What Happens if O is a Dud?

[Planks]

 
 
 
Bingo.
 
We will likely lose Dawson, Mallett/Anderson, SCarter, Hunter, KWhite, Fields, Pierson and Hackett.
 
8 out of 11 starters.
 
Fortunately Iloka should be an shoe-in to replace Hackett with little to no drop-off in 2015. Need to find a SS
 
Whitmill and Douglas come in at LB
 
Who knows on CB.
 
Hopefully Lathan, McFarland and Carraway can handle DE spot.

Off the top of my head 2015 defensive depth chart

DT Tevin Lawson Chris Bradley
DT Mike Tuaua LJ Collier
DE Terrell Lathan. Bryson Henderson
DE Josh Carraway. James McFarland

LB Sammy Douglas Vinny Ascolese
LB Paul Whimill Ty Summers

SS Denzel Johnson George Baltimore
WS Kenny Illoka Travin Howard
FS Derrick Kindred Steve Wesley

CB Ranthony Texada Travotsky Garrett
CB Corry O'Meally. Cyd Calvin

 

[texas_sicilian]

No reason to question it, or even worry about it at this point.

 

[Reptilian]

I think Devonte Fields, Davion Pierson, and Chris Hackett are all more likely than not to leave early.
That means we lose:
Devonte Fields
Chucky Hunter
Davion Pierson
Marcus Mallet
Jonathan Anderson
Paul Dawson
Sam Carter
Chris Hacket
Kevin White
Even with the phenomenal defensive coaching we have, that's simply way too much talent to replace.

I think that is a bit too much gloom and doom. The 3 underclassmen you and Jake have leaving early are very good players but not projected as high picks. A 240 pound DE doesn't project to the NFL. He would have to be a rushing specialist in a 3-4. Fifth rounder at best? Maybe? I suppose if he simply hates school like Maponga did... Same goes for the other two. Pierson, with a dominant season seems to have the best shot to wow the scouts and get in the top three rounds. I don't think his body is NFL ready yet though.

 

[cdsfrog]

Only thing I hope changes if we our offensive line stinks for a 4th consecutive year and shows no improvement get a real OL coach. Give the rest time

 

[helcap]

Seriously ? 2014 season, let alone camp, hasn't started and we are worried about 2015. Getting back to original question, we don't need to average 40+points per conference game to be successful, meaning having a winning conference record. Improving field position, fewer turnovers, and less three and outs are also areas which if we improve on, as has been mentioned, will help the Defense. I am going to be optimistic enough to wait until it appears we are failing on those fronts before speculating on when someone should lose their job.

 

[Portland Frog]

helcap, you are right regarding turnovers. We all are focused on the OL and the need to improve there. But cutting down on TOs will be huge (yah, yah, captain obvious).

 

[steelfrog]

 
When we are singing the post-game alma mater and realize that we have scored more points than our opponent.

Precisely

 

[Frognosticator]

Precisely

Gee, Stupid-head decided to post.  Welcome back, Stupid-head.

 

[Limp Lizard]

Everybody loses players.  More specifically, every good team loses good players every year.  Why can't we replace our players like they do?  The answer is, duh, of course we can and do, every year.
 
Baylor's defense looked good because they scored quickly and put the opposing offenses on panic mode.  When you slow down their offense like we did and OSU did, then their defense is mediocre at best.  Put that defense with our offense last year and they don't finish in the top 75!

 

[Ron Swanson]

I think that is a bit too much gloom and doom. The 3 underclassmen you and Jake have leaving early are very good players but not projected as high picks. A 240 pound DE doesn't project to the NFL. He would have to be a rushing specialist in a 3-4. Fifth rounder at best? Maybe? I suppose if he simply hates school like Maponga did... Same goes for the other two. Pierson, with a dominant season seems to have the best shot to wow the scouts and get in the top three rounds. I don't think his body is NFL ready yet though.

 
 
Are you talking about Devonte?  If so, I think you're way off on how he is viewed in NFL circles.
 
I've seen Devonte projected as a 1st rounder this season if he can repeat the success of his freshman year.  Whether or not he goes, I don't know, but he'll definitely have the opportunity to as long as he stays healthy and is back to form.
 
I agree with you on the other 2, I don't think of them as shoe-ins at all to leave early (but you never know of course)

 

[Planks]

I think that is a bit too much gloom and doom. The 3 underclassmen you and Jake have leaving early are very good players but not projected as high picks. A 240 pound DE doesn't project to the NFL. He would have to be a rushing specialist in a 3-4. Fifth rounder at best? Maybe? I suppose if he simply hates school like Maponga did... Same goes for the other two. Pierson, with a dominant season seems to have the best shot to wow the scouts and get in the top three rounds. I don't think his body is NFL ready yet though.

Something to remember is that the NFL drafts players based upon what they think the player will be, not what they are today. A good example is Tyron Smith. After only three years at USC he declared early for the draft. He was very talented yet way undersized for an offensive tackle at 280. However the Cowboys knew he would grow to eventually be a 320 pounds. NFL teams will overlook the fact that Devonte is currently undersized because they know he will grow.

 

[zebbie]

There's too many variables to even go here, IMO.
 
Will Patterson want to go with the QB/chance to win early over a more talented QB with better upside long term?  This question in and of itself is two part.  Do you go with one of the younger guys for the upside of next year?  Do you go with Boykin early to win games, then maybe switch out depending on the matchup/progress of Joeckel?  Do you go with Joeckel early and hope he becomes the answer with more on the field experience?

 

[Planks]

Only thing I hope changes if we our offensive line stinks for a 4th consecutive year and shows no improvement get a real OL coach. Give the rest time

I'm hoping our offensive line coaching situation is a result of Doug Meacham being incredibly impressed with Bryson Oliver from their days coaching together at Oklahoma State, and not a result of GP just wanting to find a spot on the roster for his buddy Jarred Anderson.

 

[cdsfrog]

I'm hoping our offensive line coaching situation is a result of Doug Meacham being incredibly impressed with Bryson Oliver from their days coaching together at Oklahoma State, and not a result of GP just wanting to find a spot on the roster for his buddy Jarred Anderson.

 
Me too. Hoping he does most of the coaching and is successful at it. Then Anderson moves over to a position he's more qualified to coach to once it opens and Oliver takes the spot full time.

 

[jake102]

I'm hoping our offensive line coaching situation is a result of Doug Meacham being incredibly impressed with Bryson Oliver from their days coaching together at Oklahoma State, and not a result of GP just wanting to find a spot on the roster for his buddy Jarred Anderson.

 
Are you saying you don't want to see the OL block run on pass and block pass on run?
 
It was kind of fascinating to watch. Or count how many plays inbetween a defender gets a clean run at our QB?

 

[Bruce Berry]

Nope. But that's ok, that's just part of the game. The key isn't to keep successful coaches from leaving, the key is to replace them with successful coaches when they do leave (something we failed to do when Fuente left). That's what good programs do.

 
Got it. Was trying to make a statement about being optimistic instead of pessimistic. 
I'm thinking good thoughts at this stage. 

 

[TK2000]

 
 
 
Bingo.
 
We will likely lose Dawson, Mallett/Anderson, SCarter, Hunter, KWhite, Fields, Pierson and Hackett.
 
8 out of 11 starters.
 
Fortunately Iloka should be an shoe-in to replace Hackett with little to no drop-off in 2015. Need to find a SS
 
Whitmill and Douglas come in at LB
 
Who knows on CB.
 
Hopefully Lathan, McFarland and Carraway can handle DE spot.

Kindred and IIoka will be safeties. No drop off there. our LB's will be good. Texada and possibly Deante Grey at CB. And we will have holes In the D line. But somebody always steps up.

 

[TK2000]

I think if 2014 is bad, 2015 will be a microscope year with every coach on the hot seat including GP. But I really think things go well this season and offense is remarkably better in 2015

 

[Sammy11]

What is the bar for the offense to be considered successful this year? At what point will we say the offense is doing enough to win?
 
We were 8th in the Big 12 last year with 25.1 points per game. (Baylor led at 52.4)
http://www.cfbstats.com/2013/leader/25354/team/offense/split01/category09/sort01.html
 
9th last year with 344.8 yards per game. (Baylor led with 618.2)
http://www.cfbstats.com/2013/leader/25354/team/offense/split01/category10/sort01.html
 
 
 
Interesting to note is that Baylor's defense was 3rd in total defense (only 6 yards per game behind us)and better than us in scoring defense. I know we were proud of our defense last year but it appears that Baylor's was just as good.

You guys had one HUGE advantage over our defense when we were healthy- our corners were a liability (that you and osu exploited) and yours clearly were not with Verrett being a first rounder and White possibly being drafted next year.

 

[HG73]

If our offense had just been a dud last year we'd have made a bowl.  Our O was a turnover machine throwing pick sixes and fumbling on the opponent's 4 yard line after our D had intercepted and returned it to their four.  Mere yards and points don't begin to tell the story.  We just need a QB who will get the ball to our playmakers and not turn the ball over.