I've been looking at the roster, and thinking about what the character of the 2017 team will be. The 2016 team was characterized by a wickedly good front 7, one that stuffed the run, and one that got a lot of sacks. It was also characterized by a suspect secondary, so it gave up all too many passes and as a result, some points. The offense was also suspect. The offensive line was never dominant, the QB play was erractic, and while the receivers and RB were good, the offense overall was so-so. The 26.3 points/game that they averaged was slightly below the 26.8 point average for the offense in the pistol-set era (the average was 24.0 in the I-formation era).
What changes will we see in 2017? Let's start with special teams, as they are easy. They were great last year, and everyone returns. They should be great again.
Next let's look at the defense. The defensive line loses an entire string, Basham, Sayles, Strobel, and Laseak. Still, there was excellent depth, and plenty of people behind those that played, so I think the line will be fine - not as good as last year, but better than the average line. Guys like Porter, Aloese, Robbins, and Smart have all shown they can play, and I'm looking forward to seeing the likes of Mustin-Sherman, Arp, McKnight, Chuckwu, Miller, Kuhar, Payne, Evans, Key, and Cree. Germano did a good job with the defensive line here, and at Fresno State. I have no worries here.
Linebackers lose Brown, but return everyone else, and should be solid, too. Thus, the front 7 won't be quite as good as last year, but still should be better than average. Brown was great, but we'll see Croutch, Brunson, Popp, Dorsa, Connor, and Quallen, and maybe even true Freshman TJ Robinson. Collins has done a fantastic job with the linebackers, so I have no worries about LB
How about the secondary? CB wasn't great last year, and this year they won't get as much help in the form of fast pressure from the d-line, so it needs to improve a lot. They started last year with no returning talent, and things got worse from there, as injuries took a toll. For 2017 a big addition will be Jeff Christian, who was a high school teammate of Mayne Williams, and was considered the better of the two, but who for some reason had to spend a year at Ohio Dominican, then had to sit out last year. I would guess that the starters will be Williams and Christian, and behind them you have Miller, Fox, and Ellis, plus the Motley brothers, Morgan, and two incoming Freshmen, Brooks and Drake. That's a lot more names and talent than a year ago. If the new CB coach can get it done, this group should be ok.
And Safety? Ohio loses Davis and Hardy, but returns Hagan, Tupa and Nelson (who I'm guessing will return to S now that there are enough players at CB). All three of these can play, and they will add two very talented Freshman, Mitchell and Floyd.
The net result is that I think this defense will be as good or better than 2016. In 2016 the front 7 was great, but the defense also had a hole, the secondary. In 2017 I expect the defense to be more balanced, with good talent all the way around, and no gaping holes. Furthermore there is pretty good depth all across the board, so I don't think injuries will cause much problem, either.
Now for the offense. This is a bigger mystery, because it could be great, or it could be awful. Let's start with the easy positions, RB and TE. Both are loaded with returning players, and we know what to expect. OUellette, Brown, and Irons at RB, and Mangen, Morgan, and Brown at TE will be solid. I have no concerns about either position.
Next let's look at WR. With Dixon, I have no fears. He has consistently identified and recruited talented players, and the pipeline appears full. Yes, Reid and Sebastian Smith are gone, but I have no doubts that some players will step up. Cope, Meyer, and Ball return, and some players like Keevon Harris, Odom, and Matt Seymour may emerge, and we may see one of the true Freshmen, Brevin Harris, Minter, Cherry, or Cox.
Now the positions of concern. First the offensive line. Last year it was disappointing. To me this is the make or break year on Johnson. He's been here long enough that he's had a chance to recruit players, and to train them up. This is his line, not Lightner's players. He's got a lot of players, including a fair number of 3-star players. For next year's team to win the East, and to have a shot at the MACC, the line needs to gel into an effective group, one that can make holes for the running backs, and protect the QB. Will that happen? We'll have to see.
Finally there is QB. I'm discounting rumors of transfers, and looking at Rourke, Keszei and Maxwell. Under Isphording, every QB has shown significant improvement from their first to second year. I expect Maxwell to improve a lot. The game needs to slow down for him, and he needs to get more accurate, but I think he can be a decent QB. I think Keszei and Rourke are going to give him a lot of pressure, and he'll have a battle to win the starting job. If he does win it, it will mean he's improved a lot. My gut tells me, though, that of the three Rourke is going to end up on top, and that he's a competitor, and a winner. Either of the other two could prove me wrong, though.
So, the offense could be great, if...the offensive line gels into a solid unit, and if one or more of the QBs turns out to be really good. The offense could be awful, if...the offensive line does not gel, and the QB play remains mediocre.
As I look forward to 2017, I'm finding myself very optimistic. This is going to be a very good team. There is a lot of talent across the board, and a lot of depth. Other than special teams, I don't expect a single position grouping to stand out, but I don't expect any weak spots, either. My hunch is that we'll get to see some good football this fall, and that come the end of the year, most of us will be happy.
Last Edited: 3/9/2017 11:39:48 AM by L.C.