[HarrisburgFlame]

I may way off base here but I will offer some critical thoughts on where we are as a team and fan base for that matter. The team and fans would all like to be 6-0 right now. We are 3-3 but have been competitive in all six games. Look back to 05. We barely beat Concord and then went on to smoked in the next three games. Granted we were over matched (much like this year against WFU) but we didn't really come close to competing at all. We did stay close in a few games last year and had chacnes to win - but facts are we had breakdowns, youthful mistakes, possibly effort issues, lack of players, depth, talent, etc - we just weren't very good. Now based on 2005 how did we expect this years team to perform? It's all about expectations right? I expected to see improvement. Did I expect 9-2? Absolutely not. That's just plain nuts. We were 1-10 in 2005 and didn't have enough bodies to conduct a spring scrimmage to close out spring ball prior to 05. That's how bad this program was!

Now this year we are still a relatively young team, new coach and coaches with one semi-full recruiting class under them, a QB who had started 3 games coming into this season, transfers (which I do see as a major positive), a major loss losing Crouch for punting, a known weakness in executing FGs, you get the point. I'm saying we had a ton of unknowns coming into this year. To think 9-2 is nuts! To look for areas of improvement to build upon going forward - those expectations are more in line with where the program was coming into this year. We have whacked the "gimmes" on the schedule and been competitive against teams that are for all intents and purposes better than LU. At least better coming into 2006.

So what do we know now about the state of our program 6 games into the Rocco era. I think we can all agree that our team COMPETES! I think we can all agree there is some BUZZ in the fanbase for the first time in about 6 years. We know we have a stud at RB (Jennings) for the next three years and a super athlete in Zach at RB or QB or in the slot. I was impressed by Lawrence when he came in for Rashad against W&M - he's a redshirt freshman. The OL play has been much better. The improvement from Towson to W&M in the play up front was undenyable. We still have some issues at QB and struggle getting the ball to our WR's who have speed to break open and make big plays. But keep in mind - Brock has started a grand total of 9 college games and missed all of spring ball with an illness. With Zach I think we have a good idea how to use him at QB but he is somewhat limited throwing the football at this stage of his career. Defensively we are better all the way around. I think we are still a little suspect in terms of pass defense but we are better against the run. We are better at getting pressure upfront as well. I believe in 2004 we had a grand total of 5 sacks - FOR THE YEAR! You can get that many almost by accident! Lloyd and Rojas are tough inside and I have been pleased with the play of Duke in the 3-4 scheme.

The punting game was solid last year and the PK game was awful. The PK aspect of our game is still bad and has shown zero improvement. Good news from a program standpoint is that you can go out and recruit a kicker - not like having to rebuild an entire unit like the OL or DL or secondary, etc.

As fans we need to level set our heads and be objective. I happen to think we are better after game 6 than we were after game 1. Anyone can see we are light years better than 05. But we need to remember we are on a journey here. Building a football program takes years. To go from where we were in 05 to 3-3 in 06 is a tremendous accomplishment even if that is somewhat a product of the shcedule. Using my Jim Mora voice "Playoffs??" in 2006 - that is like asking me to go to the moon! I would use a measuring stick like - being competitive in conference play over the next five games. Let's see where we are. Maybe next year we can start to think about taking the next step towards getting into the playoffs - but even that is unrealistic in my mind. There are no quick fixes and it's going to take a consistent, well executed effort by Rocco and staff to build a program for the long haul. Six games into it is not an accurate prediction of future successes - it's also not enough to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

So if I had to put grades on this year so far they would go like this:

OL - B minus - For 07 we'll return 3 starters and a great foundation to build on
WR - C - more a function of issues in the passing game but the Towson game sticks out in my mind - core back in 07
RB - B plus - We have a stud in Rashad solid players in Zach and Terron - we're set for 07
QB - C - Other than the Wake game - inconsistent. I think this area will improve though this season and in 07
DL - B minus - much improved from 05. Light years better than 04.
LB - B plus - inside an outside plus the new scheme fits our personnel better. Losing Rojas will hurt
DB - B minus - the entire core is back for 07
P - C - very inconsistent at times - we'll fill the gap in 07 through JUCO or incoming true frosh
PK - F - we'll fill the gap in 07 through JUCO or incoming true frosh. This one has been beaten to death.
Intangibles - A minus - the team plays hard and is showing the heart to create a foundation on which to build
Coaching - A - the improvement year over year speaks volumes for these coaches
Fans - A - the support this year has been outstanding for a team coming off a 1-10 year.

So there is my semi-rant. Have at it.

[thesportscritic]

all good points HBF.

[bigsmooth]

great points HF. it is a remarkable turnaround, but this W&M game is gonna stick with me awhile. we gave it away, and a win would have been a staple for the program, and would have provided more momentum. we do have conference play to look forward to, and we can certainly win this thing. i said we were a 7-4 or 6-5 team if i remember correctly, and i said we would lose to the tribe and go 7-4, 3-1 in conference with losses to wake w&m a conference game and a coin flip with towson and western, so dont fail me flames against WCU. all in all we are so much more improved and rocco's enthusiasm has us wanting more, which im very happy for.
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[Stevev]

An excellent synopsis of the year so far HF. There is no reason to disagree with any of the points. The bottom line is we are much improved over last year and have a reason to get excited about the future now that Coach Rocco has had a chance to evaluate the team in game situations instead of on paper and I think that he knows the areas that he will have to upgrade to get wins over the Towson's and the William and Mary's of the world. We are not that far off with picking up wins against what I look at as "middle of the road" Atlantic 10 teams. To expect LU to rise up to top of the 1AA world in one season is certainly not expected. Improvements are necessary in terms of personnel and scheduling if we are to even have a chance to get to the playoffs and beyond and I think that Coach Rocco knows what it takes to get us there.

[jcmanson]

Good points HBF. I think sometimes as fans it is so easy for us to get off track, and not be realistic. Before the season started, I thought we would finish 7-4. Before the W&M game I was thinking 9-2. That wasn't realistic. The game saturday, as smooth said, will hurt and does hurt since we should have won. It is time to move on, and to focus on what it will take to win as many games as we can this year. Then during the offseason the staff can solidify areas we need improvement.

I think we need improvement in overall depth, OL, WR, QB play, and maybe linebackers after Manny graduates.

[TIMSCAR20]

Id have to give the LB' and DL an A minus. You don't hold team down like we have even bad teams without these guys performing at a high level.

[PAmedic]

very well articulated, HF-

can tell you're a PA boy