(12-31-2018 12:20 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Some interesting observations by all of you.

EAST--I agree Troy is the favorite. They're going to be very, very good. Now, that changes if Neal gets hired away by someone and that chapter isn't completed yet.
g
App will take a step back, despite all the returnees. I would feel differently if more Satt assistants would be returning. The new staff will spend a lot of time evaluating and that will set them back. That being said, I think they are a solid second in the East.

Georgia Southern and Coastal will be closer together than anyone thinks. CCU got bowl eligible despite playing a second and third string QB. They run the football well and they'll be better next season. Not only is the schedule brutal for GS, also consider this: The most important stat in college football is turnover margin, and the Eagles were one of the nation's best. No way they duplicate that next year. I think the Eagles are no better than 7-5 and could wind up 5-7.

Georgia State has work to do.

WEST
The Cajuns will probably be favored with nine starters back on offense, including the entire offensive line that enabled Louisiana to have three backs with 2700 yards rushing. All three backs return. There are question marks on defense, but solid recruiting, plus the return of Joe Dillon will cover up sins. The question mark is at quarterback. If that is answered positively, then the Cajuns should be in good shape. Cajuns do not play Georgia State. They get App and Troy at home, but have to travel to GS and A-State.

Arkansas State will be good again. They lose some good skill people, with Hansen being the most prominent, but they'll still be good offensively. Their defense always seems to have someone step up. The Cajuns have to travel to Jonesboro, where they've won only twice in 25 years. That's a big bugaboo to overcome.

I think Texas State is the most improved team next year. I don't know if they can get to six wins, but their defense will be among the league's best and if Spivital can get some balance out of the offense, they could break a few hearts.

Will ULM be better next year? Hard to say. They lose some key guys, but still have Caleb Evans, who is one of the league's most exciting players...when he's on. A consistent Evans could lead ULM to a bowl. But if not, then they could take a step back.

South Alabama will be better as well. But they still might be last in the West.

If you'll remember BOP, they did not actually get Bowl Eligible. Chants lost I believe 5 of their last 6 and missed out completely when USA beat them in Mobile day after Thanksgiving.

(12-30-2018 11:35 AM)moehler Wrote:  Where are the assumptions? It’s almost the exact team for this yr, with a hc who has proven everywhere he goes to improve the offense, all of the sudden there going to forget how to play for this yr to next yr? Like I said Drink is a really smart guy, he knows if he doesn’t make any major changes, which I’m pretty sure he won’t, on either side of the ball, he has a top 25 team, maybe top 20, he doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, just maintain, tweet a few things, and we should be right there again in the mix for the SBC championship. I’ll say this, if he does try to overhaul the program, he will have a very short stay in Boone.

A head coach that improves what? You are babbling. Your head coach has only slightly better credentials than Tyson Summers.

Your defense does not have the personnel to run the 4-3. There will be a big learning curve there.

One thing that I can guarantee. You will lose some starters to a transfer.

(12-31-2018 03:23 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 12:20 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Some interesting observations by all of you.

EAST--I agree Troy is the favorite. They're going to be very, very good. Now, that changes if Neal gets hired away by someone and that chapter isn't completed yet.
g
App will take a step back, despite all the returnees. I would feel differently if more Satt assistants would be returning. The new staff will spend a lot of time evaluating and that will set them back. That being said, I think they are a solid second in the East.

Georgia Southern and Coastal will be closer together than anyone thinks. CCU got bowl eligible despite playing a second and third string QB. They run the football well and they'll be better next season. Not only is the schedule brutal for GS, also consider this: The most important stat in college football is turnover margin, and the Eagles were one of the nation's best. No way they duplicate that next year. I think the Eagles are no better than 7-5 and could wind up 5-7.

Georgia State has work to do.

WEST
The Cajuns will probably be favored with nine starters back on offense, including the entire offensive line that enabled Louisiana to have three backs with 2700 yards rushing. All three backs return. There are question marks on defense, but solid recruiting, plus the return of Joe Dillon will cover up sins. The question mark is at quarterback. If that is answered positively, then the Cajuns should be in good shape. Cajuns do not play Georgia State. They get App and Troy at home, but have to travel to GS and A-State.

Arkansas State will be good again. They lose some good skill people, with Hansen being the most prominent, but they'll still be good offensively. Their defense always seems to have someone step up. The Cajuns have to travel to Jonesboro, where they've won only twice in 25 years. That's a big bugaboo to overcome.

I think Texas State is the most improved team next year. I don't know if they can get to six wins, but their defense will be among the league's best and if Spivital can get some balance out of the offense, they could break a few hearts.

Will ULM be better next year? Hard to say. They lose some key guys, but still have Caleb Evans, who is one of the league's most exciting players...when he's on. A consistent Evans could lead ULM to a bowl. But if not, then they could take a step back.

South Alabama will be better as well. But they still might be last in the West.

If you'll remember BOP, they did not actually get Bowl Eligible. Chants lost I believe 5 of their last 6 and missed out completely when USA beat them in Mobile day after Thanksgiving.

Duh. You are correct. I guess that Holiday Inn Express was closed when I got there. Thanks.

(12-31-2018 05:33 AM)eagleskins Wrote:  

(12-30-2018 11:35 AM)moehler Wrote:  Where are the assumptions? It’s almost the exact team for this yr, with a hc who has proven everywhere he goes to improve the offense, all of the sudden there going to forget how to play for this yr to next yr? Like I said Drink is a really smart guy, he knows if he doesn’t make any major changes, which I’m pretty sure he won’t, on either side of the ball, he has a top 25 team, maybe top 20, he doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, just maintain, tweet a few things, and we should be right there again in the mix for the SBC championship. I’ll say this, if he does try to overhaul the program, he will have a very short stay in Boone.

A head coach that improves what? You are babbling. Your head coach has only slightly better credentials than Tyson Summers.

Your defense does not have the personnel to run the 4-3. There will be a big learning curve there.

One thing that I can guarantee. You will lose some starters to a transfer.

Like I said. Lot's of optimism. First year head coach,meaning first year ever, will improve or maintain the intensity and system his predecessor created who was rewarded with a $multimillion contract to leave. Tall order. Possible but a reach for sure.

With coaching changes and seniors moving on it's a hard thing to do. For GS as others have said the schedule is a hard one next year but I'm sure we will probably win one or two we shouldn't and lose one or two the the same way. I feel that 8-4 overall (6-2 in the conference) would be a good year given the schedule.

My ridiculously too early predictions for 2019
East
1. Troy
2. GS
3. App
4. Coastal
5. GSU

West
1. ULL
2. stAte
3. TXST
4. ULM
5. USA

You guys keep hoping, we'll just keep winning

The only win we had this season where the turnovers mattered was Ark State. In the bowl game there weren't any turnovers, both takeaways in the Texas State game were really meaningless, and App State wasn't beating us without Zac Thomas no matter what. The rest of the wins weren't close enough to matter.

I suspect our corners will have fewer picks next season as they'll finally have the respect GS fans knew that should have had, but a major reason our turnover margin was so good was because we had zero interceptions all season and I expect our number of interceptions will be very small again with Shai Werts at QB. Him missing a significant number of games is the only way we don't make bowl eligibility next season.

I see 7-9 wins next season myself.

(12-31-2018 10:49 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  You guys keep hoping, we'll just keep winning

You were one GS loss away from finishing second in the east this year so I'd not get too cocky.

East:
Troy
App
GS
GAST
CCU

West:
ULL
StAte
TXST
ULM
USA

My reasonably too early predictions for 2019
East
1. App
2. GS
3. Troy
4. Coastal
5. GSU

West
1. ULL
2. ULM
3. stAte
4. USA
5. Texas State

(12-31-2018 10:55 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:49 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  You guys keep hoping, we'll just keep winning

You were one GS loss away from finishing second in the east this year so I'd not get too cocky.

Only if you would have beaten Troy (a game in which you were down 21 with 11+ minutes to go). If you had beaten ULM, we still win all the tiebreakers. Keep hoping.

(12-31-2018 11:12 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:55 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:49 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  You guys keep hoping, we'll just keep winning

You were one GS loss away from finishing second in the east this year so I'd not get too cocky.

Only if you would have beaten Troy (a game in which you were down 21 with 11+ minutes to go). If you had beaten ULM, we still win all the tiebreakers. Keep hoping.

So what I said is still accurate...keep grasping.

East
Troy with Brown
App if Drink is competent
Georgia Southern


Troy without Brown
App if Drink is Summers-esque


Coastal


Georgia State



West
Louisiana

Arkansas State

ULM



South Alabama
Texas State

(12-31-2018 12:20 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Georgia Southern and Coastal will be closer together than anyone thinks. CCU got bowl eligible despite playing a second and third string QB. They run the football well and they'll be better next season. Not only is the schedule brutal for GS, also consider this: The most important stat in college football is turnover margin, and the Eagles were one of the nation's best. No way they duplicate that next year. I think the Eagles are no better than 7-5 and could wind up 5-7.

No doubt, it will be nearly impossible to repeat the TO margin results of 2018. We needed the defense to help carry an offense that was still a work in progress.

I believe the continued work on the O-line and maturation of the offensive scheme (first offseason of offensive consistency since 2014 to 2015), will compensate for the TO margin results of 2019. An off season of work will do us wonders.

We will be better than 7 wins.

(12-31-2018 11:18 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 11:12 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:55 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:49 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  You guys keep hoping, we'll just keep winning

You were one GS loss away from finishing second in the east this year so I'd not get too cocky.

Only if you would have beaten Troy (a game in which you were down 21 with 11+ minutes to go). If you had beaten ULM, we still win all the tiebreakers. Keep hoping.

So what I said is still accurate...keep grasping.

It is also accurate to say that App was 1 win away from being a top 15-20 ranked team.

(12-31-2018 11:25 AM)APPrising Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 11:18 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 11:12 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:55 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:49 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  You guys keep hoping, we'll just keep winning

You were one GS loss away from finishing second in the east this year so I'd not get too cocky.

Only if you would have beaten Troy (a game in which you were down 21 with 11+ minutes to go). If you had beaten ULM, we still win all the tiebreakers. Keep hoping.

So what I said is still accurate...keep grasping.

It is also accurate to say that App was 1 win away from being a top 15-20 ranked team.

And I believe in that game they were down 27 points with 11 seconds to go.

(12-31-2018 11:27 AM)Klak Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 11:25 AM)APPrising Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 11:18 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 11:12 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:55 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  You were one GS loss away from finishing second in the east this year so I'd not get too cocky.

Only if you would have beaten Troy (a game in which you were down 21 with 11+ minutes to go). If you had beaten ULM, we still win all the tiebreakers. Keep hoping.

So what I said is still accurate...keep grasping.

It is also accurate to say that App was 1 win away from being a top 15-20 ranked team.

And I believe in that game they were down 27 points with 11 seconds to go.

I was talking about the other game...

(12-31-2018 11:18 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 11:12 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:55 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:49 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  You guys keep hoping, we'll just keep winning

You were one GS loss away from finishing second in the east this year so I'd not get too cocky.

Only if you would have beaten Troy (a game in which you were down 21 with 11+ minutes to go). If you had beaten ULM, we still win all the tiebreakers. Keep hoping.

So what I said is still accurate...keep grasping.

I suppose, but you're talking about a farfetched hypothetical at that point.

Welcome back. See you in Boone.

(12-31-2018 10:55 AM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(12-31-2018 10:49 AM)asucrutch23 Wrote:  You guys keep hoping, we'll just keep winning

You were one GS loss away from finishing second in the east this year so I'd not get too cocky.

We were one QB injury from being ranked in the top 15. Works both ways.

Before this season, everyone outside of App fans had App picked no better than 3rd in the conference following uncertainty at QB. Another year, another uncertainty, same predictions.