It's that time of the year where we all cannot wait for football season to start. Yet many of us will be disappointed in our teams in just a few months and looking forward to basketball. Happens every year. Aint it fun!

I think +1.5 for UTSA.

We return 79% of our production (offense and defense combined) from last year. That's highest in C-USA and 27th nationally. With one season in the bag under our new coaching staff, I think we'll definitely be improved. I'm predicting an 8-4 regular season btw. I think we can do nine if we stay relatively injury-free though.

(08-11-2021 10:44 AM)Ourland Wrote:  Rice, +3.

Agree.

So far Optimistic Owl is the least most optimistic Owl!

We've won the conference the last two years. We lost our all time leading RB and our two top WR's. OTOH, our depth in other parts of the team is huge, and the guys replacing the losses look pretty good on paper. Our starting QB is fully healed, which he never was after the second game of last season.

I'll go with "about the same as last year".

(08-12-2021 11:39 AM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  We've won the conference the last two years. We lost our all time leading RB and our two top WR's. OTOH, our depth in other parts of the team is huge, and the guys replacing the losses look pretty good on paper. Our starting QB is fully healed, which he never was after the second game of last season.

I'll go with "about the same as last year".

Ahhh...I hope you realize that's not correct.

(08-12-2021 11:39 AM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  We've won the conference the last two years. We lost our all time leading RB and our two top WR's. OTOH, our depth in other parts of the team is huge, and the guys replacing the losses look pretty good on paper. Our starting QB is fully healed, which he never was after the second game of last season.

I'll go with "about the same as last year".

Magic 8 Ball says, "My sources say no."

(08-12-2021 11:34 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(08-11-2021 10:44 AM)Ourland Wrote:  Rice, +3.

Agree.

So far Optimistic Owl is the least most optimistic Owl!

No, I am the most Realistic Owl!

(08-11-2021 10:36 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  Marshall fans are cautiously optimistic. Our coaching couldn’t be any worse, but will Huffs coaching actually translate to on field production and wins? We will find out soon.

I'm also cautious. However, realize Doc wasn't a horrible coach, so it's in the realm of outcomes for Huff to be worse.

Docs bowl record was impressive, he just wasn't that breakout star.

Doc is uber similar to old Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower.

+2

Don’t expect the offense to be better. I’ve given up on that changing. I do expect the defense to be cleaner and have much better depth as to not let leads slip in the 2nd half of games as we mail it in on offense.

(08-12-2021 07:32 PM)rileylives Wrote:  

(08-11-2021 10:36 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  Marshall fans are cautiously optimistic. Our coaching couldn’t be any worse, but will Huffs coaching actually translate to on field production and wins? We will find out soon.

I'm also cautious. However, realize Doc wasn't a horrible coach, so it's in the realm of outcomes for Huff to be worse.

Docs bowl record was impressive, he just wasn't that breakout star.

Doc is uber similar to old Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower.

Do you know how many championships Bower won? 4 championships and another division title in 17 years. Doc had 1 championship and 2 other division titles in 11 years in a much weaker CUSA league. There is no comparison.

Doc was a horrible coach. His players sometimes won in spite of him. He lost control of his team at the end of almost every season, then regrouped for a bowl win. Bowl wins don't mean dick. Those last 2-3 conference games meant everything. **** that guy.

(08-13-2021 04:01 AM)MUther Wrote:  

(08-12-2021 07:32 PM)rileylives Wrote:  

(08-11-2021 10:36 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  Marshall fans are cautiously optimistic. Our coaching couldn’t be any worse, but will Huffs coaching actually translate to on field production and wins? We will find out soon.

I'm also cautious. However, realize Doc wasn't a horrible coach, so it's in the realm of outcomes for Huff to be worse.

Docs bowl record was impressive, he just wasn't that breakout star.

Doc is uber similar to old Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower.

Do you know how many championships Bower won? 4 championships and another division title in 17 years. Doc had 1 championship and 2 other division titles in 11 years in a much tougher CUSA league. There is no comparison.

Doc was a horrible coach. His players sometimes won in spite of him. He lost control of his team at the end of almost every season, then regrouped for a bowl win. Bowl wins don't mean dick. Those last 2-3 conference games meant everything. **** that guy.

Look, I hope you're right. But that's why I think we're being cautious. We don't know what we don't know.

I think Holiday was a better coach than Mark Snyder. So that's why I say we have the potential for a worse outcome, no matter how people feel about Doc. Just being real.

(08-11-2021 04:43 PM)Eagleholic Wrote:  For Southern Miss, I would say +4. There is greater depth, and considering everything that happened last season, we know there will be more consistency (and likely better) in the coaching staff. We just don't know if the team will hit the ground running on all cylinders or if it will take a number of games for everything to come together. We expect the to be improved in all phases of the game, but (like many teams) QB play will likely determine what the ceiling is for this team.

I was thinking +3, with where I think we'll be in 2022 as my basis for a +5. Good analysis though :)

FAU retains its good defense and is hoping to have installed an offense. I'd say +2.5 for FAU.

LA Tech +3

- Tech's defense should be superb this year. Deep everywhere. 3 really good LB's return, including 2 All-CUSA returnees
- Should have solid QB play this year in WVA transfer Austin Kendal. This was a huge weakness for Tech last season.
- Should benefit from 2 very good RB transfers in Kenyon Henry-Brooks (Vandy) and Marcus Williams Jr. (Appy St). Last year Justin Henderson showed up overweight and out of shape. His production fell off by 80%.