aPaladin Negative Nancy Thread for the 2025 Football Season

[FUTex]

Quick update for the 2025 football season:

There are no possums in Northern Ireland, at least around the Belfast metropolitan area, as far as I could tell. To add to the evidence, the Rector at St George's Church, The Reverand Stewart, did not mention possumry in his homily.

I was attacked by a leprechaun. Well, maybe attacked is too strong of a word for it. But I was severely menaced. It could have been a fairie instead of a leprechaun, for it was dark. There was a lot going on that evening.

Good news / Bad news to report - They built a huge ship in Belfast back in 1912, but it sank on its maiden voyage. Really a sad story, and you'd think they'd move past it, but they went a done built a huge museum about it. Just sad.

[FUBeAR]

Am it a really, really big ship?

[PaladinGooner]

We will finish 6-5 or 5-6 next year with many games coming down to the wire.

[FUATT]

12 games.

W&M is losing a lot and we get them at home. We beat PC and NCA&T. I like us at 3-1 in the OOC.

We will beat Citadel and VMI. That's 5 right there. That leaves Mercer, Chatt, ETSU, Wofford, Western and Samford.

We will win at least two of those for sure, likely Samford and Wofford. So I think 7-5 is the floor.

How we do v. Mercer, Western, Chatt, ETSU are the key. We went 1-3 this year. If we can split them next year, that's 8-4. That's progress, but not where we want to be.

[MidlandsPaladin]

We will win at least two of those for sure, likely Samford and Wofford. So I think 7-5 is the floor.

I can’t believe we are beating Wofford until we actually beat Wofford. Sad, but that is where we’re at.

[apaladin]

12 games.

W&M is losing a lot and we get them at home. We beat PC and NCA&T. I like us at 3-1 in the OOC.

We will beat Citadel and VMI. That's 5 right there. That leaves Mercer, Chatt, ETSU, Wofford, Western and Samford.

We will win at least two of those for sure, likely Samford and Wofford. So I think 7-5 is the floor.

How we do v. Mercer, Western, Chatt, ETSU are the key. We went 1-3 this year. If we can split them next year, that's 8-4. That's progress, but not where we want to be.

Very optimistic. Not sure we beat Citadel. Was very lucky to win this year and they played better down the stretch. Samford and WC? Both on the road, not likely. I think 6-6 would be more likely.

[FUATT]

It is optimistic and you both raise valid points.

I just feel like, and I may have done this in another thread:

1. We are going to be better at QB. With a year under his belt, Hedden will make far fewer WTH plays. Again, take away the fumbles at VMI and Chas So and we are 5-6 instead of 3-8. Joes is a great backup, and if Nehuel stays we have a good third option.

2. Assuming we stay "portal clean" there (I like this new term I just made up and I intend to use it more often), we will be as good or better at WR and TE. Entire two deep back with same QB.

3. We are going to be better at OL. Last year, we had 3 guys start at Ole Miss who had never started, and then Petit and Hundley who had a handful of starts. Same for the 2s. This year, we are looking for a RT in the portal and that is critical, would love to get the VMI guy. But the rest are back and they will be better.

4. RB - Immediately better with Jayquan back up and Hall with a year. Nettles adds a dimension. Grant, if he comes back, depth. Could get one in portal too.

5. K/P - Ian is back.

6. DL - We need to figure out the Ends, DE and BAN with Maier and Clark and JJ gone. Not sure if we are working portal. Schuck looked good in the late games but is young and needs some pounds on him to hold up in run game. Same for Chiedo. Harrison could slide over to DE and Stoneking could help there. Getting the Medical for X is a big deal inside, and Bussey looks like a starter with Dudek and Kaserud coming on. We have the bodies, but need to figure out who goes where and until that is clearer we some challenges here.

7. LB - No one can replace Dimaggio. Finding the best answer here is critical. Herbert and Earl pulled a lot of snaps at Will. Could maybe slide one of them to Mike and start the other at Will. Achina and Babin have played a lot at Spur and will will be strong there. We need depth Inside though. Similar deal, we have experienced bodies but need to put them in the right place.

8. CB - Moson, Dalton, Perkins, Coleman now have a year of sometimes hard lessons. We appear to be offering in portal. Will be better here. So much more experience.

9. S - McLeod, Williams and Burrell return, along with Lewis. and Gummer. McLeod was actually the 2nd leading tackler behind Dimaggio. So we have a whole two deep of solid experience here. Just have to get better.

10. KR, LS and Holder all return. Assume Smith can handle short snaps so fine.

In short, this team needs a starting RT, DE, Mike and Bandit. Those are the four spots to me that are the biggest question marks. If Earl (or Herbert) slides over and can handle Mike that answers one of them. I think RT is coming out of Portal. DE again may be a slide of a current player. Bandit... need Shuck or Short to step up or move someone or portal. Need Jayquan to be fully recovered and someone to emerge as RB1. Literally, everything else is back, with experienced depth, headed to the weight and film room with a year of experience and a year of snaps.

So that is the primary reason for my optimism. Now we need to get all our recruits, retain the staff, keep everyone else out of the portal and have an injury free Spring and Fall and we will be good to go.

[Davemeister]

Now we need to get all our recruits, retain the staff, keep everyone else out of the portal and have an injury free Spring and Fall and we will be good to go.

You don't ask for much, do ya?