Most Improved Position

[Paul C]

With lots of returning starters, a key question for this year is “what is the most improved position?”

[palafan]

69

[Fred Garvin]

Reverse Cowgirl

[Purpleglasses]

every season we get these responses!
but to the point PaulC...I will go with the Secondary.
I believe that was the weakest part of our Defense last yr because of all the youth.
After a year of understanding schemes, and getting some snaps under their belt, (along with a Transfer)
we should see a big improvement.

[FUBeAR]

Oh...I just re-looked and see that the point of this thread was to project which position WILL see the most improvement in 2018. Sorry. Below are my thoughts on that topic for what we SAW in 2017. Feel free to disregard...except the final paragraph. Please read that.

For 2018...I’ll go with the O-Line again, Bob.
——————————————————————————
Other than being distracted by 69 & Reverse Cowgirl, which have, I believe, pretty much stayed the same as they were in prior years...but I guess that could depend upon your own personal perspective...I thought y’all were watching the games...???.

Yes...great improvement in the Secondary & on Defense as a unit...and major improvement at RB...and TE (certainly in utilization)...and at QB...#7 was a different Player than he had been in years prior...but ALL of those improvements pale in comparison to the QUANTUM LEAP taken last year in the Play of the O-Line! Yes, they were young & moving around & learning on the fly (the best way to learn)...but does Furman make the Playoffs if they lose to Mercer? I don’t know, but I think it’s questionable. Does Furman beat Mercer if they aren’t successful on these 4 plays?

4th and 2 at MER 5
(9:28 - 2nd) Antonio Wilcox 6 Yd Run for a TD

4th and 1 at MER 43
(6:55 - 2nd) Kealand Dirks run for 4 yds to the Mercr 39 for a 1ST down

4th and 2 at MER 47
(7:15 - 3rd) P.J. Blazejowski run for 3 yds to the Mercr 44 for a 1ST down

4th and 1 at MER 5
(11:48 - 4th) Antonio Wilcox run for 1 yd to the Mercr 4 for a 1ST down

I can answer that one. NOPE! ABSOLUTELY NOT!! Might have even been shutout. And were they tricky plays? Nope. Just put the game, perhaps the season, on the backs of a bunch of young O-Linemen and trusted ‘em to get the job done against a very good run Defense. Would Furman have even dared to try this in the past? Highly doubtful. I wouldn’t have either with the OVERALL play we had previously seen from Paladin O-Lines for more years than I care to remember.

And, I know there is another thread about the O-Line, but their Play led the way in 2017 and, again, this was far & away, the most improved position for the ‘Dins, in my always humble and never O-Line-biased opinion!

Also - just want to point out that Coach Lusk is the FU O-Line Coach and I think we need to make sure to appropriately spread our accolades to include acknowledgment of his contribution to the change. Yep, Coach Hendrix raised him from a pup and is still mentoring him, but Coach Caldwell raised Coach Hendrix from a pup too and we know he ain’t ‘solely responsible’ for the OL improvement we have seen. So please remember to include Coach Lusk in your praise...and to tip your waiters, of course.

[The Jackal]

every season we get these responses!
but to the point PaulC...I will go with the Secondary.
I believe that was the weakest part of our Defense last yr because of all the youth.
After a year of understanding schemes, and getting some snaps under their belt, (along with a Transfer)
we should see a big improvement.

I'm with you. Last season Weems was about the only CB with any experience. Lemons was a converted WR and Kearse was a freshman.

All three of those guys return and then you add Amir Trapp to the mix. I have no idea how good Trapp is, but I presume that a guy off Clemson's defensive two deep is going to be able to play a little.

I had an old football coach that used to say he could win a lot of games with two good cornerbacks. Let those guys eliminate the passing game and throw everyone else at the backfield. Life gets tough on an offense when teams can commit 8 guys to stopping the run and pressuring the QB.

[sluggo]

Head coach

Dude was just getting warmed up last year.

[Paul C]

every season we get these responses!

I know! it's such a coincidence

[Flagman]

Only us old-timers understand the question.

[The Jackal]

Oh...I just re-looked and see that the point of this thread was to project which position WILL see the most improvement in 2018. Sorry. Below are my thoughts on that topic for what we SAW in 2017. Feel free to disregard...except the final paragraph. Please read that.

For 2018...I’ll go with the O-Line again, Bob.
——————————————————————————
Other than being distracted by 69 & Reverse Cowgirl, which have, I believe, pretty much stayed the same as they were in prior years...but I guess that could depend upon your own personal perspective...I thought y’all were watching the games...???.

Yes...great improvement in the Secondary & on Defense as a unit...and major improvement at RB...and TE (certainly in utilization)...and at QB...#7 was a different Player than he had been in years prior...but ALL of those improvements pale in comparison to the QUANTUM LEAP taken last year in the Play of the O-Line! Yes, they were young & moving around & learning on the fly (the best way to learn)...but does Furman make the Playoffs if they lose to Mercer? I don’t know, but I think it’s questionable. Does Furman beat Mercer if they aren’t successful on these 4 plays?

4th and 2 at MER 5
(9:28 - 2nd) Antonio Wilcox 6 Yd Run for a TD

4th and 1 at MER 43
(6:55 - 2nd) Kealand Dirks run for 4 yds to the Mercr 39 for a 1ST down

4th and 2 at MER 47
(7:15 - 3rd) P.J. Blazejowski run for 3 yds to the Mercr 44 for a 1ST down

4th and 1 at MER 5
(11:48 - 4th) Antonio Wilcox run for 1 yd to the Mercr 4 for a 1ST down

I can answer that one. NOPE! ABSOLUTELY NOT!! Might have even been shutout. And were they tricky plays? Nope. Just put the game, perhaps the season, on the backs of a bunch of young O-Linemen and trusted ‘em to get the job done against a very good run Defense. Would Furman have even dared to try this in the past? Highly doubtful. I wouldn’t have either with the OVERALL play we had previously seen from Paladin O-Lines for more years than I care to remember.

And, I know there is another thread about the O-Line, but their Play led the way in 2017 and, again, this was far & away, the most improved position for the ‘Dins, in my always humble and never O-Line-biased opinion!

Also - just want to point out that Coach Lusk is the FU O-Line Coach and I think we need to make sure to appropriately spread our accolades to include acknowledgment of his contribution to the change. Yep, Coach Hendrix raised him from a pup and is still mentoring him, but Coach Caldwell raised Coach Hendrix from a pup too and we know he ain’t ‘solely responsible’ for the OL improvement we have seen. So please remember to include Coach Lusk in your praise...and to tip your waiters, of course.

Going for it on fourth down four times, keeping the ball on the ground, and converting all of them says a lot about the confidence the coaching staff has in the offensive line.

Does not matter who the opponent is, the consistent ability to convert third and fourth downs is demoralizing to a defense. Nothing fancy about those plays - just "we don't think you can stop us."

[paladinfan12]

I hear the Eiffel Tower position... err I mean play should improve this year

[Flagman]

Does not matter who the opponent is, the consistent ability to convert third and fourth downs is demoralizing to a defense. Nothing fancy about those plays - just "we don't think you can stop us."

The definition of Furman football. Attitude!

[The Jackal]

Does not matter who the opponent is, the consistent ability to convert third and fourth downs is demoralizing to a defense. Nothing fancy about those plays - just "we don't think you can stop us."

The definition of Furman football. Attitude!

It beats a 4 yard curl on a 3rd and 7.

[Jasper]

When you think about that oft called play in previous years, what doesn't beat it? I wish you had not brought that subject up. It will ruin my midday nap with flashes of those infamous "calls".

[The Jackal]

When you think about that oft called play in previous years, what doesn't beat it? I wish you had not brought that subject up. It will ruin my midday nap with flashes of those infamous "calls".

Remember 2014?

I am always bullish on the Paladins, but looking back on those seasons, my goodness we were bad.