I'm starting this thread (and a companion for defense) on what we suspect, hope, expect the starting lineup and depth will be like.

I'm very interested in how the posters see the newcomers fitting as starters or two deep. Also include 2020 newcomers.

P.S. I realize we, on paper, have something like 19 returning starters on offense and defense so we could, if we wish, pretend that we are all ghost writers for Phil Steele and list those 19 starters.

Have fun.

The receiver depth will be interesting. We all know about Beydoun, Knue, and Drummond but after that it's a bunch of younger players and transfers. Who's gonna step up? Hopefully a burner with good ball skills is in the group.

(06-26-2021 11:11 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  The receiver depth will be interesting. We all know about Beydoun, Knue, and Drummond but after that it's a bunch of younger players and transfers. Who's gonna step up? Hopefully a burner with good ball skills is in the group.

I like that group of Knue, Beydoun Drummond. and I think I'Shawn Stewart the transfer from Oregon State could be in that mix as well being that he is a few year past High School gradutaion and may be physically more ready. The other intriguing one to look at would be Zach Westmoreland. He had a strange path to EMU....(injury out of high school, JUCO but season cancelled....) His High school stats are stupid good and I hope he can be that down field threat at 6"2 that we need.

I also think Drummond did not have a great season last year, likely Covid related. A couple years ago he was playing great and I think he has a bounce back year with the O-Line we have that is protecting what I think is an All-Mac QB in Hutchinson.

QB question for you guys....

I think we are in a really good spot here with QB's. Hutch had a really good season last year and I think CC rewards the guys who have been here with the chance to start the season. I am totally in favor of Hutch playing all year BUT.......CC has always said that two QB's are always needed and history has proven him correct outside of last year.

2020-COVID
2019: Glass and Hutch
2018: Glass and Weigers

So.....Would CC be open to playing Hutch and Ben Bryant? Add in to this situation Baron May who I think is going to be our future QB.

(06-26-2021 11:43 AM)steve4840 Wrote:  

(06-26-2021 11:11 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  The receiver depth will be interesting. We all know about Beydoun, Knue, and Drummond but after that it's a bunch of younger players and transfers. Who's gonna step up? Hopefully a burner with good ball skills is in the group.

I like that group of Knue, Beydoun Drummond. and I think I'Shawn Stewart the transfer from Oregon State could be in that mix as well being that he is a few year past High School gradutaion and may be physically more ready. The other intriguing one to look at would be Zach Westmoreland. He had a strange path to EMU....(injury out of high school, JUCO but season cancelled....) His High school stats are stupid good and I hope he can be that down field threat at 6"2 that we need.

I also think Drummond did not have a great season last year, likely Covid related. A couple years ago he was playing great and I think he has a bounce back year with the O-Line we have that is protecting what I think is an All-Mac QB in Hutchinson.

I agree with all you said, but would also added Dennis Smith (transfer from Duke) to that list of potential impact newcomers. He is 6'1" 188 lbs, was a high-three star recruit coming out of high school with offers from Duke, Charlotte, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Northwestern, Old Dominion, and South Carolina. Last year at Duke he played in 10 games and had 16 catches for 235 yards and one touchdown, so not super productive but more productive than Stewart was at Oregon State.

(06-26-2021 12:14 PM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  

(06-26-2021 11:43 AM)steve4840 Wrote:  

(06-26-2021 11:11 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  The receiver depth will be interesting. We all know about Beydoun, Knue, and Drummond but after that it's a bunch of younger players and transfers. Who's gonna step up? Hopefully a burner with good ball skills is in the group.

I like that group of Knue, Beydoun Drummond. and I think I'Shawn Stewart the transfer from Oregon State could be in that mix as well being that he is a few year past High School gradutaion and may be physically more ready. The other intriguing one to look at would be Zach Westmoreland. He had a strange path to EMU....(injury out of high school, JUCO but season cancelled....) His High school stats are stupid good and I hope he can be that down field threat at 6"2 that we need.

I also think Drummond did not have a great season last year, likely Covid related. A couple years ago he was playing great and I think he has a bounce back year with the O-Line we have that is protecting what I think is an All-Mac QB in Hutchinson.

I agree with all you said, but would also added Dennis Smith (transfer from Duke) to that list of potential impact newcomers. He is 6'1" 188 lbs, was a high-three star recruit coming out of high school with offers from Duke, Charlotte, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Northwestern, Old Dominion, and South Carolina. Last year at Duke he played in 10 games and had 16 catches for 235 yards and one touchdown, so not super productive but more productive than Stewart was at Oregon State.

Good call Sellers....I forgot about him and agree that he will likely be a big contributor. Man is it fun to think of these guys contributing.

The competition at RB will also be fun to watch. Boone and Evans will undoubtedly see plenty of action. Bess, Hamilton, Smith, and McCarty will be battling for PT. It seems like there's a variety of skills in this group so the offense will hopefully be very diverse.

Our TEs also have great depth with Odukoya Cannon Oakes and Jackson whose stock is rising at that position and will probably be our wildcat QB.

A sleeper at WR is Dylan Summers.

Dear Friends,
I don't disagree with all the comments, but if Phil Steele has Hutchinson rated as fourth team MAC, is our offense going to be able to move the ball and score points? We all know this is a quarterback league.

(06-27-2021 10:08 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
I don't disagree with all the comments, but if Phil Steele has Hutchinson rated as fourth team MAC, is our offense going to be able to move the ball and score points? We all know this is a quarterback league.

Hutch is underated. If we have a consistent ground game and don't fumble we will score points and move the ball.

(06-27-2021 10:08 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
I don't disagree with all the comments, but if Phil Steele has Hutchinson rated as fourth team MAC, is our offense going to be able to move the ball and score points? We all know this is a quarterback league.

I was disappoiinted he had him ranked 4. There are some good QB's in the MAC this year. Given the line he has blocking for him, the best group of RB's we've had in a while, TE's (Cannon, Odekoya and Oakes) as well as Beydoun. Dylan, Tanner and a few others, I think we should be disappointed if he does not end up as a top 3 MAC QB by end of yr.

(06-27-2021 09:42 PM)steve4840 Wrote:  

(06-27-2021 10:08 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
I don't disagree with all the comments, but if Phil Steele has Hutchinson rated as fourth team MAC, is our offense going to be able to move the ball and score points? We all know this is a quarterback league.

I was disappoiinted he had him ranked 4. There are some good QB's in the MAC this year. Given the line he has blocking for him, the best group of RB's we've had in a while, TE's (Cannon, Odekoya and Oakes) as well as Beydoun. Dylan, Tanner and a few others, I think we should be disappointed if he does not end up as a top 3 MAC QB by end of yr.

really feels like were splitting hairs about 'our qb they think is the 4th best in the mac is really the 3rd best.

I am excited to see more TE play in the pass game.

(06-26-2021 12:06 PM)steve4840 Wrote:  QB question for you guys....

I think we are in a really good spot here with QB's. Hutch had a really good season last year and I think CC rewards the guys who have been here with the chance to start the season. I am totally in favor of Hutch playing all year BUT.......CC has always said that two QB's are always needed and history has proven him correct outside of last year.

2020-COVID
2019: Glass and Hutch
2018: Glass and Weigers

So.....Would CC be open to playing Hutch and Ben Bryant? Add in to this situation Baron May who I think is going to be our future QB.

Didn’t Hutch only play in the WMU game because Glass was hurt? I honestly can’t see anyone other than Hutch taking meaningful snaps this year. I think Creighton learned from the 2018 season where we likely would’ve been in the MACC if he had played Glass the whole season instead of fiddling with Wiegers too much. This is a big season...I don’t see him messing around with it.

(06-28-2021 08:44 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  

(06-26-2021 12:06 PM)steve4840 Wrote:  QB question for you guys....

I think we are in a really good spot here with QB's. Hutch had a really good season last year and I think CC rewards the guys who have been here with the chance to start the season. I am totally in favor of Hutch playing all year BUT.......CC has always said that two QB's are always needed and history has proven him correct outside of last year.

2020-COVID
2019: Glass and Hutch
2018: Glass and Weigers

So.....Would CC be open to playing Hutch and Ben Bryant? Add in to this situation Baron May who I think is going to be our future QB.

Didn’t Hutch only play in the WMU game because Glass was hurt? I honestly can’t see anyone other than Hutch taking meaningful snaps this year. I think Creighton learned from the 2018 season where we likely would’ve been in the MACC if he had played Glass the whole season instead of fiddling with Wiegers too much. This is a big season...I don’t see him messing around with it.

Yes Sam, Hutch only saw the field against WMU because Glass was in street clothes, hurt on the sideline.

You are also correct, Glass was clearly better than Wiegers who started the season. That said, Mike was a GREAT quarterback, but clearly needed a label "fragile handle with care". Nate's playing time after the first few games was not decided by Creighton but rather by Mike Glass' availability at the time, which was hit or miss. We were fortunate that we had Wiegers, who while was not athletic, was competent, dependable and would not "lose" a game for you.

There once was a saying "If you have TWO quarterbacks, you truly have none" as few if any teams have effectively employed a dual QB system. The new transfer rules, however, may change that opinion. A "hot" backup QB prospect like May may need to see some playing time although Bryant might be more competent and we would be better off with Hutch taking all the available snaps. Otherwise the new saying might be "a riches of QB talent one year might turn into a dearth of such next season". Ask Harbaugh at U-M.

This is a bonus offense/defense discussion.

https://macfootballblog.com/2021/07/27/2...l-preview/