I will preface this post with the obvious, coming off a kick ass win like yesterday it will obviously be more on the positive side. But I saw lot of positives yesterday so here we go.
We need to continue to be aggressive on defense. I can live with the mistakes or getting beat if we are aggressive. I think pretty much everyone else can agree with that.
Rod Smith is great. His run spread is just an awesome fit in the Big Ten. Sometimes I forget we are still only in year one with him, I think we will continue to see this offense evolve and improve. I think we need to give kudos to Luke Butkus too. He has been much maligned here, but the OL has been a pleasant surprise and is really playing well as a unit. Ligs has done a great job overall with the special teams, besides that long kick off return vs Maryland they have played pretty good.
Looking ahead to the offense next year:
* QB is the big question mark obviously. Bush will graduate. We bring back currently Rivers, Robinson, and Taylor. All 3 will have a year under their belts, and Rivers and Robinson have been able to get some valuable playing time experience. With another full year in the system, you have to think at least one of them takes a step forward. Juice Williams the second is the wild card... you have to get his play making ability on the field. Is that at QB full time, is that in the slot, is that as a jack of all trades guy you move around? Depends how quickly he picks up the offense and how the other QBs progress.
* RB is going to be a big time strength of this team. Corbin will be a potential all Big Ten player at RB. Hopefully we can get Epstein back fully healthy as a nice change of pace for a good 1-2 punch again. Brown is finally healthy and showed a burst, we also have Bonner as at least solid depth. Will be interesting if Sims progresses at all, looks like he has redshirted this year. Couple wildcards for next year are Cumby and Norwood, interested in how we can incorporate that speed into special packages next year. Maybe those are guys we can incorporate into the screen game, jet sweeps etc.
* TE needs some play makers, but I think overall has been pretty solid. Barker has flashed some potential, big body kid with some nice hands and agility. Roberts graduates, but he is a blocker only. Walker has played a decent amount, need him to continue to step up as a blocker. We need some more bodies here, but this position does not seem to be really emphasized in Rod Smith's offense, but not sure maybe that is due to lack of depth/talent here.
* WR is another position we can really use some more guys to step up. Mays graduates, and guessing Dudek retires or if not you can't count on him at this point. I have been really impressed with the WR ability to block this year. Smalling can be dynamic, but he needs to cut down on the drops but only a JR next year. I have liked with we have seen from Stampley, and we need Green to continue to progress as a deep threat. Edwin Carter flashed, but that was a bad injury so not sure there. A lot of what to expect from the WR group depends on what we do at QB in my opinion... do we see Williams and Beason here in special packages too?
* OL is a position group that has really exceeded expectations, and is really young overall. Allegretti graduates and will be a big hole to fill. He is a leader and damn good player. But our young OL and the progress they have made have me really excited. We will be running out basically all SO/JR next year in Lowe (JR), Green (SO), Kramer (JR), Boyd? (SO), Palcho (JR). Big question mark, can we continue to develop decent depth here.... we need at least 7-8 capable guys for the rotation. Can Myers, Slaughter, Cerny be serviceable? Big question mark there after the starters, but it really seems these guys are buying into Butkus and his coaching. Could be a real strength of the team.
* Kicker is going to be a question mark next year with Chase graduating, who steps up to fill that position for us?
Looking ahead to the defense next year:
* DL currently has zero seniors... but we need to see more from this group next year to make that jump as a team in my opinion. Roundtree has been solid all year, and will be a junior next year. Stay in the weight room and continue to develop. We have a solid DT rotation (barring injuries) with Milan (SR), Oliver (SR), Jackson (SR), Avery (SO). Love that we finally have a rotation of seniors there, Avery is the wildcard for me. Can he continue to reshape his body, lose that baby fat and make a big jump? The potential is there, and if he steps up and is a disruptive force it is absolutely huge. We need another DE to step up badly, not sure if it is Gay or Carney or someone else. That is the difference for this group. A lot of question marks with health and suspensions etc.
* LB is the biggest concern to me on the defense next year, but it can look a hell of a lot better if the DL makes a jump and keeps guys off them. We need to see Hansen improve, he has had flashes but is often a liability in the passing game. Harding needs to step up as a senior. We really, really need Milo Eifler to be good out the shoot and provide some much needed athleticism to this group. After them... not so sure. Losing Phillips is going to really hurt. We need to develop some depth here quickly, but at least we are in the nickel a majority of the time. But we really need 3 solid LBs for when teams are just running down our throats. Do we move Stanley Green to LB full time next year?
* DB group has me really excited for next year. I love what Adams has shown after moving to FS, and really impressed with what we have seen from true freshmen Martin, Ware, and Brown. We need another 2-3 guys to step up and provide solid depth. Really excited to be able to get Beason back there as a true freshman as well as he is a plus athlete and has good ball skills.
* Punter Blake Hayes is one of the best in the Big Ten, only a JR next year, feel really good with him out there.
Again, I know a lot of this post is a lot different after a big win, but am I crazy to be pretty positive? Who are your breakthrough players next year? Who needs to play good to make that next step?
We need to continue to be aggressive on defense. I can live with the mistakes or getting beat if we are aggressive. I think pretty much everyone else can agree with that.
Rod Smith is great. His run spread is just an awesome fit in the Big Ten. Sometimes I forget we are still only in year one with him, I think we will continue to see this offense evolve and improve. I think we need to give kudos to Luke Butkus too. He has been much maligned here, but the OL has been a pleasant surprise and is really playing well as a unit. Ligs has done a great job overall with the special teams, besides that long kick off return vs Maryland they have played pretty good.
Looking ahead to the offense next year:
* QB is the big question mark obviously. Bush will graduate. We bring back currently Rivers, Robinson, and Taylor. All 3 will have a year under their belts, and Rivers and Robinson have been able to get some valuable playing time experience. With another full year in the system, you have to think at least one of them takes a step forward. Juice Williams the second is the wild card... you have to get his play making ability on the field. Is that at QB full time, is that in the slot, is that as a jack of all trades guy you move around? Depends how quickly he picks up the offense and how the other QBs progress.
* RB is going to be a big time strength of this team. Corbin will be a potential all Big Ten player at RB. Hopefully we can get Epstein back fully healthy as a nice change of pace for a good 1-2 punch again. Brown is finally healthy and showed a burst, we also have Bonner as at least solid depth. Will be interesting if Sims progresses at all, looks like he has redshirted this year. Couple wildcards for next year are Cumby and Norwood, interested in how we can incorporate that speed into special packages next year. Maybe those are guys we can incorporate into the screen game, jet sweeps etc.
* TE needs some play makers, but I think overall has been pretty solid. Barker has flashed some potential, big body kid with some nice hands and agility. Roberts graduates, but he is a blocker only. Walker has played a decent amount, need him to continue to step up as a blocker. We need some more bodies here, but this position does not seem to be really emphasized in Rod Smith's offense, but not sure maybe that is due to lack of depth/talent here.
* WR is another position we can really use some more guys to step up. Mays graduates, and guessing Dudek retires or if not you can't count on him at this point. I have been really impressed with the WR ability to block this year. Smalling can be dynamic, but he needs to cut down on the drops but only a JR next year. I have liked with we have seen from Stampley, and we need Green to continue to progress as a deep threat. Edwin Carter flashed, but that was a bad injury so not sure there. A lot of what to expect from the WR group depends on what we do at QB in my opinion... do we see Williams and Beason here in special packages too?
* OL is a position group that has really exceeded expectations, and is really young overall. Allegretti graduates and will be a big hole to fill. He is a leader and damn good player. But our young OL and the progress they have made have me really excited. We will be running out basically all SO/JR next year in Lowe (JR), Green (SO), Kramer (JR), Boyd? (SO), Palcho (JR). Big question mark, can we continue to develop decent depth here.... we need at least 7-8 capable guys for the rotation. Can Myers, Slaughter, Cerny be serviceable? Big question mark there after the starters, but it really seems these guys are buying into Butkus and his coaching. Could be a real strength of the team.
* Kicker is going to be a question mark next year with Chase graduating, who steps up to fill that position for us?
Looking ahead to the defense next year:
* DL currently has zero seniors... but we need to see more from this group next year to make that jump as a team in my opinion. Roundtree has been solid all year, and will be a junior next year. Stay in the weight room and continue to develop. We have a solid DT rotation (barring injuries) with Milan (SR), Oliver (SR), Jackson (SR), Avery (SO). Love that we finally have a rotation of seniors there, Avery is the wildcard for me. Can he continue to reshape his body, lose that baby fat and make a big jump? The potential is there, and if he steps up and is a disruptive force it is absolutely huge. We need another DE to step up badly, not sure if it is Gay or Carney or someone else. That is the difference for this group. A lot of question marks with health and suspensions etc.
* LB is the biggest concern to me on the defense next year, but it can look a hell of a lot better if the DL makes a jump and keeps guys off them. We need to see Hansen improve, he has had flashes but is often a liability in the passing game. Harding needs to step up as a senior. We really, really need Milo Eifler to be good out the shoot and provide some much needed athleticism to this group. After them... not so sure. Losing Phillips is going to really hurt. We need to develop some depth here quickly, but at least we are in the nickel a majority of the time. But we really need 3 solid LBs for when teams are just running down our throats. Do we move Stanley Green to LB full time next year?
* DB group has me really excited for next year. I love what Adams has shown after moving to FS, and really impressed with what we have seen from true freshmen Martin, Ware, and Brown. We need another 2-3 guys to step up and provide solid depth. Really excited to be able to get Beason back there as a true freshman as well as he is a plus athlete and has good ball skills.
* Punter Blake Hayes is one of the best in the Big Ten, only a JR next year, feel really good with him out there.
Again, I know a lot of this post is a lot different after a big win, but am I crazy to be pretty positive? Who are your breakthrough players next year? Who needs to play good to make that next step?
