The bowl win against A&M was lipstick on a pig. The o line certainly will be worse, the QB play will be erratic, and the defense..well yeah. I’m curious what metric stands out.
In any case, I’m manifesting a Helton win in the coliseum so the Riley experiment can end.
Utah had to completely retool at QB/RB/WR, and ... QB Devon Dampier (UNM) and RB Wayshawn Parker (Wazzu) playing in a Jason Beck offense behind a MASSIVELY experienced OL? I like the vision there. D-line returns only 2 of its top 8, which is scary. If it holds up, Utah will rebound nicely.
Vandy returns Diego Pavia and a majority of the defense, so the 'Dores are in a good spot overall. But best I can tell, the OL returns only 1 of its top 6, and 4 of 11 incoming transfers are OLs. Guess it kinda goes without saying that that's a pretty important unit, yeah?
UVA's accomplished nothing under Tony Elliott, and I don't see the O improving much in '25, but I love the DL talent he landed in the portal. Two former blue-chippers + two big DEs (UNLV's Fisher Camac & Elon's Cazeem Moore) who combined for 27.5 TFLs and 13.5 sacks. That's something, at least?
SO much change for Pry & VT this year. New coordinators, ~8 new O starters (and 8 transfers), ~8 new D starters (11 transfers). I like a lot of the transfer adds, DC hire, rumored OC hire, etc. Drones returns and RB room is loaded. But massive change after your 3rd year isn't quite what you aim for.
Washington's defense was pretty good (esp. against the pass) but lost ~8 starters and added back ~6.5 FBS starters in the portal. Washington's offense was wholly mediocre and lost ~6 starters but added only 1.5 FBS starters. Going to be VERY reliant on sophomores to turn the O around.
Wazzu lost its HC and 8 transfers to Wake Forest and lost its OC and star QB to Oklahoma, so it took an HC and *16* transfers from So Dak St. I got whiplash putting their roster together. Can't say any of this is particularly good for the sport, but it's certainly interesting to follow.
Run game is fun and creative, uses quite a bit of the QB (and Dampier can move). Passing ... we'll see. But it should be a breath of fresh air for a while at least...
Fair question. Not hard to figure the standard would've slowly dropped there, too -- that drop might have already started when he left -- though my reflex bet is that he'd have done better than 22-17 the last three years like Venables.
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In any case, I’m manifesting a Helton win in the coliseum so the Riley experiment can end.