catdaddyp

I would argue Moorhead may have taken over a roster in worse shape than Arth and I can only imagine how bad Arth’s final recruiting class would have finished had there not been a change. I don’t believe there would have been any progress had Arth been retained. There are a number of reasons we’ve covered that made the 2023 season a disappointment. My point was this program is actually competitive as opposed to the previous staff’s teams. Let’s not forget the many blowouts under Arth. We can look at a number of games this season where one less dumb penalty, or one less poor decision at QB, or one more made FG could have changed the outcome of the season. The same can’t be said during Arth’s years. All that being said, the only thing that matters is wins and enough of those have not happened. Moorhead isn’t wrong. He could be getting paid a lot more somewhere else as an OC. He doesn’t need to keep saying it though.

I don’t know if it helps that much on the front end. Maybe it’s something that can be used as a tipping point in trying to sway someone that was already considering us?

I can see both sides of this. From a business front, this is a smart move and will bring the program much needed revenue. I assume the numbers are accurate from this site. It shows the athletic department is slightly in the black. Home game ticket sales account for only 2% of the revenue. And if I recall correctly, the football team didn’t even come close to their asking amount on the Day of Giving Campaign. When that’s the case, other moves must be made to fill the gaps. Yes, we will probably be manhandled. Although, if the team can hang for even a half, that can be spun positively in recruiting. I’m sure there are a number of players on the team that will be looking forward to playing on the big stage. Most (if not all) of our recruits were over looked by OSU and this will be their chance to show they belong. It’s not all negative and could be a net positive as long as this type of scheduling does not become a yearly event.

Bump for update. 2 HS interior OL are committed and 1 transfer OL is already on campus.

No, he’ll be a redshirt freshman.

Terry Bowden about to be let go at ULM.

I haven’t spoken to him or seen an offer yet, but Maddox is a kid we had on campus and were in on before the P5 offers came in.

I didn’t see the documentary (I stay away from all football documentaries and football tv shows/movies) and I get the point being made, but Joe Moorhead did not step into a situation anywhere close to what Urban Meyer inherited at Florida. Meyer also had Chris Leak at QB before the version of Tim Tebow that everyone now knows stepped into the limelight. I think the staff got just about everything they could out of the team in year 1 (or what JoeMo is now referring to as year 0) and did an excellent job defensively in year 2. Outside of the NIU game, I thought the team left it all on the field in just about every contest this season. I’m not sure what the NCAA record is, but 3 OT losses in a season must be somewhere near the top. Like I mentioned earlier, the only games I felt we were outmatched talent wise was against Kentucky, Miami, and Ohio. If recruiting continues at the current rate, I don’t see that being the case next year. Better talent, especially at QB, can cover up a lot of mistakes. I hope we see a high level of effort, reduced dumb penalties, and better coaching to complement next year’s talent.

I don’t subscribe to the Beacon. Did the article have anything beyond what was said at the press conference? I went back and compared records under the previous staff: 2019-2021: 30 games played 3 games decided by 1 score or less 3 wins Compared to: 2022-2023: 24 games played 13 games decided by 1 score or less 4 wins Being competitive is no longer an issue, but the wins need to come in 2024. Otherwise the support question may have some legs by the end of next season.

The OL and DL are almost always the biggest issues in turnaround situations. We were fortunate to land some solid DL that could contribute immediately in the last two cycles. OL is harder to come by. We hit a home run in the portal with Whigan, but were unable to replace his production after he ran out of eligibility. Landers was also a home run as a freshman before we lost him for whatever issues (grades?) and didn’t really have an adequate replacement. Blanchard seemed to be coming on before his injury. T. Williams, K. Davis, James, Morris, and Mann are all athletic and have plenty of upside. Unfortunately, T. Williams was the only one of the young bunch to fully contribute this year. I think Blanchard and Kindred will turn out to be portal successes, but injuries hampered them this season. For the most part, outside of Frank and T. Williams, we were still heavily reliant on the previous staff’s OL recruits in 2023. I know it’s an old mantra, but that’s basically where we’re at unless we somehow land a few plug and plays out the portal. Agree the discipline isn’t always where it needs to be. So many dumb penalties this year. It has to be cleaned up.

Bump for update. The staff is looking to add at least 1 HS TE and 1 Portal TE to this recruiting class.

Bump for update. George is the only player exiting program unless someone leaves via portal. One HS commitment already on board.

What went Right and what went Wrong? Quarterback: Unbeknownst to much of the fanbase, DJI had offseason shoulder surgery and was not the same QB coming into 2023. He finally settled into a groove against Indiana, but even during that game it was DJI’s running ability that stood out as opposed to what would he considered a prolific passing day. JU was put in a tough position and expected to do more than he was capable of with the exception of 3 games (Kent, EMU, and Ohio). In those 3 games, the offense used more max protects in the passing game and relied heavily on the run. JU was 58 of 92 (63%) for 624 yards and 2 touchdowns versus 1 interception during that span. The biggest difference in those 3 games was the limited amount of turnovers as he still completed around 60% the rest of the season. Bullock simply was not ready and it seemed his accuracy issues stemmed from processing too slowly. He has all the tools physically to be a premier QB in the MAC, but he is not where he needs to be mentally at this point. Running Back: Lorenzo Lingard was as good as advertised and criminally underused during the first half of the season. This year’s offense needed a big back who could break tackles and potentially provide an explosive play at any given time. Lingard was that back. Despite the lack of touches earlier in the season, Lingard still finished close to 1,000 yards total (rushing and receiving combined). Drake Anderson was underutilized to some extent as well. The better offenses figure out ways to get players like Anderson the ball on the perimeter and in space, whether that be moved into the slot, screens, sweeps, etc. Something we did not do much of this year. Wide Receiver: Adams never seemed quite right and it was later confirmed he attempted to play through an injury. Losing one of, if not the best, WR in the MAC will hurt any offense. Gathings really came into his own and if he can keep his emotions in check, should continue to develop and become a legitimate weapon in the future. George was unable to improve on his 2022 season statistically, but a lot of that had to do with the issues at QB. Same could be said about Caleb Anderson, just to a lesser extent. Walker and Golden provided solid options from the slot, while Adrian Norton seems like a star in the making and will be exciting to watch in the coming years. Tight End: It was thought TJ Banks would take a larger role in the offense and provide a threat across the middle of the field. Although Banks was solid, it was Newell who really surprised. Newell continued to improve as the year progressed and he has the potential to be as good as any TE in the MAC. This year’s offense was most effective when Banks and Newell were on the field at the same time. Offensive Line: Although the OL showed improvement by end of year and gave up less sacks than 2022, they were still subpar as a unit. Blanchard, Kindred, and K. Davis missed substantial time due to injuries. All started at points in the season. Chambers was shifted from the right side and ended up receiving the most starts at LT. Frank nailed down LG and is now out of eligibility. T. Williams was inconsistent at C, which is to be expected from a redshirt freshman. The RG spot saw a number of different faces before Lyons became the starter in the last few games. Nate Williams was moved back to RT and played really well the last 3 games. This unit had more depth this year, but unfortunately not enough quality depth to lose starters for significant time. The 2022 and 2023 classes brought in a substantial upgrade in athleticism. Unfortunately, outside of T. Williams (2022 freshman) and Frank (transfer portal), we didn’t get to see much of that improved athleticism this season. Interior DL: There was some concern coming into the year with Holt and Harper moving on. Terray Jones stepped in and was just as good as either player. He was also the only pass rush threat on the interior. Lavea was a load against the run and provided a solid combo with Jones. Robinson never lived up to his 3 star rating coming out of high school, yet became a key contributor as a backup. Freshman Marcus Moore looks to be another star in the making and should only get better from here. JUCO Tyler Carter (I believe he should be listed as a redshirt senior, not redshirt sophomore) did not contribute much and his claim to fame as a Zip will be getting ejected on back to back penalties with under a minute to go to finish out the season. Kiawan Murphy did not show much and will need to improve in the offseason to at least provide depth going into 2024. Edge: Ryan Johnson was the only for sure starter heading into the season and he transferred out after 4 games. CJ Nunnally burst onto the scene from the JUCO ranks and was one of the MAC leaders in sacks and tackles for loss. It’s not easy to find a lineman that is equally strong against the run and pass rush, but Nunnally is. LaJoshua Jackson and Antonio Smith were also JUCOs who flashed some pass rush ability in backup roles. JUCO Kabbash Richards was hurt for a portion of the season and did not contribute much. Bennett Adler came on as the year progressed and became more than just a run stuffer. He displayed a bull rush against Ohio, exhibiting some pass rush ability. Linebacker: Despite losing Bubba before the year began, linebacker proved to be the strongest position on defense. Former JUCO Antavious Fish flashed his hard hitting prowess in 2022 and the lightbulb came on in 2023. He and sophomore Bryan McCoy finished the year with just under 100 total tackles a piece. Transfer Shammond Cooper proved to be the best blitzer of the bunch and graded out the highest amongst the LBs. Jaharon Griffin moved into a bigger role with the injury to Andrew Behm and may not relinquish that role going into 2024. Cornerback: While not considered a top unit in the MAC, this group was much improved from 2022. Durant again made it difficult for anyone to beat out him out and ended up starting 10 games. Judson Tallandier had an up and down season in pass coverage, but was excellent in run support. Joey Hunter and Golden-Nelson had their moments and also missed substantial time with injuries. Cam Threatt did not play much of a role and may be moving on as it sounds like he already has his degree. Safety: I expected this unit to take a significant leap and become one of the better units in the MAC. That did not happen, yet this group was still solid. Nate Thompson was inconsistent, but did finish the season strongly. Although KJ Martin does not have the stats to back up, I thought he had a better year than 2022. Corey Thomas was the biggest surprise and proved to be extremely versatile. Thomas also finished the year as the highest rated player on defense. Lewis was one of the reasons why the defense was improved in 2023 as he was a major factor at the nickel position. Special Teams: The punting unit was strong and Dante Jackson was an upgrade over the previous punter. Kickoff and kickoff return were also solid. Field goal kicking was a disappointment until the final few games and part of that has to be placed on the coaching staff. It’s difficult for any kicker to be replaced from game to game and in some cases kick to kick. There has to be some consistency with the unit. Coaching: The offensive play-calling was maddening for most of the season. As much as the staff deserves credit for last year, they also deserve just as much criticism this year. The majority of the season it felt like round pegs were being forced into square holes and the staff did not adapt to their personnel until the end of the season. On the other hand, the defense was much better than some probably realize as they were forced into bad positions time after time. Tim Tibesar and his staff did an excellent job on that side of the ball. Recruiting and Wrap-up: I still 100% believe this staff is recruiting at a high level and had the best class in the MAC this past offseason. I also 100% believe the offensive staff badly underperformed with the talent at hand as mentioned above. I was wrong in that 2023 would be the turnaround year. There were 7 games decided by one score. This program is close to turning the corner and should have already done it. I expect another strong recruiting class will be brought in, which will finally give the program several strong classes stacked. That being the case, 2024 must be the turnaround year. Talent gap will no longer be an excuse and it probably shouldn’t have been an excuse this year outside of Kentucky, Miami, and Ohio. There was enough talent in place, with good coaching, to make a bowl game. Portal opens in December and I think our last commitment came in June, so we have about 7 months of roster transition ahead.

Interesting response to the question about his coaching staff towards the end.

RB position updated. We have one HS commit and will add another RB from the portal.

Quarterback position updated. We have one HS QB already committed and will take at least one portal QB. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two current QBs hit the portal.

Ohio is a better team from top to bottom right now. They had some open opportunities in the first half and either misfired or dropped the ball. Bobcats put it together in 2nd half. Similar game plan in the first half as last week. 2nd half we had to play catch up and throw the ball more which hasn’t been our strength all season. Defense didn’t create any turnovers. Ohio caught us several times on the blitzes that did not get home. Fish and Adler had tremendous games. Fish finished the year slightly under 100 total tackles. Jackson had a few monster punts. Enjoyed watching Lingard this season. Would have been nice to see him utilized more earlier in the year. Good luck to the seniors and I hope we see a few of the guys make NFL rosters. I’ll update the position groups as signings and transfers occur. I thought this would be the year we’d turn the corner, but clearly I was wrong. Too many close losses again. We’ll see if we can retain our better players and continue to improve the talent level. QB - Undercuffler (Bullock) RB - Lingard (Anderson) WR - George (Norton) WR - Gathings (Norton) (WR) - Golden (Walker) TE - Banka TE - Newell LT - Chambers (Blanchard) LG - Frank C - T. Williams RG - Lyons RT - N. Williams DE - Nunnally (A. Smith) (Richards) DT - Jones (Robinson) DT - Lavea (Moore) (Carter) DE - Adler (L. Jackson) LB - Fish (Griffin) LB - Cooper (Griffin) NB - C. Thomas (Lewis) CB - Durant (Threatt) CB - Tallandier S - Martin (C. Thomas) S - Thompson (C. Thomas)

With the recruiting period soon to kick into high gear again, here’s a look at the past two recruiting classes and how they’ve performed (scholarship offers only). Keep in mind we have one more game to play so the final 2023 stats will change. The 2022 class brought in a few impact players and a wealth of upgrades throughout the roster. SJL, Anthony Whigan, and Alex Adams were all-conference players, while Victor Jones, Curtis Harper, Ravontae Holt, Tim Terry, Cam Wiley, Max Banes, Daniel George, KJ Martin, Nate Thompson, TJ Banks, and Ka’Marii Landers all became quality starters. STEPPING IT UP: 2023 saw former JUCO Antavious Fish and sophomore Bryan McCoy have breakout years at linebacker. Redshirt freshmen Tyler Williams and Keylen Davis (before injuries) became starters on the offensive line. Sophomore Bobby Golden, sophomore Jaharon Griffin, and senior Devon Robinson saw their roles increase. Sophomore Charles Kellom was a key special teams player. KJ Martin and Daniel George’s stats may not reflect it, but I thought they took a step forward this year as well. An argument could also be made for Jeff Undercuffler, but that probably depends on which game is being discussed. STATUS QUO: Nate Thompson wasn’t bad, but may have taken a step back as he was surpassed by KJ Martin and Corey Thomas on the depth chart and in production. TJ Banks was about on par with his 2022 year. Devontae Golden-Nelson had his moments and saw more playing time, though he was not necessarily that much better than the previous season. Caleb Anderson played about as much as he did in 2022, but he was caught behind George, Gathings, and in competition with a rapidly improving Adrian Norton. Redshirt freshmen Kiawan Murphy was limited in his snaps, while Dijon Jennings did not play. Kyle Thomas shined a few times before deciding to redshirt and transfer out. GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION/MISSES: Jaden Woods seemed significantly less disciplined in his play from the 2022 season and transferred out. Alex Adams and Clyde Price’s production regressed due to injuries. Cam Threatt has been a non-factor. (Marquell Darnell and Anthony Stallworth were misses in recruiting) 2022 Recruiting: Transfers: WR - Shocky Jacques-Louis - 2022 3rd Team All-MAC. Graduated. OL - Anthony Whigan - 2022 3rd Team All-MAC. Graduated. DE - Victor Jones - Started 11 games in 2022. 52 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. Graduated. DT - Curtis Harper - Started 12 games in 2022. 17 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. Graduated. DT - Ravontae Holt - Started 5 games in 2022. 18 total tackles. LB - Tim Terry - Started 7 games in 2022. 46 total tackles and highest graded player on the defense in 2022. Graduated. RB - Cam Wiley - Started 7 games. 486 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns. Transferred out. OL - Max Banes - Started 7 games in 2022. Transferred out. TE - Caden Clark - Retired from football. WR - Daniel George - Started 12 games in 2022. 67 receptions for 793 yards and 2 touchdowns. <-> Started 11 games in 2023. 48 receptions for 508 yards and a touchdown. S - KJ Martin - Started 9 games in 2022. 53 total tackles and 1 interception. <-> Started 8 games in 2023. 41 total tackles, a sack, and 2 interceptions. S - Nate Thompson - Started 11 games in 2022. 72 total tackles. <-> Started 6 games in 2023. 34 total tackles and a sack. QB - Jeff Undercuffler - Started 2 games in 2022. 58.3% completion, 791 yards, 5 TDs vs 5 INTs. <-> Started 4 games in 2023. 61.9% completion, 1275 yards, 4 TDs vs 8 INTs. TE - TJ Banks - Started 11 games in 2022. 21 receptions for 175 yards. <-> Started 10 games in 2023. 19 receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown. CB - Devontae Golden-Nelson - Started 3 games in 2022. 11 total tackles. <-> Played in 11 games in 2023. 22 total tackles and 2 interceptions. WR - Alex Adams - 2022 1st Team All-MAC. <-> Played in only 7 games in 2023 and over 400 less snaps due to an injury. 22 receptions for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns. DT - Devon Robinson - Played in 4 games in 2022. 5 total tackles. <-> Played in 11 games in 2023. 13 total tackles and half a sack. S - Jaden Woods - Started 2 games in 2022. 29 total tackles. <-> Played in 4 games in 2023 and Transferred out. RB - Clyde Price - Started 5 games. 349 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns. Missed 2023 season due to injury. JUCO: LB - Antavious Fish - Played in 10 games in 2022. 16 total tackles and 2 sacks. <-> Started 11 games in 2023. 78 total tackles and a sack. WR - Caleb Anderson - Played in 10 games. 5 receptions for 39 yards. <-> Played in 10 games in 2023. 6 receptions for 40 yards. DT - Kyle Thomas - Started 4 games in 2022. 14 total tackles. <-> Played in 4 games in 2023 and Transferred out. CB - Cam Threatt - Played in 4 games in 2022. 5 total tackles. <-> Played in 5 games in 2023 on Special Teams. Freshmen: OL - Ka’Marii Landers - Started 6 games. Went JUCO. TE - Marquell Darnell - Redshirt. Transferred out. RB - Anthony Stallworth - Redshirt. Transferred out. LB - Bryan McCoy - Started 2 games in 2022. 24 total tackles. <-> Started 4 games in 2023. 94 total tackles and a sack. Led the team in tackles. OL - Tyhler Williams - Redshirt. <-> Started 11 games in 2023. WR - Bobby Golden - Played in 7 games in 2022. <-> Started 2 games in 2023. 16 receptions for 134 yards. Also the starting punt returner. OL - Keylen Davis - Redshirt. <-> Started 6 games in 2023. Injured during the rest. LB - Jaharon Griffin - Played in 8 games in 2022 on Special Teams. <-> Played in 7 games in 2023. 14 total tackles. RB - Charles Kellom - Redshirt. <-> Played in 4 games in 2023. 4 rushes for 5 yards. DT - Kiawan Murphy - Redshirt <-> Played in 5 games in 2023. QB - Dijon Jennings - Redshirt <-> DNP in 2023. 2023 Recruiting: The 2023 class produced a number of starters and a handful of players that have all-conference potential. As far as the transfers go, Lorenzo Lingard panned out to be one of the better running backs in the MAC and may collect over 1,000 yards total (rushing and receiving) by end of season. Those numbers could have been much higher had Lingard received more touches earlier in the year. Terray Jones, Shammond Cooper, Lama Lavea, Ben Frank, Judson Tallandier, Tajh Bullock, Jacob Newell, Joey Hunter, and Josh Blanchard were all starters or started at times throughout the season. Drake Anderson was a key backup. Keon Kindred, Phaizon Wilson, and Terence Thomas all seem talented, but were not regular contributors. JUCO CJ Nunnally will surely be an all-conference selection. Punter Dante Jackson produced at a higher level than last year’s punter. LaJoshua Jackson and Antonio Smith flashed their pass rush ability and were solid backups. The other 4 JUCOs did not contribute much and will redshirt. All the freshmen will redshirt except Adrian Norton and Marcus Moore who became key rotational players this season. 2023: Transfers: RB Lorenzo Lingard - Started 11 games. 137 rushes for 612 yards and 4 touchdowns. 33 receptions for 313 yards and a touchdown. Highest graded player on offense in 2023. DT Terray Jones - Started 11 games in 2023. 40 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. LB Shammond Cooper - Started 7 games in 2023. 37 total tackles and 2 sacks. Highest graded player on defense. DT Lama Lavea - Started 10 games in 2023. 23 total tackles. OL Ben Frank - Started 9 games in 2023. CB Judson Tallandier - Started 11 games in 2023. 33 total tackles. QB Tajh Bullock - Started 2 games in 2023. 49.2% completion, 228 yards, 2 touchdowns vs 3 interceptions. 56 rushes for 134 yards and 3 touchdowns. TE Jacob Newell - Started 2 games in 2023. 13 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown. RB Drake Anderson - Played in 11 games. 38 rushes for 128 yards and a touchdown. 15 receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. CB Joey Hunter - Started 2 games in 2023. 8 total tackles. OL Joshua Blanchard - Started 4 games in 2023. Injured, but did come back for 15 snaps vs Miami. OL Keon Kindred - Played in 5 games. OL AJ George - DNP in 2023. WR Phaizon Wilson - Redshirt S Terence Thomas - Redshirt JUCO: DE Clarence “CJ” Nunnally - Started 11 games in 2023. 58 total tackles and 7 sacks. Highest graded defensive lineman. P Dante Jackson - Starting punter and was also 2 of 3 on FGs. DE LaJoshua Jackson - Started 2 games in 2023. 17 total tackles and 2 sacks. DE Antonio Smith - Played in 11 games. 3 total tackles and 2 sacks. DE Kabbash Richards - Redshirt DT Tyler Carter - Redshirt LB Gage Summers - Redshirt CB Silas Proby - Redshirt Freshmen: WR Adrian Norton - Played in 9 games. 9 receptions for 71 yards. DT Marcus Moore - Played in 6 games. 6 total tackles. QB Steele Wasel - Redshirt WR Paul Davis - Redshirt WR Jean Louis - Reshirt TE Conner Cravaack - Redshirt OL Jonas Mann - Redshirt OL Jayvin James - Redshirt OL Delvin Morris - Redshirt DE Kameron Cheatom - Redshirt DE Bruno Dall - Redshirt LB Melvin Spriggs - Redshirt CB Zayden Laing-Taylor - Redshirt CB Catrell White - Redshirt S Darius Owens - Redshirt S David Jester - Redshirt WHAT CAN BE GLEANED FROM THIS? There is no doubt the 2023 season was a disappointment. However, there is also no doubt the talent level has increased since Moorhead’s arrival. The team is much deeper. Unfortunately, this program is not currently deep enough at every position to overcome key losses (in-particular QB and OL). That must be addressed. The OL problem will likely take care of itself through development. QB may do the same, but a proven and steady hand must be added to the room. The staff has done an excellent job developing the freshmen and will need to continue to do so. Overall, portal and JUCO recruiting has been strong as well. We know the 2024 high school class is mostly wrapped up, so now we wait and see what the portal and JUCO ranks have in store. As already alluded to, QB is at the top of the list. Key graduation losses this year are: QB - Irons RB - Lingard WR - George TE - Banks OL - Frank DT - Jones CB - Tallandier S - Nate Thompson (?) I think KJ Martin has another year if he wants it. We will also surely lose a handful of players to the portal that will be a surprise.

That was the style of offense I wanted to see all season. Somewhat similar to what we did against Kent State. Heavy focus on the run and an emphasis on getting the ball in Lingard’s hands. Lingard rushed 26 times and also had 4 receptions. I thought he was close to breaking a few runs, but have to give credit to the excellent tackling by EMU’s LBs. Lingard played 70 snaps last night. Nice job utilizing Bullock as well. Newell needs to continue to see the field. He and Banks played the majority of snaps with all the 2 TE sets. I’m excited to see how he develops over the coming years. JU usually had time to throw the ball thanks to the high amount of max protects and chips. 19 of 26 for 223 yards and no turnovers. Give me that any day of the week. Shammond Cooper had his best game of the season. He’s become our best blitzer and has a knack for knowing where offensive players are going to attempt their next move. 9 total tackles, a sack, and 2 TFLs last night. On the flip side, Darrian Lewis probably had his worst game of the season. I was concerned our run defense would eventually take a hit when T.Jones went down and Fish was later ejected. For a while, the defense held up well, but the departures were noticeable in OT. Robinson saw his most action of the season, while McCoy, Cooper, and Griffin filled in for Fish. It’s unfortunate we didn’t execute when needed to win the game. The opportunities were certainly there. I’m also frustrated the fumble wasn’t reviewed when it seemed (from watching on tv) it was actually a fumble. We had timeouts to call to force a review, yet didn’t use them. That’s now 7 games decided by 7 points or less, including 3 OT losses. A season that could have gone a number of ways. Hopefully, the team lays it on the line next week and can end on a high note. QB - Undercuffler (Bullock) RB - Lingard (Anderson) WR - Gathings (Norton) WR - George (Anderson) (WR) - Walker (Golden) TE - Banks TE - Newell LT - Chambers LG - Frank C - T.Williams (Georges) RG - Lyons RT - N. Williams DE - Nunnally (A. Smith) DT - T. Jones (Robinson) DT - Lavea (Moore) (Murphy) DE - Adler (L. Jackson) LB - Fish (Griffin) LB - Cooper (McCoy) NB - C. Thomas (Lewis) CB - Durant (Golden-Nelson) CB - Tallandier (Golden-Nelson) S - Thompson (C. Thomas) S - Martin (C. Thomas)

Doubt he goes anywhere. Moorhead’s name will be linked to an OC job every year. If he desires to be a P5 HC again, winning at Akron would be his best shot. Even if he doesn’t turn it around here (which I believe he will) he’ll still be a coveted OC at a number of places.

Not much here that hasn’t already been discussed. However, JoeMo mentioned several times throughout the broadcast that Norton is the most talented wide receiver on the roster. Also mentioned a really good one coming in next year (Kyan Mason). HS recruiting is mostly done for this class, but expect to bring in 25-30 players total, meaning the rest will be JUCO and portal. Alex Adams is still hurt with a lingering lower body issue and not sure if he’ll be back this year. Will look to fix the issue over the offseason.

That would be huge!

Agree QB is the biggest offseason priority. I’ve stolen this analogy from another coach, but a great QB is like spaghetti sauce and covers up a lot of mistakes. At this point, I’m not even expecting a great QB, just a consistent one that rarely turns the ball over. That can fall into the “seasoned” category for #1 and preferably someone with significant experience at the P5 level. As far as the OL goes, we never even came close to replicating the production at right guard. Whigan’s graduation left a huge hole that we didn’t adequately fill. N. Williams hasn’t been as strong at right tackle this year either (I’m guessing nagging injuries). Center and left guard have been slightly better than last year. Left tackle has been a bit worse compared to Landers, but probably a step up compared to the other LTs from 2023. There’s a good amount of young talent in that room that will eventually make a huge difference. Unfortunately, none of them were ready this year outside of T.Williams and K. Davis and their play hasn’t been consistent. We’re probably done recruiting the OL for 2024 unless someone else transfers out. We have a transfer already on campus and the two committed HS prospects. I think the only OL we lose to graduation is Frank. 100% agree on #10. This was a wasted season and can’t happen again. With almost the whole defense returning, it’s fair to expect the defense will be strong again next year. The defense would have looked even better had there been any type of complimentary football. Get the offense right, settle on a kicker, and let’s see what happens.

Gone were the max protect and 2 TE sets we ran last week. Back to the regular 11 and 10 personnel. In turn, the run game was an afterthought and the QBs were often pressured. Miami was credited with 20 total pressures, including 6 sacks. Whale of a game by the defense. Over and over they were asked to stand tall with poor field position and answered the call. Amos is a tough RB to keep contained and the defense did a great job with the exception of a few plays. They were also able to consistently put pressure on Smith and limit him in both rushing and passing. Not a game I expected to win at this point in the season, but there were opportunities that we couldn’t capitalize on. The two overturned turnover calls also hurt. We’ve underutilized Lingard almost all season and now we await his status after leaving the game with an injury. Definitely saw some frustration boiling over with the offense last night. That was first time I’ve seen multiple players display it throughout the game. One positive is that a few players have a shot at making an All-MAC team by season’s end - Nunnally, T. Jones, McCoy, Fish, Lewis. Maybe Gathings can sneak in on the offensive side depending on his final performances. QB - Undercuffler (Bullock) RB - Lingard (Anderson) (Kellom) WR - Gathings (Anderson) WR - George (Norton) WR - Walker (Golden) TE - Banks (Newell) LT - Chambers (Blanchard) LG - Frank C - T. Williams (Georges) RG - Lyons RT - N. Williams (Kindred) DE - Nunnally (L. Jackson) DT - Lavea (Moore) DT - T. Jones (Robinson) DE - Adler (A. Smith) LB - Fish (Griffin) LB - Cooper (McCoy) NB - Lewis CB - Tallandier (Golden-Nelson) CB - Durant S - N. Thompson S - C. Thomas (D. Johnson)