(P.S. That Thibideau kid, the "#1 recruiting prospect" chose Oregon today...we were "in the running" along with Alabama, FSU and Oregon, and as a DEfensive guy the "smart money" had him likeliest going to the Tide, so main thing from MY P.O.V. was "at least Saban and Co. didn't get him!"--in fact, in going to the Pac 12 (already his "neck of the woods", after all) he has more or less "eliminated himself from a good deal of the hype picture" until late at night and (even more so) the end of the YEAR at BEST, lets face it. May sound cold and cynical, but that's how it is. Even if I'm wrong and he attains all he might have otherwise out there, I'll still be "RIGHT", insofar as it not having ANY impact on US or "the MAIN FOOTBALL ACTION" until (as I say) the late highlights on Saturdays and/or late-in-the-year as far as the rankings and Bowls. But I guess that is "played down" out there...)
P.S. As for our running game next season, as a result, well, IF both Starters go it WILL look different, to say the least--may even take a few games to truly get on track, but a number of things are worth noting here:
We already HAVE a couple of very fast, very elusive (if somewhat inexperienced and to some extent untested at this level) young guys on the depth chart right behind them, have a couple of high-upside commits, AND of course with BOTH "CO-starters" declaring for the draft can probably grab at least one MORE that might otherwise have been unlikely; Moreover, between growing experience--not to mention size and BULK--among those we have and those already a part of the likely incoming class we will have a notably stronger, deeper O-line, one that will only become a closer-knit, tighter unit as the season goes on...Finally, one might give some thought and consideration to how all this might affect the eventual decision at QB, too: There WILL BE a "competition" there come spring regardless, and though there has been talk with Franks' seeming sudden "sharpening/tightening-UP" last coupla games this season, even with more-of-the-same demo'd in the Peach against Michigan, what may have seemed a safer, perhaps even "almost inevitable" RE-emergence of "Frank the Starter" come spring with the return of our two strong, experienced, "BIGGER AND BETTER" RBs, if they both forego their Senior years with us, it seems more likely that a wide open audition-at-every-position on and fundamental STYLE OF offense will be about to play out in Gainesville... Where Mullen MAY still have the luxury of a "SLOW evolution" of his nicely-developing/developed one/two punch running game should they both stay for their Senior years, if they both leave he may also now more sooner HAVE to go with an ongoing, accelerated installation of the kind of wide open attack he is more noted for--one that may well REQUIRE the multiple skills-on-the-fly of an Emory Jones rather than the deliberate, good at what he CAN do "game management" of Filipe Franks. I may be selling Franks a little short here: He HAS shown signs of more "room at the top of his upside" of late, and Jones has yet had a chance to show more than signs of what he maybe can or can't do with the game, the team, the SEASON in his hands...
So this "off season"/post-Bowl interlude of final recruiting and on into the spring will be HUGE--interesting, even exciting-in-its-repercussions and eventual effect on us and our likely future.)
