Monday, August 27, 2012

7-5

Yes I know it is not the popular pick.
Most you see this preseason has the Red Wolves around 10-2 and 9-3. I am not saying that is out of the question .... but I just don't see it. It seems like 7-5 in a lot more reasonable.
Even coach Gus Malzahn, in his comments in Little Rock last week, said the coming season was going to have some "growing pains."
I know there are reasons to be optimistic, but there are also many, many reasons to have concern.
I am old school enough to believe football is still won on the line of scrimmage. As in an offensive line that controls the other side and a defensive line that can do whatever it wants. We pretty much saw that last year with the ASU defensive line that came of age and also had a stud on one end named Brandon Joiner.
Brandon was the league's defensive player of the year and was someone the other team's offensive coordinators looked at and said let's try the other side.
I do believe the interior can be very strong and Amos Draper, if he comes to play every down, can be as good as there is in the Sun Belt.
It is on the end, where Tim Starson, is the only proven hand.
At a recent lunch get-together of guys who know and spend way too much time thinking about Red Wolves football my 7-5 pick was on the low end.
We had a 9-3 and two 8-4s.
I thought I had one of the 8-4s in my corner but he switched at the last moment.
The reason for the 7-5 is the schedule.
I look at it and believe the Red Wolves can run the table at home. That is a 6-0 mark right now
The road games look to be very tough. The two best scenarios would be Florida Atlantic and South Alabama on the road. We have USA at home and we don't get to play FAU.
Instead there are trips to UL-Lafayette, Florida International, Troy and North Texas.
I know Troy was down. But I also know they live in a talent rich area and I do not expect them to be down long although the emergence of South Bama will dilute the talent there some.
I am banking on winning one of the four conference road games.
At the end of the day, I think 7-5 if a good year. You go bowling again and you have back-to-back winning season. And since we've only had two winning regular season in I-A before last season that is pretty darn good.

1 comment:

  1. I am easily swayed. But the problem is I'm wishy washy - got swayed back again! I have for the first time posted my season prediction. Checkout RedWolfNation.blogspot.com to see why I could have picked 7-5 but instead went 8-4.

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