Way Too Early CFB Thread

[maroontide06]

On 8/7/2022 at 7:05 PM, Dawg83 said:

4 weeks from now State and OM will have already played their first game and most of us will be watching LSU vs Florida State on a Sunday night.

 

Preseason camp has begun and I think we are no longer in the “way too early” territory.

Dawg83 - You seem to have a good bit of insight into Mississippi State.  Where do you think the Bulldogs will improve the most this year and will those improvements equate to more wins?

[Dawg83]

1 hour ago, maroontide06 said:

Dawg83 - You seem to have a good bit of insight into Mississippi State.  Where do you think the Bulldogs will improve the most this year and will those improvements equate to more wins?

I really like this team’s defensive front. It’s not the 2018 front seven but there’s definitely some talent and depth. I expect them to be good against the run and should be improved at rushing the passer this year. Some questions at DB but brought in a couple of transfers that should be contributors if not starters.

 

On offense you’ve just got a bunch of guys that have played a ton of football. Rogers is basically going into his third year as a starter and was good last year. Your top two RB’s are back and both are good pass catchers. Lots of returning guys at WR even with Polk leaving, plus some talented newcomers. Interior OL is very experienced. The tackle spots are where it could all go wrong, Cross was awesome last year and now he’s in the NFL. But if you just get decent/not terrible play from your tackles then this should be a very effective offense.

 

The schedule is tough, no doubt. There’s a very realistic chance this is an 8 to 10 win caliber team but the schedule only allows for 6 to 8. But other than perhaps his 2008 Texas Tech team this is probably the most talented team Leach has ever coached.

[maroontide06]

3 hours ago, Dawg83 said:

I really like this team’s defensive front. It’s not the 2018 front seven but there’s definitely some talent and depth. I expect them to be good against the run and should be improved at rushing the passer this year. Some questions at DB but brought in a couple of transfers that should be contributors if not starters.

 

On offense you’ve just got a bunch of guys that have played a ton of football. Rogers is basically going into his third year as a starter and was good last year. Your top two RB’s are back and both are good pass catchers. Lots of returning guys at WR even with Polk leaving, plus some talented newcomers. Interior OL is very experienced. The tackle spots are where it could all go wrong, Cross was awesome last year and now he’s in the NFL. But if you just get decent/not terrible play from your tackles then this should be a very effective offense.

 

The schedule is tough, no doubt. There’s a very realistic chance this is an 8 to 10 win caliber team but the schedule only allows for 6 to 8. But other than perhaps his 2008 Texas Tech team this is probably the most talented team Leach has ever coached.

Thanks for your reply Dawg83, and I certainly appreciate your posts on here.  Hopefully we can attain 8 wins during the regular season and win the bowl game this year.  If we can get to 9 wins this year there will be a definite on-the-field improvement.

[Dawg83]

21 hours ago, maroontide06 said:

Thanks for your reply Dawg83, and I certainly appreciate your posts on here.  Hopefully we can attain 8 wins during the regular season and win the bowl game this year.  If we can get to 9 wins this year there will be a definite on-the-field improvement.

I think you still need to prepare yourself for the usual Mike Leach WTF game here and there. Like I wouldn’t be shocked in the least if State loses to Arizona and then turns around and wins in Baton Rouge the next week.

 

Time will tell, there are going to be very few sure wins and and very few sure losses with a Leach team. I don’t think this team can win in Tuscaloosa, but nothing else would shock me. I’m not even going to totally rule out a win against Georgia after State’s short handed performance in Athens in 2020.

[Bulldogs4]

I agree with 83. We could have really good team and win six games. Or 8 or even 10 if we get some luck, stay healthy, have a good kicking game and as you noted have a good OL. The other pieces are in place. 
 

I think Georgia will be beatable this year. I don’t know if we will but they are replacing a ton of veteran talent. Very good talent but nonetheless inexperienced talent  and they will take a step backward this year IMO.

 

As crazy as this sounds, we might be beat Bama  this year and lose to Auburn. With Leach you just never know. He usually has a one or a couple of WTF games that are good/bad in a given year. 
 

Bama continually defies the odds but at some point they are going to crack and have an 8-4 season. What Saban has done is incredible but like UCONN women basketball eventually it is going to end or moderate. 

[maroontide06]

Well yesterday was a big day for Mississippi State.  Mike Leach has definitely transformed the quarterback room in a very good way.  I feel like we have a good problem on our hands if that makes sense.  I honestly believe that he will have a team to beat Alabama during his coaching tenure at Mississippi State.

[rebmus]

10 hours ago, maroontide06 said:

Well yesterday was a big day for Mississippi State.  Mike Leach has definitely transformed the quarterback room in a very good way.  I feel like we have a good problem on our hands if that makes sense.  I honestly believe that he will have a team to beat Alabama during his coaching tenure at Mississippi State.

Freeze beat Saban twice in a row, it could happen... 

[Dawg83]

On 8/11/2022 at 3:21 PM, Bulldogs4 said:

Bama continually defies the odds but at some point they are going to crack and have an 8-4 season. What Saban has done is incredible but like UCONN women basketball eventually it is going to end or moderate. 

Eventually I think you’ll be right, just don’t think it’s this year. They bring back the Heisman winner at QB and darn near their entire defense, including Anderson who is probably the best player in college football.

 

Not a single game has been played yet and I am already penciling in a Bama vs Ohio State championship.

[rebmus]

9 hours ago, Dawg83 said:

 

 

Not a single game has been played yet and I am already penciling in a Bama vs Ohio State championship.

I like the new NIL, it's past time to pay the players. 

It really hasn't changed who wins though... Who has Bama, Clemson, Georgia, and Ohio State in the top 4 playoffs this year and every past year lately? I'd highly wager 2 of those are in the top 4, if not 3 of those 4. 

 

 

 

 

[maroontide06]

On 8/13/2022 at 6:29 PM, rebmus said:

Freeze beat Saban twice in a row, it could happen... 

Well with the law of averages, I think Mississippi State is due a win over Alabama sometime within the next 30 years LOL!

[Dawg83]

On 8/15/2022 at 3:16 PM, maroontide06 said:

Well with the law of averages, I think Mississippi State is due a win over Alabama sometime within the next 30 years LOL!

I’ve resigned myself to the fact that State is probably never beating Saban again. They’ll beat Bama eventually once Bama doesn’t have the greatest coach in the history of the sport, but my expectation is that State’s lone win against a Nick Saban team will end up being by Sylvester Croom. LOL.

[rebmus]

AP and Coaches preseason polls were released this week, FWIW. 

 

SEC in the AP (including Oklahoma and Texas for fun)

1. Bama

3. UGA

6. A&M

9. Oklahoma

19. Arkansas

20. Kentucky

21. Ole Miss

 

SEC in the Coaches 

1. Bama

3. UGA

7. A&M

9. Oklahoma

18. Texas

21. Kentucky

23. Arkansas

24. Ole Miss

 

 

 

 

[MSTSatchmo]

A&M too high and OM too low. 

[rebmus]

I have no idea on OM Satch. 

OM lost quite a bit from last year's team... Corral, Ealy, Snoop, Campbell, and Williams off the top of my head. 

 

Kiffin did well in the transfer portal to potentially fill positions, but how well will the new players fill those positions and gel as a team? 

 

[MSTSatchmo]

To me the main question is the defense without Durkin.  OM probably has more talent than last year on defense, but will they be as well coached.  
 

I honestly think as long as Kiffin is at OM, they will be a minimum 8 win team every year.   He is that good of a coach since he has “settled down”.  

[rebmus]

Losing Durkin as DC is definitely a question mark also. 

 

OM also lost Lebby as OC from last year, supposedly the offense was pretty much all Kiffin anyway- we'll see. 

 

 

[Bulldogs4]

I am with you guys there. I think Ole Miss has more talent at almost all positions (except QB) but how the coaching meshes with the new talent and how they gel themselves will be interesting to see. Usually you see some struggles and some WTF moments in that scenario. I know the schedule helps Ole Miss early in that regard but how it plays out remains to be seen. 

[maroontide06]

3 hours ago, Bulldogs4 said:

I am with you guys there. I think Ole Miss has more talent at almost all positions (except QB) but how the coaching meshes with the new talent and how they gel themselves will be interesting to see. Usually you see some struggles and some WTF moments in that scenario. I know the schedule helps Ole Miss early in that regard but how it plays out remains to be seen. 

I personally liked the pin that Jack Cristil used to wear.  Do you know what the text on the pin said?

[Dawg83]

Vandy is up to a 9.5 point favorite tomorrow. Is Hawaii that bad? Lol

[Dawg83]

Northwestern beat Nebraska. Gonna be shocked if there’s not a job opening in Lincoln in a couple of months.

[MSTSatchmo]

4 hours ago, Dawg83 said:

Northwestern beat Nebraska. Gonna be shocked if there’s not a job opening in Lincoln in a couple of months.

Frost may not last all season.  It will take a huge upset and/or conference run to keep his job.  

[rebmus]

The failed onsides kick attempt (when up 11???) seemed to be the turning point, and Frost admitted it was his call. 

 

Frost's buyout was lowed a LOT after last season in an attempt to give him one last chance this year. 

 

Yeah- it's going to take some surprises for him to be in Lincoln after this season. 

 

 

 

[Dawg83]

Nebraska is a classic case of be careful what you wish for. They fired Bo Pelini who never won fewer than 9 games because that wasn’t good enough for them. Now they’ve had five straight losing seasons and could be staring at six if they don’t right the ship.

[rebmus]

26 minutes ago, Dawg83 said:

Nebraska is a classic case of be careful what you wish for. They fired Bo Pelini who never won fewer than 9 games because that wasn’t good enough for them. Now they’ve had five straight losing seasons and could be staring at six if they don’t right the ship.

I agree on Pelini but will add Frank Solich. 

In 6 years: 

11-2

12-1

10-2

11-2

7-7

8-3 (fired)

 

 

 

 

[rebmus]

Vandy started slow at Hawaii tonight, but up 28-10 early in the 3rd quarter.