I don't think this season is over, but I was just wondering what we'll have next year. Here are the players returning for next year, and likely candidates for spots that are opening up.
Offense - 8 returning starters
Defense - 7 returning starters
Sp. Teams - 0 returning starters (ouch)
QB: Suggs, Bilbo
TB: Hollings, ACE, Sampson, Daniels
FB: Jackson, Dixon, Johnson
WR: Curry, Thomas, Logan
WR: Jonathan Smith, Bridges, McGuire
TE: Foschi, Williams, Cooper
LT: Dorsey, Honeycutt
LG: Robinson, Besirevic
C: Reilly, Tidwell-Neal
RG: Clay Hartley
RT: Wallace, Phillips
We return 18 of 22 from the 2 deep. We return nearly all of the offensive line, including all but one of this year's 2 deep, both QBs, we get back Hollings and return ACE, and Foschi is back. By next year I would expect Curry to be back at full strength again, so hopefully losing Watkins and Glover won't hurt us TOO bad. We still have some quality proven receivers in Smith, Curry, and Bridges. Hopefully Thomas, Logan, and McGuire will step up to provide depth.
Obviously we return a lot of experience on the offensive side of the ball. Will that translate into better offensive production next year? I think that will depend on some more creative play calling and better QB play. At least one of the QBs needs to step up in crunch time and demonstrate the ability to make plays when it counts.
DE: Gathers, Henderson, Matthews
DT: Parker, Billy
DT: Malone, Koon
DE: Hargrove, Pullen
OLB: Brown, Lawston
MLB: Smith, Anyansi
OLB: Fox, Wilkinson
CB: Cox, Davis
CB: Houston, I-Perfection
SS: Butler, Landry, McNair
FS: Burton, Gilliam
We lose 4 starters on defense, most notably both safeties and one corner. I don't think there will be much of a dropoff from Hester to Houston at corner. Houston is getting some good experience this year as the nickelback, and he has looked good. Losing Wimbush would be bad, but Ather Brown is a good one, and should do fine.
The question with the defense comes at both safety positions and who will play nickelback. The nickel will likely be either I-Perfection or Dennis Davis, so one of them will need to step up. As far as safety goes, I think Butler will be our Free Safety, and that wouldn't be much of a dropoff. He will actually give us an upgrade in speed and athleticism, although he obviously doesn't have the experience that Muyres does. Who will be our Strong Safety? Landry? Reis? McNair?
The question with special teams is who will punt for us? Punter is a position that doesn't come with much fanfare, but it's important to have someone back there that is consistent. We're losing 2 good ones after this year.
Although it is difficult to tell how he will do, I feel confident that Jordan will be our kicker.
I see a very solid offensive line for next year. It usually takes more than a year for players to come back all the way from an ACL, so I don't think it would be fair to expect Hollings to perform at the level he did early this year. I also see some quality receivers and 2 QBs with some experience.
On defense I see Gathers and Hargrove on either side of the line, a solid group of linebackers, and 2 good corners.
Anyway, the purpose of this post isn't really to predict how we'll do next year. There are simply too many factors that can come into play. The point is that we have a lot of good players coming back next year, so the coaching staff has lots to work with.
Offense - 8 returning starters
Defense - 7 returning starters
Sp. Teams - 0 returning starters (ouch)
QB: Suggs, Bilbo
TB: Hollings, ACE, Sampson, Daniels
FB: Jackson, Dixon, Johnson
WR: Curry, Thomas, Logan
WR: Jonathan Smith, Bridges, McGuire
TE: Foschi, Williams, Cooper
LT: Dorsey, Honeycutt
LG: Robinson, Besirevic
C: Reilly, Tidwell-Neal
RG: Clay Hartley
RT: Wallace, Phillips
We return 18 of 22 from the 2 deep. We return nearly all of the offensive line, including all but one of this year's 2 deep, both QBs, we get back Hollings and return ACE, and Foschi is back. By next year I would expect Curry to be back at full strength again, so hopefully losing Watkins and Glover won't hurt us TOO bad. We still have some quality proven receivers in Smith, Curry, and Bridges. Hopefully Thomas, Logan, and McGuire will step up to provide depth.
Obviously we return a lot of experience on the offensive side of the ball. Will that translate into better offensive production next year? I think that will depend on some more creative play calling and better QB play. At least one of the QBs needs to step up in crunch time and demonstrate the ability to make plays when it counts.
DE: Gathers, Henderson, Matthews
DT: Parker, Billy
DT: Malone, Koon
DE: Hargrove, Pullen
OLB: Brown, Lawston
MLB: Smith, Anyansi
OLB: Fox, Wilkinson
CB: Cox, Davis
CB: Houston, I-Perfection
SS: Butler, Landry, McNair
FS: Burton, Gilliam
We lose 4 starters on defense, most notably both safeties and one corner. I don't think there will be much of a dropoff from Hester to Houston at corner. Houston is getting some good experience this year as the nickelback, and he has looked good. Losing Wimbush would be bad, but Ather Brown is a good one, and should do fine.
The question with the defense comes at both safety positions and who will play nickelback. The nickel will likely be either I-Perfection or Dennis Davis, so one of them will need to step up. As far as safety goes, I think Butler will be our Free Safety, and that wouldn't be much of a dropoff. He will actually give us an upgrade in speed and athleticism, although he obviously doesn't have the experience that Muyres does. Who will be our Strong Safety? Landry? Reis? McNair?
The question with special teams is who will punt for us? Punter is a position that doesn't come with much fanfare, but it's important to have someone back there that is consistent. We're losing 2 good ones after this year.
Although it is difficult to tell how he will do, I feel confident that Jordan will be our kicker.
I see a very solid offensive line for next year. It usually takes more than a year for players to come back all the way from an ACL, so I don't think it would be fair to expect Hollings to perform at the level he did early this year. I also see some quality receivers and 2 QBs with some experience.
On defense I see Gathers and Hargrove on either side of the line, a solid group of linebackers, and 2 good corners.
Anyway, the purpose of this post isn't really to predict how we'll do next year. There are simply too many factors that can come into play. The point is that we have a lot of good players coming back next year, so the coaching staff has lots to work with.
