Mornin Mates...
Today's Topic = The Countdown Has Begun...
Football is just around the corner as the NFL Ravens start rookie camp today and the other NFL teams will open camp between now and July 24th, at the latest...
And, then our Sun Devils will begin fall preseason camp around July 31st, I think, that is less than three weeks away...
Added to all that, the Sun Devil website now has all of the summer arrivals listed and it doesn't look like we have had any defections from that group that is consistent with what Hod has said on this site...
I'm not sure when the site will update all of the players height and weights, since I'm sure players like RB Cam Skattebo is around 15-20 pounds lighter than he is listed on the site...
And, other players like OT candidate Josh Atkins is bigger than the current 6'4" 290 and probably closer to 300+ now...
Dilly has said that his players have gotten "bigger and stronger" along both lines and I'm looking forward to see where we are with our strength and conditioning efforts...
QB is still an issue mainly because presumed starter - Sam Leavitt - has very limited playing experience but the potential seems to be there if he can stay healthy...
Plus, we've added Jeff Sims at the position who has a lot of prior starting QB experience and is a big guy at 6'4" 220...
And, there is still future coach Trenton Bourguet around who can move the chains if called on to do so...
With all of the talent and depth on offense I don't see how we cannot score more than 18 points per game like we did last year in the PAC...
The only question is whether we add about 14 points to that scoring average since that's what it will take to win enough bowls to make it to a bowl game this season, in my estimation...
Defense should also be somewhat improved but it's unclear to me and others how much the D will be improved...
Can they knock off a TD from their points allowed last season that was just over 30 pts per game average..??
And, will special teams be lousy like they were too often last season..??
In summary, last season was a kind of "trail of tears" as we played at least four QBs last year (not counting a TE and RB who also played the position during games for various reasons) and didn't have enough players with which to practice at various positions over the course of the season, either...
Despite all that, we were in a position to win games against Cal, Colorado and Washington but couldn't get it done...
So, will Dilly and his staff get those sorts of games in the win column this season or will it be more of the would'a, could'a, should'a syndrome that leads to Sun Devil fan heartbreak again this season...
We don't have the same amount of talent on paper as teams like Utah, K-State, Okie St and AU, but, in my opinion, I think we have as much or more talent as the other teams picked in the bottom half of the Big-12...
That said, according to Phil Steele and others we have the most difficult schedule in the Big-12 this year...
There aren't any cream puffs anywhere to be found but we shouldn't be a designated cream puff in the conference, either, IMHO...
At least, I sure hope not...
Is it reasonable to assume that our offense can add an additional 10-14 points to our scoring average this next season..??
Is it also reasonable to assume that our defense can cut about 7-10 points a game per average this next season, as well..??
Is it also reasonable to assume that our special teams will average more than 10-20 more yards per punt, too..??
And, if we do something like that, is it reasonable to assume that we will probably win enough games, even given the difficult schedule, to go bowling this year..??
Let the countdown begin to another eventful Sun Devil football season: one this time around that isn't characterized by a "trail of tears" and dust storms that interrupt games...
I'm taking the OVER on our 4.5 wins that the odds-makers have established before the season begins...
I'll add some additional thoughts tomorrow but look forward to your feedback and insights about today's Walkabout in the meantime...
G'day Mates and Go Devils!!!
Today's Topic = The Countdown Has Begun...
Football is just around the corner as the NFL Ravens start rookie camp today and the other NFL teams will open camp between now and July 24th, at the latest...
And, then our Sun Devils will begin fall preseason camp around July 31st, I think, that is less than three weeks away...
Added to all that, the Sun Devil website now has all of the summer arrivals listed and it doesn't look like we have had any defections from that group that is consistent with what Hod has said on this site...
I'm not sure when the site will update all of the players height and weights, since I'm sure players like RB Cam Skattebo is around 15-20 pounds lighter than he is listed on the site...
And, other players like OT candidate Josh Atkins is bigger than the current 6'4" 290 and probably closer to 300+ now...
Dilly has said that his players have gotten "bigger and stronger" along both lines and I'm looking forward to see where we are with our strength and conditioning efforts...
QB is still an issue mainly because presumed starter - Sam Leavitt - has very limited playing experience but the potential seems to be there if he can stay healthy...
Plus, we've added Jeff Sims at the position who has a lot of prior starting QB experience and is a big guy at 6'4" 220...
And, there is still future coach Trenton Bourguet around who can move the chains if called on to do so...
With all of the talent and depth on offense I don't see how we cannot score more than 18 points per game like we did last year in the PAC...
The only question is whether we add about 14 points to that scoring average since that's what it will take to win enough bowls to make it to a bowl game this season, in my estimation...
Defense should also be somewhat improved but it's unclear to me and others how much the D will be improved...
Can they knock off a TD from their points allowed last season that was just over 30 pts per game average..??
And, will special teams be lousy like they were too often last season..??
In summary, last season was a kind of "trail of tears" as we played at least four QBs last year (not counting a TE and RB who also played the position during games for various reasons) and didn't have enough players with which to practice at various positions over the course of the season, either...
Despite all that, we were in a position to win games against Cal, Colorado and Washington but couldn't get it done...
So, will Dilly and his staff get those sorts of games in the win column this season or will it be more of the would'a, could'a, should'a syndrome that leads to Sun Devil fan heartbreak again this season...
We don't have the same amount of talent on paper as teams like Utah, K-State, Okie St and AU, but, in my opinion, I think we have as much or more talent as the other teams picked in the bottom half of the Big-12...
That said, according to Phil Steele and others we have the most difficult schedule in the Big-12 this year...
There aren't any cream puffs anywhere to be found but we shouldn't be a designated cream puff in the conference, either, IMHO...
At least, I sure hope not...
Is it reasonable to assume that our offense can add an additional 10-14 points to our scoring average this next season..??
Is it also reasonable to assume that our defense can cut about 7-10 points a game per average this next season, as well..??
Is it also reasonable to assume that our special teams will average more than 10-20 more yards per punt, too..??
And, if we do something like that, is it reasonable to assume that we will probably win enough games, even given the difficult schedule, to go bowling this year..??
Let the countdown begin to another eventful Sun Devil football season: one this time around that isn't characterized by a "trail of tears" and dust storms that interrupt games...
I'm taking the OVER on our 4.5 wins that the odds-makers have established before the season begins...
I'll add some additional thoughts tomorrow but look forward to your feedback and insights about today's Walkabout in the meantime...
G'day Mates and Go Devils!!!
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