RE: Based on USCe last year and Muschamp's resume

Posted on: September 1, 2016 at 15:41:30 CT

Here are a few things that could lead me to believe there is some hope for change –

Atmosphere – The last few years were more of a country club type environment. WM has said he will play the kids that work hard. Those on the field will give the effort of they won’t see the field. We didn’t always have that.

Conditioning – Has always been a fan complaint and coach feedback that the team was out of shape early. Our S&C coach came from Bama and has worked for one of the best, has brought along that same mentality. Again, getting away from the country club atmosphere.

Consistent System – One play caller and offensive system. We have been across the board, it works when you have the great players. Dual threat QBs playing in a mixed read option combined with zone blocking and drop back passing and routes that take time to develop. Roper brings a single play caller, with a system that has worked. Over time will have an identity instead of not knowing really what type of offense you are. Roper significantly increased the ppg in his one year at FL. Our offense was inconsistent last year, and struggled to score TD in the red zone. But we often times moved the ball effectively and couldn’t convert.

Defense/Coaching – If anything, we should be more disciplined on defense. We have coaches who have been part of very good teams and coached very good players. They have got back more to fundamentals. Spurrier did not like to fire his coaches, which is why you saw the drop-off on defense. If anything, you will at least see a team that plays to their assignments and their job on defense. It might take time, but it won’t be the scheme that loses us games this year (like playing DBs 10 yard of LOS and letting QBs make quick completions all day). There will be adjustments made. People look at AUB last year, if you watched games you saw they lost because AUB’s offense was awful and not what was expected from Gus, not the defense. The AUB defense improved as the year went on, just as this one will.

Close Games – Last year we were really out of 3 games – you, LSU, and UGA. All the close games went against us, lost 5 games by a TD or less. When we were going 11-2 we got all the breaks. If we can stay in games, you give yourself a chance to get the breaks.

For all the same reasons you guys like Odom, our fan base has been happy with WM. Had more camps this summer than probably the last 5 years combined, I saw they had over 3,000 kids on campus. Hard worker, knows this is his last chance and will give it his all. Players love him. What I like most is that he was the first offer for many of these kids, who later start getting offers from Bama, Ohio State, and others. And as they commit, they are keeping that in mind. He is working hard, and it is showing with the players he is recruiting and what he is bringing in. He is rebuilding the relationships in the state, and it is starting to show just in time when the talent jumps in a major way in-state for 2018.

It will take time, but there is talent there now that was not developed. How much time depends on how quickly they can work with what they got, but disciplined football can go a long way.

We'll know soon. Good luck to you guys, just excited that football is back.