I'd like to talk football

i am sort of around but a bit burned out too. i can contribute to a talk but no very much.

anything in particular you want to talk about ?
 
Alright sorry...

First of all, I have to admit that you really do have to take all this preseason talk with a grain of salt. I mean honestly, your thoughts on a team in the preseason will only get you somewhere the first half of the season. Once conference play kicks into full gear, everyone has made their adjustments and what you thought in August doesn't matter anymore.

Take last year for instance. You could've told me Oregon State would be a major disappointment in the preseason with their questionable QB play, and you would've been spot on early and would've killed it fading them. But could you have told me they would come on like they did and ended up being a cash cow in the second half?

A lot of you did tell me Wake would be a disappointment. Sure, you were right early. But did you get burned when they got hot late?

And look at Kentucky. Maybe you thought they were a sleeper and could upset the likes of Louisville, Arkansas, and LSU. But then could you have told me they would fall off and lose to MSU and drop 4 of 5 to end the year?

This only holds so much weight, all this talk.
 
Alright sorry...

First of all, I have to admit that you really do have to take all this preseason talk with a grain of salt. I mean honestly, your thoughts on a team in the preseason will only get you somewhere the first half of the season. Once conference play kicks into full gear, everyone has made their adjustments and what you thought in August doesn't matter anymore.

Take last year for instance. You could've told me Oregon State would be a major disappointment in the preseason with their questionable QB play, and you would've been spot on early and would've killed it fading them. But could you have told me they would come on like they did and ended up being a cash cow in the second half?

A lot of you did tell me Wake would be a disappointment. Sure, you were right early. But did you get burned when they got hot late?

And look at Kentucky. Maybe you thought they were a sleeper and could upset the likes of Louisville, Arkansas, and LSU. But then could you have told me they would fall off and lose to MSU and drop 4 of 5 to end the year?

This only holds so much weight, all this talk.


yes , it doesnt even take that long or that much for things to change. i love it whenever someone mentions oregon state ... my wallet loves them.
 
With that said , i think its important not to let one game ( the first game of the year ) overpower the offseason work. i wouldnt adjust opinions too quickly based on the early season games.
 
SEC East:

I like Florida. Yeah, their D ain't great, but their schedule is what you'd like to see and I don't expect them to lose any game other than Georgia. I think they took their lumps last year, and won't allow themselves to slip up as big favorites again, being a year more experienced. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think this team is a legit NC contender.

Georgia, I think may be one of the most overrated teams I've seen in a while. They get hot last year and now they're one of the best teams in the nation despite having questionable WR and OL play and a ST that loses Coutu. And their schedule is horrifying to boot. How can anyone expect this team to live up to expectations and go any better than 10-2? They'll lose to LSU, and maybe Florida or Auburn. Unless you're USC, you don't just play unreal football for 18-game stretches.

SC lost my faith after last year. This team sucks complete dick on both lines, and now Mike Davis and Chris Smelley are supposed to carry the load in the backfield? How can you believe their offense will be worth a shit this year?

Tennessee, I think can be good but they are a little soft on defense IMO. I think they've got a hard-nosed offense that will run it down your ass, but I wonder if they will stop anyone. And also, they lose Cutcliffe which really hurts. No way will they have the string of luck they had last year either, where 3 missed FG's helped them win 3 games.

UK could be a lot better than people expect. The schedule is favorable and there's a positive vibe in the program. I worry about the QBs a little bit, but if Hartline ends up back there, I think there will be some promise. The D was better than people give them credit for last year, and I think at worst this team is competitive with the big dogs. I think they could reach the postseason again.

Vandy, I don't know what to expect. On one hand I want to say they'll be good ATS because expectations are so low, but on the other I think they could just be horrible with both lines looking really poor. Is this a team that comes on late?
 
With that said , i think its important not to let one game ( the first game of the year ) overpower the offseason work. i wouldnt adjust opinions too quickly based on the early season games.

Actually, I think the first game tells you a lot more than you're claiming. If a team is really, really bad, then you need to adjust QUICK. Yeah, maybe they'll come on, but what about the next couple games? There is always those teams who look so bad in their first game and take forever to recover.
 
West:

This is wide open. Not even going to really get into it because I have such a weak grasp on it that I can't claim anything for certain. One thing I do know, is pounce all over the Mississippi schools catching a bunch this year. They're so much better than they have been in the past, so DD spreads (other than @ LSU and maybe @ Auburn) should be long gone.

Also, be careful fading Arkansas after the brutal stretch early. Petrino, as much as I despise him, is one of the best. That team will take its lumps early then come on strong and likely reach .500.
 
I have florida as the best team in the east , though i have not done a re-evaluation since the safety injuries. Georgia is solid, best throwing qb and best rb in the league and their defense is solid at all three levels. concern with georgia would be playmakers at wr. I think tennessee is a good sleeper if they can address two key things ... stopping the run and consistency from qb. South carolina could be a top ten team if spurrier gets the offense to perform. hard to have faith in that though. The defense suffered some last year from injuries and the fact the crappy ol couldnt keep them off the field enough , which especially hurt their rush defense totals. think that line is alittle better now and with brinkley back they should be much better against the run as well. All four of those teams are top twenty caliber teams. Then you have a pretty big dropoff to kentucky. I think they are probably more fundamentally sound on the los this year but there just isnt a way for them to replace the skill guys they lost that gave other teams matchup problems. I mean kentucky is better at blocking and tackling but that isnt the way they can compete in the SEC right now in my opinion. looks like 5 or 6 win season to me with their most winnable road game at louisville to start the year. If vanderbilt doesnt win one of their first two games they might only win the homecoming game vs duke. Big down year for this team.
 
Well, I see you got the SEC pretty well covered. Maybe a smaller conference? Or maybe some kind of analysis of OLs and DLs?
 
One of the few things that people ignore when projecting this conference is the odd number of conference games. Since there is only seven conference games, some teams play 3 road games, while other have to play 4 (this switches back and forth each season.

Teams that play 3 road games:

South Florida: @Louisville, @Cincy, @WVU - it should be noted that all of these take place at Oct. 25th or later, so USF's historic poor play in the cold could create problems.

Lousiville: @Syracuse, @Pittsburgh, @Rutgers

Cincy: @UConn, @WVU, @Louisville

West Va.: @UConn, @Louisville, @Pitt (easiest conference slate?)

Four road games:

Pittsburgh: @Syracuse, @South Fla., @Cincy, @UConn

Rutgers: @West Va., @Cincy, @Pittsburgh, @USF - easily the toughest slate. How many publication have this team in the top 4 in the conference surprises me. They are top 4 caliber, but it will be extremely tough with this sched. @WVU, @Cincy, and @Pitt are in a 4 week span.

UConn: @Louisville, @Rutgers, @Syracuse, @USF

Syracuse: @WVU, @South Fla., @Rutgers, @Cincy
 
i like auburn out of the west. Mostly because they catch lsu at home. I think auburn has national championship potential because the offense looks like it might be turning the corner. I liked what i saw with the implementation of the spread style for the bowl game against clemson. Clemson is no slouch on defense so i thought it was impressive how quickly they bought into it and executed it. 9 starters back on that side of the ball , so it wasnt just a waste of time , either. Those guys are coming back. Really like the potential with this team. Bama should be better than last year and i see them finishing with about 7 wins. They only have four true away games plus the opener in georgia. You summed up the miss. schools and i agree. I also agree that we see a much better arkansas team at years end compared to the start of the year. This offense is going to struggle at the beginning. Too many freshmen and sophs to expect much and casey dick isnt the quality of qb that petrino is used to running his offenses with. They might not have as easy a time in the second half of the season as you think ,,,, at south carolina , at miss st and home to lsu is pretty tough for this team.
 
One of the few things that people ignore when projecting this conference is the odd number of conference games. Since there is only seven conference games, some teams play 3 road games, while other have to play 4 (this switches back and forth each season.

Teams that play 3 road games:

South Florida: @Louisville, @Cincy, @WVU - it should be noted that all of these take place at Oct. 25th or later, so USF's historic poor play in the cold could create problems.

Lousiville: @Syracuse, @Pittsburgh, @Rutgers

Cincy: @UConn, @WVU, @Louisville

West Va.: @UConn, @Louisville, @Pitt (easiest conference slate?)

Four road games:

Pittsburgh: @Syracuse, @South Fla., @Cincy, @UConn

Rutgers: @West Va., @Cincy, @Pittsburgh, @USF - easily the toughest slate. How many publication have this team in the top 4 in the conference surprises me. They are top 4 caliber, but it will be extremely tough with this sched. @WVU, @Cincy, and @Pitt are in a 4 week span.

UConn: @Louisville, @Rutgers, @Syracuse, @USF

Syracuse: @WVU, @South Fla., @Rutgers, @Cincy


They have new officials in this league ?
 
Let me know what you would like to know about the BE linde. I'll try to throw out anything that is helpful.
 
That is fucking sick with Rutgers. How do you get out of that alive?

Louisville's ain't too bad, to be honest. WVU has it too easy. But why do people dislike the 'Neers so much this year?
 
One of the few things that people ignore when projecting this conference is the odd number of conference games. Since there is only seven conference games, some teams play 3 road games, while other have to play 4 (this switches back and forth each season.

Teams that play 3 road games:

South Florida: @Louisville, @Cincy, @WVU - it should be noted that all of these take place at Oct. 25th or later, so USF's historic poor play in the cold could create problems.

Lousiville: @Syracuse, @Pittsburgh, @Rutgers

Cincy: @UConn, @WVU, @Louisville

West Va.: @UConn, @Louisville, @Pitt (easiest conference slate?)

Four road games:

Pittsburgh: @Syracuse, @South Fla., @Cincy, @UConn

Rutgers: @West Va., @Cincy, @Pittsburgh, @USF - easily the toughest slate. How many publication have this team in the top 4 in the conference surprises me. They are top 4 caliber, but it will be extremely tough with this sched. @WVU, @Cincy, and @Pitt are in a 4 week span.

UConn: @Louisville, @Rutgers, @Syracuse, @USF

Syracuse: @WVU, @South Fla., @Rutgers, @Cincy


Rutgers home schedule is a good one though. uconn and cuse should eb wins and they catch louisville on a thursday night in december. have to think 3-0 at home in conference anyway. unc and fresno ooc are no gimmes.
 
That is fucking sick with Rutgers. How do you get out of that alive?

Louisville's ain't too bad, to be honest. WVU has it too easy. But why do people dislike the 'Neers so much this year?


makes no sense.

Offensively they are superior to last year , maybe worse at WR position but stronger on the OL , white is back, and get an upgrade at RB replacing SLA-pussy-TON with Devine.

The defense doesn't take a marked step backwards , just a small one. I don't really get why people dont like them this year. i have a lot of love for usf too but wvu is still the team to beat.
 
WVU front seven is the one concern. Who do they play that will really expose that though? Nova, EVU, Colorado, Marshall, Rutgers, Cuse in the first half. Who there will run all over them? No one.

By the second half, they will have their shit together. And, not changing schemes or anything with Stewart. They'll fall off in the future, but not this year IMO.
 
VK, while Rutgers home sched should be fairly easy, the away games against the tough teams means that they could easily lose the head-to-head if/when they tie in the standings.

In terms on WVU, I guess it has to do with the way LY ended. They also lose everyone in the secondary and onlt 1 returns on the DL. Jalloh is the leading returning WR with 272 yards.

I think that some are concerned that Stewart will be outcoached by every team as well. Remember that WVU booster calling the hire a "huge mistake" and that he is "very concerned for the program."
 
west virginia has a lot of young guys in the front seven though. Seems like the only spot that might get exploited is at pitt though .... major revenge game there in addition to being normal rivalry. The other team that might try to power them is rutgers but i didnt like what i saw from rutgers amtchup wise in the rain game last year.
 
*Not even their front seven, just the DL and I guess the secondary. But LB's always anchor the defense, and they've got a pair of great ones. How much worse could they be?
 
I think that USF is the best team in the conference, but I'd have to give the nod to WVU since they get USF at home (on December 6th, no less).
 
i agree if both teams are at full health that wv takes it to pitt a little bit , but when was the last time pat white was not banged up in late nov ?
 
USF will be pretty fucking good, but their losses hurt a little more than you can tell on paper. Losing Moffitt, Williams, and Jenkins? Ouch.

Still, their only losses really, look like Cincy and WVU. Don't think Pitt, NC State, Louisville, or Rutgers has the ability to do it. Kansas, well, I bet they whip that Jayhawk ass pretty good.
 
i think wv is still a little better than usf , but not by much.

anyway , i think i have a decent read on wv , usf and pitt. The teams i am interested in are uconn and cincy. I watched a lot of uconn games last year ... the luckiest fucking team i have ever seen in my whole life. i dont think i have ever seen a team catch that many breaks in one season.
 
I don't think USF has a shot at WVU this time around. 3 years in a row? In the home finale, likely primetime in the cold? No way.
 
i think wv is still a little better than usf , but not by much.

anyway , i think i have a decent read on wv , usf and pitt. The teams i am interested in are uconn and cincy. I watched a lot of uconn games last year ... the luckiest fucking team i have ever seen in my whole life. i dont think i have ever seen a team catch that many breaks in one season.

Luckier than UT last year? Virginia?
 
This is how I rate the BE on strictly power rankings:

1. USF
2. WVU
3. Pitt
4. Cincy
5. Rutgers
6. UConn
7. Louisville
8. Syracuse

Given the schedules, I'd order them like this:

1. WV
2. USF
3. Cincy
4. Pitt
5. Rutgers
6. UConn
7. Louisville
8. Syracuse

I had Louisville 5th before their avalanche of injuries and such. They are the wild card.

VK, what can I tell you about Cincy that you don't know. I'll try my best here.
 
Uconn lost to temple. We all know that. Just an outright thievery there.

They beat louisville because they returned a punt for a td after calling for a fair catch. They should have lost that game obviously.

pitt outgained them heavily but uconn was +5 in turnovers.

Virginia outgained uconn considerably in that game too , which you might consider a lucky break for uv


i think uconn was out yardaged in every conference game other than syracuse.
The team was +14 in turnovers.

biggest fluke season that i can remember
 
I love Cincy and Brian Kelly so much. That team was great last year IMO. You could always find great spots to back them (Oregon State, USF, UConn, WVU come to mind)
 
This is how I rate the BE on strictly power rankings:

1. USF west virginia
2. WVU south florida
3. Pitt pitt
4. Cincy cincy/rutgers
5. Rutgers rutgers/cincy
6. UConn uconn
7. Louisville ville
8. Syracuse cuse

Given the schedules, I'd order them like this:

1. WV
2. USF
3. Cincy
4. Pitt
5. Rutgers
6. UConn
7. Louisville
8. Syracuse

I had Louisville 5th before their avalanche of injuries and such. They are the wild card.

VK, what can I tell you about Cincy that you don't know. I'll try my best here.


Can they do the same stuff with jones that they did with mauk and grutza ? what is mauk status ?

How do they replace the two DE ?

story on jake rogers ?

Can they generate a runnign attack this year better than last years middle of the pack 148 ypg.

Will they have to bring more guys up close to stop the run ?? they snuffed the run awesomely last year which allowed them to help in coverage in good down and distance situations. Can the secondary hold up if they have to commit linebackers and safeties closer to the LOS ?
 
i had oregon state in that game. Was tough to watch. Held cincy to less than a yard a carry , outgained them, out first downed them, but just wouldnt stop throwing interceptions and stroughter decides to not only field a punt inside his own five yardline but decides to fumble it. He also dropped a long pass early in the game. Guess he wasnt ready to play. I had the game circled as a nice play before the season even started. shit house mouse. i hated that game. I made that mistake a few more times last year with betting the better team on the road on a thursday night national tv spot.
 
I got the feeling all week with Cincy in that game and never had the balls to play it. Avenged myself by betting Air Force over TCU the next Thursday though...
 
backtracking just a tad .. needed something answered.... What can i expect out of pulley this year , lind ? does hartline ever see the field ?
 
I got the feeling all week with Cincy in that game and never had the balls to play it. Avenged myself by betting Air Force over TCU the next Thursday though...


why do you keep bringing up my losers ??/

worst beat i have EVER taken in cfb.

never mention that game again.

god awful.

tCU bitch slapped those guys.

i think the postgame threads concerning that game were the closest i ever got to going off on someone. Someone tried to tell me it wasnt a bad beat. ROFLMAO ........ guy was a smart enough guy but the statement was moronic.
 
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