Athlon: Coaches Anon. Comments, our Schedule

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Week 1 vs App State (Athlon rank #77)

TBD

Week 2 vs Pitt (Athlon rank #43)

"Pat (Narduzzi) is one of my favorite guys in the business. A tough guy, a fair guy, a fun guy. That team plays exactly to his personality — and I mean that in a good way."

"They really started playing well on defense near the end of the season, and you really saw what they could do in the Miami game. They’re going to be very good on defense this year. That front seven is filthy. They look a lot like those Michigan State defenses he had that were the foundation of that program becoming elite."

"Hindsight is 20/20, but I think if you ask Pat, he’ll tell you he should’ve played QB Kenny Pickett a lot sooner. He played really well the last two games of the season against Virginia Tech and Miami, and in difficult spots. You watch the tape of those two games, and he’s a difference maker. When you’re completing 60 percent in your first two starts, that’s a big deal."

"They’re just average on the offensive line, and that was part of the problem early on last year. They have to get better. They’re not nearly as physical as they were in Pat’s first year, and they don’t have the players at tailback like they did."

"As good as Pickett can be, they have to find some pieces around him both in the run game and on the outside. Darrin Hall is a serviceable guy at tailback, but he’s not the elite that they’ve had their in the past. They don’t have that pile pusher, that guy that can get those third and short gains to move the sticks. That puts a lot of pressure on a young quarterback to be perfect."

Week 3 vs. Kent State (Athlon rank #129

TBD

Week 4 vs. Illinois (Athlon rank #95)

"I don’t care who you are, the Lovie Smith hire was a strange one. He certainly has the resume for it, but everything about that hire screamed strange. He’s an NFL guy. The last thing anyone would say about Lovie is he’s a great college fit. So what do you do? You throw him into this league, and set him up to fail with a program that botched the last hire and is now in need of a complete engine overhaul."

"Are we really that surprised that Illinois has been absolutely atrocious, and has won five games in the last two years?"

"I’m not buying the idea that Illinois gave up early in the season and started playing a bunch of freshmen, and that’s why it got so ugly. So that’s why there were so many coaching changes in the offseason? I think this was a lot tougher of a job than Lovie first realized. The guy before him left a mess, and digging out of that was going to take more than just a year of transition. I’d be shocked if they won more than three games this fall."

"(RB) Mike Epstein is a tough runner, a guy who definitely doesn’t look the part but sure as heck plays it. He’s fun to watch. Lovie needs about 20 more Mike Epsteins."

"They don’t have a quarterback, they are terrible on defense and they are one of the worst teams we’ve played in the last six or seven years. At one point last year, I remember watching film on them and thinking this team looks completely disinterested."

Week 5 vs. Ohio State (Athlon rank #4)

"They are so darn good at just about every position on the field. You wonder how they lose. Maybe that’s why when they do lose, it’s the end of the world. That’s a tough way to coach, I’ll tell you that. It’s tough for any of us to lose a game in this conference. But Urban (Meyer) has it going so well there, when they lose, it’s like a death in the family."

"I realize people are going to think this is blasphemy, but I think they’re going to be better offensively this year without J.T. Barrett. One thing about J.T., he always knew where to go with the ball. I think Dwayne Haskins, if he’s making the same smart decisions, will have a huge season. He’s a better thrower and has a better arm."

"I have no idea how they lost once last year, much less twice. They are that much better, talent-wise, than everyone in our conference."

"The young guys on that offense are amazing. (RB) J.K. Dobbins is a grown man. He was running over people and showing NFL moves from the first snap against Indiana. The guy I really like is (WR) Parris Campbell. The fastest guy on the field every time he steps on it. He’s one arm tackle away from scoring every play."

"Where do you start on defense? So many impact guys all over the place."

"DE Nick Bosa is playing at a higher level than his brother, Joey, did. (Donte) Booker and (Tuf) Borland at linebacker. CB Jeffrey Okudah is going to be an absolute stud. Then you have big DT Dre’Mont Jones in the middle. Everywhere you look, they’ve got guys that will play a long time in the NFL."

Week 6 BYE

Week 7 vs. Michigan State (Athlon rank #12)

"I don’t know what all is going on over there, and I’m not sure I want to know. I know this: They have a really strong team coming back. I realize that doesn’t mean anything in relation to the off-field problems there, but 19 starters from a 10-win team? They’re getting attention for all of the wrong things this offseason."

"You want to know how you go from three wins to 10 wins? You play defense and you find a QB. How about that for a recipe of winning? You’re a genius, right coach?"

"They were terrible on defense two years ago, and I think everyone in this league was shocked at how ill-prepared they were. Last year, completely different story. They’re good up front, they’re really good at linebacker with (Joe) Bachie and (Andrew) Dowell. Kenny Willekes is a fantastic rush end. He forces you to know where he is at all times."

"There’s no way you’re going to sit there and tell me everyone knew Brian Lewerke was going to be a great player. That he was going to be this tough, smart, talented dual-threat guy who is going to give defenses fits. Now way. Never saw it. He can make all the throws and he’s a tough, willing runner."

"It’s time for LJ Scott to either show he’s an elite tailback, or just hang out and meander through his senior season and hope for the best in the NFL Draft. They’ve got a strong, experienced offensive line. Time for Scott to play like he wants it."

Week 8 vs. Indiana (Athlon rank #63)

"Tom Allen is a good man. A no-nonsense coach stuck in a football program whose administration doesn’t care enough to want to get better. They’ve made some changes in the facilities, but that’s almost because they have to. You can’t sit around while everyone else does it, and sit on that (Big Ten) network money."

"Tom is not a guy who is going to sit around and wait for something to happen. He doesn’t suffer fools. He made that move to bench (Richard) Lagow last year for the freshman (Peyton) Ramsey, and it looked like a heckuva move until Ramsey got hurt. You’re talking about benching a guy who set a lot of records there, and giving the whole show to a freshman. But that’s Tom. He does what he thinks is best for his team."

"They’re going to be really good on offense this year. Going to score a lot of points on the teams in this league. Ramsey is a good player. If you’re completing close to 70 percent of your passes in the first year in this league, you’re doing something right. I never saw him get rattled."

"Tom has been a defensive coach all of his career, so I know it must pain him to see what happens on the field week after week. Because as good as the young guys were on offense, the offense as a whole couldn’t stop turning the ball over. You want to lose games? You want to get a coach fired? Keep being lax with ball security."

"There are a lot of young guys on that team that are going to put up some really good numbers over the next couple of years. It’s not just Ramsey. TB (Morgan) Ellison is a big kid who runs with an attitude, and that quick WR (Whop) Philyor is a player. A solid nucleus of young guys will be fun to watch, and brutal to deal with if you’re a defensive coach in the league."

Week 9 vs. Iowa (Athlon rank #35)

"There are very few guys in our business as genuine and loyal as Kirk Ferentz. I respect him greatly. But I also realize he has a great gig. He goes 8–5, and they love him. He goes one step forward one year, and two steps back the next, and they love him. I wish it was like that for all of us, but more and more, I’m beginning to think it’s like that for only one of us. Not just in this league, but the entire country."

"No matter what happens year after year, his teams always get one or two big wins that make you think, boy, they could be really good. Then every four or five years, they get one of those special seasons that makes everyone in Iowa think ‘That’s why he’s our coach.’ There are about a 120-something coaches (in FBS) envious of his situation."

"I really like safety Amani Hooker. He brings a load in run support, and he can cover back there. A smart guy in the back end of your defense is so undervalued."

"How about Nate Stanley? What a surprise he was, and did he ever produce. When was the last time Iowa had a QB put up those type numbers and that few turnovers? He’s the kind of player who can lead to that special season."

"They’re going to need a lot better play from the offensive line to reach that level. They have to retool that thing, and other than OT (Tristan) Wirfs, who is a beast, they weren’t as steady last year as they usually are."

"They always play above their ceiling on defense, and last year they had a ton of interceptions (21) from a bunch of guys that just played hard and didn’t act like stars."

Week 10 vs. Michigan (Athlon rank #5)

"I just want to be clear about one thing: You folks in the media make such a big deal out of everything Jim Harbaugh does. You’re just feeding the monster without really seeing what’s going on. Let me say this first: You’re not doing what he did at Stanford and in the NFL without being a helluva coach. But he has to start winning those big games at Michigan, and there can’t be any more of those South Carolina gaffes."

"Think about this: You’re a Michigan fan (and we all know the expectations of Michigan fans), and you’re not better than Ohio State or Penn State or Michigan State? You finish fourth in your division again, then what? Uh-oh."

"So after you hear all that doom and gloom, I’ll tell you that they will have the best defense in our league this season. Maybe even the best defense in the whole country. That allows you to make a bunch of mistakes on offense, or play with a quarterback who’s just another guy. You tell me two players on any defense that are a better combination than (DE) Rashan Gary and (LB) Devin Bush."

"Jim’s problems are no different than most anyone else: He needs a quarterback. What’s surprising is that’s what he does best. He coaches quarterbacks and makes them elite performers and leaders."

"That has to be so frustrating for Jim. He has the pieces everywhere but can’t make it work at quarterback."

Week 11 vs. Wisconsin (Athlon rank #9)

"If they were a little better at quarterback, if Alex Hornibrook were a little more refined, they would’ve been in the playoff last year. They could have beaten Ohio State in our championship game, and probably should have."

"You can say, ‘How many quarterbacks played well against Ohio State?’ and that’s a fair argument. Then watch the tape, and watch (Hornibrook) miss open receivers on throws he just has to make. They are so good everywhere else. You just can’t have a quarterback who throws 15 interceptions. You just can’t do that."

"I thought Hornibrook was hurt last year by the loss of WR (Quintez) Cephus. He was just beginning to become a dangerous threat on the outside when they lost him to an injury."

"I think TE Zander Neuville is going to be a great player this season. I don’t even think he had but a handful of catches last year, but he’s a punishing blocker and he has talent."

"If I were to tell you, hey, Wisconsin had a freshman tailback that had 2,000 yards, you’d probably say, yeah, that sounds about right. I don’t want to make light of what Jonathan Taylor did because he’s a special player, but it’s death, taxes and Wisconsin with an elite tailback. Oh by the way, three of those stud offensive linemen who could’ve left for the NFL, stayed in Madison."

"I loved watching these guys play last year. A team that looked like it was having fun every time they stepped on the field. It was so cool to watch week after week. That’s a reflection on Paul Chryst."

"There aren’t many better guys than Paul, and he and that team are clearing connecting."

"The defense that everyone overlooked last year will be great again. LB T.J. Edwards returning to school and skipping the NFL was icing on the cake."

Week 11 vs. Rutgers (Athlon rank #87)

"It may not look like it, but Chris Ash is making some headway at Rutgers. I’m actually shocked they won four games last year with the offense they had. They were horrific. There’s no other way to say it."

"They were below average at quarterback, and that’s where it all begins. I don’t know where they go -- I’m guessing you stick with Gio (Rescigno) and hope someone either pushes him or beats him out -- but I know the position isn’t the only problem. Rutgers has had nine offensive coordinators in the last nine years. You’re just not giving your kids a chance when you do things like that. You make a bad hire, then compound it by making another bad hire."

"They’re not that good at wide receiver. But there’s potential on the line. I like a couple of their guys -- (Tariq) Cole and (Michael) Maietti -- and that’s a great place to start when you need points."

"Chris had a ton of turnover on that staff. I think he’s trying to find chemistry and guys that can get those kids in position to have success."

"Winning at Rutgers in this conference, in that division, is asking a lot. Heck, winning in the Big East was no piece of cake."

"John McNulty is a good hire at offensive coordinator. He did some nice work there about 10 or so years ago on (Greg) Schiano’s staff."

"They don’t do anything really special on defense, and you just know that makes a defense-first coach like Chris go crazy."

"They’ve got some potential in the secondary."

Week 12 vs. Maryland (Athlon rank #51)

"I don’t know how you can pin that train wreck of a season on that coaching staff. They had to use five quarterbacks, and it all fell apart. If you’re looking for what that team could be with DJ Durkin, you look at the 3–1 start before the injuries at quarterback really kicked in."

"He’s not the biggest guy on the field and not the biggest recruit, but (Tyrrell) Pigrome is the best QB on that team. He is one dangerous kid with the ball in his hands. If he’s healthy, it’s not even a question who takes the first snap there."

"DJ made a lot of adjustments to that staff this offseason. You look at the moves, and it looks a lot like a guy who thinks he needs to win. I don’t know if that’s a fair deal. He’s recruiting better there, and when they’re healthy, they’re a solid team."

"I like the hire of Matt Canada as offensive coordinator. I don’t know what happened at LSU, but I know what he has done everywhere he has been. He makes offenses better. He makes kids play beyond their ceilings. I’ve heard about the talk that he’s hard to get along with. But if you have a guy who can produce results like he can, I think you just deal with it and find a way to make it work."

"They couldn’t tackle anything, and there were times when it looked like they didn’t care. That’s a bad sign."

"They need guys who can change the pace of a game, who can force the offense to adjust to them. Maybe defensive end Byron Cowart is one of those guys. I don’t know why it didn’t work at Auburn, but he was everyone’s No. 1 player a few years ago."

"Before the injuries at quarterback, last year could have been a nice breakout season for the offense."

CFP 1 vs. Clemson (Athlon rank #2)

"There’s not a better example of the vital importance of recruiting than what has gone on at Clemson in the last six or seven years. Dabo (Swinney) knew from Day 1 it’s not about X’s and O’s, it’s about those Jimmys and Joes. They are so good and so deep and so talented at just about every position. What do they have, a couple five-star quarterbacks on that roster? We recruited Trevor Lawrence hard, and trust me when I say this: He’s the real deal. He may not be the starter in the first week of the season, but I’d be shocked if he’s not by the last."

"They didn’t throw the ball last year as well as they have in the past. They weren’t a threat downfield, and a lot of their stuff that was successful came on broken plays. Think about how good that team was when you aren’t really efficient in the passing game and still get to the playoff."

"You look at that defensive line, and I’m not kidding, there are NFL teams that would be pretty happy having that group. You’re looking at a two-deep of guys that will play in the NFL. Guys that are legitimate disrupters, like Dexter Lawrence and Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins and Austin Bryant. It just never stops."

"They’re just so good on the lines of scrimmage. They maul you on the offensive line, then have the fast and deceptively strong tailbacks that run through creases and run over defenders in the second level."

"They have 14 starters returning. Dabo is not going to put up with an average passing game again."

CFP 2 vs. Alabama (Athlon rank #1)

"If only we were all so lucky to have the problem Nick (Saban) has: Two quarterbacks with the talent to win it all. But I absolutely think he’s going to have to manage that dual-quarterback problem like he never has had to. Don’t believe that idea that if you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have one. That’s ridiculous. We’d all kill for (Jalen) Hurts and Tua (Tagovailoa). Nick will do what’s best for the team, not what’s best for the ego of either of the two players, I guarantee that.

"I was just blown away watching that national title game last year, and all of those true freshmen running around making play after play for that offense. Three receivers, a left tackle, a stud tailback who barely saw the field, and of course, Tua. What a future there. They’ve always been strong offensively because they could dictate the pace of the game. But with those guys now, they’ll be more dynamic than they’ve ever been under Nick."

"The one thing that is more impressive than any with that program is the way they just reload with not only players, but assistant coaches. They’ll have two new coordinators this year, and a new quarterbacks coach, and does anyone really think they’ll take a step back? Nick gets those assistant coaches in there and they learn what he wants -- what he demands -- from the first day."

"They’re losing a lot on defense; that front will be completely retooled. They still might have the best edge guy in our league with Raekwon Davis."

"They’ve struggled in the secondary at times over the last three or four seasons and have given up some big plays. They gamble a lot -- something you can do when you get after the QB like they do. But like most seasons, if you’re going to expose them, you better do it early. By the time November rolls around, they’ll have it worked out."

Ranks: https://athlonsports.com/college-football/ranking-all-130-college-football-teams
BIG TEN: https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...s-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2018
SEC: https://athlonsports.com/college-football/sec-coaches-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2018
ACC: https://athlonsports.com/college-football/acc-coaches-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2018
MAC:
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