Some final questions for the 2017 season

[HooahVol]

1. Will Lincoln Riley figure out that defense still wins championships? Once again we watched Oklahoma with the best offense in the country capable of hanging tons of points on anyone and once again we see Oklahoma go home empty handed. How hard is it to find some defensive linemen in the plains?

2. Was this Saban's best coaching year ever? I have gotten to the point I take for granted Saban winning championships but this, IMO, was his worst team to win one. Add in the assistant coaching departures and all the injuries Bama had to overcome this season along with the ballsy call to put in a true Freshman in the championship game and I think this was Saban's best coaching ever.

3. In UGA's #1 recruiting class is there anyone who can fill the holes in their secondary. Georgia was fantastic this season. The only gaping hole is their secondary kind of sucks. They stop the run as well as anyone but they give up passes.

4. Will Delaney stick to the 9 game rotation? Will the big 10 start spending money promoting their brand kind of like movies do before awards season? For two years now the Big 10 champ has been left out of the playoffs.

For one observation: Alabama only lead the game Monday for one play. The most important one, the last one.

 

[TDawg]

1. Will Lincoln Riley figure out that defense still wins championships? Once again we watched Oklahoma with the best offense in the country capable of hanging tons of points on anyone and once again we see Oklahoma go home empty handed. How hard is it to find some defensive linemen in the plains?

2. Was this Saban's best coaching year ever? I have gotten to the point I take for granted Saban winning championships but this, IMO, was his worst team to win one. Add in the assistant coaching departures and all the injuries Bama had to overcome this season along with the ballsy call to put in a true Freshman in the championship game and I think this was Saban's best coaching ever.

3. In UGA's #1 recruiting class is there anyone who can fill the holes in their secondary. Georgia was fantastic this season. The only gaping hole is their secondary kind of sucks. They stop the run as well as anyone but they give up passes.

4. Will Delaney stick to the 9 game rotation? Will the big 10 start spending money promoting their brand kind of like movies do before awards season? For two years now the Big 10 champ has been left out of the playoffs.

For one observation: Alabama only lead the game Monday for one play. The most important one, the last one.

1. No .. and it's hard to see how the next QB replaces a Heisman winner at that. They don't have a lot coming in on defense to help your point either.

2. Hard to say. He has six championships and each was a little different but this one, navigating Hurts' issues, having assistants leaving (as you mentioned) and the amount on injuries to a single position group (LB) certainly overshadow his stubbornness to put Tua in during the AU game.

3. UGA had pieces of the secondary that are coming back that played well, namely JR Reed. But they recruited quite a few DBs in last year's class like Richard Lecounte, Ameer Speed, Trey Bishop, Deangelo Gibbs and William Poole. Add to that Mark Webb is a long lanky kid who moved from WR to DB and redshirted. Help is on the way.

4. Man, the Big 10 has that among other questions. One division is VERY heavy and the other has Wisconsin. But I think they do stick with that. Think about it (and I believe this will be the argument for sticking with the 9-game), if OSUck actually beats OK in Columbus, they are in the playoff instead of OU and the Big12 gets left out.

Great questions man. This next season should be pretty good .. not sure how ESPN in the "way too early" have OSUck and OU ranked so high with outgoing QBs that really made their offenses go but hey, it's their site.

 

[HooahVol]

Thanks for the response. I love actually talking about football every now and then.

This is hotly debated on another thread but my personal opinion is UGA is going to have great tailbacks again next season behind another great line. Fromm is only going to get better or be replaced by Justin Fields. If UGA can improve their secondary they could be scary good next year.

I also agree the Big 12 just refuses to play defense. It seems like if just one of those teams would figure that out they could dominate that conference.

 

[Boston Vol]

not sure how ESPN in the "way too early" have OSUck and OU ranked so high with outgoing QBs that really made their offenses go but hey, it's their site.

You’re overrating JT Barrett. He was as a solid quarterback, but that’s pretty much it. You can actually make an argument that he held them back in a lot of ways. Dwayne Haskins or Tate Martell will do just fine. Kyler Murray has a ton of talent and should be just fine. Good news is that OU returns three starters on the offensive line and pretty much all of their top skill position talent.

 

[HooahVol]

Concerning the Buckeyes I have to imagine Meyer is getting restless. He has been often mentioned in the same breath as Saban but Saban is pulling away. I think Meyer pushes them hard this year to ensure his legacy. Either that or he starts getting chest pain again.

 

[TDawg]

You’re overrating JT Barrett. He was as a solid quarterback, but that’s pretty much it. You can actually make an argument that he held them back in a lot of ways. Dwayne Haskins or Tate Martell will do just fine. Kyler Murray has a ton of talent and should be just fine. Good news is that OU returns three starters on the offensive line and pretty much all of their top skill position talent.

Maybe, but the QB is the HARDEST position to replace after a multi-year starter leaves. And having the ability to have great chemistry with your WRs/TEs is not something that just naturally happens. We shall see I suppose. I agree that Barrett wasn't all that but again, he ran that offense the way Urban wanted.

 

[TDawg]

Thanks for the response. I love actually talking about football every now and then.

This is hotly debated on another thread but my personal opinion is UGA is going to have great tailbacks again next season behind another great line. Fromm is only going to get better or be replaced by Justin Fields. If UGA can improve their secondary they could be scary good next year.

I also agree the Big 12 just refuses to play defense. It seems like if just one of those teams would figure that out they could dominate that conference.

Fields more than likely won't replace Fromm but they will be used together. Those who think one will sit the bench completely for two or three years aren't thinking outside the box.

 

[HooahVol]

Another question, other than Oklahoma can you think of a national championship caliber team west of Tuscaloosa? I am hard pressed. Amazing to think 2/3 of the country was so down last year.

 

[Boston Vol]

Another question, other than Oklahoma can you think of a national championship caliber team west of Tuscaloosa? I am hard pressed. Amazing to think 2/3 of the country was so down last year.

I think Washington can be very good. Return eight starters from their defense, which was ranked eighth this season.

 

[TDawg]

I think Washington can be very good. Return eight starters from their defense, which was ranked eighth this season.

Senior QB too .. Browning is pretty solid

 

[LouderVol]

1. Will Lincoln Riley figure out that defense still wins championships? Once again we watched Oklahoma with the best offense in the country capable of hanging tons of points on anyone and once again we see Oklahoma go home empty handed. How hard is it to find some defensive linemen in the plains?

2. Was this Saban's best coaching year ever? I have gotten to the point I take for granted Saban winning championships but this, IMO, was his worst team to win one. Add in the assistant coaching departures and all the injuries Bama had to overcome this season along with the ballsy call to put in a true Freshman in the championship game and I think this was Saban's best coaching ever.

3. In UGA's #1 recruiting class is there anyone who can fill the holes in their secondary. Georgia was fantastic this season. The only gaping hole is their secondary kind of sucks. They stop the run as well as anyone but they give up passes.

4. Will Delaney stick to the 9 game rotation? Will the big 10 start spending money promoting their brand kind of like movies do before awards season? For two years now the Big 10 champ has been left out of the playoffs.

For one observation: Alabama only lead the game Monday for one play. The most important one, the last one.

1. they play in the Big 12, defense optional. for who they play they have a good D. but for the rest of the country not so much. I think the conference is holding them down. maybe if Texas comes back with a "power" game it might help Oklahoma adjust.
2. I would say so at Bama. Its either that or his first. Not sure about LSU though, not old enough to remember what all happened there.
3. Aren't they also losing a BUNCH of LBs? that might hurt. I also know they stack RBs up, but it will be interesting to see if they can actually find that next set of FR RBs. they have some guys capable but it takes doing it on the field to prove it.
4. Not only the Big 10, the Pac 12 has been left out too. who knows what happens there. I would say more ALL SEC championships will drive us very fast to a different format.

 

[05_never_again]

You’re overrating JT Barrett. He was as a solid quarterback, but that’s pretty much it. You can actually make an argument that he held them back in a lot of ways. Dwayne Haskins or Tate Martell will do just fine. Kyler Murray has a ton of talent and should be just fine. Good news is that OU returns three starters on the offensive line and pretty much all of their top skill position talent.

Ohio St's offense hasn't been the same since Tom Herman left. Which is odd, because you'd think that Urban is the guy who really makes that offense go.