given the inexperience of our Oline and our excellent receiving corps, I think we may see more passes than runs early next season. Quick passes could help us move the ball. We have the arms and the hands to make it happen.
The questions at O-line are DEFINITELY the ones that most need answering--hopefully by opening game day. I believe only ONE of last year's starters (on a line that JUST that year had finally found some consistent stability) is back now.
No real way to finding answers to THOSE Qs in a Spring game--and no surprise, aside from the "get the ball to your playmakers, in space, to let them MAKE PLAYS", quickly and creatively moving that "point-of-attack" around WAS the one thing we could expect from Coach and Co.--and DID see--yesterday...
I'm watching the game replay now, and though I doubt I'll watch ALL of this one a 2nd time (prob just into the 2nd qrtr or so), I AM seeing the various pluses, expected and otherwise, that were my general impressions drawn from all this first time through. I AM struck once more at the definite upbeat vibe overall and AROUND the team, program and med-sized, VERY enthusiastic crowd out for it: I can only imagine how excited and happy a thrill this kind of ALL-AROUND SHOW would be, so clearly AIMED at young fans--maybe out here with a particular family-member, boys and girls like we were as adolescents, proudly wearing our "new" game-jerseys (purchased with the latest--or next-- sudden growth-spurt in mind, or handed down from an older-sibling, and so on)...
There's that Toney tough run-after-catch that likewise impressed me so much yesterday--the dazzling "Y.A.K." turning routine mid-range pass into bigtime play for a few more inspiring yards.
This much was DEFINITELY demo'd yesterday: We've now got some young guys JUST coming into their own, a SLEW of 'em capable of inspiring those around them, taking them on their backs for a play or series at some crucial point in a big game--in so doing perhaps galvinizing the squad around them to reach for higher heights. As we saw mid/late season LAST year, EVERYTHING can turn on that kind of performance and resulting CHANGE in team-attitude--all he product of one player's rededication and "climb on my back, I GOT this!"-stepping up and OUT.
Y'all recall: Things started looking BLEAK late in the 4th in Jacksonville's Gator Bowl against UGA... We were still within a touchdown, EVERYTHING was still possible, in our own hands--and then it was gone: We stumbled, bumbled, FUMBLED it away! And it didn't stop there--we proceeded into an extended and unnecessary, do-it-yourself-destructive slide culminating with our embarrassing, unforced-error-filled loss AT HOME against Missouri... We were poised right at the brink of losing-OUT, snatching mediocrity from what HAD seemed a "first-step/season of eventual destiny"...But then a few guys shone thru, those around them seemed to recognize, catch the fire--and we pulled OUT of it instead! After that Missouri loss, the very next week against S Carolina, we came back TWICE from 17 points down: Did it in the 4th Quarter. Then won OUT from there. Four in a row, including a dominant Peach Bowl win against Michigan, who'd been our "Big Ten Nemesis" over the previous several seasons.
By the few "signs" we are able to discern in a "Show" like this "game"/scrimmage is mostly designed to be, our team, offense AND defense, continues its proud rise to eventual dominance.