What's our potential?

[foutsrouts]

Recent grad membership is the way to go.!Doesn't cost you an arm and a leg and gets you used to contributing.

Yeah, the key is to hook them to the Mean Green while they're young. The younger the better. Young alums become older alums, and older alums become, well, dead.

[SquidSticks]

I think yesterday proved we are becoming the "you overlooked me, now you're going to pay" chip-on-the-shoulder kind of squad. I didn't see that fire as much during the year outside of the Rice game but something clicked yesterday in the second half. It could have been the moment, it could have been the crowd, it could have been the seniors realizing this is probably their last time to lace it up...but something about it felt like it will resonate in this program for the next few years.

[BillySee58]

Our away schedule next year is tough... UTSA will not be easy, and UTEP is not too far from getting much better. I agree that Indiana will be a lot like Ohio this past year, and Texas will be a huge challenge. Rice will also be tough.

I think our QB play next year will be the difference between another bowl year (and possible CUSA West Championship) and a down year. We'll be fine at the skill positions (RB, WR, CB, Safety) and I think our DL will be ok after another off-season of strength and conditioning work-outs. OL should again be our greatest strength.

QB play is the key. Starting QB needs to be consistent, smart, and a leader.

Yes, the road schedule will be pretty tough. I don't see a single road game where we will not have a chance going in, and depending on the road game against the unknown CUSA west opponent, we don't really have any gimmes on the road next year.

That being said I like our chances at successfully replacing our qb production better than Rice and UTSA. I know UTSA returns almost their whole team, but they don't scare me without Soza. We can score against their defense, same with UTEP although they will be better on offense with Showers back.

[MeanGreenTexan]

And here's what the schedule will likely look like next year.

Home games:

-SMU, Nicholls St, La Tech, USM, UAB, and an east division team (probably not MTSU)

Away games:

-Texas, Indiana, Rice, UTSA, UTEP, and an east division team (quite possibly MTSU in Murfreesboro)

SMU will be a lot like the Ball State game this year and Indiana will be a lot like the Ohio road game from this year. Our home schedule sets up very nicely and if we can continue our road success from the end of this year and close out the close ones we could be in a very good position to have a good record again.

I don't know that we can assume who we'll be playing where next year based on the conference movement. I bet last year's schedule isn't as instrumental in creating this year's schedule, simply because of the movement. I wouldn't be surprised to have at least one of the Texas teams at Apogee next year. I highly doubt we'll be playing an alternating 3-home, 3-away rotation year after year with the Texas teams.

I think we were lucky to have all 3 Texas teams in Apogee this year, and I highly doubt it happens again. But, we'll see.