(11-11-2019 11:07 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(11-11-2019 10:21 AM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(11-10-2019 07:57 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  I worry the defense might not be all that much better next year. A lot of young guys are playing, but not on the DL. 3 of the 4 starters are seniors and they play nearly every snap. Offense is gonna have to be able to win some shootouts like this next year, but we may have the horses to do it.

I hope the staff utilizes the transfer portal for DL depth for next year. There is a huge drop-off in experience after the seniors. Also wouldn't hurt to get the younger guys playing these last couple of games. We're out of conference/bowl contention anyway.

Trotts scheme is interesting. Seems to be a bend (and mostly break) defense that sells out for turnovers. Not a terrible idea considering even the best college defenses give up loads of yards, but it's tough to watch.

On the one hand I agree about getting the younger DL playing experience the last 2 games, but I think finishing strong and winning these games means way more than it would in a normal year. Coming off 3 straight 3-9 years I think to sell to people that tuned out during the Mo era you need to show an improved record. Anyone that's watching the games can see how much more competitive and better we are, but the record is still 3-7 and we've lost 5 straight. Play a bunch of young guys and lose the last 2 and anyone who's not paying close attention will rightfully see 3-9 again and losing 7 straight to end the season and think nothing has changed. Now obviously UCONN is dreadful, but late November on the road who knows what kind of weather you are going to get, our defense is terrible, and we can't run the ball. I'd love to guarantee a win in that game, but I can't, and then we play Tulsa who's record does not tell the story of how good they actually are.

I'm looking forward to ECU and Tulsa next season. I don't know all the roster changes will look like as an outsider, but I know how you feel about records and what avid fans observing see vs what the record indicates. From what I've seen, ECU and Tulsa are right there on the cusp of being bowl eligible again. I said it before, but it reminds me of when Fuente took over Memphis. He went 3-9, 4-8, and 3-9 his first 3 seasons. But the fans that avidly follow the team saw the drastic improvements and knew 2015 was going to be a breakout season. We went from losing by an average of 4-5 TDs (sad) under Larry Pruitt to going toe toe with Top 25 Louisville and UCF down to the end of the 4th Q. Then we went 10-3 and Fuente bolted to VA Tech, lol.

(11-12-2019 09:33 AM)Pony94 Wrote:  Ahlers is only a sophomore? That kid is a special kind of qb that will do wonders the next couple of years.

The O is going to be interesting over the next couple of years.

From Saturday's Box Score:

QB - Ahlers - So
RB - Williams - RS Fr
RB - Mauney - Fr
WR - Snead - RS Fr
WR - Hatfield - Fr
WR - Proehl - RS So
WR - Johnson (got banged up, but huge game against Cindy) - Fr