Prior to the start of the 2012 season (and maybe during the season) I thought there were 3 issues which were to doom the season:
1). DL - Would the 2012 DL be able to sustain itself after significant graduation losses?
2). QB - Would it be effective both running and throwing and no QB controversy?
3). "The Schedule" - there were some of us who from day #1 saw the schedule as being a problem. The 2011 schedule was favorable. The 2012 schedule was a nightmare ready to happen. If the team were to lose at BSU (it did) the team could really start out in a hole. The team came out flat against an underrated IL State team and flopped.
2011 schedule gave us a chance to put 2 Ws in the books before moving on.
That said, #3 no longer seems to be an issue. If we can't win with this schedule we just can't win.
#2 - QB - This should be most fascinating as Benz finally has most of a year's experience under his belt. Even if (or maybe because of) challenged, he will play better this year. If Roback beats him out as a true frosh, we have a real story developing. I believe there was a 'controversy' on the team as to who should have been the QB.
#3 - DL was so young and inexperienced it can't be worse.
Adding a few more:
Will the offensive line get back to the form it was in 2011 rather than 2012 even with the loss of Neal, Sorgatz and Watman?
Will the secondary improve despite losing Pollard and many seniors?
Will our punting game maintain its high level of excellence? A good punter can take alot of pressure off a defense, a bad punting game can do just the opposite.
Our games at Buffalo and at Army will tell the story of the season. Win both, and we are bowl bound.
We might play a FB game this season with more points scored than say two or more of our men's hoops games. (The 1st NIU game should be easy to exceed).
We might have some MACtion-like scores (e.g., 49 - 42 or higher) this year.
(03-02-2013 09:23 AM)holybovine Wrote: [ -> ]Our games at Buffalo and at Army will tell the story of the season. Win both, and we are bowl bound.
Let's Hope!
(03-02-2013 09:23 AM)holybovine Wrote: [ -> ]Our games at Buffalo and at Army will tell the story of the season. Win both, and we are bowl bound.
Okay, I'll play the devil's advocate here:
1). Howard,
2). Buffalo,
3). Army
4).
5).
6).
(bonus) 7).
1). Howard
2). Buffalo
3). Army
4). WMU
5). Ball State
6). Bowling Green
(bonus) 7). CMU
(03-02-2013 10:02 AM)EMUEagle17 Wrote: [ -> ]1). Howard
2). Buffalo
3). Army
4). WMU
5). Ball State
6). Bowling Green
(bonus) 7). CMU
LOL. EMU is not beating BGSU next year. They brought just about everyone back on a defense that was tops in the MAC. Nor Ball State. BSU will put up 50 on EMU with no depth in the secondary the way BSU played in the second half of the season last year. Pipe dreams..... God love'em.
The Keys for us this season is
DL, LB ST in that order...
The offense should (praying) be okay, we are deep with having plenty enough RB's. The QB situation should be good for us with T. Benz. running the ship and the battle for backup heating up.
Very early everyone should see about the offensive line. Either our OL will come out with something to prove or we will have a long season. I was very shocked they played so bad last year. I am thinking the OL will have a chip on their shoulders.
TE Russell will be a year older and wiser as a player, his backup should be interesting. With having only one seasoned TE, does this means that we will use mostly a one TE set with additional WR's on 3rd downs calls?
The WR's current that are on the team are all tall/long and not scared to run across the middle, I like that it it should provide more option in the passing game. It will also allow for us to spread team defense out providing more lanes for B. Hill
The DL is something English does not seem to be too concerned/worry about, as I have shared before, it was a concern of mine during recruiting. From looking at the spring roster, there were names I had forgot about, similar to the LB'er guys.
LB'ers we may have some problems here, lots of talents but not experiences..
DB's there should be lots of competitions here.. We may have the best athletics on the team at this position. These guys should be much better this season.. What happened to Coleman, Cotton & Johnson near the end of the season? They disappear….
ST will be sorely missed unless someone steps up and fill some huge shoes..
I just checked and currently we have 13 DL's, 13 DB's amd 9 LB'er. This does not count the 2013 recruiting class. Lots of bodies..
(03-02-2013 09:35 AM)emu steve Wrote: [ -> ] (03-02-2013 09:23 AM)holybovine Wrote: [ -> ]Our games at Buffalo and at Army will tell the story of the season. Win both, and we are bowl bound.
Okay, I'll play the devil's advocate here:
1). Howard,
2). Buffalo,
3). Army
4).
5).
6).
(bonus) 7).
Howard
Buffalo
Army
Ball state
Western
Split with Ohio/BGSU
Central
Way too early to predict.
Maybe I'm in the minority here... but I don't see this year's schedule being a gift for us either. Matter of fact, I'm looking at this schedule and seeing us lucky to pull out three games.
Four of our first six games on the road, and last I knew EMU has not exactly been a great road team. Plus if I remember correctly EMU hasn't won a road non-conference game since the 1988 season @ Youngstown State(the year my sister was born) and we didn't exactly go out there and dominate a down Army team last year here at home. Buffalo looked better towards the end of the year last year as well and you'd think they are due at some point to eventually get a win against us. Ball State is very well coached and EMU hasn't beaten Ball State at home since 2003, the year I graduated from High School! After the Illinois State debacle last year, I wouldn't even necessarily call Howard a gimme game this coming year as they've been improving on the field as well.
Then you're talking about playing Ohio U at home, at NIU, at Toledo, Western Michigan on four back to back weekends which are all easily losable games. Then a bye week to prepare for Bowling Green in our home finale.. The finale at CMU could easily just be as meaningless of a game as it has been for us in the past.
Of course it's way too early to predict these things but I don't think the schedule makers did us any favors this year either. After last year's optimism that was proved to be unwarranted, I'm not falling into that trap again. This program has a lot to prove to me before I'm willing to say that they're ready to turn the corner. I guess you can say I'm praying for the best and preparing for the worst.
(03-02-2013 12:00 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote: [ -> ]Way too early to predict.
Mine isn't really a prediction -- it's more like a best-case scenario.