clarkwgriswold

We're just a little more than 2 weeks out to the opening of the season and I'm just so damn ready for hoops to start that I thought I'd get the ball rolling with the game 1 thread. The reigning Summit League regular season and tournament champion Jackrabbits of South Dakota State come to the JAR to open the season on November 7th. SDSU was picked to finish second in the Summit League preseason poll (behind Oral Roberts). Last year, the Jackrabbits had the first undefeated regular season in Summit League history. THe Jackrabbits fell to Providence 66-57 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Last year’s Summit League Sixth Man of the Year 6-8 Forward Luke Appel (11.1 ppg/4.2 rpg) is joined by 6-3 guard Zeke Mayo (10.6 ppg/2.7 rpg/2.1 apg) on the Summit League Preseason First Team.

I see that the KSU forum is referring to UA as Summit County Community College. I am personally offended having crafted "Portage County Community College" years ago. Low intellect copycats!

Not sure that's possible.

Right now, I'd be content with the level of play of an FCS power!

Yep, I think much of the frustration arises out of unrealistic expectations coming into the season. The Zips were one of the 5 worst teams in the FBS last season. Expectations of becoming bowl eligible or being near .500 were wildly unreasonable and put those with unreasonable expectations in the express line for disappointment.

Groundhog Day.

I think Price has show some promise, especially in the BG game. I think Wiley could be a decent 3rd down back Until the O-line gets established and makes some strides it will be tough to evaluate any of the running backs.

It's rare that a college program could win only a single game and actually be improved over the prior season.

The problem is that this stuff is becoming f'ing believable...due to its regularity.

With Dae Dae bobbleheads.

Well, they obviously don't know Dae Dae,

He also had an arguable defense and pled to a misdemeanor unlike Abreu who willingly accepted 5 pounds of weed then hid it in his oven and had to eat a third degree felony.

I'm trying to appeal to cheap middle aged men (like me!).

It's never a comfortable position when your coaching future may lie with Dae Dae Grant.

I saw something where the Dukes were predicted to finish 14th in the A10. Sounds like KD could be in for another long season.

Yep, there's going to be some pain. Please keep reminding me that it's about where they are in February and March.

CMU is better than their record indicates. UA is, unfortunately, just what their record indicates. Another long afternoon at Infocision. The Beacon has a big ad today from UA giving a free ticket to any area high schooler. They really need to go back to the $10 ticket they had for homecoming.

It can't get here fast enough!

I think Bubba's situation is a familiar one. He's a kid who they didn't recruit that appears undersized and not particularly fast. He doesn't have the measurables and that's where many coaches start when reviewing kids that aren't "their's." I see a player who is aggressive and never out of position that has stuck it out through now 3 coaching staffs and has the track record to be on the field. I've also seen nothing special in the players he's sharing time with. As such, I'd only have him off of the field for breathers.

Here's hoping they also look for some DBs.

...and like Zips football enthusiasm and confidence, it is at its fullest in the heat of August.

I'm afraid that given the results and the transfer portal culture, that the staff's biggest off-season challenge is going to be convincing the better talent like Irons to stick around.

The offense works. The Zips were one of the worst 5-10 teams in the FBS last year. Anyone expecting a quick turnaround was wearing their Zips glasses or was unaware that every team participates in the transfer portal. Yes, losing sucks. No one enjoys it. Improvement this year may be going from being the number 130 team in the country to the number 100 team in the country. Any improvement may not show in the win loss record. In any event, 37 days into Morehead's first season as Zips head coach is a wildly premature point to make an assessment. And no, I am not being an optimist or a pessimist. I am being a realist.

Sometimes I just can't help myself. Aaaah memories. That was an exciting 14 yards.