Anyone else getting pumped? Let's break down the team.

#1DieHardHawk

#1DieHardHawk

Well-Known Member
Coaches:

Kirk is Kirk. We all know what we are going to get there. Pretty much the same with the assistants, but I'm excited to see if the offensive wrinkles we saw versus USC carry over. Brian is really starting to put his stamp on the offense. Also, word is that we are going to see some substantive changes in the run-game, perhaps mixing in some power schemes. That's long overdue.

Quarterback:

Petras has a complete skill set. My gut says he'll be even better than we expect but time will tell. By far the biggest issue is depth. Padilla is accurate and more of a game manager. He kind of reminds me of NW's Dan Persa. I don't think he would lose a lot of games if forced into action, but would he be able to carry the team?

Running Back:

Solid and experienced throughout. I doubt Foster is losing much sleep. Iowa is breaking in new FBs, but, by all accounts, the coaches are high on Pottebaum. We shouldn't underestimate the importance of FB in this offense. Development at that position impacts the entire offense.

Wide Receiver:

Also, solid and experienced. The next step for this group is consistency. Smith, ISM, Tracy and Ragaini need to bring it every week, as all four are prone to lapses. If they do, watch out. By report, Charlie Jones has been opening eyes a lot.

Tight End:

LaPorta looks like the next NFL addition for TE U. Beyer has been a bit of a frustration. The question is whether he finally puts it all together his senior season. After that? Youth and inexperience but plenty of talent.

Offensive Line:

This unit has the potential to be one of the best Kirk has had, barring injuries. Jackson by all accounts has worked hard on his body, and Cronk was a great addition. Linderbaum is an AA candidate. There's enough talent and experience at the guards that it should shake out fine. Assuming Cronk works out, this is as high as I've been on the OL in years.

Defensive Line:

Hard to get a read here. Golston is experienced and has a solid overall game, but he's not an explosive twitchy athlete. His production will be affected a lot by how much others step up. VanValkenburg struggled to get off blocks and was out of position a fair amount last season, but he'll have more experience now. Nixon has loads of potential. The question is whether or not he taps into it. Schulte is stout but not flashy. I'm very intrigued by Heflin. I also think Waggoner and/or Lee could surprise. Evans is an X-factor. If he steps up his game, he could be a real disrupter.

Linebacker:

Despite the losses of Doyle and Colbert, I'm actually high on this group. Niemann has plenty of experience, and I'm really high on Campbell and Jacobs, and Benson has a solid game. Also, my prediction is that Wade will really step up this year.

Safeties:

Koerner, Belton and Merriweather all have experience, and I'm high on Castro as a guy who could emerge. Merriweather is the key here. If he realizes his potential, this group will be solid. The question is, where is Craddieth? You would think he would be squarely in the mix, but we are not hearing much.

Corner:

Hankins and Moss are experienced and solid. Brents is probably more talented than either one and should push. The staff is high on Roberts. All he really lacks is size. Depth is a big question mark here.

Kicker:

Obviously solid here.

Punter:

Well, we'll see if the Aussie can pull it off. Gersonde remains an unknown quantity despite being on a full scholly.
 
#1DieHardHawk said:
Coaches:

Kirk is Kirk. We all know what we are going to get there. Pretty much the same with the assistants, but I'm excited to see if the offensive wrinkles we saw versus USC carry over. Brian is really starting to put his stamp on the offense. Also, word is that we are going to see some substantive changes in the run-game, perhaps mixing in some power schemes. That's long overdue.

Quarterback:

Petras has a complete skill set. My gut says he'll be even better than we expect but time will tell. By far the biggest issue is depth. Padilla is accurate and more of a game manager. He kind of reminds me of NW's Dan Persa. I don't think he would lose a lot of games if forced into action, but would he be able to carry the team?

Running Back:

Solid and experienced throughout. I doubt Foster is losing much sleep. Iowa is breaking in new FBs, but, by all accounts, the coaches are high on Pottebaum. We shouldn't underestimate the importance of FB in this offense. Development at that position impacts the entire offense.

Wide Receiver:

Also, solid and experienced. The next step for this group is consistency. Smith, ISM, Tracy and Ragaini need to bring it every week, as all four are prone to lapses. If they do, watch out. By report, Charlie Jones has been opening eyes a lot.

Tight End:

LaPorta looks like the next NFL addition for TE U. Beyer has been a bit of a frustration. The question is whether he finally puts it all together his senior season. After that? Youth and inexperience but plenty of talent.

Offensive Line:

This unit has the potential to be one of the best Kirk has had, barring injuries. Jackson by all accounts has worked hard on his body, and Cronk was a great addition. Linderbaum is an AA candidate. There's enough talent and experience at the guards that it should shake out fine. Assuming Cronk works out, this is as high as I've been on the OL in years.

Defensive Line:

Hard to get a read here. Golston is experienced and has a solid overall game, but he's not an explosive twitchy athlete. His production will be affected a lot by how much others step up. VanValkenburg struggled to get off blocks and was out of position a fair amount last season, but he'll have more experience now. Nixon has loads of potential. The question is whether or not he taps into it. Schulte is stout but not flashy. I'm very intrigued by Heflin. I also think Waggoner and/or Lee could surprise. Evans is an X-factor. If he steps up his game, he could be a real disrupter.

Linebacker:

Despite the losses of Doyle and Colbert, I'm actually high on this group. Niemann has plenty of experience, and I'm really high on Campbell and Jacobs, and Benson has a solid game. Also, my prediction is that Wade will really step up this year.

Safeties:

Koerner, Belton and Merriweather all have experience, and I'm high on Castro as a guy who could emerge. Merriweather is the key here. If he realizes his potential, this group will be solid. The question is, where is Craddieth? You would think he would be squarely in the mix, but we are not hearing much.

Corner:

Hankins and Moss are experienced and solid. Brents is probably more talented than either one and should push. The staff is high on Roberts. All he really lacks is size. Depth is a big question mark here.

Kicker:

Obviously solid here.

Punter:

Well, we'll see if the Aussie can pull it off. Gersonde remains an unknown quantity despite being on a full scholly.
Click to expand...

Really good summary. Thanks for the time and effort. Just so you will know, I have printed out a copy of your post and will ruthlessly attack any predictions that are wrong.
 
HuckFinn said:
Really good summary. Thanks for the time and effort. Just so you will know, I have printed out a copy of your post and will ruthlessly attack any predictions that are wrong.
Click to expand...
I’m sure he’s shaking in his booties
 
#1DieHardHawk said:
Coaches:

Kirk is Kirk. We all know what we are going to get there. Pretty much the same with the assistants, but I'm excited to see if the offensive wrinkles we saw versus USC carry over. Brian is really starting to put his stamp on the offense. Also, word is that we are going to see some substantive changes in the run-game, perhaps mixing in some power schemes. That's long overdue.

Quarterback:

Petras has a complete skill set. My gut says he'll be even better than we expect but time will tell. By far the biggest issue is depth. Padilla is accurate and more of a game manager. He kind of reminds me of NW's Dan Persa. I don't think he would lose a lot of games if forced into action, but would he be able to carry the team?

Running Back:

Solid and experienced throughout. I doubt Foster is losing much sleep. Iowa is breaking in new FBs, but, by all accounts, the coaches are high on Pottebaum. We shouldn't underestimate the importance of FB in this offense. Development at that position impacts the entire offense.

Wide Receiver:

Also, solid and experienced. The next step for this group is consistency. Smith, ISM, Tracy and Ragaini need to bring it every week, as all four are prone to lapses. If they do, watch out. By report, Charlie Jones has been opening eyes a lot.

Tight End:

LaPorta looks like the next NFL addition for TE U. Beyer has been a bit of a frustration. The question is whether he finally puts it all together his senior season. After that? Youth and inexperience but plenty of talent.

Offensive Line:

This unit has the potential to be one of the best Kirk has had, barring injuries. Jackson by all accounts has worked hard on his body, and Cronk was a great addition. Linderbaum is an AA candidate. There's enough talent and experience at the guards that it should shake out fine. Assuming Cronk works out, this is as high as I've been on the OL in years.

Defensive Line:

Hard to get a read here. Golston is experienced and has a solid overall game, but he's not an explosive twitchy athlete. His production will be affected a lot by how much others step up. VanValkenburg struggled to get off blocks and was out of position a fair amount last season, but he'll have more experience now. Nixon has loads of potential. The question is whether or not he taps into it. Schulte is stout but not flashy. I'm very intrigued by Heflin. I also think Waggoner and/or Lee could surprise. Evans is an X-factor. If he steps up his game, he could be a real disrupter.

Linebacker:

Despite the losses of Doyle and Colbert, I'm actually high on this group. Niemann has plenty of experience, and I'm really high on Campbell and Jacobs, and Benson has a solid game. Also, my prediction is that Wade will really step up this year.

Safeties:

Koerner, Belton and Merriweather all have experience, and I'm high on Castro as a guy who could emerge. Merriweather is the key here. If he realizes his potential, this group will be solid. The question is, where is Craddieth? You would think he would be squarely in the mix, but we are not hearing much.

Corner:

Hankins and Moss are experienced and solid. Brents is probably more talented than either one and should push. The staff is high on Roberts. All he really lacks is size. Depth is a big question mark here.

Kicker:

Obviously solid here.

Punter:

Well, we'll see if the Aussie can pull it off. Gersonde remains an unknown quantity despite being on a full scholly.
Click to expand...
Everything comes down to the QB who is untested. If Petras can’t throw it’s gonna 8 guys in the box and blitzes, and at that point it wouldn’t matter if we had Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.

If he can throw then we’re in business.
 
It's really starting to feel like football now. Getting that antsy feeling when think about it. I think Petras is going to this hidden secret when all said and done. I think he's going to be ahead of where he should be and it won't feel like we miss a beat at QB. He's going to be on the radar after this season. It just feels the team/offense has confidence in him even now.
 
They say Petras is accurate with a strong arm so remember all the open long routes we had in Stanley's first 18 games that he didnt connect on. If Petras can connect, if the running game is 4+ ypc and TEs are really good then this offense could shine.

We will see if Phil Parker can reload in a few positions but my money is on him to at least have a top 25 unit against scoring.
 
HuckFinn said:
Really good summary. Thanks for the time and effort. Just so you will know, I have printed out a copy of your post and will ruthlessly attack any predictions that are wrong.
Click to expand...
Sounds good. Not sure how many actual "predictions" I made there, but I'll own up to them either way.
 
Fryowa said:
Everything comes down to the QB who is untested. If Petras can’t throw it’s gonna 8 guys in the box and blitzes, and at that point it wouldn’t matter if we had Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.

If he can throw then we’re in business.
Click to expand...
Yup the excuses he'll have will be few and far between. So long as BF doesn't go back to the run, run, throw on 3rd and 8 offense too often this kid should have all toys in the world to succeed. So alot of it will be on him. BF called a whale of a game against USC. Will he keep doing that is also a question to me.
 
Good write up and thanks for putting forth the effort.

There is much to like about this year's team. I like the make-up of the O-Line and agree this could be the best one we've had in years. Traditionally, when we have a good O-Line we've been a pretty decent team. The key will be better guard play than we had last year and some of that was due to injuries. But I think the depth is better this year with this group. QB will be our biggest question mark coming into the year. I think Petras will have some growing pains but will have an excellent year all-in-all. He played big boy football in California and I think he has the chops to do it on a stage like the B1G. But he has to show that he can do it too.

We always have a good to very good defense. I will have to say that I'm a little concerned that we will be able to generate enough of a pass rush this year. Losing AJE is huge. I hope Chauncey and (fill_in_the_blank) can break through on the outside. I also think that the linebackers could make a few mistakes early but they will be better as the season goes on. Having no non-con games forces every team to work out some kinks without the benefit of facing an inferior opponent. So my biggest concerns are on the defensive side although I won't underestimate the coaching of Phil Parker. Sure glad he is on our side.

So in the end I think this will be a pretty good team. The schedule is tough, for sure. As in almost all years, we will lose 1 or 2 that no one thinks we will and win 1 or 2 that no one thinks we will.
 
Let's Go..... who's pumped? Petras has the tools himself AND the receivers to go with it. It's coaching as usual. Don't limit the O. Let them attack every down.
 
Even my wife (a Wisconsin fan) is counting the days until October 24. I've never seen her look forward to a college football season like this.

She is already planning the tailgate menu for our driveway and we have picked up a brand new 60" big screen for the garage.

Barring the obvious, this is getting real now.
 
#1DieHardHawk said:
Coaches:

Kirk is Kirk. We all know what we are going to get there. Pretty much the same with the assistants, but I'm excited to see if the offensive wrinkles we saw versus USC carry over. Brian is really starting to put his stamp on the offense. Also, word is that we are going to see some substantive changes in the run-game, perhaps mixing in some power schemes. That's long overdue.

Quarterback:

Petras has a complete skill set. My gut says he'll be even better than we expect but time will tell. By far the biggest issue is depth. Padilla is accurate and more of a game manager. He kind of reminds me of NW's Dan Persa. I don't think he would lose a lot of games if forced into action, but would he be able to carry the team?

Running Back:

Solid and experienced throughout. I doubt Foster is losing much sleep. Iowa is breaking in new FBs, but, by all accounts, the coaches are high on Pottebaum. We shouldn't underestimate the importance of FB in this offense. Development at that position impacts the entire offense.

Wide Receiver:

Also, solid and experienced. The next step for this group is consistency. Smith, ISM, Tracy and Ragaini need to bring it every week, as all four are prone to lapses. If they do, watch out. By report, Charlie Jones has been opening eyes a lot.

Tight End:

LaPorta looks like the next NFL addition for TE U. Beyer has been a bit of a frustration. The question is whether he finally puts it all together his senior season. After that? Youth and inexperience but plenty of talent.

Offensive Line:

This unit has the potential to be one of the best Kirk has had, barring injuries. Jackson by all accounts has worked hard on his body, and Cronk was a great addition. Linderbaum is an AA candidate. There's enough talent and experience at the guards that it should shake out fine. Assuming Cronk works out, this is as high as I've been on the OL in years.

Defensive Line:

Hard to get a read here. Golston is experienced and has a solid overall game, but he's not an explosive twitchy athlete. His production will be affected a lot by how much others step up. VanValkenburg struggled to get off blocks and was out of position a fair amount last season, but he'll have more experience now. Nixon has loads of potential. The question is whether or not he taps into it. Schulte is stout but not flashy. I'm very intrigued by Heflin. I also think Waggoner and/or Lee could surprise. Evans is an X-factor. If he steps up his game, he could be a real disrupter.

Linebacker:

Despite the losses of Doyle and Colbert, I'm actually high on this group. Niemann has plenty of experience, and I'm really high on Campbell and Jacobs, and Benson has a solid game. Also, my prediction is that Wade will really step up this year.

Safeties:

Koerner, Belton and Merriweather all have experience, and I'm high on Castro as a guy who could emerge. Merriweather is the key here. If he realizes his potential, this group will be solid. The question is, where is Craddieth? You would think he would be squarely in the mix, but we are not hearing much.

Corner:

Hankins and Moss are experienced and solid. Brents is probably more talented than either one and should push. The staff is high on Roberts. All he really lacks is size. Depth is a big question mark here.

Kicker:

Obviously solid here.

Punter:

Well, we'll see if the Aussie can pull it off. Gersonde remains an unknown quantity despite being on a full scholly.
Click to expand...
I hope Brents is back. He can cover big, physical receivers like, you know, Rondale Moore.

I've heard rumblings that Merriweather might play some at the Cash position
 
Watching games I see two things- Very poor tackling and very poor secondary play. I see receivers running free with no one near them. Also very poor fundamentals utilized in tackling. I am worried about our pass rush the first 2 weeks.
 
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