Football Picked 5th
1. Miami (20 1st place votes)
2. Kent State (3)
3. Buffalo
4. Ohio
5. Bowling Green (1)
6. Akron West
1. Northern Illinois (11)
2. Toledo (9)
3. CMU (4)
4. WMU
5. EMU
6. Ball State
MAC champ: Northern Illinois (9), Toledo (6), Miami (5), CMU (4)
So, the media's picks are in. BG is picked to finish 5th. That doesn't worry me very much. The media is often wrong and the East is a pretty big crap shoot. You could rocket up with a little bit of improvement. Remember, in Jinks I we were picked to win the East.
What worries me is if it ends up being true.
Which it could. (Mad props to the voter who picked us first).
The overriding narrative is about the rebuild, obviously. Whether you have been patient or not, I think everyone agrees that there should be results this year. Loeffler has two years left on his deal, one year after this year. A new AD is coming in (someday). You don't want Loeffler coaching as a lame duck in his last year. It is time for it to happen... and Loeffler has said as much. Or he said so at the end of last year, the narrative currently is "we're close."
David Briggs has a good column on this today.
It's time.
Sooooo. I'll do a full preview, but to me the key questions are, in order, the offensive line, the quarterback and the defense.
Matt McDonald is the source of a lot of debate. I don't think he has had a fair chance, but I haven't seen very much to suggest he's going to be good, either. People who do are largely relying on practice tape from BC. But for us to find out, the line has to improve. BG has brought in 7 OL transfers to go with returning players from last year, who have had a year to mature and grow stronger. The line must perform....and then McDonald must perform....and then we might have a shot.
More to come
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8 comments :
Seems fair.
Many QB's (like Joe Burrow) look very average until the right combination of players is put around them to showcase their talents and enable them to succeed. That,'s McDonald. I really think this will be his year.
The media just picks based on what happened last year. It's largely a pointless exercise. Glad that lone voter had the foresight to do some research on what happened in the off-season.
I hope very much you are right.
I should add that when I say "seems fair," I mean your post and not so much the pick. My best guess is that the Falcons finish 6-6 and in second place in the East. Like Anonymous, I think there's a chance this is a year everything starts to click into place. Revamping the offensive line could be transformative. The big thing that gives me pause here, really, is the schedule. It's quite a bit tougher than the one Dave Clawson faced in his Year 4.
The schedule is a big issue. But it is what it is.
Mayor Frank Jackson couldn't have said it better.
No faith McDonald. I surely hope i am wrong.
Yeah, lots of people feel that way. If this team is going to surprise, the line needs to be good and he needs to excel. Time will tell.
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