2016

[thwgjacket]

While I hope 2015 is a good year for us the schedule might be so tough that it makes our record look like our team is worse than it is. It's incredibly tough to project a year in advance, two is probably a fools errand but I'd like to try anyway. After a tough schedule to get guys better in 2015, 2016 might be our year. JeT will be a senior. At B-Back we'll have at least 2 explosive young guys in Leggett and MLD. At AB Andrews will be a senior along with Willis and we might have JJ too. We'll also have Lynch and guys from this class that look really athletic. The OL will be huge and physical. Like averaging 6'5 and 310 huge. We will have Summers, one of our best blocking WR's as a senior and about 5 tall, fast WR's to choose from.
On D we'll have Freeman as a junior or Whitehead as a senior at rush end if one doesn't get moved to LB. The other 3 spots will be filled with seniors like Gamble and Kallon or young guys like Glanton or Henderson. Not to mention guys like Lewis and Simmons. At LB we'll have PJ Davis and Hankins as seniors along with young guys like Jackson, Mitchell and Cooksey. At DB both Griffins, Durham, and the Austins will be older guys along with young guys like Gray and Wigley. Oh and Butker will be a senior. There's a chance we have older, talented guys at every position backed by younger, talented guys. We'll also be much bigger and more physical on both sides of the ball. 2016 is the year I'm hoping can be very special.

 

[TheGridironGeek]

I don't know if the 2015 schedule is that daunting. Notre Dame is actually the best of both worlds -- perpetually easier to knock off than the accolades you get for doing so might indicate. Also the conference schedule is the same except for the addition of FSU. Remember, the star QB will be drafted this off-season.

 

[MWBATL]

I don't know if the 2015 schedule is that daunting. Notre Dame is actually the best of both worlds -- perpetually easier to knock off than the accolades you get for doing so might indicate. Also the conference schedule is the same except for the addition of FSU. Remember, the star QB will be drafted this off-season.

And four of those hoss OL will be gone as well.

 

[babuka]

Sounds like the time is now for another 3 game win streak against UGA.

Here is to GT taking advantage of the positive press and the increased resources sought after by CPJ in his extension.

Has anybody heard details of the extension yet?

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I don't know if the 2015 schedule is that daunting. Notre Dame is actually the best of both worlds -- perpetually easier to knock off than the accolades you get for doing so might indicate. Also the conference schedule is the same except for the addition of FSU. Remember, the star QB will be drafted this off-season.

FSU would argue that point. They got no credit for knocking off the Irish, especially late in the season as ND did their nose dive. It didn't matter they were much healthier when they played FSU.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I will chime in here. Scheduling is key to getting into the ACC CG and/or the playoffs. If the OhSt does not play VT this year, they do not sweat the playoffs. When you play someone is also important. I believe we beat Duke and UNC if we played them later, but we might have lost to another team if played earlier. You need some breaks in the schedule. It is tough to get up week after week after week. If we have ND, FSU, VT, Clemson and Miami back to back, I almost guarantee we will lose to the next team on our schedule.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I will chime in here. Scheduling is key to getting into the ACC CG and/or the playoffs. If the OhSt does not play VT this year, they do not sweat the playoffs. When you play someone is also important. I believe we beat Duke and UNC if we played them later, but we might have lost to another team if played earlier. You need some breaks in the schedule. It is tough to get up week after week after week. If we have ND, FSU, VT, Clemson and Miami back to back, I almost guarantee we will lose to the next team on our schedule.

Playing a strong OOC schedule is a double edged sword. It can help you out big time if you win or it can hurt you big time if you lose. If we hadn't beaten the mutts, we never would have had the media love we got before the FSU game. If we had beaten the noles and a couple of other teams had lost, there was a good chance lowly 2-loss GT would have made the playoff.

 

[mmbt0ne]

I don't know if the 2015 schedule is that daunting. Notre Dame is actually the best of both worlds -- perpetually easier to knock off than the accolades you get for doing so might indicate. Also the conference schedule is the same except for the addition of FSU. Remember, the star QB will be drafted this off-season.

And four of those hoss OL will be gone as well.

FSU is projected to lose:

QB - Jameis Winston (1st rounder)
CB - PJ Williams (1st rounder)
CB - Ronald Darby (1st rounder)
DT - Eddie Goldman (1st rounder)
OL - Cameron Erving (1st rounder)
OL - Josue Matias (2nd rounder)
WR - Rashad Green (2nd rounder)
OL - Tre Jackson (2nd rounder)
DL - Mario Edwards (2nd rounder)
TE - Nick O'Leary (3rd rounder)
Plus starters Bobby Hart (OL), Derrick Mitchell Jr (DL), and Desmond Hollin (DL)

That's 8 of their 9 starting linemen, gone.

The cupboard's not gonna be bare. They'll still have Cook and their current starting LT on offense, their entire LB corps on defense, and two NFL caliber safeties.

Outside of that, they recruit as well as anyone in the nation and have a bunch of current Sophomores and Juniors ready to jump in. But that's a tough hit.

 

[UgaBlows]

They definitely lose more than us, same with ugag

https://uga.rivals.com/cdepthtext.asp

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Factories tend to reload, hence the name... factory. GT... not so much. However, it's funny how that reasoning screwed the media perception of our qb situation in the offseason. Lol.

 

[CobbTech]

QB-Justin Thomas: Sr.
BB-CJ Leggett or Mikell Lands-Davis: Jr./So.
AB-Dennis Andrews: Sr.
AB-JJ Green: Jr.
WR-Ricky Jeune: Jr.
WR-Michael Summers/Christian Philpott: Sr./So.
T-Trey Klock: So.
G-Gary Brown: So. (he's gonna play guard, right?)
C-Freddie Burden: Sr.
G-Shamire Devine: Jr.
T-Chris Griffin: Jr.

Sign me up for this on offense. That personnel looks dangerous. Fromayan played a lot this year. I assume others will be in the mix on the OL as well.

DE-Keshun Freeman: Jr.
DT-Kyle Henderson: So.
DT-Brentavious Glanton: So.
DE-Pat Gamble: Sr.
LB-PJ Davis-Sr.
LB-Beau Hankins: Sr.
Sam-Lance Austin: Jr.
CB-Step Durham: Jr.
CB-Lawrence Austin/Lynn Griffin: Jr./Sr.
S-Corey Griffin: Jr.
S-Shawn Kagawa: Jr.

This defense has potential but, again, it will depend on what we get from our DL. Hopefully Henderson and Glanton can be difference makers by year two. I'm sure some of the guys from our LB group from the 2014 and 2015 will get into the mix.

I'm excited about next year with JT and new faces at skill positions. 2016 looks like THE year that we could possibly get into the mix for the playoff. With JT as a senior, skill guys with a year under their belt, talented and somewhat veteran OL and a schedule that will be favorable, it could be a special year. I like what our defense did against Clemson and in certain spots against UGA, but like we saw against FSU, we still have a long way to go on defense. And I don't think it's coaching. Still think it will be 2016 at the earliest before we have a defense we can really rely on.

 

[Mack]

QB-Justin Thomas: Sr.
BB-CJ Leggett or Mikell Lands-Davis: Jr./So.
AB-Dennis Andrews: Sr.
AB-JJ Green: Jr.
WR-Ricky Jeune: Jr.
WR-Michael Summers/Christian Philpott: Sr./So.
T-Trey Klock: So.
G-Gary Brown: So. (he's gonna play guard, right?)
C-Freddie Burden: Sr.
G-Shamire Devine: Jr.
T-Chris Griffin: Jr.

Sign me up for this on offense. That personnel looks dangerous. Fromayan played a lot this year. I assume others will be in the mix on the OL as well.

DE-Keshun Freeman: Jr.
DT-Kyle Henderson: So.
DT-Brentavious Glanton: So.
DE-Pat Gamble: Sr.
LB-PJ Davis-Sr.
LB-Beau Hankins: Sr.
Sam-Lance Austin: Jr.
CB-Step Durham: Jr.
CB-Lawrence Austin/Lynn Griffin: Jr./Sr.
S-Corey Griffin: Jr.
S-Shawn Kagawa: Jr.

This defense has potential but, again, it will depend on what we get from our DL. Hopefully Henderson and Glanton can be difference makers by year two. I'm sure some of the guys from our LB group from the 2014 and 2015 will get into the mix.

I'm excited about next year with JT and new faces at skill positions. 2016 looks like THE year that we could possibly get into the mix for the playoff. With JT as a senior, skill guys with a year under their belt, talented and somewhat veteran OL and a schedule that will be favorable, it could be a special year. I like what our defense did against Clemson and in certain spots against UGA, but like we saw against FSU, we still have a long way to go on defense. And I don't think it's coaching. Still think it will be 2016 at the earliest before we have a defense we can really rely on.

Gosh can we wait until 2016 ! need to get them as quick as we can......stop the run and the rest is easy.

 

[CobbTech]

Gosh can we wait until 2016 ! need to get them as quick as we can......stop the run and the rest is easy.

Unfortunately, mack, we lost some key future guys on our DL before the season started. Some big, talented guys that were freshmen that were looking like the future of our DL. After they left/kicked off, we're basically starting over and it will likely take another year or two to load up there. Doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to win games.

 

[thwgjacket]

QB-Justin Thomas: Sr.
BB-CJ Leggett or Mikell Lands-Davis: Jr./So.
AB-Dennis Andrews: Sr.
AB-JJ Green: Jr.
WR-Ricky Jeune: Jr.
WR-Michael Summers/Christian Philpott: Sr./So.
T-Trey Klock: So.
G-Gary Brown: So. (he's gonna play guard, right?)
C-Freddie Burden: Sr.
G-Shamire Devine: Jr.
T-Chris Griffin: Jr.

Sign me up for this on offense. That personnel looks dangerous. Fromayan played a lot this year. I assume others will be in the mix on the OL as well.

DE-Keshun Freeman: Jr.
DT-Kyle Henderson: So.
DT-Brentavious Glanton: So.
DE-Pat Gamble: Sr.
LB-PJ Davis-Sr.
LB-Beau Hankins: Sr.
Sam-Lance Austin: Jr.
CB-Step Durham: Jr.
CB-Lawrence Austin/Lynn Griffin: Jr./Sr.
S-Corey Griffin: Jr.
S-Shawn Kagawa: Jr.

This defense has potential but, again, it will depend on what we get from our DL. Hopefully Henderson and Glanton can be difference makers by year two. I'm sure some of the guys from our LB group from the 2014 and 2015 will get into the mix.

I'm excited about next year with JT and new faces at skill positions. 2016 looks like THE year that we could possibly get into the mix for the playoff. With JT as a senior, skill guys with a year under their belt, talented and somewhat veteran OL and a schedule that will be favorable, it could be a special year. I like what our defense did against Clemson and in certain spots against UGA, but like we saw against FSU, we still have a long way to go on defense. And I don't think it's coaching. Still think it will be 2016 at the earliest before we have a defense we can really rely on.

You really think Whitehead doesn't find a spot on D to start somewhere? Dude was a juco all-american for a reason and will be a RS-senior in 2016.

 

[CuseJacket]

 

[TheGridironGeek]

FSU would argue that point. They got no credit for knocking off the Irish, especially late in the season as ND did their nose dive. It didn't matter they were much healthier when they played FSU.

True, but FSU has been held to a ridiculous double standard in SoS, since everyone assumed they weren't facing any tough teams in their conference. Playing a school with such a name-brand tradition as Notre Dame ensures that there will be increased hype and natl. exposure for the program. Beating a marquee opponent still counts for something, even when they're not a serious contender. Beating Utah State might be equally challenging but wouldn't be noticed.

 

[BabyJacket1990]

I would like to see more freshman used in 2015. We will need all these experience if we're going to make a run at 2016.

 

[UgaBlows]

Factories tend to reload, hence the name... factory. GT... not so much. However, it's funny how that reasoning screwed the media perception of our qb situation in the offseason. Lol.

call me a koolaid addict if you want but i believe we are in full on reload mode on offense, and getting there on defense

 

[Mack]

I would like to see more freshman used in 2015. We will need all these experience if we're going to make a run at 2016.

Agree with you......Dodd used to play two teams fairly regulary so when you lose say 14 seniors you had 20 plus lettermen to come forth the next year.....of course you need to be ahead in the games you play..the more the merrier.It helps out.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

call me a koolaid addict if you want but i believe we are in full on reload mode on offense, and getting there on defense

What I mean by reload is that there is very little drop off as you go down the depth chart. Just look at tOSU and their qb situation. Now that's a factory. It allows smooth transitions between years, it allows for injuries to starters, it allows for very liberal substitution in games. We don't have that, at least not across the board.

We were very fortunate at Bback that Days was able to step in when Laskey went down. I think we'd be ok at qb, too, with Byerly. However, we saw what happened when we lost a bunch of DL in the offseason and when Smelter went down. Aback was shaky against FSU w/o Snoddy and after Tony went down.

Next year we'll be deeper at OL, but thinner at every skill position other than qb. The D should be deeper at all positions, I think, which is great.