Texas State Bobcats finished 3-9 with wins over Prairie View, ULM (2-10) and South Alabama (5-7. They had two reasonably close losses - by 6 to Southern Miss and 7 to Idaho. Their other loss margins ranged from 10 (New Mx St) to 40 or more to Florida St and Houston plus 38 to Arkansas St.

Kansas finished 0-12. It had 3 close losses - by 3 to South Dakota St, 6 to Texas Tech, 6 to TCU. Its next closest loss was to Rutgers by 13. The Jayhawks were blown away by 30 or more points 7 times.

Mike--How many games do you see on our sched next year that it would be difficult for us to lose? That is, how many pretty much 'gimmes' are there?

I realize that every school has some on their schedule, but over the last few years we seem to be kinda depending on them (at least in re bowl eligible).

Kansas was basically an FCS roster this year due to scholarship stupidity. Charlie Weis went all-in on JUCO transfers and failed miserably. This year they had only 64 or 65 scholarship players (fewer than Penn State under sanctions). They'll have more next year, but it still won't be a full roster.

Allen, with regard to Top Mac schools beating bottom level Big 10 schools. Actually, if you look at sheer recruiting it should not be the case. Even low level Big 10 teams get 3 star and an occasional 4 star recruit. This just doesn't happen in the MAC. Perhaps someone wiser than me can find a year where more than two MAC schools got a 4 star recruit in the same year, let alone a 5 star recruit. It just doesn't happen. When was the last time the Bobcats in any sport got a 5 star recruit? We may have to go to early 1970s basketball and talk Walter Luckett, which led to the Bobcats only appearance (November 1972) on Sports Illustrated.

At any football level (high school, college or pro) success is often driven by the performance of the QB. I'm not privy to Ohio's efforts to upgrade the position. I don't know how they've assessed some of the big D1 Ohio high school prospects in recent years. I follow some of the big D1 Ohio high school football programs and see some kids that arguably are attainable and would be an improvement, but I don't know OU's specific strategy. I thought Kevin Burke (a Russell Wilson style player) who won 3 National titles at Mt. Union could have played at this level. He won the D1 Ohio football title his senior year. I thought Ramsey from from Cincinnati Elder this year was a great thrower and athlete, but I think Indiana has him. Burke from St. Ed's last year ended up at South Florida. I know OU offered, but I'm not sure what effort they put into trying to get him. I also know OU does have one of the former Mentor QB's who may get a chance. That said, I'm not suggesting that you can get all these kids, or compete with all of the bigger schools, but I hope they have a realistic strategy to look at some of the big program Ohio HS QB's. I know fans complain about coaching and the schemes, but the bottom line is if you don't have a QB you're probably not going to compete for a MACC.

Football is qb and pass rush, with the two being intertwined in that the team that rushes the passer well lessens the qb's effectiveness. This is obvious truth, no bolt of lightning.


We rather ignore it though, letting many qb's...a number of whom ain't so good...get over on us for lack of qb pressure, whether from down linemen or blitzing.

Happens and happens and happens. No reaction.


Qb and pass rush.
Qb and pass rush.

[QUOTE=cbus cat fan] Actually Allen those same successful MAC coaches you mentioned often go to those bottom dwelling Big Ten teams where they meet their demise and end up in the Davy Jones locker of coaches. It is not because they suddenly forgot how to coach, but their lack of talent compared to the top tier makes these successful coaches look as if they have coaching amnesia. As others have noted, a successful Qb and running back is like hitting the lottery for suddenly an average looking offensive line now looks stellar. [/QUOTE
Some do and some become coaching legends like Urban Meyer.

And another thing. We're competing for entertainment attention with Ohio State.

I'm not saying that it's rational to think that we'll have a team of their caliber.

I'm saying that we need to be entertaining ..and winning..such that the primary team for all OHIO people is in Athens, not Columbus.

That's not the way we play, are coached, now. We are staid, boring, predictable. No excitement.

I'm not talking excitement for excitement's sake alone. I'm talking about a little pizzazz, spirit, and variety. Two back sets, quick passes, strong pass rush, reasonable passion on offense instead of such incredible conservative. Go for points at the end of a half instead of such a high emph on not turning it over that a legit scoring effort is forsaken.

It's 2016 and marketing and verve matter.




Verve, I tell you.

But forget that; we'll see the same movie next season.

If we're making early picks, I'll say that Ohio will be 10-2 in the regular season, win the MACC, and a bowl, to end up 12-2. For the last couple years I have said that this will be Solich's best team, and I still believe that. QB is not a position that concerns me. Just as Everson was fine for the 2006 team, Sprague (or anyone that beats him out) will be fine for the 2016 team.

I have but one concern. Can the offensive line continue to improve at the pace they improved over the last two years? Three starters are lost, but there is a lot of depth, and that depth needs to step up and play. I believe that Dave Johnson will earn his pay next year because I believe he is going to take those 2014 recruits (McCray-Pruehs-Lowery-Dudziak-Langenkamp), plus the older guys (Watson-Anderson-Cooper-Gibbons-Wood) and the younger guys (Grimes-Pleasants) and craft what is going to become a dominating offensive line. Behind that line, the running backs are going to rack up yards. With a powerful running game, very good returning receivers, and solid protection, Sprauge (or whoever beats him out) will look much, much better than many think possible. Think Ball State game - when the running game was rocking, and Sprauge had protection, he looked all-MAC. Contrast that to App State where the running game wasn't working, and he didn't have enough protection.

The only other position that concerns me is CB. I had expected the starters to be Brunson and Provitt, but with Brunson apparently leaving, there may be an opportunity for one of the new players (one of the Motley brothers or the JUCO) to step right in and play.

I'm less concerned about that position that the offensive line, though. Give me the offensive line I want, and Ohio is going to be the team I expect.

Everson also had a very good offensive line in front of him, with guys like Coppage, Knabb, and Shelby. The offensive line was always the core of teams under Osborne and Solich, and I expected the same at Ohio. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the offensive lines have always been a weak spot. The line group in 2010-12 was pretty good, with guys like Strum, Lechner, Carlotta, Allen, Herman, Flading, and McGrath, but that was the only time period where it was very good. Not coincidentally, that was also the time period when the offense looked the best.

I think Irons/Brown/OUellette can perform at a McRae level, if they have the right line in front of them. I think the raw material is there, and I think Johnson can build the offensive line juggernaut that Lightner never did build.

For those of you who have predicted next years outcome, game by game no less, how about throwing in a few stock picks and lotto winners?

And wasn't Saban a MAC guy...

Randy Etsal