is incapable of making the 6-7 plays you need to make in close games to win... he may make 3 all season. Our OL sucks: we cannot pass block in the interior. Our WRs suck: we have talent, but we will play the worst players because our offense is too complicated. Our DL will try to rotate 6 and we only have 3 (Gaines, Johnson, Levi). We have no pass rush: Benning and Amandre suck until they don't. Bowman can pass rush, but can't play the run. BBK is a starter: if he doesn't get pushed out of the way and manages to make contact, he always falls backwards 2-3 yards. Myles Bryant is a starter: hopefully he won't be, but we love practice players.
To me, I think this is potentially an 8-9 win team. Losses: Auburn, @UCLA, @Utah and Oregon on the road or Stanford at home.
Last year, we should've lost at home to Utah because our offense is fucking retarded. Our offense is retarded until it's not.
DDY is just pointing out all the flaws on this year's team. Last year's team (along with a once every 30 year favorable schedule, that most of us will never see again in our lifetimes) should have cake-walked to the Pac-12 champ game and had less holes than this years squad.
There is a 60% chance this team starts off 1-2, and I don't think we beat both UCLA and Oregon in back to back weeks. I can see 9-3 very very easily.
Something would have to seriously wrong if we go 9-3 this year. This team is loaded.
I trust the coaches track record with player development. I expect the edge rush to be much much better. The secondary is insane. Gaines, Jaylen, and Levi will all be better on the interior.
Miles Gaskin Ahmed will be better. The line will be better. The receivers scare me a bit, because I don't know if they will play the actual talent or have a QB who will trust them to make plays.
It's very hard to go undefeated, so we drop 1. But it's a playoff or bust type of year.
Browning James Harris Untested receiving core. No deep threat
No Vita Suspect depth at DT BBK (size) or Tevis (experience) at MIK
BBK remains the weak link on D. Vita covered BBKs defeceny. He’s gone. Jaylon and Levi will have to step up, draw double teams, and mess some shit up. If BBK slides into Bierras role at Wil that’s more palatable.
Disagree on Myles. He will he used in packages but won’t be a three down player. If he is, Jimmy Lake should be fired. Irving or Gordon will play if needed. With the DB talent level, guys like Murphy, Rapp, Irving, Gordon are three year guys, including the redshirt year. Play the best.
Can Nick Harris, now at center, run block? If so, run the fucking ball, a lot. If Bush wants to get cute and play balanced, his ass can go to.
Lots of Double tight end sets. Sample, Bryant, Kizer, and Otten. Run blockers. Chip and release. Drag routes. Seams.
That’s what should be done. It probably won’t.
Some middling team will “upset” us and revitilize their future. If it’s Oregon, Cristobal leaves for a higher paying job with Pepsi man taking over.
Wouldn’t shock me to see Oregon out of the north and ASU emerge from the south. Pepsi vs. Herm. Either way it will or won’t be interesting.
Comments
I trust the coaches track record with player development. I expect the edge rush to be much much better. The secondary is insane. Gaines, Jaylen, and Levi will all be better on the interior.
Miles Gaskin Ahmed will be better. The line will be better. The receivers scare me a bit, because I don't know if they will play the actual talent or have a QB who will trust them to make plays.
It's very hard to go undefeated, so we drop 1. But it's a playoff or bust type of year.
James
Harris
Untested receiving core. No deep threat
No Vita
Suspect depth at DT
BBK (size) or Tevis (experience) at MIK
Shit PK
That’s a two, maybe three loss team
POTD