jimbob

Sorry, the game was poorly coached even under the circumstances.

No it didn't, but give yourself a chance; don't run the same play you've been running over and over. Do something different out of the formation. It's quite difficult to run play action out of that formation, but it can be done. FIU's D was able to just tee-off on that play because they knew where it was going. The hole that was supposed to be there was completely stuffed with FIU before the ball carrier got the ball. If you're going to run that play and not care what the D is going to do, you have to have the horses up front. I'm sorry, but that was poorly coached.

It was essentially the same offense as last year and FIU was able to tee off on many of our plays because they knew them (well coached). There was a little Tight End play, which is different. The difference in this offense was that the O-line was manhandled and some of that has to do with FIU knowing what we were going to do, but the freshmen got murdered and the right tackle play was very poor, especially after JJ went out. I'd say most of that is coaching. Wrong people in the wrong place. Then there was the D. Even the announcers said put a spy on the great WR. Want to know why they said that? Because that's what you do when someone is killing you. It may backfire if the other team is well coached, but who cares. That guy is KILLING you! Lastly, FIU is going to give everybody fits this year. That QB and WR combo is devastating and their D wasn't bad at all.

McCarney is coaching like he's got a pass this year.

They are that good, but when you decide to start freshmen at guard you're giving up on your season.

Staring 5 - Tomlinson - Feeley - Johnson - Y'Barbo - Fortenberry. Any of these 5 can play any of the O-line positions. This gives us the best experience, strength and quick feet.

This one will come down to Defenses.

Pretty uninspiring! Clean though. Needed the stylized eagle on it to be a little more edgy.

You're going to see a vast improvement on Defense and some of the same solid play on Offense this year. Adjustments have to be made, but they are being made. You guys think this is Mac's first rodeo. Dickey couldn't carry this guy's clipboard. He has coached a National Championship Defense, RECENTLY! As far as Vito goes, maybe he's intimidated because Mac's used to talking to big time sports columnists or maybe Mac and his staff aren't big talkers, just guys that walk the walk.

If Canales was coaching the whole season we'd have won 3 more last year, so that means 6 wins this year, right? The offense is pretty well intact if we can discover a receiver that can catch short passes. The defense is a question mark for me, but we gotta be able to keep up with most of the Sun Belt if not all.

Dan has more national titles under his belt than Leach does...

I'm pretty sure Palermo (MTSU) retired from coaching, so drop MTSU to 39 years. I played college ball with him and heard that from some of our friends that keep in touch with him. He was a good one too; his last stint before MTSU was with the Skins.

With McCarney being a defensive guru I expect Nelson to elevate his game. On the other side of the ball I can't wait to see what McCarney learned from Urban. He wasn't a bad HC before.

I know Darius was the best receiver we had, but he was pretty inconsistent (second half of season he got better). I'm going to go out on a limb here and say we won't be running last year's offense and we'll have some passing activity with our TEs. New QBs appreciate the dump off pass. I'm told there is a two TE set. I also think some of these other WRs will step up, but all in all we're going to mix it up well enough to fool some DCs this year. Hell we may even adjust during a game.

I love the way Lance runs, but this guy needs to say whatever way the O-Line goes, so goes Lance. Lance at the end of last year was running thru truck sized holes lead by some of these same linemen. I think Simmons is the key to putting up numbers next year. He's the one that will elevate this O-line unit, much like Lefty did. If McCarney and the D coaching staff can bring the D up to snuff, we'll win games.

Leadership sometimes come from position, sometimes from accomplishment, sometimes from experience and sometimes from personality, so on O it'll be Thompson (position), Dunbar (accomplishment), JJ (experience) and O-Line (personality). I like Phillips on D, he has it all.

I don't know about line issues. We have a pretty veteran line except for one tackle. You really have to watch them in last years games and JJ the year before. JJ-vet, Tommy-vet, Fort-vet, Feeley-vet, not one of these guys has less than 15 games under their belt. I do think QB is in question, but Canales/Mac should do well training Thompson. I'm starting to think we don't lose a conference game and we lose the rest, but that would be an improvement. Coaches make a huge difference.