zipsoutsider

Louisiana-Lafayette suspends 13 players following arrests

Gilbert is 100% legit, but you need another legit guy or it becomes too easy to focus on him. I think Hauser can be good enough to prevent Gilbert from being the sole focus, if he is healthy, but our DL is just weak and DE position is not really strong, either. I think Jest has the most potential at DL on the current roster to improve, but he is small. I am looking to the 2017 recruiting class to be where we build, and that puts the D out 2 years, at least before we really see a turn-around. Our secondary is strong, but I am not sure a strong secondary is enough to make up for the deficiencies at DL. The DL made it too easy for teams to pick up 5 yards a pop right up the gut last year. We really need a couple of good DL transfers, along with possibly a DE transfer to make up competitive on D. There just isn't enough for Chuck the Chest to work with, here, as things stand, today, and I don't think the true freshmen are strong enough to walk into starting roles. I see the film by Stewart, but the season takes its toll and I hope he is sturdy enough to take the punishment all season. The great occasional catches are made by them all. I will be more impressed when he catches nearly everything thrown to him in game situations. Believe me, I sincerely hope he lives up to the hype, but I haven't seen him yet, so he remains a "maybe" in my mind. With the little I have seen of Ball, I think we could find some really nice success at the run, as long as the passing game can be good enough to force D's to defend both.

I hope Jerome lands with a stable organization, who have the maturity and depth to help him develop into a solid NFL player. I am concerned that a struggling program will be too distracted to help develop. Honestly, Pittsburgh would be a great place for him to land. I can see Antonio Brown taking a real interest in helping another MAC player develop.

IMHO, the best case scenario for the Zips and Kato is for Tommy to experience an unbelievable recovery and be able to lead them all season long to give Kato one more season to learn the system and develop the mental awareness to play at this level. This is in no way a knock to Kato. I think we all remember the 2014 season, when Tommy struggled. When he played in 2015, it was a night and day difference in his decision making. The harder Kato works in the film room, the quicker he will be game ready. The fact that Stewart is injured now, and couldn't play in the spring game is enough reason not to get too excited about his potential. It's not a knock him - injuries happen, but it's a reminder that you can't have your eggs in one basket, especially in a position that receives punishing hits. I think the worst thing that could happen, would for us to revert to the level of play we saw from WR's in 2014. TBH, it was painful to watch them drop pass after pass. The receivers have 4 months to really step up their game. I have little expectation of the defense being little better than it was in 2016, which is depressing. We have some legitimate talent coming up on D, but they probably need another year to develop. It's not what people want to hear, I believe that is likely the true state of the D. However, I think there is a way for offense to be somewhere between where we were against Marshall and where we were against Buffalo. If the offense can achieve that, we can be at .500 play. If the offense can't play to that level, it's lights out on the season. Without landing some big time transfers, I have serious concerns for the 2016 and I am usually the eternal optimist.

I am hoping this is a breakout year for the OL. I actually think having a back who can be consistently successful and create a little of his own success could take pressure of tge OL and QB and give tgem a chance to develop. We have a lot if "if's", though. If Ball is healthy, if the OK continuea to progress, if Tommy is healthy and back to form, and if we have receivers who can step up. It was rare that Jerome and Jojo couldn't co.e up with a big play when we needed them to, we need a couple if guys who want the ball and catches as badly as Jojo did.

I couldn't make it, but the report I heard indicated the Kato was much more athletic and talented than Johns, but neither come close to Woody. The guy I talked to said it was back to Pre-Woody level of play. He also indicated there were lots of dropped passes and that overall, the whole event looked unimpressive. I always find the Spring Game tough to gauge and if a lot of key personnel were missing, it makes it even tougher. IIRC, Bowden mentioned, recently, he would like to pick up D-Line transfers. I think football without JoJo will feel slow and less exciting unless Warren Ball can turn up some big plays.

Thank you. This is the best info we have had in a very long time.

I think I saw Alvin Davis in on some action, too. I agree - I think our secondary will be strong.

Nice play by Chapman at the end and really nice to see Woodson engaged in the action.

Valid point. I spoke to someone from a mountain town in Colorado who said that their community realized that lack of high speed internet was costing them professionals who now work from home.

I will be interested to see how Google TV, which is coming out in a few months, and will be rolled out to select markets at first, changes the cable cutting and on-line viewing habbits. ESPN is in their line-up. One has to believe that Amazon and Xbox will be right behind them.

Odd for there to be photos and no article but nice to see the guys having a good time and it looks like the new guys are really meshing with the team. Maybe an article will follow.

In all of the articles about Ball, we still know very little about him - what was his journey to UA like? What was experience like as he joined the team as a transfer? What was it like sitting out last year and watching things fall apart? What role has his family played in helping him navigate 6 years of a collegiate career? We know he came via OSU, but there is just no depth to anything GT writes.

No, he's a junior.

Pre-Spring Top Ten Returning OLB in College Football for 2017 "The MAC’s leading tackler with 122, a he also tallied team-highs with 11.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks, eight hurries, and two forced fumbles. The senior out of Ocala, Florida isn’t huge at 6-1 225, but he’s quick in pursuit and hits like a ton of bricks. He’s a potential MAC Defensive Player of the Year, and star with All-American potential, just on a bad team."

Normally, I would say that a freshman QB is an automatic redshirt, but I would not be surprised if he gets a chance to compete.

I won't pretend to know anything about QB footwork, but that is a nice looking ball, he throws.

To me, one of the most exciting plays I have seen in the Bowden era, was the fake punt against Toledo in 2013. From what I understand that was designed to be a play called on the field when the players saw a certain set-up. They saw it, successfully executed it and went on to win the upset. The players involved in that play (can't recall) might also be worthy of at least an honorable mention.

I would put Justin March in place of Switzer. March was a force, regardless of the level of talent we up against.

Regardless, they all have an equal shot at winning. We will see how good Kato and Johns are.

Nick Johns starts through OOC and Tommy the rest of the season.

Agreed.

Yes.

A few years, ago, in PA AAAA football when the runner-up to the state, championship had zero seniors with D1 scholarships. One kid made a freshman 1-AA team and that was about it.