USAToday's Paul Myerberg predicting team records

[usfgrad84]

I may be one of the few, but I think the offense be as good or even better. It is possible there will be fewer long, explosive plays, but with more experienced athletes and more options we may be able to keep the chains moving. I think we may have a better and more consistent downfield game.  We will stretch the field vertically rather than spread it horizontally.  More open field  running for Flowers. 

 

Losing Mack will hurt some, but no reason the backs we have on the roster won't make up some of the productivity. 

The defense is the wild card, but I think just by virtue of being more aggressive on the DL  we will get off the field in those 3rd and long situations that killed us last year. 

Easier schedule, more experienced players. I would be surprised if we lose more than 1 game. I think we run the table. 

 

[SouthFLBully]

6 hours ago, WWMJD said:

Think Mack and Adams are the best we've ever had at those positions, so we will have to agree to disagree there. Adams may not have been a superstar, but his numbers don't fully reflect his contribution in my opinion. I don't think we've ever had someone who had that kind of speed with good hands to match. And Mack... well if you don't know how big of an impact he had for us just by watching him, I don't know what to tell you. I love Flowers, and I'm hoping for a really earth shattering year from him. But he didn't do it alone last year.

Can you envision a scenario in which we lose two games this year, JTrue? I assume the answer is yes.

Put down the pipe. What are your standards for an "Earth shattering year"? He went for over 2,000 passing and 1,000 rushing last year. No collegiate quarterback from the state of Florida has EVER done that. Including tebow. 

Edited August 9, 2017 by SouthFLBully

[JTrue]

19 minutes ago, SouthFLBully said:

Put down the pipe. What are your standards for an "Earth shattering year"? He went for over 2,000 passing and 1,000 rushing last year. No collegiate quarterback from the state of Florida has EVER done that. Including tebow. 

That's essentially what I was pointing out. Mack and Adams were excellent, but to say that they were the top 2 reasons we had the season we did last year is crazy. Without Adams we maybe, maybe, lose 1 more game. Without Mack we might lose 2. Without QF we're a mediocre team and 6-6, as someone pointed out, is probably spot on.

[The Great 8]

Mack is the best player we've ever had on offense. Easily. That said, losing him isn't the reason we might lose a game or two, Johnson and Tice will fill in fine. They're not far off from best RBs we've ever had.

What scares me is:

1. Lack of depth (or even much talent) at OL, DL, and LB. These are arguably the most important units on each side of the ball. I'd rather have a great DL and crappy DBs than vice versa. We're thinner than last year at these crucial spots.

2. The offensive scheme is likely changing, and that has a degree of risk. Quinton might be asked to throw vertically a lot more, can he? The offense might go more power run, do we have the line for it?

3. Expectations. When is the last time we did well when expected to be world beaters? Does Strong have it in him to craft such mentally tough team? Or, did he ride Bridgewater's coattails?

[NewEnglandBull]

9 minutes ago, The Great 8 said:

Mack is the best player we've ever had on offense. Easily. That said, losing him isn't the reason we might lose a game or two, Johnson and Tice will fill in fine. They're not far off from best RBs we've ever had.

What scares me is:

1. Lack of depth (or even much talent) at OL, DL, and LB. These are arguably the most important units on each side of the ball. I'd rather have a great DL and crappy DBs than vice versa. We're thinner than last year at these crucial spots.

2. The offensive scheme is likely changing, and that has a degree of risk. Quinton might be asked to throw vertically a lot more, can he? The offense might go more power run, do we have the line for it?

3. Expectations. When is the last time we did well when expected to be world beaters? Does Strong have it in him to craft such mentally tough team? Or, did he ride Bridgewater's coattails?

Such a great post that I read it four times! 

[The Great 8]

Holy multiple posts, Batman. Sorry, everyone.

[smazza]

18 hours ago, The Sheriff said:

There is no reason to have a loss this year going into the Peach Bowl if we stay healthy. None whatsoever with our creampuff schedule.

loss on 2 playmakers but defense should be vastly improved

we will not lose more than 1 game

i am not as tough as the sheriff!!!!!

[BullyPulpit]

14 hours ago, The Great 8 said:

Mack is the best player we've ever had on offense. Easily. That said, losing him isn't the reason we might lose a game or two, Johnson and Tice will fill in fine. They're not far off from best RBs we've ever had.

What scares me is:

1. Lack of depth (or even much talent) at OL, DL, and LB. These are arguably the most important units on each side of the ball. I'd rather have a great DL and crappy DBs than vice versa. We're thinner than last year at these crucial spots.

2. The offensive scheme is likely changing, and that has a degree of risk. Quinton might be asked to throw vertically a lot more, can he? The offense might go more power run, do we have the line for it?

3. Expectations. When is the last time we did well when expected to be world beaters? Does Strong have it in him to craft such mentally tough team? Or, did he ride Bridgewater's coattails?

Our OL has been pretty solid the last two years. I am not that worried about our depth at the position. We go at least 2 deep across the line and have only 1 redshirt freshman in the mix. We have 7 solid DEs, but no one that jumps out as a superstar. We might be a little thin at DT, but we could get some production there out of freshman Pinkney, Jr. and Kegler. LB is definitely a concern. We really only have 4 who we know what we will be getting out of them. The rest are question marks. Unfortunately, the depth at LB wasn't properly addressed in the last recruiting cycle, so we will be really thin at the position next year as well, barring a JUCO or transfer that is granted immediate eligibility. 

[The Great 8]

6 hours ago, BullyPulpit said:

Our OL has been pretty solid the last two years. I am not that worried about our depth at the position. We go at least 2 deep across the line and have only 1 redshirt freshman in the mix. We have 7 solid DEs, but no one that jumps out as a superstar. We might be a little thin at DT, but we could get some production there out of freshman Pinkney, Jr. and Kegler. LB is definitely a concern. We really only have 4 who we know what we will be getting out of them. The rest are question marks. Unfortunately, the depth at LB wasn't properly addressed in the last recruiting cycle, so we will be really thin at the position next year as well, barring a JUCO or transfer that is granted immediate eligibility. 

Relying on freshman at DT to make any sort of impact is usually a recipe for disaster. The bottom line is, if Senat gets injured we're probably in a bad place. Ditto for Sanchez. Same for any of our interior offensive linemen. 

[emrober5]

We have never won the conference. That's goal numero uno. We are not going to steamroll through this schedule, there will be some tough games. 

I would love an undefeated season, and maybe I'm just a pessimist but we've been here before, predicted to win the conference, hyped going into the season, and we bombed.

I think we drop 1. Anything more than that would likely kick us out of the championship game and any peach bowl hopes.