....MCG's outlook on the big games: OSU 28 USC 24 - Bucks fans thank Mr. Pryor Texas 42 OU 17 - payback for the vote/screwey rules Ole Miss 30 Bama 27 - Bama misses JPW and Smith LSU 31 Ole Miss 21 - Ole Miss chokes under the pressure ND 24 USC 21 - Chollie's signature win at SB....hello BCS Bowl Now for the Gators: Fla 23 Tenn 10 - OK....that Tenn Defense may just be pretty good Fla 34 LSU 20 - Most points scored on UF's defense this reg. season Fla 44 Ga 7 - Not even close Fla 56 FSU 13 - see Ga Fla 41 LSU 17 - not in BR this time Fla 31 Texas 28 - A classic.....McCoy will be tough
I read somewhere that USC returned their entire 2 deep on the OL. They plan on playing old-school John McKay styled student body left, student body right offense. It will be interesting to see how they look. They will be young on defense but they still return some of the games best players at the spots in which they are returning. On offense, they return everyone. Most people at USC think that in the long run.. the least talented QB they had on the team was the guy who just went in the 1st round of the NFL draft. That's a mighty big boast, so we'll see. Corp is a 2 way threat QB but he got hurt. As much as I tease you SEC guys, the fact remains that Mustain was/is an awfully talented QB and that true freshman Matt Barkley just walked right passed him on the depth chart. In fact, USC tabbed the true freshman as the starter for week 1. I cannot imagine a true freshman walking into Ohio State, making his first road start at night in a nationally televised game and winning.. If he does.. God help us. As for Ole Miss... they are my pick to finish 3rd in the SEC West behind Alabama and Arkansas. I've learned a bit about the history of this region since living here and it turns out that Bama-Ole Miss is one of those 'games' in which Ole Miss really struggles to win at all. It will be interesting. As for you guys. Your defense is as talented as there is. You have an incredible system offense with the players that are perfect fits for it. A great coach and a god awful schedule. You are my pick to win it all.
Amen to that Corey....SC returns the majority of both interior lines....most of their two deep would start today in the NFL. That is where they truly dominated last year in LA. We lost a ton on both sides of the ball but especially in experience and leadership. I believe we'll be a faster and more athletic football team with a lot of talented younsters, but youngsters nonetheless. We'll get to see if Pryor is indeed VY part 2....I hope so. I, like Corey, have a hard time seeing a true frosh in only his second game win in Columbus under the lights...but if he stays away from big mistakes and lets his boys in the trenches do what they do, it may happen. It will be an extraordinarily physical football game....I can't see Petey giving the kid the keys to a wide open attack in that environment so I'm guessing they are going to be pounding the ball all night long.....bring your big boy pads for sure. I have no clue as to what the opening line is.....if they are as good as advertised, they should be favored. We'll see.... Stu, Whobe, any of you guys going to show for the SC game? I'll be there.....
I expect Meyer to dispense with the Vols in a big, big way. I would no be surprised to see the Gator defense score a couple of times. I'm thinking 66-10. I'm rooting hard for the Buckeyes but I expect USC to win 27-17.
Very well could be Krerbsie....alot of things are different this year than last. First, they have to travel cross country. They don't have an open date prior, with two weeks to prepare as they did last year and they are the ones with a true frosh at QB. We'll miss Beanie desparately, but we didn't have him for that game either..... I have a hard time seeing a frosh QB coming in that place at night and coming out a winner. I don't think its ever happened, not in my memory. That said, if anybody can do it, SC can with what they have around him. But still, the kid has to touch the ball every offensive snap.....he may be a little distracted! With all day to prepare, the old stadium will be in full throat! 8) I still think they'll be favored....
I too think the Gator defense will score on Tenn but for now I am going believe what I read about Monte Kiffin's ability ( I live in Tampa Bay ) and the returning talent of the Tenn D. I don't think the Vols score on offense though.
No doubt USC will have a lot of highly recruited and talented youngsters out there when they roll in to Ohio Stadium. Whether or not they can get the job done under the pressure we of course have to wait and see. Ohio State is not without it's share of youngsters either having lost some great players off their defense and some good WR's and of course Wells. To me the whole thing will come down to Young and talented USC defense with lots of speed and anchored by a Sr in Mays who maybe the best Safety in college football vs OSU QB Pryor. Will Pryor be diverse enough in his game, to beat the USC defense. I expect him to get some yards running the ball but as we saw in the 2nd half against Texas in the bowl game his running was not enough to overcome his passing. No doubt he should be improved, but we won't know how much till after this game and even though it is a home game for him it's still a pressure packed game for a pure Soph. I predict a low scoring game something on the order of 17-14 either way. As far as OU/Texas, I want whatever MCG is smoking. No way that Texas stops OU like that. I expect a high scoring game on both sides with the Longhorns comming out on top again something like 37-28. USC/ND...I have no clue. As far as UF season, rightfully they will be favored in each game, it is a heavy burden for a team to have the bullseye on it's back. But it does come when all of their SEC East rivals are down this year. LSU is probably the only team with a real chance of a win against the Gators.
No question about that, but he's got a few big ones under his belt already.....imagine a frosh....on the road.....for the first time, under the lights, in Columbus.....welcome to college football young man! :shock: If I'm not mistaken, I recall VY making major improvements in his passing game from one year to the next....
Yes VY did make a big improvement, but he also had a veteran WR crew to work with. But I do expect Pryor to make an improvement. We'll know how much after the USC game. But VY's was still a suspect passer with nearly a 1:1 TD/INT ratio as a (RedShirt) Soph. <pre> Year Passing Rushing Comp Att Yards TDs Int Att Yds Avg TD 2003 84 143 1,155 6 7 135 998 7.4 11 2004 148 250 1,849 12 11 167 1,079 6.5 14 2005 212 325 3,036 26 10 155 1,050 6.8 12 Totals 444 718 6,040 44 28 457 3,127 6.8 37 </pre>
According to Carroll, Barkley will run the full offense. I think that this column very much echos the thought that T and I have concerning Barkley starting at Ohio State. A snippet: I would look for Coach T to throw every defensive trick he has in the book to try and frustrate the super frosh. At the same time, regardless of what Pete is saying about leaving the playbook open, I think they're going to try to line up and smash Ohio State right in the mouth. Not having a dog in this fight... it should be fun to watch.
Tom, on a serious note are you a little concerned about the Vol offense scoring on Fla? Or Bama for that matter?
I'm never "concerned" until the final tick of the clock expires. Hope springs eternal with a new and youthful head coach. I have watched excerpts of a lot of practice. The difference is amazing. I can't wait for the 19th to arrive. I'm just not into the juvenile chest thumping.
I have a hard time picking against USC in any given game. They manage to lose one or more games each year that they shouldn't, but when they are playing right it almost seems they can beat anyone. However at OSU early in the season I see Ohio State coming away with the win. But I would agree that if USC wins, and they could, then the sky is the limit.
Pryor was a more productive passer than VY even as a true frosh.....Let's not forget Pryor - albeit often tentative and uncertain in the passing game - led the Big 10 in Passing Efficiency last year. Say what you will, for a true frosh 4 picks - only 1 every 40 throws - with 12 TD's shows pretty good decision making for a youngster..... YEAR CMP ATT YDS CMP% YPA LNG TD INT 2008 100 165 1311 60.6 7.95 56 12 4 No question the young man has a long, long way to go as a passer, but he is ahead of VY at the same stage in their careers, and he will progress with more experience and coaching and if he only turns out to be as good as VY, I'm OK with that.... :wink:
With a 3 to 1 ratio TDs to INTs, he's ahead of a lot of great QBs, college and pro. Very interesting stat.
I agree Corey.....no way is Petey gonna give the keys to the kid. That would be a recipe for disaster and Petey knows it.....the kid could perform brilliantly and be an instant legend, but he also could throw 5 picks and doom his team. It is inconceivable that the young man will have complete command of the offense, audlbles and check downs, his team mates, our coverages, the speed of the college game, and at night in front of a hostile crowd of 105,000 in Columbus, his emotions, to risk rolling the dice like that....no way. But I hope so..... :wink: Smashmouth will be the order of the day.....and if the SC O-line is as good as advertised, that may just be enough. I think I saw somewhere, the early line is OSU -3.5. Has anybody else seen a line yet?
Haven't seen an early line, but USC lost a top WR for 6 to 8 weeks in Ronald Johnson and I believe they lost a starting CB to grades. Get ready to put 8 in the box.
While everybody usually has to deal with injuries, teams like USC and UF are better able to deal with them because they have recruited so incredibly well over the last 4 years. I mean how many schools can lose the top QB and replace him with one of the top HS QB's in the last 10 years who almost won the job on his own this fall.
I'll take that as a statement of opinion that the Tenn offense is much improved and very capable of holding it's own with the Gator defense.. It's excerpts like these from articles about the Gators that make me look forward to the season: