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Message: [QUOTE="SUFan44, post: 1271566, member: 39"] All this yapping about the former and current coaching staff is really overshadowing a very important 7 months for this football program. The team needs to get back to a bowl this year - at all costs. There is no reason it can't, IMO, even with another tough schedule on the horizon. Some question marks I am looking forward to seeing addressed over spring practice and fall training camp: 1) QB - Obviously this was a source of much drama this past year. People clamoring for Terrel Hunt's removal even before he got hurt. Despite playing in only five games last year, he still finished third on the team in rushing and led the team in passing yardage. Not sure if this says more about the backups or him, but I am hopeful he is healthy and can play his game rather than trying to play a game that does not suit his strengths. He's by far our best option at the position at this point - not saying it's a great one, but I don't think the others are ready. 2) OL - For all the talk about the QB position, our offensive line was below average last year despite having four returning starters. There were injuries, yes, but the performance of all our linemen was below that of the prior year - IMO, at least. There are some big holes to fill - namely LT, where Sean Hickey will be gone. I'm interested to see who the coaching staff has in mind to replace him. I am hopeful Denzel Ward has done what he has needed to do in the strength and conditioning program to step in and compete for a spot. He was one of our top recruits and it will help solidify the line for the next 3-4 years if he can step in and be an impact-type guy. Will also be interesting to see what happens at the center position. Can Emerich become a two-year guy at the position? Or will the coaching staff go in a different direction as they did last year? I think Foy, Robinson and Trudo is a good base to start but the two more important positions on a line are LT and C. Both will need to be replaced. 3) RB - Can one of the two rising juniors step up and become a go-to guy? I think McFarlane has a slight edge over Morris based on performance last year, but I thought Morris was the better of the two players as freshmen. Going to be a fun battle to follow. Will Strickland come in and be a game-breaking, take-it-to-the-house player? What are the two NY kids going to look like at the position? Will one of them switch positions? Will both redshirt? With Ervin Phillips moving to slot WR, there are only two scholarship RB's with any experience on the roster. Hopefully there are no injuries at this position and both the NY kids are able to come along at their own pace. 4) WR - There were a slew of injuries last year that limited the playmaking ability of the group. Broyld and Estime were our most proven options, and both missed the second half of the year. If both are back and ready to go, it can only help Steve Ishmael - who stepped up and was one of our go-to guys last year as a true freshman. Usually the biggest leap in a player happens between their freshman and sophomore seasons - the game slows down and they're able to use their athletic ability and not think as much. Ishmael could make a leap next year. Losing Jarrod West could sting a little, but the raw materials with this unit are there. A lot will also depend on the QB throwing them the ball, and the offense that is installed by Lester. Which brings me to the final part of this post. This coaching staff needs to figure out the offensive side of the ball - in a hurry. This goes without saying, but it has been a hindrance for the better part of a decade minus the 2012 season. And even that year, we had a 3-game stretch of 10, 14, 15 points scored with a 28-point outing against Stony Brook. Shafer is a quality human being and is a very good defensive coordinator, but his inability to create a consistent offense can and will lead to his demise if it is not remedied quickly. In all of the interviews he has given, Lester seems like a smart guy. The end of last year was a cluster from all perspectives, but with an off-season to work with and with a group who has heard his voice before, I am cautiously optimistic that the offense can and will improve. Will it be enough to win more games? I think we all hope it will be. [/QUOTE]

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