you'll be glad to know that OK State is now the top offense in the entire NCAA at 586 yards/game. I'm afraid we will live to regret scheduling that game next year in the same year that 2 of our home SEC games are taken up by AL and LSU AND we replace a home game with TN for a road trip to SC.
For all those so giddy about us scheduling OK ST to open up the season next year
- Thread starter maroonmania
- Start date
It's baffling, to me, how easy it is to see that scheduling this game is a potential disaster waiting to happen.... when we could schedule a team like Alcorn State and guarantee us another bowl game. I live about 1 mile from the stadium in Houston too... and I am not happy, at all, about scheduling this game.
What's even more telling, is that our administration has admitted this game was scheduled under the premise that we'd be playing Vandy and UK next year from the East. Thanks LT.
What's even more telling, is that our administration has admitted this game was scheduled under the premise that we'd be playing Vandy and UK next year from the East. Thanks LT.
I'm not even necessarily against having one BCS school on our non-conference schedule but OK ST? They are a perennial Top 20 team at this point and are just one year removed from being on the verge of a spot in the BCS NC game. I would have rather done a home and home with a Big East Team or a mid-level ACC team or something. I know we were hurting for an extra game next year after MS Valley fell through but our schedule next year, because of this game, will be one of the toughest in the entire country now just like in 2009.
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I'm afraid next year is going to be more like 2011 than this year or 2010. Lots of tough games for us. Bama, and LSU at home, while A&M and South Carolina (the winnable ones) on the road. Looking at Ole Miss's schedule, I wouldn't be surprised if they are 8-3 coming into the Egg Bowl while we're 6-5 or 5-6 next year.
I understand both sides of this argument, so I'm not arguing against either one. For me, though, I think it's time to take a chance. A large part of the country will be watching that game, and it's a great opportunity to get the season started with a bang. Also, while I'm happy with the guys that Mullen has been bringing in over the years, we just saw last weekend how big of a gap still remains between us and the best in the country. if we ever want to have a prayer at improving recruiting, we have to start doing things like the OSU game and increasing exposure.
The flip side of this argument is, of course, that we might lose or even get blown out. But the way that I look it is that if this one game keeps us from going bowling next year, then we have a lot more serious issues to be worried about than simply losing one ball game.
The flip side of this argument is, of course, that we might lose or even get blown out. But the way that I look it is that if this one game keeps us from going bowling next year, then we have a lot more serious issues to be worried about than simply losing one ball game.
My man Rick Flair says it welll.....just substitute OK State and Houston in....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjW9UXoKU2s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjW9UXoKU2s
And you'll be glad to know...
...all that is going to change because here is OSU's remaining schedule: Nov 3 at (2) Kansas State; Nov 10 (21) West Virginia; Nov 17 (18) Texas Tech; Nov 24 at (12) Oklahoma; Dec 1 at Baylor. Get back to us concerning the awesomeness of OSU on Dec. 2. Let's see who is the giddy one then.
...all that is going to change because here is OSU's remaining schedule: Nov 3 at (2) Kansas State; Nov 10 (21) West Virginia; Nov 17 (18) Texas Tech; Nov 24 at (12) Oklahoma; Dec 1 at Baylor. Get back to us concerning the awesomeness of OSU on Dec. 2. Let's see who is the giddy one then.
Well, a non-conference loss WOULD have kept us out of a bowl game in 2011 and our conference schedule in 2013 looks much more like our 2011 than the more favorable schedule we had in 2010 and this year. Hopefully our program is further along in 2013 than 2011 but people need to remember that our talent level is still nowhere near a lot of the upper crust programs. We just haven't recruited like that. Mullen and company have developed what we do have available quite well but our recruiting and gathering of talent under Mullen has been rather pedestrian for the most part. We had an above average year his first year when he took over what Croom had already gathered and then we had a VERY nice year defensively last year but we were aided by OM being in shambles. Other than that our recruiting has been nothing to write home about as far as the sheer talent we are bringing in. Still a big risk for us to have a loaded schedule like we will have next year.
Do you think State
will be better next year? Losing Boyd, Lawrence, Banks, Slay, Broomfield will be tough on D, that's probably 5 of the top 6 players on that side of the ball. And aren't all the starting receivers SRs as well, plus M Green, Tobias Smith and Gabe Jackson?
I'm not saying you won't be better, esp since you'll have a very good senior QB, but that's a lot of quality talent to replace.
will be better next year? Losing Boyd, Lawrence, Banks, Slay, Broomfield will be tough on D, that's probably 5 of the top 6 players on that side of the ball. And aren't all the starting receivers SRs as well, plus M Green, Tobias Smith and Gabe Jackson?
I'm not saying you won't be better, esp since you'll have a very good senior QB, but that's a lot of quality talent to replace.
Im not sure this is true. Your QB and OL should be good. Think you only lose 1 OL. You lose most of your biggest contributers at WR and TE(I Think). So offense should be about the same or slightly better then this year. Defense on the other hand loses a ton. Your Who secondary minus 1 is gone and so are some of the backups. Your best DT is gone and even though Quay and Nick are very talented, who knows if they are going to be able to take up space like Boyd. Think you lose at least 1 starting LB and a backup or 2. I know you have recruited fairly well the last couple of years, but I find it difficult to believe that you can lose all that and still be very good, especially on D. I really dont mean this to start a flame fest, but I wont be suprised if it happens.
Boyd is good, but I have no doubt that by next year Quay Evans will be better. And if Nick James buys in, we'll be golden. Lawrence is good, but there are a lot of guys we can slide in there from a talent standpoint and be just fine (Wells, Bohanna, Hughes, Brown(s)). Leadership wise, maybe that's an issue. In the secondary, we don't play a lot of man anyway and so while we won't be as good in the back end, I am perfectly confident that Calhoun, Love, Giles can fill in well in the zone schemes.
On offense, we lose Green, Bumphis, Smith, Clark, Heavens. We will return EVERYONE on the OL. We will return a 5th year senior quarterback, and we will have several receivers who have played a lot in college ready to step in (Lewis, R. Johnson, hopefully Morrow matures). All our RBs will be back (unless there's depth-chart related attrition). At TE, we'll be more than OK. Malcolm Johnson and Brandon Hill will be very nice weapons.
While I wouldn't say we'll definitely be better, I think maintaining our current level is a very reasonable expectation. Every year everyone has to replace players; that can't be an excuse, because anyone could say that every year.
On offense, we lose Green, Bumphis, Smith, Clark, Heavens. We will return EVERYONE on the OL. We will return a 5th year senior quarterback, and we will have several receivers who have played a lot in college ready to step in (Lewis, R. Johnson, hopefully Morrow matures). All our RBs will be back (unless there's depth-chart related attrition). At TE, we'll be more than OK. Malcolm Johnson and Brandon Hill will be very nice weapons.
While I wouldn't say we'll definitely be better, I think maintaining our current level is a very reasonable expectation. Every year everyone has to replace players; that can't be an excuse, because anyone could say that every year.
I think we have a some depth now that will progress by next year both along the D-line & at LB ... corners & safties remain a question but we have talent in waiting ... the offense will continue to mature next season and we do have some talent being developed @ WR .... maybe this years wool growth is clouding my judgment but I think we will replace some key positions with equally good talent except for the corners
unless one goes pro early, we lose no OL. We lose a lot at WR, but....they're nothing special and not irreplacable. We lose our #2 TE out of 3 that play, and the two staying are more talented just less experienced. We lose Boyd and McCardell on the DL. Autry, P. Smith, Quay, James, PJ Jones, Eulls, and Virges are all back and all contribute significantly or start this year. At LB we play 8 folks regularly, we lose one of them and add both 4 star Browns from last year. Secondary is really the only spot we will hurt at. How much remains to be seen, but it could be fairly bad. Everyone who will start next year, with the exception of Redmond has logged significant minutes though. Some during the Bama game in the first half.
Okie State is losing a lot on their offense for next year. While we will be returning the majority of ours. Outscoring them isn't out of the question.
Yes, we will be much better.....
We don't lose a single person from our OL 2 deep, assuming Smith gets his 6th year as expected and Jackson doesn't go pro. That's the single most important part of your football team. Add an emerging star as our Sr. QB, and a veteran Sr. TB in Perkins, while returning all his backups.
We are losing WRs and DBs, and they'll need to be replaced, no doubt. But we do have depth and bodies in both places, along with likely bringing in Jonathan Rumph and Justin Cox at WR and CB, respectively. The DL and LBs can be replaced with the talent we have there, as part of the natural progression.
Sorry to bust your bubble, but MSU will indeed be good again next year, probably better than this year. And the schedule actually sets us up to make a REAL run at the SEC, not just a set up sort of deal like this year. When you are seriously a contender, you want your hardest games at home (Alabama/LSU next year). This year, we all knew we weren't ch'ip caliber, but maybe good enough to get to 9-10 wins. Good to have the swing games at home in that given year.
We don't lose a single person from our OL 2 deep, assuming Smith gets his 6th year as expected and Jackson doesn't go pro. That's the single most important part of your football team. Add an emerging star as our Sr. QB, and a veteran Sr. TB in Perkins, while returning all his backups.
We are losing WRs and DBs, and they'll need to be replaced, no doubt. But we do have depth and bodies in both places, along with likely bringing in Jonathan Rumph and Justin Cox at WR and CB, respectively. The DL and LBs can be replaced with the talent we have there, as part of the natural progression.
Sorry to bust your bubble, but MSU will indeed be good again next year, probably better than this year. And the schedule actually sets us up to make a REAL run at the SEC, not just a set up sort of deal like this year. When you are seriously a contender, you want your hardest games at home (Alabama/LSU next year). This year, we all knew we weren't ch'ip caliber, but maybe good enough to get to 9-10 wins. Good to have the swing games at home in that given year.
I think leadership will be fine with Tyler Russell around.....
I do worry about the defense. Talent won't be the issue for sure over there. Surely someone out of Wells, Skinner, Jones, Autry, Eulls, Quay, McKinney, Whitley, Virges, Bohanna, Hughes.......surely somebody out of that group will step up and be the vocal leader.
Then Justin Cox and Za'Darius Smith, who we supposedly lead for. I know it's a long shot with JUCOs, but maybe they are superstars, always a crap shoot.
Either way, we all know offense will be our focal point next year, and that's where the real leaders are.
I do worry about the defense. Talent won't be the issue for sure over there. Surely someone out of Wells, Skinner, Jones, Autry, Eulls, Quay, McKinney, Whitley, Virges, Bohanna, Hughes.......surely somebody out of that group will step up and be the vocal leader.
Then Justin Cox and Za'Darius Smith, who we supposedly lead for. I know it's a long shot with JUCOs, but maybe they are superstars, always a crap shoot.
Either way, we all know offense will be our focal point next year, and that's where the real leaders are.
Jesus H, we are in the back stretch of what can be the best season in MSU...
History and here we are bitching about what might or might not happen opening game next year.
We will be as good or better in all aspects next year. Who knows what will happen between now and then?
Remember this..... We have all 17ing spring and preseason to prep for this game. I like our odds much more with Dan scheming for 6-8 months against a team like this vs a few days.
Leave the OKSt **** for the spring.
History and here we are bitching about what might or might not happen opening game next year.
We will be as good or better in all aspects next year. Who knows what will happen between now and then?
Remember this..... We have all 17ing spring and preseason to prep for this game. I like our odds much more with Dan scheming for 6-8 months against a team like this vs a few days.
Leave the OKSt **** for the spring.
True, and I would not have supported it in 2011
Even though a lot of us had big expectations following the 2010 finish, we still had a lot of question marks in terms of stability. Going to one bowl game and roughing up Michigan was fun, but it was no proof of a foundation.
Two years down the road, we'll now be heading to our 3rd bowl in a row and the only question right now is how good it will be. I'm now confident in the program that Mullen has established, and I think it's time to take a risk. For those happy with 6 wins and going bowling, I understand that point of view and I get that they don't like playing Ok St. For me, I'd like to see if we can take another step.
Even though a lot of us had big expectations following the 2010 finish, we still had a lot of question marks in terms of stability. Going to one bowl game and roughing up Michigan was fun, but it was no proof of a foundation.
Two years down the road, we'll now be heading to our 3rd bowl in a row and the only question right now is how good it will be. I'm now confident in the program that Mullen has established, and I think it's time to take a risk. For those happy with 6 wins and going bowling, I understand that point of view and I get that they don't like playing Ok St. For me, I'd like to see if we can take another step.
Our defense next year reminds me A LOT of our defense from 2010-
2012/2010
DE-Preston Smith..... Sean Ferguson
DT-PJ Jones..... Josh Boyd
DT-Quay Evans..... Fletcher Cox
DT-Autry...... McPhee
LB-Deontae SKinner... Cam Lawerence
LB-Richie Brown... Chris White
LB-Bernardrick McKinney.. KJ Wright
CB-Justin Cox... John Banks
SS Nickoe Whitley.. Charles Mitchell
FS-Dee Arrington... Nickoe Whitley
CB-Jamerson Love.. Corey Broomfield
2012/2010
DE-Preston Smith..... Sean Ferguson
DT-PJ Jones..... Josh Boyd
DT-Quay Evans..... Fletcher Cox
DT-Autry...... McPhee
LB-Deontae SKinner... Cam Lawerence
LB-Richie Brown... Chris White
LB-Bernardrick McKinney.. KJ Wright
CB-Justin Cox... John Banks
SS Nickoe Whitley.. Charles Mitchell
FS-Dee Arrington... Nickoe Whitley
CB-Jamerson Love.. Corey Broomfield
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What we lose on offense is replaceable. If Tobias Smith wants to play another year and Wallace doesn't leave early, we should be pretty good on the offensive line. What we lose at wide receiver and tight end is replaceable.
On Defense, we will miss Cam Lawrence in his role as a field general, but will be able to replace him with as good or better athlete. On the D-line, we will have people just as talented step in to fill any loss. It's basically all about the secondary. We will miss Broomfield in certain passing situations b/c of his coverage ability, but I think there shouldn't be too much of a drop off in replacing him otherwise. If we get Cox and he is the real deal, we will basically be looking at a significant drop-off at one cb position. If we don't get Cox or he isn't the real deal (or takes a while to adjust), our offense is going to have to make a jump in order to make-up for a much weaker secondary.
All-in-all, next year is probably going to depend on matchups. If we face teams with the personnel to take advantage of weaker corners, we're going to have trouble. But against teams that can't attack the corners, we should be a considerably tougher matchup than we are this year.
Man, Justin Cox must be a heck of a JUCO prospect if we are counting on him coming in and covering both CB AND FS next year!
Arrington will be in this lineup somewhere IMO...
I think Richie Brown will be just as good as Cam currently is purely from a skill/play standpoint the day he steps on the field. The reading defenses and field general role is what we will miss with Cam... Otherwise, he's a pretty pedestrian LB.
Cornerback play will tell the story in our defense next year. We(will) have alot of potential at the spot, but it is mostly all unproven thusfar. Jiles has the makings of a superstar IMO, as does Cox assuming we get him. And we haven't even seen Redmond and Coman yet...
I think Richie Brown will be just as good as Cam currently is purely from a skill/play standpoint the day he steps on the field. The reading defenses and field general role is what we will miss with Cam... Otherwise, he's a pretty pedestrian LB.
Cornerback play will tell the story in our defense next year. We(will) have alot of potential at the spot, but it is mostly all unproven thusfar. Jiles has the makings of a superstar IMO, as does Cox assuming we get him. And we haven't even seen Redmond and Coman yet...
The only thing I fault the administration for
On this game is signing the contract about one week too soon. They should have made sure that the SEC schedule had officially came out and not taken LT's word on it.
That said, aside from breaking the contract there's no way out of it. And doing that wouldn't make sense because it would probably cost us too much money to buy our way out of it. It's better to just play the game- who knows? we may win- than try to fix it.
Aside from that- I don't think playing this game is a bad idea at all. And this is probably bad to say- but I feel better about South Carolina since it looks like Lattimore will be out or less than 100%.
You look at the schedule- OSU is a toss up, we have Troy at home and we will probably play them better, Alcorn is a win, Bowling Green is a sloppy win probably, UK is a win, South Carolina is a toss up, Auburn and Arkansas will both be rebuilding and will be better- but we still have a very good chance of beating both on the road. Remember how bad Arkansas was during Petrino's first year? Both teams have major holes right now that will take a couple of years to fill. And then Tyler Wilson may go to the NFL. I think we probably lose to A&M on the road but it's still a toss up at this point. As far as Bama and LSU- we'll just have to wait and see who they lose to the NFL early. If AJ McCarron leaves- that would be a HUGE loss for Bama. Then we have the Egg Bowl at home.
On offense, we return our QB, basically our entire o-line, our best TE in Malcolm Johnson, and our top RB. If we can find a deep threat WR from the JUCO ranks and if we can find a big bruising RB to compliment Perkins (Robinson? Milton? JUCO?) we should be better. Robert Johnson is starting to look like a pretty good possession WR. We should be able to do some more with Dak at QB next year as well.
On defense, we lose Cherrington which is good because then Wilson can't insist on playing him 50% of the time. Quay, PJ, Eulls, Preston Smith, and maybe Chris Jones can come in and we should be better on the line. Nick James will probably replace Cherrington as our NT- definitely an upgrade. Skinner and McKinney are good LB's- maybe use Wells or Dee as the other OLB? I've heard that Cox will play safety, so we have him and Whitley. Jamerson Love will probably start at one CB and then I bet it will be either Giles/Calhoun/Redmond at the other. So CB is really the only big question mark to me- if worse comes to worse, we might have to move Cox to CB and let someone like Dee Arrington play safety.
Our ST needs to overhauled. I hope Dan fires himself. Bell should be better, Swedenberg will be a senior and he's pretty solid. Maybe replace Jameon at KR with Kalio Moore if Tubby keeps fumbling the ball.
On this game is signing the contract about one week too soon. They should have made sure that the SEC schedule had officially came out and not taken LT's word on it.
That said, aside from breaking the contract there's no way out of it. And doing that wouldn't make sense because it would probably cost us too much money to buy our way out of it. It's better to just play the game- who knows? we may win- than try to fix it.
Aside from that- I don't think playing this game is a bad idea at all. And this is probably bad to say- but I feel better about South Carolina since it looks like Lattimore will be out or less than 100%.
You look at the schedule- OSU is a toss up, we have Troy at home and we will probably play them better, Alcorn is a win, Bowling Green is a sloppy win probably, UK is a win, South Carolina is a toss up, Auburn and Arkansas will both be rebuilding and will be better- but we still have a very good chance of beating both on the road. Remember how bad Arkansas was during Petrino's first year? Both teams have major holes right now that will take a couple of years to fill. And then Tyler Wilson may go to the NFL. I think we probably lose to A&M on the road but it's still a toss up at this point. As far as Bama and LSU- we'll just have to wait and see who they lose to the NFL early. If AJ McCarron leaves- that would be a HUGE loss for Bama. Then we have the Egg Bowl at home.
On offense, we return our QB, basically our entire o-line, our best TE in Malcolm Johnson, and our top RB. If we can find a deep threat WR from the JUCO ranks and if we can find a big bruising RB to compliment Perkins (Robinson? Milton? JUCO?) we should be better. Robert Johnson is starting to look like a pretty good possession WR. We should be able to do some more with Dak at QB next year as well.
On defense, we lose Cherrington which is good because then Wilson can't insist on playing him 50% of the time. Quay, PJ, Eulls, Preston Smith, and maybe Chris Jones can come in and we should be better on the line. Nick James will probably replace Cherrington as our NT- definitely an upgrade. Skinner and McKinney are good LB's- maybe use Wells or Dee as the other OLB? I've heard that Cox will play safety, so we have him and Whitley. Jamerson Love will probably start at one CB and then I bet it will be either Giles/Calhoun/Redmond at the other. So CB is really the only big question mark to me- if worse comes to worse, we might have to move Cox to CB and let someone like Dee Arrington play safety.
Our ST needs to overhauled. I hope Dan fires himself. Bell should be better, Swedenberg will be a senior and he's pretty solid. Maybe replace Jameon at KR with Kalio Moore if Tubby keeps fumbling the ball.
SS is starting to show that he has chinks in his armor...I knew GB...and he is no GB.
I wonder if Ok State is saying the same thing about scheduling us. After all ... WE are the ones that are 7-1.
Just from seeing aTm and Mizzou's over confidence I'm gonna say OSU hasn't payed 2 ***** of thought about it. There's really no way around games like this if we want the program to keep building upwards. It's in Reliant stadium on National tv vs a perennial top 15 team. Stop focusing on the potential bad (not directed at RocketDawg) and look at all the potential good. Money and exposure alone have to be worth millions. The more the environment can be games vs top teams the better the team will play in these games. Plus the part everyone is missing is it challenges Dan to become better. He has to become better vs better teams and the only way for him to improve in these games is to play in more and more of them.
I've always thought we should play one good team of our 4 OOCs and have no more than 3 cupcakes. The only thing about this game is that it's the first of the year and we'll be rusty, but so will they. Someone suggested a Big East or mid-level ACC (meaning not VaTech or FSU) so we could pick up an NC State, Clemson, or GaTech in some years. Playing teams like Duke or Wake wouldn't quite cut it, but they're at least in a BCS conference. We certainly have been the brunt of a lot of criticism for our OOC schedule this year, and to an extent it's justified.
THIS is the correct answer...
1 - play ALL BCS programs for OOC games... in the 60-90 range.
2 - pick you 1 team from a decent conference that's mid-level... maybe a 30-40 team...
then grow from there....
1 - play ALL BCS programs for OOC games... in the 60-90 range.
2 - pick you 1 team from a decent conference that's mid-level... maybe a 30-40 team...
then grow from there....
That would be OK if we could schedule them. Even Alabama doesn't have an all-BCS schedule. But I also have no problem playing one game against someone like Jackson State or Alcorn State because it helps the smaller schools in the state, and gives their fans the opportunity to come into a relatively large SEC venue. They get to see what the "other side" is like. But I'm not a big fan of the schedule we have this year ... kinda overdid the OOC a bit in my opinion.
We probably have the biggest stockpile of young defensive talent that we have ever had. Giles is pretty damn good and Redmond was supposed to push for playing time this year (until the mess happened obviously). Ritchie Brown, Matt Wells. We'll be young, but I think we will be OK.