with a minimal offense.
Even if the D isnt quite as strong in 2015, IF we come out of Spring Practice with a reasonably functional OL, that at the least can protect Hack, I see Hack having the talent to turn things around faster than many expect. Enough to take back two of those four losses. A 9-4 season then becomes reasonable.
So, all other factors aside ( they will take care of themselves, IMO) it boils down to us finding that OL who can play well against average opponents. And that's exactly what CJF is doing right now - pushing the kids through more contact and teamwork drills from the git-go. He runs the risk of injuries but now has (very young) quality depth that just needs PT to come together. It's worth the risk.
Simplifying the D's package in Spring Training should let the OLmen figure out what they are capable of, and get their feet on the ground as a unit, in April. Then in August, they can hopefully step it up against a full D package. Buthaving an OL that looks good in April is what I want to see come out of Spring Practice.
CJF is taking it a step at a time, and I like that. He knows he cannot afford another year like 2014, and thinks he has enough speed and talent on O to take the next step...which to me would be 9-4.
People who laugh at opponents like Rutgers, MD, and IL are being a little too complacent. They will give us a tussle, especially if we dont shape up our OL or have critical injuries along it. Heck, we lost to two of the three last year and that can happen again.
It's so easy to fast forward a couple of years to when these kids are back on their feet and rolling. The problem is, we, and the coaches, dont yet know when that will take place. Hopefully, sooner rather thn later.
Even if the D isnt quite as strong in 2015, IF we come out of Spring Practice with a reasonably functional OL, that at the least can protect Hack, I see Hack having the talent to turn things around faster than many expect. Enough to take back two of those four losses. A 9-4 season then becomes reasonable.
So, all other factors aside ( they will take care of themselves, IMO) it boils down to us finding that OL who can play well against average opponents. And that's exactly what CJF is doing right now - pushing the kids through more contact and teamwork drills from the git-go. He runs the risk of injuries but now has (very young) quality depth that just needs PT to come together. It's worth the risk.
Simplifying the D's package in Spring Training should let the OLmen figure out what they are capable of, and get their feet on the ground as a unit, in April. Then in August, they can hopefully step it up against a full D package. Buthaving an OL that looks good in April is what I want to see come out of Spring Practice.
CJF is taking it a step at a time, and I like that. He knows he cannot afford another year like 2014, and thinks he has enough speed and talent on O to take the next step...which to me would be 9-4.
People who laugh at opponents like Rutgers, MD, and IL are being a little too complacent. They will give us a tussle, especially if we dont shape up our OL or have critical injuries along it. Heck, we lost to two of the three last year and that can happen again.
It's so easy to fast forward a couple of years to when these kids are back on their feet and rolling. The problem is, we, and the coaches, dont yet know when that will take place. Hopefully, sooner rather thn later.
