Mean Green - Cinderella - Bleacher Report

[MrStrange18]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2762184-10-college-football-teams-that-could-be-cinderellas-in-the-2018-season#slide0

 

I was on my Bleacher Report app and saw this article pop up.  Not great in depth insight or anything, but cool to see we are on a watch list for this.  We are number 8.

The article has been out for a bit, but I did not see it on the board. So, sorry if I am reposting this article.

GMG!

Edited May 16, 2018 by MrStrange18

[Harry]

Couple of thoughts I had after reading this article.  1).  We seem very comparable to Arkansas State in terms of how publications describe us.  High powered offense and susceptible defense.  It would be nice to someday have both strong.

2).  Willie Fritz turned out to be a good hire for Tulane.   Guy has a winning G5 strategy. 

[MrStrange18]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

Couple of thoughts I had after reading this article.  1).  We seem very comparable to Arkansas State in terms of how publications describe us.  High powered offense and susceptible defense.  It would be nice to someday have both strong.

2).  Willie Fritz turned out to be a good hire for Tulane.   Guy has a winning G5 strategy. 

Yes, I hope we play to our strengths more. Let’s get into a shootout if we need to. I think there were times, esp against FAU, we abandoned that. 

[eulessismore]

8 hours ago, MrStrange18 said:

Yes, I hope we play to our strengths more. Let’s get into a shootout if we need to. I think there were times, esp against FAU, we abandoned that. 

Yeah,  my brother-in-law, the Boise State Fan, after watching us play against SMU (and lose, but with interesting offensive play to begin the SL era) mentioned the Boise State strategy of just putting up a lot of points.   I really do think that's the realistic answer to the FAU's of the world.

[Side Show Joe]

10 hours ago, Harry said:

Couple of thoughts I had after reading this article.  1).  We seem very comparable to Arkansas State in terms of how publications describe us.  High powered offense and susceptible defense.  It would be nice to someday have both strong.

2).  Willie Fritz turned out to be a good hire for Tulane.   Guy has a winning G5 strategy. 

Some on this board asked for a change in our defensive coaching at the end of last season. Just sayin'.

[GrayEagle]

9 hours ago, Side Show Joe said:

Some on this board asked for a change in our defensive coaching at the end of last season. Just sayin'.

Last year the defensive coordinator had to coach his coaches to his style and coach players as well.  I believe that we'll see an improvement this year but even moreso next year.  He's getting loads of 3-star safeties so the defensive backfield should be improving quickly.  Defensive line starters will be fine but we need better depth.  Linebackers need talent.  Ejiya turned out to be better than expected and Garner is carrying his weight.  Let's hope Faison develops quickly.  We still aren't recruiting the front 6 as well as we need to but overall I see some improvement.

[Side Show Joe]

11 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

Last year the defensive coordinator had to coach his coaches to his style and coach players as well.  I believe that we'll see an improvement this year but even moreso next year.  He's getting loads of 3-star safeties so the defensive backfield should be improving quickly.  Defensive line starters will be fine but we need better depth.  Linebackers need talent.  Ejiya turned out to be better than expected and Garner is carrying his weight.  Let's hope Faison develops quickly.  We still aren't recruiting the front 6 as well as we need to but overall I see some improvement.

This will be the 3rd year with Reffett as our defensive coordinator. Let's be honest, under his leadership, our defense has under-preformed. If we don't see improvements this season, I see no reason the majority of fans would want to endure the same struggling defense any longer. I am not a patient as I once was. I would have made a change at the end of last season. We have an amazing offense, and they should not have to carry the burden of winning every game. The D needs to step up this season.

[GrayEagle]

2 hours ago, Side Show Joe said:

This will be the 3rd year with Reffett as our defensive coordinator. Let's be honest, under his leadership, our defense has under-preformed. If we don't see improvements this season, I see no reason the majority of fans would want to endure the same struggling defense any longer. I am not a patient as I once was. I would have made a change at the end of last season. We have an amazing offense, and they should not have to carry the burden of winning every game. The D needs to step up this season.

To be fair, this year will be Reffett's second year as Defensive Coordinator.  He was co-defensive coordinator in 2016 but the degree of input that he had is unknown.  

 I spoke to Seth at the caravan and asked him about the defense and if it would be better this year.  He said that it had better.  I took that to mean that he needs to see improvement on the defensive side of the ball.  Although we won nine games with a rather porous defense we can't become much of an elite team giving up the yardage and the points of last year (and the year before for that matter).