Realistic expectations for 2016?

[AlabamaBuzz]

What are your critical positions?

DL, LB, and WR

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Our front 7 on D is the deepest it's been in a long, long time.

As for wr, I'm really sad we didn't get a look at Philpott in spring. The dude is a physical beast and he can flat out fly. Second coming of Bay Bay, may bay. We also have some stud true frosh coming in and they say the farthest you are from the ball, the easier it is to see the field.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Our front 7 on D is the deepest it's been in a long, long time.

As for wr, I'm really sad we didn't get a look at Philpott in spring. The dude is a physical beast and he can flat out fly. Second coming of Bay Bay, may bay. We also have some stud true frosh coming in and they say the farthest you are from the ball, the easier it is to see the field.

We will agree to disagree on your first statement, and I don't believe our WR corps, although serviceable, is deep and talented.

 

[tech_wreck47]

We will agree to disagree on your first statement, and I don't believe our WR corps, although serviceable, is deep and talented.

Can you show me a deeper front 7? He's not talking about just the starting 7. He means the 2 deep as well, imo we have guys on the 2 deep that other years would be starters.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Can you show me a deeper front 7? He's not talking about just the starting 7. He means the 2 deep as well, imo we have guys on the 2 deep that other years would be starters.

Well, we have numbers, but I still don't see the talent level we need from 1-8 (of our DL and LB corps) to make me believe we are going to win more than 8 games next year. That is all I am saying. I especially don't think our top 3-4 linemen or LBs are starters at most div 1 football programs that are legitimate top 30 teams regularly. Some of this is about actual physical size and speed.

I hope I am DEAD WRONG.

 

[Captain killem]

Expectations 15-0
Realistic 9-4
Probable 8-5

 

[WrexRacer]

Realistically, we are looking at 7 wins. Juene should be much better, but he doesn't have the size or speed to be a #1. Our other starter should be a #1 a level down.

BB will be green.

Our GCG should be fine.

QB is solid.

AB should be better, but we need Lynch to stand up and be the go to guy every game.

Our DL will be bad.

Our LB should be good.

The backs and safeties will get a lot of balls thrown their way.

 

[tech_wreck47]

Realistically, we are looking at 7 wins. Juene should be much better, but he doesn't have the size or speed to be a #1. Our other starter should be a #1 a level down.

BB will be green.

Our GCG should be fine.

QB is solid.

AB should be better, but we need Lynch to stand up and be the go to guy every game.

Our DL will be bad.

Our LB should be good.

The backs and safeties will get a lot of balls thrown their way.

June not big enough to be a number 1? Have you heard of guys like fuller from ND who just got drafted in the first round who is smaller than June? I'm not saying June is a number 1 caliber WR but his size has nothing to do with that. Also where do you get our D line will be bad? There are new guys, more experienced guys, and the D line is way bigger than past years and the depth seems to be way better on the D line. Once again I'm not saying they are not going to be bad but we can't really say either way when we haven't seen them play as a unit together in a real game.

 

[yellowRambler]

I'm feeling like the OL will be terrible again and awfully thin. Injuries will hurt us. No NFL talent at WR to help run game. Still not much of a pass rush and inexperience at DT and CB hurt us all season. Feel like 6-6 is most likely. If we get a real pass rush, good OL play or someone emerges to be a superstar at WR we could go 8-4.

Wins: BC, Mercer, Vandy, Southern, Duke, & UVA.

We have a bye week before Duke and we scheduled them for Homecoming so maybe we can beat them this year.

 

[WrexRacer]

June not big enough to be a number 1? Have you heard of guys like fuller from ND who just got drafted in the first round who is smaller than June? I'm not saying June is a number 1 caliber WR but his size has nothing to do with that. Also where do you get our D line will be bad? There are new guys, more experienced guys, and the D line is way bigger than past years and the depth seems to be way better on the D line. Once again I'm not saying they are not going to be bad but we can't really say either way when we haven't seen them play as a unit together in a real game.

I am basing it on Thomas, Smelter, and Waller all being both taller and heavier than Jeune. He comes close to Smelter size, but still hasn't shown the ability to get seperation.

Hill was Jeune sized, but faster than all the others (and was our worst #1 under Johnson).

I say our DL will be bad because they are green and the upperclassmen didn't show a thing last year when Gotsis went down.

To have a good year, our O has to produce. The D can be OK, but they aren't good or nasty enough to carry the team.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I am basing it on Thomas, Smelter, and Waller all being both taller and heavier than Jeune. He comes close to Smelter size, but still hasn't shown the ability to get seperation.

Hill was Jeune sized, but faster than all the others (and was our worst #1 under Johnson).

I say our DL will be bad because they are green and the upperclassmen didn't show a thing last year when Gotsis went down.

To have a good year, our O has to produce. The D can be OK, but they aren't good or nasty enough to carry the team.

Christian Philpott
6'3", 220+ (probably north of 225 by now) Fast and physical, good hands, the big question is can he get and stay healthy.

Harland Howell
6'3", 218+ is no small dude.

Both incoming freshman are big bodies, too:

Steve Dolphus
6'5", 200+

Jalen Camp
6'2", 210+

+ indicates old measurements and that these guys are most likely bigger now.

 

[Techster]

The deepest WR unit under CPJ was 2009.

Demaryius Thomas
Stephen Hill
Kevin Cone
Tyler Melton

That's a 1st rounder, a 2nd rounder, a multi-year NFL player, and a very good WR at the top 4 spots.

I think the 2016 WR unit has chance to be the most talented from top to bottom. Maybe not the highest ceiling (don't see anyone with Thomas's talent), but I think we can get more production from this group. They're really young, and their best years will be beyond 2016, but when we look back at Jeune, Stewart, Philpott, Dolphus, Howell, Camp...I think we'll see the beginnings of a really impressive corp of WRs.

 

[WrexRacer]

Had Summers not quit (and honestly, he quit before he left the team), he would be the 1 and Jeune the 2. Stewart would have been a backup who got reps.

No body is going to respect our passing game until we can show it is more than a second way to turn the ball over. So we either need our line to make time for JT5, or our wr have to get open quickly. I would prefer a big body for that. But a chuck and catch game with a speedster works. We don't have either right now.

Hopefully, our line play will improve (which I think it will), so we won't need to pass so much.

I'm looking at 7 wins.

 

[UgaBlows]

Howell and Philpott have the size and speed to be a deadly duo, i hope they can stay healthy and step up this season!

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Interesting discussion.

My only question is whether or not anyone is worried about CPJ's attitude and comments about the OL? I don't think he is just trying to use "psychology" with these guys. He acts like he truly does not know if they are capable of getting better this year.

This has been his consistent attitude toward the OL which has had the effect of lowering media expectations and discouraging some of the fan base. From those of you who have inside knowledge, I would love to hear what the players think.

Anyway, I am not ready to predict yet (perhaps after the new players come in the fall) but if I were to take CPJ at face value right now I would say 5 wins is the maximum.

 

[awbuzz]

Depth does not always = quality talent

 

[Rock]

I think 2014 we leaned lucky, but we weren't crazily so. 2015 was crazily unlucky. It seems strange to want to put a prediction out so early, so I'll refrain. I will say my expectation for the offense is that it will be significantly better. I don't know that it'll be 2014 good, but it's going to be good. I don't believe Johnson will tolerate 2015 again.

What can/will he do different if the talent/experience is not there?
If we look up and we are 2-4, what will/can he do?
That's a bold statement that he won't "tolerate it".

If the talent is not there or is not stepping up, there is nothing he can do, just like 2015.

 

[Rock]

Its a helluva lot harder to climb up from 3-9 then it is to drop to 3-9.If for no other reason the other teams has more confidence they can beat you than before. otoh-- we have an easier schedule
Anything above 6-6 would be appreciated at this point.

I honestly think 6-6 is a stretch this year.
Hope I am wrong.

 

[Greenjackets]

5-7
sorry to be a debbie downer

 

[GTJake]

Proving 2015 was an anomaly ... and starting a new bowl steak !!