I am admittedly anxious for the start of the football season. We (or at least I) know little about the way camp (or even spring) went or is going.
So what do we know and what can we speculate? I'll start.
The strength of the team is defense, particularly the middle. We return 8 starters, with several of them all-league caliber. Their is veteran depth in the DL and at LB with also some talented newcomers. The Corners appear talented with good experience as backups but depth is totally inexperienced. Depth at safety is a mixture of transfer, returners with little experience and newcomers. New(er) names: McDonald, Pulvermacher, Peterson (DE), Bickham, Walker, ??
Offense returns 8 starters also. But we don't feel as optimistic- or at least I dont. We return a quality QB, 2 experienced WR's, the best TE group we have had in a long time and all 5 OL starters. That we are not more excited about the offense speaks to the quality lost in Montgomery and Butler and to last year's play of the offensive line. New(er) names: Hall, Brock, Soehner (as an H Back), Wilson, Pettaway, Scates, Downing.
Special Teams is a conundrum to me. Coverage units and long snapper are quality. Short FG and XP are very solid. Punter is a big question mark, long FG is an adventure, and how we never have a consistent KO man is amazing. New(er) names: Rivera, Narveson.
So what do we know and what can we speculate? I'll start.
The strength of the team is defense, particularly the middle. We return 8 starters, with several of them all-league caliber. Their is veteran depth in the DL and at LB with also some talented newcomers. The Corners appear talented with good experience as backups but depth is totally inexperienced. Depth at safety is a mixture of transfer, returners with little experience and newcomers. New(er) names: McDonald, Pulvermacher, Peterson (DE), Bickham, Walker, ??
Offense returns 8 starters also. But we don't feel as optimistic- or at least I dont. We return a quality QB, 2 experienced WR's, the best TE group we have had in a long time and all 5 OL starters. That we are not more excited about the offense speaks to the quality lost in Montgomery and Butler and to last year's play of the offensive line. New(er) names: Hall, Brock, Soehner (as an H Back), Wilson, Pettaway, Scates, Downing.
Special Teams is a conundrum to me. Coverage units and long snapper are quality. Short FG and XP are very solid. Punter is a big question mark, long FG is an adventure, and how we never have a consistent KO man is amazing. New(er) names: Rivera, Narveson.
