Just got back into town,
liver is a paler shade of green than Sat.
I see a few things to hang our hopes on.
Our OL is awful right now, but enough of the kids redshirting, been redshirted, and current recruits have potential, frames, and athleticism to be molded in a few years, Limegrover had NIU absolutely rolling over opponents with a much less heralded OL, it's gonna take time for him to get this young group to work like he wants.
Our QB situation is bad right now, but Gray has shown athleticism enough to be some sort of weapon, whether that be a change of pace QB/WR/RB/whatever, and Shortell will improve every snap he takes, which should be alot by the end of this year. Nelson and Leidner seem fairly impressive, 1-2 year from now we should have experience and options to throw at a competitor and the cream will have risen to the top so to speak as far as the coaches knowing who can make plays with proper reads/throws/runs, etc.
Our defense is awful, but I can't help but think Claeys' defenses have always depended on a pass rush, of which we have absolutely none right now. Amaefula is small, but he's shown as much now as anyone, Cockran is dripping with potential, but he's about 30 lbs too light to be playing right now, recruiting guys who can get to the passer will help all levels of the D.
We're going to be bad this year, really, really bad. All this is assuming Kill can come back at some point and sift through the rubble and ash to find the current and future players he likes to plug into his systems.
If he cannot come back, we are in a new class of trouble, but no need to go there.
Best bottom line outlook:
Kill comes back ok.
We steal a rivalry game/conference game somewhere.
We improve as Big Ten play moves on, we have players in place for the offseason.
Maturi is removed, preferably by force by Kaler in some elaborate apology to Minnesota fans for the years of disservice this POS has thrown upon us.
We wrap up the recruiting class with a handful of speed/system guys.
Spring is less of a chore for the coaches(guys know what to do)
Starters emerge early in fall, coaches can scheme more with their base personnel figured out.
We prove relatively solid against NC foes winning games we should.
Win 2-3 conference games, finish respectively.
2013 sees some of the trademark upsets Kill has had in his past, lower tier bowl
2014 We emerge with multi year starters at numerous positions, redshirts on developmental recruits, a handful of key starters with star quality, win 8-9, reap rewards and bask in relative warmth of winning.
Seems a long way from the cold dark place we're in right now, but I think it's closer to reality than anything else barring some other new low rearing its head.
liver is a paler shade of green than Sat.
I see a few things to hang our hopes on.
Our OL is awful right now, but enough of the kids redshirting, been redshirted, and current recruits have potential, frames, and athleticism to be molded in a few years, Limegrover had NIU absolutely rolling over opponents with a much less heralded OL, it's gonna take time for him to get this young group to work like he wants.
Our QB situation is bad right now, but Gray has shown athleticism enough to be some sort of weapon, whether that be a change of pace QB/WR/RB/whatever, and Shortell will improve every snap he takes, which should be alot by the end of this year. Nelson and Leidner seem fairly impressive, 1-2 year from now we should have experience and options to throw at a competitor and the cream will have risen to the top so to speak as far as the coaches knowing who can make plays with proper reads/throws/runs, etc.
Our defense is awful, but I can't help but think Claeys' defenses have always depended on a pass rush, of which we have absolutely none right now. Amaefula is small, but he's shown as much now as anyone, Cockran is dripping with potential, but he's about 30 lbs too light to be playing right now, recruiting guys who can get to the passer will help all levels of the D.
We're going to be bad this year, really, really bad. All this is assuming Kill can come back at some point and sift through the rubble and ash to find the current and future players he likes to plug into his systems.
If he cannot come back, we are in a new class of trouble, but no need to go there.
Best bottom line outlook:
Kill comes back ok.
We steal a rivalry game/conference game somewhere.
We improve as Big Ten play moves on, we have players in place for the offseason.
Maturi is removed, preferably by force by Kaler in some elaborate apology to Minnesota fans for the years of disservice this POS has thrown upon us.
We wrap up the recruiting class with a handful of speed/system guys.
Spring is less of a chore for the coaches(guys know what to do)
Starters emerge early in fall, coaches can scheme more with their base personnel figured out.
We prove relatively solid against NC foes winning games we should.
Win 2-3 conference games, finish respectively.
2013 sees some of the trademark upsets Kill has had in his past, lower tier bowl
2014 We emerge with multi year starters at numerous positions, redshirts on developmental recruits, a handful of key starters with star quality, win 8-9, reap rewards and bask in relative warmth of winning.
Seems a long way from the cold dark place we're in right now, but I think it's closer to reality than anything else barring some other new low rearing its head.
