Just saw the SoCal score

Do you expect next year's team to be better? I am sad because I think that we will have less talent, particularly on defense, than this year.

It was a really bad year to have first year coordinators. There is, generally, growing pains any year under first year coordinators, and we have them on both sides of the ball. This is true even for experienced coordinators from outside of the program, perhaps more so. I am not trying to knock the hires, but just pointing out a common result.

That being said, I have not been impressed so far with Streeter or Goodwin/Conn. There is nobody that I am really excited about coming in, but I think that we will lose a lot. We have a lot of depth on defense, but it is hard to think that we have players coming in that I believe replace what is going out. On offense, we will lose McFadden and I think a WR or 2. Ngata is a senior (could use a COVID year) and I think that at least one will hit the portal to see if they fit in better at another school. If Cade did not instill enough confidence for them to replace DJ last week, then I have serious concerns at QB. As hard a worker as DJ is, I think my best hope is that more of it transfers to the playing field next year.

Anyhow, I am not confident that next year we will be better, and for that I am sad.

TigerPride97

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Re: Just saw the SoCal score

Dec 3, 2022, 10:29 AM

No, we'll be worse next year.

I don't see most of our key defenders coming back. It is strange, because Bresee and Murphy have both been pretty disappointing this year. Obviously, for Bresee, it's totally understandable, but scouts focus on the field performance. I don't know if that will impact their grades, but most still project them as first-rounders. Simpson will also go. Obviously, we will also likely lose Henry, Thomas, and Davis, and Jones and Phillips. Not sure what happens with Ruke and Mascoll given the covid year. We'll still have Carter and Trotter, but all of our real playmakers will be gone from that side of the ball.

Offensively, I don't see how we take a step forward. On the line, which has played really good this year, we're likely losing Jordan and Will at a minimum. We haven't picked up a key receiver who will likely be a day 1 starter, so I'd expect us to be about the same there (maybe Stellato will be healthy and actually give us some speed we completely lack) (many have thought E.J. will transfer and Ngata is gone, but I don't think those losses change our production very much). I'd expect Pace to transfer, and don't know regarding Mafah, but Shipley will be back. I also put my money on DJ coming back (his absolute best draft projection is top of the fourth round), which means Cade will very likely leave. I'd be shocked if DJ were not the starter next year.

We're also losing one of our best kickers in history and Robert Gunn, who should be good, will take time. And of course, Swanson's likely returning, which means our punting will be bad.

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12-1 (would’ve been) conference champion Clemson

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12-1 (would’ve been) conference champion Clemson

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Watching good teams play; reminds me of where we stand as a program***

It only hurts if you somehow think we are

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