I send my pre-season thoughts to my college friends every year just before the first game. The following is this year's email and would love to get some feedback from you all. I am really high on this team... I think we'll be the "surprise" team in the SEC again.
Pre-season predictions.
We'll be better; ALOT better.
This SHOULD be Lock's second year and we'll see a huge jump. You take away the drops from last year? His numbers are a lot better than they already are... He threw for 376 and 3 TDs against GA (a game we should have won, sorry, up 27-21 going into the fourth and we don't run ANY clock and keep chucking it up?!?! Horrible coaching and that game changes the ENTIRE season); 22-37 for 294 and 2 TDs and NO interceptions against Vandy and 16-26 for 268 and NO INTs against Arky in the 2 SEC wins... There's a reason schools like Ohio St and Texas wanted him and Harbaugh came after him hard before signing day; the kid can play. And we'll see it this year.
Crockett is a stud. TRUE freshman last year. And he got bigger and stronger. 1062 yards last season... 817 in 7 games when he became the feature back.
Mason and Johnson were both in their first year last season and put up great numbers. The WRs are deep and talented. If Moore doesn't drop 18 balls, he'll be all SEC but Im more excited about the young guys. And the TEs are going to be a huge part of the offense. 4 deep and the true freshman could play, he's that good but they'll shirt him because they can...
The O line? We were scared of them last offseason and they turned out to be the best unit on the team.
"The line gave up a league-low 14 sacks on 37.3 pass attempts per game, second-most in the SEC. Elarbee’s O-line allowed just 35 tackles behind the line of scrimmage on 948 plays. That’s a negative play for every 27.1 snaps. The 2.9 tackles for loss allowed per game was the best average for a Division I offense since 2005."
We will score and we WILL score a lot.
Biggest problem with the D last week? Well two of them... we couldn't tackle and we had no big bodies in the middle to stuff the run. Hoping we can tackle.... Should have been the focus since the Arky game... The run stuffers? Beckner will be an AA... Not all SEC. An All American. And we have big bodies now to rotate in. Great, talented freshman and two JUCOs (Brandon and Palmore) who will be difference makers (Remember these names: Whiteside and Byers and Elliott next year). Linebackers? We apparently have six who could start and thats probably a good thing. Find the three who tackle and play em. Kaleb Prewett is a transfer from K-State that was supposedly the best player in the Spring game (Brandon the other). Looks like we'll go with a hybrid/LB in a lot of packages this year; Prewett is the guy...
Secondary is the key... Lost both corners and safety play was questionable. We'll start a true freshman at safety. If we can pressure the QB (looking at you, Marcell Frazier) it will help the pass defense.
So I am all in on this team. I love what I'm reading and the film I've watched. This is an 8 win team, at least. And I'm going with 9. Here's why.
Week 1. v. Stec's Bears. Win big, like 63-0 big; tune up for S. Carolina 1-0
Week 2. S. Carolina Most important game on schedule sort of like the GA game last year... Will set the tone. But its home and we're better. Flip last year's score: 31-21, Tigers. 2-0
Week 3. Purdue. A lot of swagger after SC win. Lock airs it out at home and we put 7 TDs on them. 3-0
Week 4. Auburn (home AGAIN). As mentioned, I love our DTs (TBJ, Brandon, Palmore...) and I don't think Auburn runs for 400. But they'll outscore us. Will be closer than people think, but we'll lose like 28-27. 3-1
Week 5 at KY. I like their backs and they gashed the Tiger D last season. Again, I think our DTs are run stoppers. And Mark Stoops isn't Bob Stoops. And we’ll be coming off a bye, and they might enter at 2-2 with losses to SC and FL. 4-1
Week 6. at UGA. Not as high on UGA as others; yet, I think they win a home game. A 4-8 team only lost by 1 last season and we're better than last year... But, I think we lose. (They do come into this game with no breathers yet with games at Notre Dame and TN and home with Miss St.) 4-2
Week 7. Idaho. 63-7 is the prediction. 5-2
Week 8. at UCONN. 63-7 is the prediction. 6-2 and we bowl.
Week 9. FL. Riding high and I THINK we will probably get the "upset." Not a shootout; FL D is good. 24 will win it. BUTTTTTTTT..... But I think we lose 3, and this is probably the third…(they play LSU, A&M, and UGa their three games prior to us as well… We have the BEST schedule of any EAST team this year; should have said that earlier) So… 6-3
Week 10. TN. HUGE weekend in CoMo (we'll be there). TN continues to be overrated; we crush em as the town parties all weekend. 7-3
Week 11. at Vandy. Vandy is not stopping this train. Why people say "Vandy could surprise people" and NOT apply that "logic" to Mizzou? Its crazy. 8-3
Week 12. at Arky. Arky. Hahahahahahahaha... Bret Bielema is 25-26 (10-22) and once again we'll hear how they are primed for a breakout. They are NOT breaking out. Look at their schedule; they COULD enter this game with 8 losses (TCU, A&M, @SC @ Bama, Auburn, @ Ole Miss, @LSU and Miss. St) 9-3
Comments:
Lock throws for almost 4,000 (3399 last year) with a 60% completion rate
Crockett runs for 1300 and sets himself up as a Heisman candidate in 2018
D is drastically improved and doesn't drive us insane
Newcomers to watch: Brandon, Prewett, Palmore, Turner, Byers, Ullmer
Finally, kicking game was beyond awful so HAS to be better... One can hope. (Fatony might be all SEC punter)
So fire away…
Pre-season predictions.
We'll be better; ALOT better.
This SHOULD be Lock's second year and we'll see a huge jump. You take away the drops from last year? His numbers are a lot better than they already are... He threw for 376 and 3 TDs against GA (a game we should have won, sorry, up 27-21 going into the fourth and we don't run ANY clock and keep chucking it up?!?! Horrible coaching and that game changes the ENTIRE season); 22-37 for 294 and 2 TDs and NO interceptions against Vandy and 16-26 for 268 and NO INTs against Arky in the 2 SEC wins... There's a reason schools like Ohio St and Texas wanted him and Harbaugh came after him hard before signing day; the kid can play. And we'll see it this year.
Crockett is a stud. TRUE freshman last year. And he got bigger and stronger. 1062 yards last season... 817 in 7 games when he became the feature back.
Mason and Johnson were both in their first year last season and put up great numbers. The WRs are deep and talented. If Moore doesn't drop 18 balls, he'll be all SEC but Im more excited about the young guys. And the TEs are going to be a huge part of the offense. 4 deep and the true freshman could play, he's that good but they'll shirt him because they can...
The O line? We were scared of them last offseason and they turned out to be the best unit on the team.
"The line gave up a league-low 14 sacks on 37.3 pass attempts per game, second-most in the SEC. Elarbee’s O-line allowed just 35 tackles behind the line of scrimmage on 948 plays. That’s a negative play for every 27.1 snaps. The 2.9 tackles for loss allowed per game was the best average for a Division I offense since 2005."
We will score and we WILL score a lot.
Biggest problem with the D last week? Well two of them... we couldn't tackle and we had no big bodies in the middle to stuff the run. Hoping we can tackle.... Should have been the focus since the Arky game... The run stuffers? Beckner will be an AA... Not all SEC. An All American. And we have big bodies now to rotate in. Great, talented freshman and two JUCOs (Brandon and Palmore) who will be difference makers (Remember these names: Whiteside and Byers and Elliott next year). Linebackers? We apparently have six who could start and thats probably a good thing. Find the three who tackle and play em. Kaleb Prewett is a transfer from K-State that was supposedly the best player in the Spring game (Brandon the other). Looks like we'll go with a hybrid/LB in a lot of packages this year; Prewett is the guy...
Secondary is the key... Lost both corners and safety play was questionable. We'll start a true freshman at safety. If we can pressure the QB (looking at you, Marcell Frazier) it will help the pass defense.
So I am all in on this team. I love what I'm reading and the film I've watched. This is an 8 win team, at least. And I'm going with 9. Here's why.
Week 1. v. Stec's Bears. Win big, like 63-0 big; tune up for S. Carolina 1-0
Week 2. S. Carolina Most important game on schedule sort of like the GA game last year... Will set the tone. But its home and we're better. Flip last year's score: 31-21, Tigers. 2-0
Week 3. Purdue. A lot of swagger after SC win. Lock airs it out at home and we put 7 TDs on them. 3-0
Week 4. Auburn (home AGAIN). As mentioned, I love our DTs (TBJ, Brandon, Palmore...) and I don't think Auburn runs for 400. But they'll outscore us. Will be closer than people think, but we'll lose like 28-27. 3-1
Week 5 at KY. I like their backs and they gashed the Tiger D last season. Again, I think our DTs are run stoppers. And Mark Stoops isn't Bob Stoops. And we’ll be coming off a bye, and they might enter at 2-2 with losses to SC and FL. 4-1
Week 6. at UGA. Not as high on UGA as others; yet, I think they win a home game. A 4-8 team only lost by 1 last season and we're better than last year... But, I think we lose. (They do come into this game with no breathers yet with games at Notre Dame and TN and home with Miss St.) 4-2
Week 7. Idaho. 63-7 is the prediction. 5-2
Week 8. at UCONN. 63-7 is the prediction. 6-2 and we bowl.
Week 9. FL. Riding high and I THINK we will probably get the "upset." Not a shootout; FL D is good. 24 will win it. BUTTTTTTTT..... But I think we lose 3, and this is probably the third…(they play LSU, A&M, and UGa their three games prior to us as well… We have the BEST schedule of any EAST team this year; should have said that earlier) So… 6-3
Week 10. TN. HUGE weekend in CoMo (we'll be there). TN continues to be overrated; we crush em as the town parties all weekend. 7-3
Week 11. at Vandy. Vandy is not stopping this train. Why people say "Vandy could surprise people" and NOT apply that "logic" to Mizzou? Its crazy. 8-3
Week 12. at Arky. Arky. Hahahahahahahaha... Bret Bielema is 25-26 (10-22) and once again we'll hear how they are primed for a breakout. They are NOT breaking out. Look at their schedule; they COULD enter this game with 8 losses (TCU, A&M, @SC @ Bama, Auburn, @ Ole Miss, @LSU and Miss. St) 9-3
Comments:
Lock throws for almost 4,000 (3399 last year) with a 60% completion rate
Crockett runs for 1300 and sets himself up as a Heisman candidate in 2018
D is drastically improved and doesn't drive us insane
Newcomers to watch: Brandon, Prewett, Palmore, Turner, Byers, Ullmer
Finally, kicking game was beyond awful so HAS to be better... One can hope. (Fatony might be all SEC punter)
So fire away…
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