[CTcard]

I think 2017 will be a little rough, better in 2018, and - don't think I'm crazy - the national championship is fully within our reach in 2019.

2017 might be a little rough, I mean any year might be a little rough. However, I would say that the team is reasonably well set up for success. To actually achieve such success, some questions will have to be answered in a positive manner, but that is basically the case every year.

Plusses
Very high level of returning starters.
Very high level of returning contributors overall
[Note these two items are highly correlated to the fact that we had one of the smallest recruiting classes in the country.]
Most position groups feature somewhere between good proven performance returning to reasons for optimism on returning starters.
Much of a very good 2016 recruiting class coming on line, a few of an outstanding 2017 recruiting class possibly to come on line, at least one proven high caliber starter returning from injury (Holder).

Minuses - or at least big questions
Two of five starters lost were our best players on their side of the ball.
Uncertainty/no truly proven starter at QB.
OL needs to improve pass blocking.
DL quality depth.
--------------------------------------------

2018 also looks fairly promising, that is at least partly connected to the outlook that we'll probably take another small recruiting class. From what I can see with a quick glance at the roster, the following who have started for us will no longer be on the team:
Bright, Kalambayi, Palma, Tyler, Tucker, Marx, Burns.
[Not sure Tyler has started, but I think has good prospects to start in 2017.]

One might imagine we won't have the services of a couple of:
Meeks, Holder, Schultz, Reid, Alfieri, Phillips.

And of course projecting to 2018 gives us another year to sort out issues at QB, OL, DL.

Not bad.

[CTcard]

I think 2017 will be a little rough, better in 2018, and - don't think I'm crazy - the national championship is fully within our reach in 2019.

2017 might be a little rough, I mean any year might be a little rough. However, I would say that the team is reasonably well set up for success. To actually achieve such success, some questions will have to be answered in a positive manner, but that is basically the case every year.

Plusses
Very high level of returning starters.
Very high level of returning contributors overall
[Note these two items are highly correlated to the fact that we had one of the smallest recruiting classes in the country.]
Most position groups feature somewhere between good proven performance returning to reasons for optimism on returning starters.
Much of a very good 2016 recruiting class coming on line, a few of an outstanding 2017 recruiting class possibly to come on line, at least one proven high caliber starter returning from injury (Holder).

Minuses - or at least big questions
Two of five starters lost were our best players on their side of the ball.
Uncertainty/no truly proven starter at QB.
OL needs to improve pass blocking.
DL quality depth.
--------------------------------------------

2018 also looks fairly promising, that is at least partly connected to the outlook that we'll probably take another small recruiting class. From what I can see with a quick glance at the roster, the following who have started for us will no longer be on the team:
Bright, Kalambayi, Palma, Tyler, Tucker, Marx, Burns.
[Not sure Tyler has started, but I think has good prospects to start in 2017.]

One might imagine we won't have the services of a couple of:
Meeks, Holder, Schultz, Reid, Alfieri, Phillips.

And of course projecting to 2018 gives us another year to sort out issues at QB, OL, DL.

Not bad.