I know I’ll get trashed for this, but I’ve been thinking it for several days so I’ll write it anyway.
In thinking about this year my mood has gone from being very confident to something closer to hopeful. When I was confident it was because the two-deep at most positions looked extremely good, and I could envision guys going into and out of the game with little dropoff. As the season starts I’m still hopeful, but not nearly as confident. I see a team that is inexperienced at several positions and dangerously thin in a lot of places.
I really believe the key to the season is getting through these first two games unscathed - meaning no losses and no key injuries at OL, LB or the secondary. If that happens they'll head into the 2 game stretch with the mich teams with a whole lot of momentum. If they drop one of these first two they'll be just trying to avoid a disastrous season the rest of the way out.
When I look at the two-deep before the rash of injuries and suspensions I see talent, depth, experience and huge potential all over the field. That's a recipe for a great season. I look at it now and there is still a lot of talent and a good deal of potential, but there is so much inexperience and so many thin positions it is terrifying.
Just had to get it off my chest, I know I'll get ripped and I'll take the abuse silently. If they're 2-0 in two weeks and healthy, I'll be seriously confident about the rest of the season. If they're 1-1 or if somebody goes down, it could get dicey.
But in case anyone wants to understand my thinking consider the following breakdown:
DEFENSE:
DL: excellent and deep.
LB: Shembo/Williams: very good or excellent. Teo: excellent. Fox/Calabrese would be solid with experience; but Fox/Grace seems shaky. Spond/Councell would be solid with potential for improvement from new blood – Councell/Okwara: there is high upside but who knows.
Safety: Slaughter/Motta should be excellent but there is no experienced depth.
CB: hopefully adequate, potential disaster. I like Jackson b/c I know he can tackle—I’m hopeful that Russell’s ascendancy means he will be a good one, but anyone who says this is not a horrible situation to be in is lying.
OFFENSE:
Golson/Hendrix: potentially very good but inexperienced.
Wood/Riddick/Atkinson would be excellent. Riddick/Atkinson is still potentially good, maybe very good if Atkinson arrives.
Goodman/Jones/Eifert/Toma: beyond Eifert this group doesn’t excite me, but if someone steps up on the outside or Neal becomes a serious threat in the slot then this group could become a strength.
OL: went from excellent and deep to very good but very thin.