Offseason

[RyanS12]

Watched the game today with a Michigan State fan and he said man I can't believe how many freshman you guys are playing today. This season sucked *** but I think this is gonna pay off big next year. So many kids played that had no business seeing the field this year. I hope this disaster puts a bad taste in everyone's mouth going into next year. The staff and players need to take a long look in the mirror and figure out who they are. Next season is one of the biggest we've had in a long time here. Another year of 6 wins or less there needs to be a change. 8 or more and we should be good. 7:30 am September 3rd can't get here soon enough!

 

[ATL1]

Coach has to do some strong recruiting in the trenches. Both lines. Examine how he is coaching them and their scheme and coach em up.

 

[wvGT11]

I'm eager to hear what big changes he is working up that he mentioned in his presser

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Only one sweet win....................I took great pleasure in watching plays made, players grow up, desire and heart, physicality and cerebral play, a fight to the end with no quite. Lots of things happened to be proud of other than simply the metric of W & L. I know, I know that's the ultimate metric but to not recognize and be appreciative of what these players give us each and every Saturday during the season is just wrong!

And it is posts like that that make me proud to call you a friend

 

[upwgdrb]

One thing I hope CPJ does is reopen spring practice to the fans. It's not like there is not 20 years of tape on the offense to watch.
It's time for him to throw us a bone in the spring with open practices and several game type scrimmages.
I will help get some good will back that was list this season.

 

[redmule]

I suspect Spring Practice will be hell on earth. I thought it interesting that PJ commented post game that what Marshall needed most was some competition and he would get it from Leggett, Quaid, and some others.

 

[daBuzz]

Next year, I would expect the offense will be better...merely because of the increased competition and getting players back.
On defense, I think we will regress a bit. We have AJ Gray and some of the other bright and promising young defensive backs but any time you lose 4 senior starters in the secondary, it's only natural to take a step back.

Looking at the schedule, I would project that we will either go 7-5 or potentially 8-4. There are some tough teams on the schedule next year.

Florida State and Clemson are absolutely loaded again next year and North Carolina is very impressive and brings back a lot as well. UGA is another game we won't be favored and they'll have Chubb back by that time.
Virginia Tech will be a crap shoot...they're apparently retaining Foster so their defense should remain solid and their new coach, Fuente is an offensive minded guy who has had success everywhere. Hopefully, we get them early in the season and get them while they're still learning the system.
Boston College game in Ireland is one we should win.
Duke seems to be up and down but they've had our number for 2 years in a row, so who knows on that one.
Miami will have a new coach as well. They have talent but Golden never seemed to be able to harness it. Hopefully, their new coach will follow suit.
Vandy had a decent defense but I expect we'll beat them.
Georgia Southern rolls back onto the schedule next year and even though we should win, that's always a tough game and Fritz has them playing and believing they can win against bigger teams so that won't be a cakewalk either.
Mercer is still a young program and should be one of the easier games on the schedule.

Just looking at the schedule objectively though, I would put us as 3rd or 4th in the Coastal division next year.

 

[65Jacket]

I am relieved this morning that this horrible season is over. I hope that I will never see another like it. I firmly believe that CPJ will have us back to where we left off in the Orange Bowl. I really wish I could see the competition in Spring practice.

 

[D-man44]

The DL next year should be better all we lose is Gotsis and he didn't play in about 3 games this year so more experience

 

[Yaller Jacket]

The DL next year should be better all we lose is Gotsis and he didn't play in about 3 games this year so more experience

Yeah. I'm hoping the same. Cerge-Henderson will have a year to grow and spring and fall practices. I'm hoping St Amour will establish himself as a pass rusher, the single biggest need.

 

[Yaller Jacket]

Randy asked Coach after the game what the off season would look like without a bowl to prepare for. He said recruiting first, I think. Somewhere in here he said he was pissed off, and that he couldn't believe we were still having so many missed assignments. Stated that the next few days he would review "everything." Then said emphatically something he has said more than once in recent weeks. "Everyone's got to be accountable. I'm ultimately accountable, but everybody has got to be accountable." I may be reading too much into it, but I wouldn't be surprised if a head or two on the staff might indeed roll. I suspect he is going to look at which position coach coaches these players who keep missing so many assignments.

 

[awbuzz]

... Woke up this morning... Verifying that the world did not end.

Looking forward to seeing how the next recruiting class comes together.

 

[DC Bee]

Only one sweet win....................I took great pleasure in watching plays made, players grow up, desire and heart, physicality and cerebral play, a fight to the end with no quite. Lots of things happened to be proud of other than simply the metric of W & L. I know, I know that's the ultimate metric but to not recognize and be appreciative of what these players give us each and every Saturday during the season is just wrong!

It is unfortunate that I started this thread to acknowledge that the end of the season has finally stopped the bleeding. We have all tried to find some bright spots and silver linings, and I do appreciate the players and the hard play throughout the year, but losing sucks. This team found many different ways to lose games this year. They will work hard and find ways to win those types of games in the future. I'm certain of it. It is the GT way. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I suspect Spring Practice will be hell on earth. I thought it interesting that PJ commented post game that what Marshall needed most was some competition and he would get it from Leggett, Quaid, and some others.

This.

 

[Skeptic]

This just in: Southern California doesn't pass enough and their run offense is predicable.

 

[CuseJacket]

My predictions:

• TaQuon Marshall (QB) and Mikell Lands-Davis (AB/BB) redshirt next year
• Primary AB rotation will be Green, Searcy, Cottrell, Lynch, Griffin, Willis (and Jordan if Byerly returns)
• Christian Campbell moves to safety
• At least 2 additional players decide to hang up the cleats
• Coach Ray out; Sewak stays; CPJ hires 2nd OL coach. Speed questionable.

Some of this is simply a hunch and speculative, so don't read too much into it. We'll see how it shakes out.

 

[Skeptic]

My predictions:

• TaQuon Marshall (QB) and Mikell Lands-Davis (AB/BB) redshirt next year
• Primary AB rotation will be Green, Searcy, Cottrell, Lynch, Griffin, Willis (and Jordan if Byerly returns)
• Christian Campbell moves to safety
• At least 2 additional players decide to hang up the cleats
• Coach Ray out; Sewak stays; CPJ hires 2nd OL coach. Speed questionable.

Some of this is simply a hunch and speculative, so don't read too much into it. We'll see how it shakes out.

Don't think that is bad prognostication at all. Johnson was clear he is going to do something and has been thinking about it way before Georgia. I think you're on target with another O line coach -- everybody wanted a ST guy but nothing changed -- but I wonder -- and I know nothin' -- if Cook is safe, given Thomas's regression and the season-long uncertainty at Bback. (I don't lay Skov on him. Or anybody, really. It just turned out that Skov was what Shaw and Stanford thought he was: good blocker, no-run, which was fine there because he didn't have to. It happens. A couple of graduate transfers didn't work out elsewhere.) But that QB-Bback mesh is Johnson's baby, the key to his entire scheme. I just kind of dread it at least until spring training, because I know the yadda-yadda fire-the-bunch-of-them guys will be out in full roar. But a win yesterday would have poured some cold water on it, so there is that.

 

[TechTravis]

Why would Sewak stay?