(01-05-2023 04:22 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 07:31 PM)EdifiedVoyage6 Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 07:41 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(01-03-2023 09:02 PM)steve4840 Wrote:  

(01-01-2023 09:06 AM)emu steve Wrote:  "Offensive line
Should be back: Rewolinski, Howie, Douglas, Johnson, Dooley
Gone: Sow, Bates
Excitement level: 8 out of 10

Sow is obviously one of the greatest players we've had and will be a huge loss. Thankfully we have three guys (Howie, Johnson, Dooley) all back who have started for years and are good players. Rewolinski and Douglas both have started in spots and should be able to fill in and play well. I've also read or heard good things about some of the young guys (Jackson, Warnsman, Indestad, Anderson, Lee) so there should be a healthy competition for those spots. We may take a slight step back losing Sow, but overall this should be a good group."

I would have given a '7' before the loss of Johnson. I now give it a '5' and hope Douglass can step in at center.

If so, the right side of our OL will be our strength, the opposite of 2022.

**************

I think 2023 will be a reload/rebuild year. I see a lot more question marks that many posters:

1). 60% new OL,

2). New QB,

3). Replace all-American DE,

i read an article that in CFB now the difference between a decent/good team and a very good/great team is QUARTERBACKING. We are far now, January 2, from having very good quarterbacking. This makes 2023 a big, big question mark for us. Inexperienced line and new QB can be problematic.

Got to see what comes out of spring ball at QB and OL!!! A good OL and a good QB helped Evans look really good. Evans is really good BUT a RB needs a lot of help just like a QB needs a good OL and receivers.

I see a lot of parallels to the Lions. The Lions built a very sturdy OL (and w/out all of the 2021 injuries) and Goff and runners thrived behind it. Sounds parallel to what we had in 2022. As we know the left side of our OL ate up their side of the SJSU DL/LB. We have memories of Sow blocking his OL and then getting to the 2nd level and hitting the LB.

Good post Steve. I think we need the portal this year now more than ever. We were spoiled this year with a very good O-line. Losing Sow, Johnson and Bates hurts. At QB, I like Austin Smith but he needs to improve a lot.

I love our secondary, parts of our O-line , our RB's and our young Dline

If we can get a couple pick ups in the portal, then we have a chance to be very good next year.

we need 2 portal O-linemen, QB, a LB and a WR

And a dominant DE.

We will be getting Jeff so that is solved

On the O-Line I am not positive but we will probably be getting Owen and Dan

I know we are trying to bring in a WR but we really don't need it
We have all the receivers we need

LB is the biggest mystery to me since I have heard NOTHING about it from anyone on the staff but that is definitely a position we need
I have no idea what is going on there
I presume it is because the staff isn't positive or because we don't have a LB coach yet
That's just my guess
I could be wrong since I am admitting that I have no inclination about what we are doing at LB

I think by Jeff you mean JUCO Jefferson?