01-24-2013, 03:49 AM
Let's take a look at who we are losing next season and who we have to fill the void.
HB Stepfan Taylor -> Anthony Wilkerson
TE Zach Ertz -> Hewitt/Meinkin
TE Levine Toilolo -> Luke Kaumatule
WR Drew Terrell -> Ty Montgomery
WR Jamal Rashard-Patterson -> Kodi Whitfield
C Sam Schwartzstein -> ??? (Schuler?)
DT Terrence Stephens -> David Parry
OLB Chase Thomas -> James Vaughters/Lueders
CB Terrence Brown -> Alex Carter/Wayne Lyons
So pretty much all of our possible replacements, if the above were to be 100% accurate, would already have game experience. I'm not even worried about defense. I know we are going to stuff opponents to 14 or less points in the majority of our games. Our safeties are pretty solid. We have some young corners who either have already shown signs of all american ability (Alex Carter) or have struggled but have great talents (Wayne Lyons). Our front 7 is going to be lights out + 2 lights out safeties. It is going to be good night Irene for most offenses and that includes an Oregon without Chip Kelly. The only thing we may lack is speed but we make it up in sheer fortitude with guys like Shayne Skov and Jordan Richards giving those speedy little guys nightmares of concussions.
On offense things will be a little different. I think we are going to cater the offense to Hogan. I think you are going to see something similar to an Oregon type offense. Something like the 49ers are running right now with Kaepernick. We have a QB who can make most throws we ask him and can run really well. We could run a pro style offense if we need to but with nearly all of our offensive firepower leaving aside from our QB, I think we're going to utilize zone read and option plays and get speedy guys like Kelsey Young and Barry J on the field at the same time. Then we can bring more traditional backs like Wright and Wilkerson to run some pro style running plays.
But if we run a pro style offense like we have been, I don't see our offense being as effective without Stepfan Taylor and our tight ends. We relied heavily on tight ends for short passing plays and Hogan was amazing at this. Luke and the FB's we have hold experience in the passing game but I don't know if I can see them filling that void immediately. I also can't see the current WR's we have on our team having brobdingnagian 5+ catch games and getting regular TD's like the Whelen's, Owusu, or Baldwin. I do think we're going to see some WRs step up, guys we haven't seen before like Rector or Crane, or even a freshman. WR is wide open. Right now we don't have that go to WR and Montgomery has been dropping balls but I bet he bounces back.
In the end I think if we run a split between the pro style offense and spread option I can see our offense putting up 21-28 PPG and that should definitely be enough to win games. I think our offense will progressively get better as the season goes on and our skill players gain more experience. Our O-Line should be in good shape. I wouldn't be surprised at all if we made the national title game. We should be the front runners in our conference next season. USC is on the decline and Oregon lost their coach. We beat UCLA twice and Notre Dame will be our toughest scheduled opponent. Here's to an undefeated season and here is to being the first team to molly whop an SEC team in the natty game for the first time in however many years. Let's do it boys!
HB Stepfan Taylor -> Anthony Wilkerson
TE Zach Ertz -> Hewitt/Meinkin
TE Levine Toilolo -> Luke Kaumatule
WR Drew Terrell -> Ty Montgomery
WR Jamal Rashard-Patterson -> Kodi Whitfield
C Sam Schwartzstein -> ??? (Schuler?)
DT Terrence Stephens -> David Parry
OLB Chase Thomas -> James Vaughters/Lueders
CB Terrence Brown -> Alex Carter/Wayne Lyons
So pretty much all of our possible replacements, if the above were to be 100% accurate, would already have game experience. I'm not even worried about defense. I know we are going to stuff opponents to 14 or less points in the majority of our games. Our safeties are pretty solid. We have some young corners who either have already shown signs of all american ability (Alex Carter) or have struggled but have great talents (Wayne Lyons). Our front 7 is going to be lights out + 2 lights out safeties. It is going to be good night Irene for most offenses and that includes an Oregon without Chip Kelly. The only thing we may lack is speed but we make it up in sheer fortitude with guys like Shayne Skov and Jordan Richards giving those speedy little guys nightmares of concussions.
On offense things will be a little different. I think we are going to cater the offense to Hogan. I think you are going to see something similar to an Oregon type offense. Something like the 49ers are running right now with Kaepernick. We have a QB who can make most throws we ask him and can run really well. We could run a pro style offense if we need to but with nearly all of our offensive firepower leaving aside from our QB, I think we're going to utilize zone read and option plays and get speedy guys like Kelsey Young and Barry J on the field at the same time. Then we can bring more traditional backs like Wright and Wilkerson to run some pro style running plays.
But if we run a pro style offense like we have been, I don't see our offense being as effective without Stepfan Taylor and our tight ends. We relied heavily on tight ends for short passing plays and Hogan was amazing at this. Luke and the FB's we have hold experience in the passing game but I don't know if I can see them filling that void immediately. I also can't see the current WR's we have on our team having brobdingnagian 5+ catch games and getting regular TD's like the Whelen's, Owusu, or Baldwin. I do think we're going to see some WRs step up, guys we haven't seen before like Rector or Crane, or even a freshman. WR is wide open. Right now we don't have that go to WR and Montgomery has been dropping balls but I bet he bounces back.
In the end I think if we run a split between the pro style offense and spread option I can see our offense putting up 21-28 PPG and that should definitely be enough to win games. I think our offense will progressively get better as the season goes on and our skill players gain more experience. Our O-Line should be in good shape. I wouldn't be surprised at all if we made the national title game. We should be the front runners in our conference next season. USC is on the decline and Oregon lost their coach. We beat UCLA twice and Notre Dame will be our toughest scheduled opponent. Here's to an undefeated season and here is to being the first team to molly whop an SEC team in the natty game for the first time in however many years. Let's do it boys!