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Message: [QUOTE="Crusty, post: 520963, member: 2265"] It is a very tough call. Last year was a tale of two seasons. For the first four games we were 1-3 (sorry to bring that up) and in the last 9 games we were 7-2. Interestingly, we scored an average of 32.2 ppg in the last 9 games versus versus 27 for those first four games. [LIST=1] [*]Clearly when the running game took off Ryan's stats went through the roof. So, point one is that it was not as much Ryan as it was the O Line. Please don't take this as a knock on Ryan but rather recognition of the all important contribution of the road graders. [*]We struggled all year in the red zone. We finished 7th (ahead of only Rutgirls) with a TD conversion rate of only 50% and a total conversion rate of 81.3%. Interestingly we had more zed zone attempts than anyone else in the BE. Perhaps, if we had been only a bit better we might have won the BE outright. So, point two is if we get better in the red zone we will score more points even if we don;t have as many opportunities. [*]The O Line might actually be better than it was last year. While we lost our best O lineman, we have much more depth of experienced players than we had at the beginning of last season. Shout out to Mackey who has to be one of the most improved player on the team. So, point three is we are deeper and more experienced on the O line. [*]Charlie has been running the O for three years and had the confidence of both Doug and Nate, which has to say something. Point four - Charlie will be good. [*]We have a good looking stable of receivers if all positions are considered. Funder, Parris, Sugar Bear, Cornelius and other newcomers look very promising. Taken as a whole, I don't think we will miss a beat. Point five - passing game wcould be the same or better. [/LIST] Strange thing happen in every game and luck has a part to play in every season. Pugh misses four games and then has the bad luck to slip on the Rutgers FG block that cost us the game. So, even one of our best player's bad luck possibly cost us the BE title. But I digress. The D improved even more than the O holding opponents to 7.7 ppg less during those last 9 games (29.5 vs 21.8). That would have tied us with Texas A&M for 26th in scoring defense had we averaged that all season. I think it is an overlooked fact that the defense actually improved more during our winning stretch than did the offense . If the defense plays like they did at the end of last season, we will win a lot of games. At that pace, we would have ranked 2nd in the ACC in scoring defense (notice how the only stat I use is scoring defense in deference to HCSS!) Special teams will not suck. They improved at the end of the season and I think it will get lots of attention this spring and fall practice. All in all, I think we will continue to move forward and will have a fun season in the ACC. Go Orange! [/QUOTE]

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