Didn't someone create a special thread for you to repeat the same crap over... and over... and over?
Monroe's expectations for the Fall do fit in this thread, since the Spring Game looks forward to the Fall. This seems like a reasonable enough place for him to post his opinion, unlike some of the other places he's put it.
I'm perfectly happy to let Monroe have the pleasure of posting it over and over for the next 4 1/2 months, because once the season actually starts, I don't believe he's going to have much to post about. I expect it to be a very long season for Monroe.
62-18
Defense and running game wins games. Looks like we may have a good recipe in the fall.
I repeat, I think this defense will be scary good. The defensive line is solid 3 deep. The starting linebackers are all good, and when they sat out the Spring game, the backups (Taylor, Koons, Brunson, and Clack) looked solid as well. The same is true at safety, were Nelson and Davis didn't play, and Hagan and Mayne Williams played well. I'm no longer concerned at corner, where I would guess Provitt and Houchins will start, and Fox and Miller will be the backups.
I think that most people would agree that there has been a very strong correlation between the performance of the defense, and how the team finished under Solich. Here are the average points per game given up by various teams since 2005, and where they finished in the East. I split them into three groups:
2006 - 18.1, Won East
2009 - 21.3, Won East
2011 - 22.1, Won East - Avg finish for best three defenses = 1.00
2010 - 23.8, 2d East
2014 - 24.8, 2d East
2012 - 24.8, 3rd East
2015 - 25.3, Tie 2d East - Avg finish for the next four is 2.38
2008 - 27.2, Tie 4th East
2013 - 27.5, Tie 3rd East
2007 - 29.9, 4th East
2005 - 30.5, 4th East - Avg finish for the worst four is 4.00
If this defense comes close to my goal of holding teams to under 20 a game, I like their chances of winning the championship a lot. Interestingly, by the way, if I do the same thing for the offense, oddly, there is a slightly inverse relationship between the offense and how the team finished:
2012 - 31.7, 3rd East
2007 - 30.5, 4th East
2011 - 30.5, Won East - Avg finish for best three offenses is 2.67
2015 - 27.5, Tie 2d East
2010 - 27.5, 2d East
2013 - 27.4, Tie 3rd East
2009 - 24.8, Won East
2008 - 24.1, Tie 4th East - Avg finish for next five offense is 2.70
2014 - 20.5, 2d East
2006 - 19.7, Won East
2005 - 17.5, 4th East - Avg finish for worst three offenses is 2.33
In conclusion, give me a great defense, and I like the chances, and I'll take whatever offense goes with it.
Last Edited: 4/10/2016 7:21:14 PM by L.C.