Just a reminder that our boy is incredible, but he's still pretty inexperienced. This year could and should be a learning year for him. I feel pretty confident he can get it going by the end of the season in time to make a playoff run, but I feel like we might automatically assume he's going to crush it this year. I mean, based on what I saw last year that could very well be the case, but he's still a young kid.

The QB situation still worries me...a lot. I have as much confidence in Birdsong as I normally do in any JMU QB, which is a mild amount.

What I'm really worried about is keeping him healthy and our backup situation. I have far less confidence in a walk-on true freshman then I do Birdsong. If Birdsong goes out and Schiele is a flop, we are screwed.

(08-23-2013 08:46 AM)WeThePurple Wrote:  The QB situation still worries me...a lot. I have as much confidence in Birdsong as I normally do in any JMU QB, which is a mild amount.

What I'm really worried about is keeping him healthy and our backup situation. I have far less confidence in a walk-on true freshman then I do Birdsong. If Birdsong goes out and Schiele is a flop, we are screwed.

On the backup note, why is Thourogood now in the defensive backfield? I'm sure I missed it somewhere, is it do to injury issues?

Yeah, nagging shoulder issues in his throwing arm.

I'm a great fan, but a terrible football analyst, because all I root so hard. I have this insanely irrational confidence that is usually let down. I was trying to temper that with my first post.

His shoulder is injured and he can't throw the ball 15 yds. He is too good an athlete to have on the bench, so Mickey made the change to get the kid on the field. Everything we are hearing about Shee lee is good.

If the Dukes have to use Schiele this year they are in deep doo-doo.
The QB concern is the reason JMU is not on anyone's preseason radar.
#1 Birdsong will have to stay healthy.
#2 Birdsong will have to improve dramatically on his 53% completion rate.
#3 we all know Mickey will revert to run, run, run if the passing game is shaky during the season.

Hoping for the best and hoping that a good run game will set up easy play action passing opportunities

Due to not really knowing what we'll see on offense this year, I'm really excited to watch the first few games this year. Lots of questions will be answered, especially on offense.
-New scheme and up-tempo style
-Birdsong improvements
-WR play
-DQ tearing it up and his backups
-Capabilities of Schiele as backup
-Offensive line play
.. and on and on.

Pretty exciting.

(08-23-2013 09:23 AM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  If the Dukes have to use Schiele this year they are in deep doo-doo.
The QB concern is the reason JMU is not on anyone's preseason radar.
#1 Birdsong will have to stay healthy.
#2 Birdsong will have to improve dramatically on his 53% completion rate.
#3 we all know Mickey will revert to run, run, run if the passing game is shaky during the season.

Hoping for the best and hoping that a good run game will set up easy play action passing opportunities

The problem is all of those are intertwind, #3 is connected to #2 and #3 is connected to #1. If Birdsong doesn't improve then we go back to the run, and if we go back to the run the chance of Birdsong getting injured skyrockets...so many things to worry about.

Changing offensive coordinators and offensive schemes always requires a learning curve, even for the pros. I don't expect miracles in the first year of a new system.

Yeah, I am on board with all of these worries. My concern is not with Schiele. It is with Birdsong. I have a lot of hopes for the guy and he has shown the ability to make some plays. This is still a far cry from making plays week in and week out, and more importantly, not making costly turnovers. There was a time that we looked at Jace in much the same way. We all want this kid to bring it up a level, but their is still a lot to prove. That is what this season is really about I think... finding out if Birdsong can play at a high level in the CAA.

(08-23-2013 09:33 AM)mistrhanky Wrote:  Yeah, I am on board with all of these worries. My concern is not with Schiele. It is with Birdsong. I have a lot of hopes for the guy and he has shown the ability to make some plays. This is still a far cry from making plays week in and week out, and more importantly, not making costly turnovers. There was a time that we looked at Jace in much the same way. We all want this kid to bring it up a level, but their is still a lot to prove. That is what this season is really about I think... finding out if Birdsong can play at a high level in the CAA.

O'Cain's in the DNR today saying he could play at the FBS level, so I'm pretty confident in his abilities. But I agree he's got to prove it.

3000 yds and 30 TDs.

I can dream, damn it.

Too much worrying going on around here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo4OnQpwjkc

(08-23-2013 09:45 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Too much worrying going on around here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo4OnQpwjkc

You been hanging out with Justin Thorpe again, listening to that pothead music?

(08-23-2013 09:23 AM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  If the Dukes have to use Schiele this year they are in deep doo-doo.
The QB concern is the reason JMU is not on anyone's preseason radar.
#1 Birdsong will have to stay healthy.
#2 Birdsong will have to improve dramatically on his 53% completion rate.
#3 we all know Mickey will revert to run, run, run if the passing game is shaky during the season.

Hoping for the best and hoping that a good run game will set up easy play action passing opportunities

This is what had me most concerned about his play last year. If he can just get that up to around 60% or so I think that would make a dramatic improvement in moving the ball and scoring. Absolutely no doubt in my mind that he's got the arm strength, he just needs to learn when to take some heat off the ball and give his receivers a chance.

I do not submit that the name Ginja Ninja has been accepted. I'm still going with Big Red, for the record.

(08-23-2013 10:56 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  I do not submit that the name Ginja Ninja has been accepted. I'm still going with Big Red, for the record.

a) you can't even decide on your own name

b) the DNR disagrees with you:

(08-23-2013 10:56 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  I do not submit that the name Ginja Ninja has been accepted. I'm still going with Big Red, for the record.

+1

(08-23-2013 11:21 AM)South Carolina Duke Wrote:  

(08-23-2013 10:56 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  I do not submit that the name Ginja Ninja has been accepted. I'm still going with Big Red, for the record.

+1

another +1. Go Big Red!

(08-23-2013 11:21 AM)South Carolina Duke Wrote:  

(08-23-2013 10:56 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  I do not submit that the name Ginja Ninja has been accepted. I'm still going with Big Red, for the record.

+1

(08-23-2013 11:24 AM)jmu007 Wrote:  

(08-23-2013 11:21 AM)South Carolina Duke Wrote:  

(08-23-2013 10:56 AM)TheDudeWithTheJMUTat Wrote:  I do not submit that the name Ginja Ninja has been accepted. I'm still going with Big Red, for the record.

+1

another +1. Go Big Red!

We're starting a revolution...this is only the beginning.

Not too concerned about the 53% completion rate. It needs to be better than that, of course, but I just don't think 77 pass attempts during a freshman season constitutes enough of a sample size to conclude anything about his accuracy.

Just to be a hypocrite though, I do like the 4 TD to 1 INT ratio and that is definitely what we should expect from now on. HA!

Let's not forget, he also showed some aptitude for running the ball - 26 carries, 179 yards, 6.9 avg. and 1 TD.

And Ginja Ninja's a cute nickname and all but the first time I saw him, I thought "Big Ginger" and that's what I'm sticking with.