[Sly Fox]

1 North Dakota State
2 Illinois State
3 Northern Iowa
4 South Dakota State
5 UT-Chattanooga
6 New Hampshire
7 Coastal Carolina
8 Youngstown State
9 Indiana State
10 Eastern Washington
11 Southern Illinois
12 Sam Houston State
13 Western Illinois
14 Villanova
15 Missouri State
16 SE Louisiana
17 Liberty
18 Jacksonville State
19 Montana
20 Northwestern State
21 Idaho St
22 Samford
23 JMU
24 Richmond
25 Cent Arkansas

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In case you were curious, CSU is 33rd, Presby is 48th ... at the bottom end of the ratings you'll find Delaware State at 110th and Kennesaw State at 123rd of 125 teams.

But here is where it gets real interesting ...



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[jcmanson]

Everyone has a schedule ranking of "1" right now.

[flameshaw]

Too many close games predicted. Not sure how I feel about this year's team yet. I believe our offense can be exceptional, I am worried about the defensive side of the ball right now. Maybe we can still pick up some help as September gets closer.

[forbidden]

I think there should be more worry on the Offensive side of the ball in the trenches as opposed to to defensive side where the biggest whole is at Safety. Not as many holes to feel on D as on O.

[jcmanson]

I think there should be more worry on the Offensive side of the ball in the trenches as opposed to to defensive side where the biggest whole is at Safety. Not as many holes to feel on D as on O.

I know you're partial to the defensive side with your son there, but your statement is just not true.

On offense, the starting QB and his backup returns.
the starting RB, his backup, and the 2013 starter return
5 members of the OL's 2-deep return
2 starting WRs return with plenty of talent behind them

On defense, we have to replace half the starters on the DL,
4 of 6 LBs, and
3 starters in the secondary.

[ballcoach15]

I am more worried about the defense. I think offense can put up 30 every game. Key will be holding teams to 29.

[BJWilliams]

Jon and ballcoach are spot on (and I don't agree with the latter very often). We have a LOT of questions on the defensive side of the ball right now, and some new faces are going to have to step up to answer them.

We are going to probably outscore all of the lesser teams on our schedule (Delaware State, Kennesaw St., etc.), but we aren't going to want to get in a shootout at the OK Corral with the likes of Montana, CCU, Southern Illinois or even our two FBS opponents.

[forbidden]

I think there should be more worry on the Offensive side of the ball in the trenches as opposed to to defensive side where the biggest whole is at Safety. Not as many holes to feel on D as on O.

I know you're partial to the defensive side with your son there, but your statement is just not true.

On offense, the starting QB and his backup returns.
the starting RB, his backup, and the 2013 starter return
5 members of the OL's 2-deep return
2 starting WRs return with plenty of talent behind them

On defense, we have to replace half the starters on the DL,
4 of 6 LBs, and
3 starters in the secondary.

My statement had nothing to do with my kid, it was coming from the coach side of me. My statement was about the OL where you answered my question for me. You are going into the 2 deep to make a starting line. Heck, if that the case the same can be said about the D if you are using the 2 deep to make a starting defense. My reasoning for what I said about the OL was because you need the hogs up front in order to be half as successful as we were last year. You can't block you can't run or throw. And everything starts with the snap from Center. Even if you go bak and listen to Gill in some of his comentary stated wasn't as concerned about Defense as on the offensive side of the ball.

You said half the starters on DL same on OL but the backups for on the OL was a SRs as well. And looking at the Post spring ball depth chart, more than half of your depth has never taken a college snap. We ran 3 WRs alot with our TE who was a SR but you have to replace a very big time WR in the slot with guys who again havent taken alot of snaps. Shells didn't go in Spring ball which is why he isn't starting as of now. Now starting FB as well.

On the defensive side you are replaceing half the DL as well, but with ALOT more guys who had snaps on defense. LB's replacing 2 with again but with one who saw time in the LB core at S and the other LB is coming from playing time with the secondary. The secondary would be my least worry because everyone back here has alot of onfield experience. My worry would like I say be the Safety spot because you now have to replace 2 not just one, and they have to learn a feel for how each other plays. Would have been alot easier to only have to replace where Hagen was.

My conclusion of it being OL was simply because it starts with the Center and thats what every plays begins with. Im sure there will be more that disagree but thats just my take on it.

[jcmanson]

forbidden, you make valid points. It will be interesting to see how the team shakes out.

[olldflame]

The only questions on offense are TE and a couple of OL positions but even there we have 3 OL starters returning, and one of them is a first team preseason All-American and several good candidates for the TE position. We have a 4th year starter at QB plus the backup who helped pull off the biggest win in our history and are ridiculously deep at RB and WR, where we also have a preseasol All-American. On defense, we lost 3 players who will be in NFL camps this summer, including an All-American in Hagan plus a 4 year starter and team leader in Sigmon. A lot more questions on that side of the ball IMHO

[Humble_Opinion]

I honestly believe we will be fine on the DL. This DL may even be better than the one last year. I do worry about production at LB and the biggest hole I see is in the secondary. The biggest playmaker on entire team last year arguably was Hagan and we lost that. Those will be huge shoes to fill back there. I suspect our first couple of opponents will look to expose the inexperience back there. The secondary better be ready to be tested early and often depending on their performance.

[ballcoach15]

I hope LU and Jacksonville State meet up "deep" into playoffs.

[jinxy]

I worry about one position and thats safety. The lines rotate guys so much and gill and co have recruited heavy on the lines. I also worry a bit about qb with only 2 guys and both run opening up injury. We cant use masha much for risk of injury thanks to bradwell.