The "System"

[Timonen]

It's daunting thinking about next year and the folks on offense who won't be here...but I feel a whole lot better that the "system" created a lot of the O, not just the individual players. Obviously, I'm not taking anything away from Nassib, Lemon, Sales, but I suspect a lot of the parts are going to be interchangeable and others will look good. I think back to the Mizzou game winner. That was a system read and playcall, not McNabb to Spotwood "playmaker" winner against Pitt. Others will be able to execute and look good.

 

[dasher]

Funderburk, Thompson, that is a very good start. Both backs.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm going to call it now - Kobena will be the breakout star on offense next season.

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[OrangeDW]

I agree. Obviously, QB will be a huge challenge to replace Nassib and whoever wins the job will not be as good next year as Nassib has been this year.

But I'm not worried about the other skill positions. West has been overshadowed by Lemon and Sales, but he's been more productive than most of our starting WR's in previous years...and he's done that as our 3rd WR. He'll step up. Funderburk obviously has the size and the recruiting hype. So does Thompson at TE. I think we'll be fine at WR, RB, and TE. OL and QB will be the keys next year.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

QB's job will be a lot easier if line can perform like this years group. To me it's all about the oline. There will be thousands of post about who will replace Nassib, I am just as concerned about replacing Pugh. Offense really took off when Pugh came back.

 

[Crusty]

I'm going to call it now - Kobena will be the breakout star on offense next season.

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Have no opinion about this but am curious what you see to make that prediction. He has looked pretty... shall we say tentative at times. Other than speed not sure of his other attributes.

 

[SU8888]

Pugh will be the toughest to replace... I know we lose sales and lemon at wide receiver but we do have alot of talent coming back and good recruits coming in. I hope broyld, paris, thompson, morris, and mcfarlene can really contribute next season. I would love to see broyld and morris become big play backs and have some long touchdown runs. It would make the transition at quarterback alot easier.

 

[IHeartSUFball]

lemon, nassib, pugh...be tough... BUT we have the most depth and talent we've ever had... I'll take the dynamic but unproven...funderburke, thompson... the steady and ready to breakout west and kobena... throw in beckett wales... and our good solid of RBs... and I like our chances. Obviously a lot hinges on QB play, but with a steady core of backs to take pressure off I think we will be okay. Very early like 8 wins next year...

 

[TheSpaz]

RB will be stacked. Like the WR group although obviously unproven. DL especially DT will be very tough as well.

 

[OrangeBlood]

Completely agree on the system statement. The system makes players better than they are sometimes. However, QB is the most important position in sports and losing a 5th year senior is HUGE.

Pugh is a massive lose because it forces Hickey to the left and ??? to right. The battle I imagine is between very inexperienced Robinson and Knapp.

Sorry guys, but Morris and McFarlene aren't going to see the field much. We have the "three headed monster" coming back. It is time for Broyld to play else where.

Sugar Bear will be a star. Him and Wales will be dynamite at TE.

WR, Funderbunk is the best athlete we've seen since Mike Williams. West goes into the slot and Foster/Flemming battle it out for 3rd WR. Kobena is also used. Those five are more athletic than current group. A LOT of upside.

Ultimately it comes down to who replaces Nassib. I still think Loeb will be the starter vs. Penn State but don't be surprised to see Allen play. He will be a star. Either way it is a drop off IMO from Nassib.

Next the Offense will have a whole year to better craft their skills in the system. Also, they will be much much more athletic on the outside. However, they will be worse at QB and OL. So I think they are about the same on offense in 2013. Great at times, make you shake your head at times.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Have no opinion about this but am curious what you see to make that prediction. He has looked pretty... shall we say tentative at times. Other than speed not sure of his other attributes.

Early in the season before Lemon was going full steam he looked really good. I think coaches held him out a lot after his injury, especially since Lemon was playing so well. I think he'll take over Lemon's spot (not production) full time.

I think he's our fastest guy, and even though West played a lot more and caught more passes he also dropped way more too. I get the excitement over Funderburke, but we know nothing about what he can produce. Flemming and Foster are the same. I like Clark but think he'll fill a similar role to the one he had this season. Guys like Hale, Cornelius and Lewis might be really good but they'd need to jump a lot of guys on the depth chart to be featured. I guess Broyld is a wild card.

Add it all up though and I like Kobena.

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[Crusty]

I think he's our fastest guy, and even though West played a lot more and caught more passes he also dropped way more too. I get the excitement over Funderburke, but we know nothing about what he can produce. Flemming and Foster are the same. I like Clark but think he'll fill a similar role to the one he had this season. Guys like Hale, Cornelius and Lewis might be really good but they'd need to jump a lot of guys on the depth chart to be featured. I guess Broyld is a wild card.

Add it all up though and I like Kobena.

Reasonable guess. Would be nice to have a speedster (with Clark as well) stretching the field with a QB that can throw the long ball. Would truly be a new dimension and with our running game could be awesome.

But what do we do with Broyld? If he does not win the QB job and is not needed at RB where does he play? He does not appear to be a natural WR and we used him only a few times in the slot early in the season. Really curious to see what we do with him.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

But what do we do with Broyld? If he does not win the QB job and is not needed at RB where does he play? He does not appear to be a natural WR and we used him only a few times in the slot early in the season. Really curious to see what we do with him.

I have no idea.

Just for fun, I looked up West's numbers - 42 for 571. Those were the third best receiving numbers on the team.

To put it in perspective how much playing faster can mean for the numbers, West's reception total would have lead the team in 2010, been 2nd in 2009, led the team by a country mile in 2008, been third in 2007, 1st in 2006, and 1st in 2005 by another country mile.

West is in good position to have a place in the record books, too.

 

[rrlbees]

Every team has a system. You still need talent to run the system. A system can get more plays off, or pass the ball more to or run it more. But the system didn't give Lemon his hands or run better routes. It didn't make Sales a better WR or Nassib smarter or gave a better arm.



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[Crusty]

Every team has a system. You still need talent to run the system. A system can get more plays off, or pass the ball more to or run it more. But the system didn't give Lemon his hands or run better routes. It didn't make Sales a better WR or Nassib smarter or gave a better arm.



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True enough but it has to be a good system that fits the talent. I think we now have both.

 

[rrlbees]

True enough but it has to be a good system that fits the talent. I think we now have both.

Completely agree with that.

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[RMH44]

I'm going to call it now - Kobena will be the breakout star on offense next season.

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Now...that is going out on a limb. Really like the kid but he has to prove he can catch the ball consistently. He's a great blocker and tough as nails.

 

[RMH44]

QB's job will be a lot easier if line can perform like this years group. To me it's all about the oline. There will be thousands of post about who will replace Nassib, I am just as concerned about replacing Pugh. Offense really took off when Pugh came back.

We might need to replace the entire left side of the OL if Pugh leaves early.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Now...that is going out on a limb. Really like the kid but he has to prove he can catch the ball consistently. He's a great blocker and tough as nails.

Is catching the ball consistently an issue for him? Pretty limited sample size this season, but I don't remember any drops.

 

[RMH44]

Is catching the ball consistently an issue for him? Pretty limited sample size this season, but I don't remember any drops.

I've read it on here numerous times that his hands are questionable. He doesn't always catch KO's clean...has dropped a couple.

I hope you're right and he has a breakout season...we could really use his speed on the outside.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I've read it on here numerous times that his hands are questionable. He doesn't always catch KO's clean...has dropped a couple.

I hope you're right and he has a breakout season...we could really use his speed on the outside.

Another thought - I suspect that we'll have a more balanced distribution of receptions among the wideout corps next season. We were top heavy this season.

Kobena being a breakout star might only require that he does something like 35 balls for 5 TDs.

 

[OttoMets]

Is catching the ball consistently an issue for him? Pretty limited sample size this season, but I don't remember any drops.

Big drop in the first half of the USC game, I think.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Big drop in the first half of the USC game, I think.

Vague memory of that. I think you're right.

This is unfair to him, but when I think of a guy that has had bad drops I think of West.

 

[OttoMets]

Vague memory of that. I think you're right.

This is unfair to him, but when I think of a guy that has had bad drops I think of West.

All of them have had more drops than I remember, say, Spotwood or Johnson having. West had a stretch of at least one per game, and Sales seemed to have a lot, too. As a whole, the group had a very good season. Hopefully they take it to the next level and get a little more reliable with the hands.