Replies: 20
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Hall of Famer [20550]
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watched Gamecock Spring Game...
Apr 7, 2017, 9:52 AM
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...and several things were pretty obvious.
*They started with 12-minute quarters even from the outset, which is a glaring red-flag they knew they had no depth. That was confirmed pretty quickly.
*Aside from Jake Bentley they have absolutely nothing at QB. Michael Scarnaccia is tall and has a cannon arm and absolutely zero ability to read a defense and put the ball in trouble time and again. Something happens to Bentley they're hosed.
*They have three decent RB's in Dowdle, AJ Turner, and Mon Denson. None of 'em are difference makers but they're FCS-caliber and expect Carolina to try to ride them.
*They've got three decent-to-good WR's between Deebo Samuel, Bryan Edwards, and Ortre Smith, and Hayden Hurst is a fair-to-decent TE, but they all lack top-end speed and none of them are game-breakers. Zero, nothing, nada behind 'em, though. Painful watching some of those backup oalookas bobble, drop, stumble, and bumble about doing nothing in particular.
*OL run-blocks reasonably well but it still struggles - mightily - on the edge in protection. If they were to start a band it would be called "Zack Bailey and the Four Palookas." Without Zack Bailey, they'd just be The Palookas.
*DL is bad. Dismally bad. Squishy soft, and still nobody who can really get the edge. If they lose Xavier Thomas expect their DL coach to quickly become an alcoholic, if Muschamp doesn't beat him to death with a clipboard first.
*They do have 5th-year MLB Skai Moore back from his neck surgery - scary, that - and he did not look like he was really in game shape yet but he remains a notable cut above. Rest of the LB corps is dogmeat average.
*Like some of their secondary players. Muschamp is very high on an EE safety and the kid does look the part though he's clueless right now. They've got some decent safeties, whatever, even if their former All-JUCO superstud corner Jamarcus King did start where he left off against Clemson, giving up a 65-yard TD after faceplanting on a go route against Edwards on the first drive. Ouch. Wince-worthy comedy, there.
*One thing that was oft-overlooked last year was how good Carolina's PK and P were. Elliott Fry and Sean Kelly were two of the nation's best and gave them huge edges on special teams; they have one scholarship kicker on the roster right now and he looked shaky. They'll be a lot worse here next year and that's an edge they needed.
In short.... ...they look like about a 6-6 team to me, at least against the dismal SEC East. They'd be below-average in the ACC (I do not lie, things have switched that much) but they do have a decent QB, decent receivers, and decent running backs, and they'll score some points against teams that do not have a dominant front seven.
They're squishy-soft in the trenches, though, and that's going to hurt them whenever they try to play Big Boy football against anybody. In particular they match up horribly against Clemson or anybody from the SEC West, where every team is designed to win trench warfare.
They'll need some fortuitous bounces to go better than that, though they could (never, ever, overestimate how bad the SEC East is right now), but if they get any kind of key injuries, especially to Bentley, they are well and truly hosed.
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Oculus Spirit [90917]
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Yep, but I will feel much better after..
Apr 7, 2017, 10:00 AM
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Our beat-down of them at WillieB and I hear TiGER RAG playing & playing & playing "Hold That Tiger"!
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All-TigerNet [14233]
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I agree. That defense is going to be horrible***
Apr 7, 2017, 10:06 AM
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Letterman [290]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...
Apr 7, 2017, 10:06 AM
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree with your analogy.
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Starter [375]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...
Apr 7, 2017, 10:07 AM
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thanks for the intel.... awesomeness.
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Oculus Spirit [80863]
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This was my favorite line: Rest of the LB corps is dogmeat
Apr 7, 2017, 10:09 AM
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average.
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All-In [27227]
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Re: Bottom line they'd better pray Bentley doesn't go down
Apr 7, 2017, 10:09 AM
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but with that OL I'm thinking it's all but guaranteed he will get hurt.
They will end up below .500 if he's hurt.
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Rock Defender [54]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...
Apr 7, 2017, 10:10 AM
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Their offense will be Bentley throwing to Bryan Edwards, that's about it.
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Rock Defender [54]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...
Apr 7, 2017, 10:20 AM
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Actually, they have TE Hayden Hurst who is pretty darn good IMO.
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All-TigerNet [14482]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...
Apr 7, 2017, 10:19 AM
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i'll read all that next time i got to sit on the pot for awhile. lol
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Oculus Spirit [96985]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...***
Apr 7, 2017, 10:22 AM
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Rock Defender [54]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...***
Apr 7, 2017, 10:24 AM
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^^^^POTD - maybe HOF - LOL at DER
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All-TigerNet [14482]
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110%er [5715]
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Rock Defender [54]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...
Apr 7, 2017, 10:23 AM
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*They have three decent RB's in Dowdle, AJ Turner, and Mon Denson. "
Is Mon Denson pig-latin for Don Munson?
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110%er [8681]
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Your point about a below average ACC team got me thinking
Apr 7, 2017, 10:28 AM
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If you were a betting man would you take Syracuse over them? I think I would, Dino Babers' offense would light up that defense.
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Orange Blooded [4903]
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Excellent analysis - esp your comment on the DL
Apr 7, 2017, 10:30 AM
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"DL is bad. Dismally bad. Squishy soft, and still nobody who can really get the edge. If they lose Xavier Thomas expect their DL coach to quickly become an alcoholic, if Muschamp doesn't beat him to death with a clipboard first."
You have a second job in comedy if you ever need it
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Starter [375]
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Re: Excellent analysis - esp your comment on the DL
Apr 7, 2017, 10:32 AM
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yes, I LOL'ered at the clipboard bit....
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Heisman Winner [105574]
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You got a shortened version of this?
Apr 7, 2017, 11:30 AM
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Just answer "yes" or "no" to this - After watching the coots spring gane, do you think they will suck again?
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110%er [9674]
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So you were the person there. I wondered who it was...***
Apr 7, 2017, 11:48 AM
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Orange Blooded [2839]
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Re: watched Gamecock Spring Game...
Apr 7, 2017, 11:58 AM
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I was literally laughing out loud while eating my lunch and reading this.
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Replies: 20
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