My Off Season Thread - 2014

[cloverleaf]

Russ, did you see a list of which spring games will be televised? I know ESPN will broadcast Auburn and ESPNU will televise Alabama.

I've always enjoyed watching any available spring games, especially in SEC games. Many think these games are boring but I believe you can gain a lot of knowledge about the direction of teams heading into the coming season.

 

[russ1945]

Russ, did you see a list of which spring games will be televised? I know ESPN will broadcast Auburn and ESPNU will televise Alabama.

I've always enjoyed watching any available spring games, especially in SEC games. Many think these games are boring but I believe you can gain a lot of knowledge about the direction of teams heading into the coming season.

That will all come out later I am sure.

 

[russ1945]

Every year philsteele.com projects who the AP will pick on their Preseason top 25. These are not Steele's personal picks. He just projected who the AP's top 10 will be going into 2014. They are: (1) Florida St, (2) Alabama, (3) Oregon, (4) Auburn, (5) Oklahoma, (6) Ohio St, (7) UCLA, (8) Mich St, (9) Baylor, and (10) S. Carolina.

 

[CoachCB]

Alabama at #2 is surprising considering they replace their starting QB (and a few others). Ohio State at #6 is laughable...but then again, they do play in the B10, so they'll win 11 games by just showing up (do they play Mich State regular season?). What does Stanford have this year?

 

[russ1945]

Here are the preseason predictiions from bleacherreport.com for the top 10 teams on offense and defense for 2014.

Offense: 1. Oregon, 2. Baylor, 3. UCLA, 4. Auburn, 5. Florida St, 6. Ohio St, 7. Wisconsin, 8. Texas Tech, 9. Marshall, 10. B. Green

Defense: 1. Florida st, 2. Florida, 3. Virginia Tech, 4. Alabama, 5. Mich State, 6. Oklahoma, 7. U.S.C., 8. Ole Miss, 9. LSU, 10. Miss State

 

[CoachCB]

Here are the preseason predictiions from bleacherreport.com for the top 10 teams on offense and defense for 2014.

Offense: 1. Oregon, 2. Baylor, 3. UCLA, 4. Auburn, 5. Florida St, 6. Ohio St, 7. Wisconsin, 8. Texas Tech, 9. Marshall, 10. B. Green

Defense: 1. Florida st, 2. Florida, 3. Virginia Tech, 4. Alabama, 5. Mich State, 6. Oklahoma, 7. U.S.C., 8. Ole Miss, 9. LSU, 10. Miss State

I figured Michigan State would make the top 10 D's. Did they lose a lot of starters?

 

[GoSooners]

I figured Michigan State would make the top 10 D's. Did they lose a lot of starters?

MSU brings back just 4 starters on defense. Two on the DL, and just about everybody is gone behind them.

 

[russ1945]

You know there are really two categories for both offense and defense in my book. One would be scoring offense or scoring defense, and total offense or total defense. There is a distinction and some times there is a disparity in the two. Next week I will get into this a little we can kick it around.

 

[russ1945]

Pittsburgh cancels spring game

Updated: February 28, 2014, 1:45 PM ET
ESPN.com news services

• Pittsburgh has canceled its spring football game this year in favor of giving more practice time to a young roster.
  The Panthers will have multiple intrasquad scrimmages in March and April, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but they won't be open to the public.
  "The thought behind [the decision], honestly, is to get one more good workday out of them," coach Paul Chryst told the newspaper. "Most, if not every spring game I've been a part of, you really end up sacrificing a lot. It sounds crazy, but just being locked into a place, bad weather. ... You're kind of locked into that day. These days are really valuable for us."
  Pitt, which will practice from March 16 to April 13, plans to announce fan outreach programs to make up for the game's absence.
  "It's a little bit selfish doing what's best for the program," Chryst told the Post-Gazette. "You appreciate [the fans]. You don't want it to come off as not being appreciative. It's not the intent. But there is real conviction that for this group of guys, the guys in the building ... you feel really good that this is the right thing. You hope the people appreciate that."

 

[russ1945]

bleacherreport.com just released an article predicting the 25 teams most likely to regress from last season. They do point out that for their purposes regress is a broad term and for the sake of simplicity means drop off from current levels. The teams are:

Arizona, Ball St, B College, Buffalo, U.C.F., Clemson, Duke, Florida St, Fresno St, Louisville, Minnesota, Missouri, N. Illinois, N. Texas, Old Dominian, Oregon St, Rice, Rutgers, Texas A&M, Troy, Tulane, U.N.L.V., Vandy, Washington, and W Kentucky.

 

[CoachCB]

I can see why Pitt would cancel the spring game; extra "real" practice....and 3000 fans? Not even worth it.

 

[russ1945]

[h=1]Florida banged up entering spring[/h]Updated: March 11, 2014, 4:39 PM ET
By Jeff Barlis | ESPN.com

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida coach Will Muschamp on Tuesday said the Gators will open spring practice March 19 with nine players out due to injury, including three starters.
Junior running back Matt Jones (torn meniscus) and senior defensive tackle Leon Orr (fractured wrist) were starters in 2013, while senior wide receiver/kick returner Andre Debose had been a starter before missing all of last season with a torn ACL. Muschamp said Debose is expected to be medically cleared to return March 28 but will wear a non-contact jersey.
Three linebackers -- sophomores Alex Anzalone (shoulder) and Jeremi Powell (torn ACL) and redshirt freshman Matt Rolin (torn ACL) -- won't be medically cleared until after spring practice. All three are rehabbing after surgery for injuries suffered last fall.
The other injured Gators are sophomore tight end Colin Thompson (foot) and two true freshmen early enrollees -- running back Brandon Powell (fractured foot) and offensive lineman Nolan Kelleher (back).
Muschamp also said senior Max Garcia, UF's only returning offensive lineman who started every game last season, will move to center to replace graduated starter Jonotthan Harrison.

 

[CoachCB]

^^^ Most of these injuries are leftovers from last seasons debacle...but the 2 that make me laugh/shake my head are the 2 early enrollees (kids that were in HS last season) already injured.

Muschamp is on a very hot seat. He better get his shit together! He did open 8 practices to the public/fans (he's never done that before, taking a page from Saban's book). Guess he's trying to be more "fan friendly"...as he has very few "fans" in Gainesville!

 

[cloverleaf]

The key injury for the Gators is the QB who is recovering from a broken leg. He needs go get some much needed worked this spring under the new coordinator. Not sure what speed he can go at.

 

[cloverleaf]

I agree with Coach that Muschamp needs a productive year. All these injuries don't help....expecially on offense. The Gators should be really good on defense again but how the offense performs is another matter.

 

[russ1945]

Defintely make or break for Muschamp but you really can't fault his defense.

 

[CoachCB]

Here's a video of Kurt Roper (new UF OC) doing a film session w/ the team (showing Duke footage):


<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BFeBS2cOL0M?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[CoachCB]

Defintely make or break for Muschamp but you really can't fault his defense.

Agree his D has been good. However, last year's stats were misleading (most teams just got a lead and sat on the ball; LSU for example).

The D completely shit the bed vs. Georgia Southern (ZERO passes completed, 400 rush yards given up), Missouri (back-up QB shredded them), FSU (could have tacked on another 14+ points), Miami (held them to less than 300 yards total offense, but gave up 2 HUGE plays that cost them the game...or could have won them the game), Vandy (embarrassed the D at home).

After Easly went down the D wasn't the same. There are only 2 DTs w/ any experience returning (both Sr's, one a JUCO). Secondary is depleted and LBs are questionable, at best.

 

[rolltide]

I can see why Pitt would cancel the spring game; extra "real" practice....and 3000 fans? Not even worth it.

been to many blue/gold games and since this guy has lost all true fans it's not a surprise. really all these scrimmages are is a fan event...coaches don't gain much info, anyone with a splinter is held out, and the offenses are completely vanilla so their next real opponent can't gain anything from watching.

i didn't realize these scrimmages count as 1 of the 15 spring practices so clearly the Oaf in Charge feels he can learn more from a final balls-out practice than in a scrimmage that is now held at a high school because of so little interest.

i always just took it as an opportunity to get away from the wife at 10am on a saturday and start drinking down at Heinz field by 10:15. not many others felt the same way so it got moved off to a high school and now canceled all together

 

[MackDonald]

been to many blue/gold games and since this guy has lost all true fans it's not a surprise. really all these scrimmages are is a fan event...coaches don't gain much info, anyone with a splinter is held out, and the offenses are completely vanilla so their next real opponent can't gain anything from watching.

i didn't realize these scrimmages count as 1 of the 15 spring practices so clearly the Oaf in Charge feels he can learn more from a final balls-out practice than in a scrimmage that is now held at a high school because of so little interest.

i always just took it as an opportunity to get away from the wife at 10am on a saturday and start drinking down at Heinz field by 10:15. not many others felt the same way so it got moved off to a high school and now canceled all together

Drinking at 10:15 A.M..........I like your style "Tide"......cheers.