There's a few good options, but one really stands out for me......

Way to spoil that we're going to repeat as national champions this year. Geez spoiler alert?

(02-23-2017 04:24 PM)Potomac Wrote:  Way to spoil that we're going to repeat as national champions this year. Geez spoiler alert?

Oh c'mon! Like you didn't already know that

Kirsch is probably the best overall player we're losing, but I don't think he's going to be the most difficult to replace as evidenced by our success in the post-season. Khalid fits the same mold. One of the absolute best on our 2016 team, but we're stacked at RB returning with Johnson/Marshall/Sharp/Woods.

I honestly think the answer is one of Domo Taylor/Brandon Ravenel/Rashard Davis. While I'm confident we will have 3 quality WRs to compliment our RB/TE combo, I'm not sure Alls/Miller/Hyman are going to be on that same level.

Also, Gage Steele. Once the defense got their mojo back, he was pretty much unstoppable.


Now that I really think about it, the answer here is almost definitely Gunnar Kane. No one is going to come in & punt on that level right away, I wouldn't think.

Certainly not giving him all the credit as it's a team game and all that good stuff, but punt returners don't grow on trees. They will miss Rashard Davis.

(02-23-2017 05:01 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Kirsch is probably the best overall player we're losing, but I don't think he's going to be the most difficult to replace as evidenced by our success in the post-season. Khalid fits the same mold. One of the absolute best on our 2016 team, but we're stacked at RB returning with Johnson/Marshall/Sharp/Woods.

I honestly think the answer is one of Domo Taylor/Brandon Ravenel/Rashard Davis. While I'm confident we will have 3 quality WRs to compliment our RB/TE combo, I'm not sure Alls/Miller/Hyman are going to be on that same level.

Also, Gage Steele. Once the defense got their mojo back, he was pretty much unstoppable.


Now that I really think about it, the answer here is almost definitely Gunnar Kane. No one is going to come in & punt on that level right away, I wouldn't think.

I think Gage - by far. He really dominated the last part of the season and the playoffs. He really brought a toughness Houston wanted and set the tone for the team in my opinion.

Gage had a great freshman year, but was not the same player the prior two years due to injuries and in my opinion the coaches the last two years. This year's Gage is what I expected to see his whole career following his Freshman year.

I think second hardest to replace is Davis. It's hard to find a playmaker like that, and really helped the special teams be so dominate. It's really going to be interesting to see how dominant can be without him. I think Tutt might be a pretty good replacement.

Kirsch would be third to me, due to lack of volume of unknowns on the line next year. We won the championship without him. I think Gage would of been a bigger loss.....

Reynolds and Abdullah may have been two of our top 3 or 4 players, but we just have so much quality coming back at those positions.

(02-23-2017 05:01 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Kirsch is probably the best overall player we're losing, but I don't think he's going to be the most difficult to replace as evidenced by our success in the post-season. Khalid fits the same mold. One of the absolute best on our 2016 team, but we're stacked at RB returning with Johnson/Marshall/Sharp/Woods.

I honestly think the answer is one of Domo Taylor/Brandon Ravenel/Rashard Davis. While I'm confident we will have 3 quality WRs to compliment our RB/TE combo, I'm not sure Alls/Miller/Hyman are going to be on that same level.

Also, Gage Steele. Once the defense got their mojo back, he was pretty much unstoppable.


Now that I really think about it, the answer here is almost definitely Gunnar Kane. No one is going to come in & punt on that level right away, I wouldn't think.

Nice pick. Makes me wonder if he was on a full ride. I'm not sure many FCS punters/kickers get that offer, but looking at it as you have, I sure hope he did.

Ron Curry? Apparently we can't win games without him.

(02-23-2017 05:21 PM)Dukester Wrote:  Reynolds and Abdullah may have been two of our top 3 or 4 players, but we just have so much quality coming back at those positions.

Yeah, I had Kirsch, Abdullah, Kane, Reynolds as my top 4 graduating talents from last year's team. (No disrespect intended to Gage) I just looked at those four & picked whichever position has the least certainty this year. But yeah, it's hard to say a punter is THAT tough to replace.

I would agree that Gage really set the tone for a tough defense. Can't argue with the pick of Gage Steele. Really glad to see him go out on top like he did.

(02-23-2017 05:01 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Now that I really think about it, the answer here is almost definitely Gunnar Kane. No one is going to come in & punt on that level right away, I wouldn't think.

I'm hearing the replacement this year will be the Maytag Repairman. Oh, and we punted last season? Hmmmm...must've missed it. Note to Houston...punt this season and you're fired.

:>)

Tough question and some key contributors definitely will be missed. I like the method of incorporating into the question, "who will be stepping in next year"? Some great players have some aspiring players chomping at the bit to replace them, others don't. Gunnar Kane and Rashad would be my choices as there will be uncertainty there. Another somewhat unsung hero late in the season was Martez Stone. He really provided some nice pressure from the DT position, something that we lacked in the first half of the season.

excellent thread. the answer is Ravenel.

as others have said, there are better players: Kirsch comes to mind, possibly Abdullah. but the question is who has the most rare skill set. that excludes Domo and Davis, in my mind. I think John Miller is going to step in for Davis and won't miss a beat. it's not a knock on Davis, who was fantastic.

go back and watch Ravenel's footwork, VISION/PATIENCE (on multiple occasions, but especially on the UNH kick return), leaping ability, and hands. he wasn't the flashiest player. he wasn't 6'4", he wasn't running a 4.3, but what he did well he did INCREDIBLY well. his footwork reminds me of Stefon Diggs for the Vikings. i don't know if he'll have a pro career, but he will be the toughest to replace just because i don't think we have anyone with the combination of elite skills, at least not yet.

Ravenel, Kirsch, Davis, Steele, are all good and have right to be mentioned. That being said, my vote goes for Abdullah. During the playoffs, he was the difference maker IMO. In every playoff game, he looked like the best player on the field. Showing up when it mattered most and taking on a huge workload.

Despite the false starts, Chavious proved he could perform well on the O line for Kirsch. We are stacked on offense, but my biggest concern is defense. We came on so well as the year progressed; the way we shut down the SHSU receivers was impressive. For me, Reynolds is the answer to this thread's question. JFM could have had a dozen picks, and he played some lock down coverage in the playoffs. Still, Reynolds will be missed. That position is the question mark in my mind.

(02-23-2017 09:07 PM)jmutoml757 Wrote:  Despite the false starts, Chavious proved he could perform well on the O line for Kirsch. We are stacked on offense, but my biggest concern is defense. We came on so well as the year progressed; the way we shut down the SHSU receivers was impressive. For me, Reynolds is the answer to this thread's question. JFM could have had a dozen picks, and he played some lock down coverage in the playoffs. Still, Reynolds will be missed. That position is the question mark in my mind.

i had forgotten about Reynolds for a minute, great answer. Ravenel, Reynolds, Stone. those are the 3 biggest, but i'm the least concerned with Stone as i think we'll have a really good DT rotation next year and in the next few years.

and since you mentioned it... can we PLEASE get JFM on the jugs machine this offseason? MH has joked about it repeatedly. as you said, jmutoml757, if he had better hands, he could have been 1st Team All-You-Name-It. he's always in great position, but those hands are atrocious.

(02-23-2017 09:06 PM)JMU08 Wrote:  Ravenel, Kirsch, Davis, Steele, are all good and have right to be mentioned. That being said, my vote goes for Abdullah. During the playoffs, he was the difference maker IMO. In every playoff game, he looked like the best player on the field. Showing up when it mattered most and taking on a huge workload.

Having followed every game of Marshall's the last 2 years, we will actually get an upgrade at the RB position with him athletically. Having said that, there is no question that Abdullah's leadership will be very difficult to replace. Same perhaps for Steele. Intangibles like leadership will need to be replaced. I think we'll have it on offense with guys like Schor, Stinnie, and K'man. Need some guys on D to step up and into those roles.

No worries though. This team has tasted it and knows what it takes now to climb the mountain. Houston will find his leaders. Likely won't be difficult to find.

(02-23-2017 09:09 PM)Jay M. Youix Wrote:  

(02-23-2017 09:07 PM)jmutoml757 Wrote:  Despite the false starts, Chavious proved he could perform well on the O line for Kirsch. We are stacked on offense, but my biggest concern is defense. We came on so well as the year progressed; the way we shut down the SHSU receivers was impressive. For me, Reynolds is the answer to this thread's question. JFM could have had a dozen picks, and he played some lock down coverage in the playoffs. Still, Reynolds will be missed. That position is the question mark in my mind.

i had forgotten about Reynolds for a minute, great answer. Ravenel, Reynolds, Stone. those are the 3 biggest, but i'm the least concerned with Stone as i think we'll have a really good DT rotation next year and in the next few years.

This should be in a "players to watch" thread for 2017 but is related to this thread. I know he had some missed coverages at times and went bonehead once or twice and found himself out of position, but I truly believe that Jordan Brown saved our butts a few times this past season. He had several key passes defended and made some critical stops in key games. Along with that, the UVA transfer Carter made some crucial plays in key games too, especially NDSU and YSU.

(02-23-2017 09:15 PM)jmutoml757 Wrote:  

(02-23-2017 09:09 PM)Jay M. Youix Wrote:  

(02-23-2017 09:07 PM)jmutoml757 Wrote:  Despite the false starts, Chavious proved he could perform well on the O line for Kirsch. We are stacked on offense, but my biggest concern is defense. We came on so well as the year progressed; the way we shut down the SHSU receivers was impressive. For me, Reynolds is the answer to this thread's question. JFM could have had a dozen picks, and he played some lock down coverage in the playoffs. Still, Reynolds will be missed. That position is the question mark in my mind.

i had forgotten about Reynolds for a minute, great answer. Ravenel, Reynolds, Stone. those are the 3 biggest, but i'm the least concerned with Stone as i think we'll have a really good DT rotation next year and in the next few years.

This should be in a "players to watch" thread for 2017 but is related to this thread. I know he had some missed coverages at times and went bonehead once or twice and found himself out of position, but I truly believe that Jordan Brown saved our butts a few times this past season. He had several key passes defended and made some critical stops in key games. Along with that, the UVA transfer Carter made some crucial plays in key games too, especially NDSU and YSU.

Carter i completely agree with. i think he will end up being one of the best pass rushers we've had since Moats.

I look at the progression of our defense from the beginning of the season to the end. Can you imagine how much better they will be in year two with the same coaching staff?

We will miss some great players but we also have a lot coming back and have reloaded at other positions. No telling who else MH will add after spring ball.

In reality its tough to say Kirsch, because we won in the playoffs without him. I would say Reynolds, we don't have any Defensive back who can play the position as well and as physical as he did.