We have a lot of young, talented players who just need to learn how to win. No blowouts this year is a good start, be in every game until the 4th quarter and play to the final whistle. If you remember in 1999, we were about to start a nice run and had a bunch of young kids who had to find a way to create the edge and win again after a tough few years under Butch through probation. We got as high as #8 in the country, lost a heartbreaker to Penn State, had a close road loss to ECU after the Penn State loss, played FSU tough, etc to lose 3 straight. Only game that got out of hand was VT on the road. Beat OSU in the first game but that team lost 6 games so did not really beat anyone good, except GT in the bowl game. We finished strong, won the last 3 games and our bowl game to get to 9-4 and had momentum heading into the offseason for a great 3 year run.
If we include this year's class which will help shore up the OL (along with the LSU transfer), let's think about a stacked roster that we have next year. OL and CB need to be handled carefully, but we will be ready to go with another full offseason of the current system (both off the field and on the field) and knowledge of our talent to craft the right game plans:
Starters Returning:
Offense: 9 (only lose Isadora and Coley)
Defense: 8 (only lose Elder, Jenkins and Carter)
Kicker returns...need to find a new punter
QB - Kaaya, Rozier, Allison, Sherrifs, Perry, Weldon
RB - Walton, Yearby, Edwards, Homer, Burns, 1 more
WR - Richards, Berrios, Cager, Harris, Mullins, 3 new dudes
TE - Njoku, Hearndon, Irvin, Haskins, Polendry
OL - Darling, Linder, McDemott, George Brown, Donaldson, Odogwu, St. Louis, 1-2 more of the frosh or JC guy that will play
DE - Thomas, J. Jackson, D. Jackson, Harris, Patchan, Bethel, D. Johnson,
DT - Norton, McIntosh, Jenkins, Willis, Moten, Ford
LB - Shaq, Pinckney, McLoud, Owens, Perry, Smith, Steed, Jennings, 1 more
CB - Redwine, Jackson, Mayes, Young, Bandy, Dallas, 1 more... Best 3 will play the most...I actually think Redwine and Jackson (in their 3rd years) will take a nice step and play well
S - Johnson, Finley, Knowles, Wright, Carter, Gibson...Johnson and the best 2 others will play
We are deep and talented at most positions...with young guys like Richards, the 3 LBs, J. Jackson taking big steps in their 2nd years and other guys like Finley, Wright, Young, Mullins becoming real contributors...
This will the first time we will be legitimately 3 deep at all positions (save for OL) in a long time.
The future is bright, and if we had won on Saturday, this is what we would be talking about.
If we include this year's class which will help shore up the OL (along with the LSU transfer), let's think about a stacked roster that we have next year. OL and CB need to be handled carefully, but we will be ready to go with another full offseason of the current system (both off the field and on the field) and knowledge of our talent to craft the right game plans:
Starters Returning:
Offense: 9 (only lose Isadora and Coley)
Defense: 8 (only lose Elder, Jenkins and Carter)
Kicker returns...need to find a new punter
QB - Kaaya, Rozier, Allison, Sherrifs, Perry, Weldon
RB - Walton, Yearby, Edwards, Homer, Burns, 1 more
WR - Richards, Berrios, Cager, Harris, Mullins, 3 new dudes
TE - Njoku, Hearndon, Irvin, Haskins, Polendry
OL - Darling, Linder, McDemott, George Brown, Donaldson, Odogwu, St. Louis, 1-2 more of the frosh or JC guy that will play
DE - Thomas, J. Jackson, D. Jackson, Harris, Patchan, Bethel, D. Johnson,
DT - Norton, McIntosh, Jenkins, Willis, Moten, Ford
LB - Shaq, Pinckney, McLoud, Owens, Perry, Smith, Steed, Jennings, 1 more
CB - Redwine, Jackson, Mayes, Young, Bandy, Dallas, 1 more... Best 3 will play the most...I actually think Redwine and Jackson (in their 3rd years) will take a nice step and play well
S - Johnson, Finley, Knowles, Wright, Carter, Gibson...Johnson and the best 2 others will play
We are deep and talented at most positions...with young guys like Richards, the 3 LBs, J. Jackson taking big steps in their 2nd years and other guys like Finley, Wright, Young, Mullins becoming real contributors...
This will the first time we will be legitimately 3 deep at all positions (save for OL) in a long time.
The future is bright, and if we had won on Saturday, this is what we would be talking about.
