Rough start offensively for sure...
Okay, the OL when from brutal bad in the first two games too good, but very inconsistent in game 4...so we are getting there. Interestingly, the QB improvement has mirrored the OL. Maybe Kirk was right, maybe Petras wasn't the problem...
OL...we are starting to find a rhythm. Jones still seems to be the weak link, but I trust the staff in that they must feel he has the biggest ceiling at OC. Better game in game 4, but still some issues. Elsbury getting healthy is huge. Was told by family members that he had a minor injuries and missed the first two...Like Jones, I think we have to be patient with Colby. I think he has the tools to be a solid OT, but is thinking too much right now and that makes him appear slow in his reaction.
Wr/TE...well, best case scenario we get a couple WR back and healthy...but even then, we are short on scholarship WRs. That won't change this year...we will have to depend on backs and TEs for a lot of our passing game in 2021. I assume Bruce is getting a lot of attention as our only completely healthy scholarship WR right now. Getting Raigini back to the guy who isn't fast, just always gets open will be HUGE! Then Bruce will thrive...
OB- well Petras has been pretty good in the last 2, so like I said, maybe Kirk does know more than all of us (I was one of them who thought we should start someone else). RBs, well, looks like we got 3 good ones- we haven't seen G Williams at full speed yet.
Defense:
Well, we are better on the back end than I would have thought if you told me Harris was out for the season and Roberts would miss a couple games...that is 2/3 of our best CBs! But Schutte, Dejean and now Castro have played well, so surprise in terms of depth on the back end. For the second time in two weeks, Moss has allowed a TD pass and for the second time in two weeks, offensive PI could have been called! However, we need Riley to maintain better balance in those scenarios, and not get pushed out of position or down (I know, easy for me to say, especially to an AA).
The front is looking real impressive and hopefully Shannon get 100% pretty quick (still a nagging injury I am told) and we get Black back as soon as possible. If Graves continues as he has been playing, well, we might have our edge rusher now! Van Ness will continue to play inside and out, giving us a nice interior rush option and a damn good rush defender as well. Saturday made me wonder if Campbell is 100%...he seemed to miss more tackles that usual and nothing says missed tackles from a sure tackler like a shoulder injury (JUST SPECULATION). Anyway, injuries are the only worry with JC and Benson had a solid effort. On Saturday, someone told me we cannot give up that many yards...but Iowa is bend, don't break.
Okay, Michigan is over rated, IMHO...no, there good for sure, just not #5 kind of good...maybe 10-15th. If we play good defense and clean football, we can beat Michigan in Kinnick like we have before. There will be NO UPSET, just an Iowa win!
Okay, the OL when from brutal bad in the first two games too good, but very inconsistent in game 4...so we are getting there. Interestingly, the QB improvement has mirrored the OL. Maybe Kirk was right, maybe Petras wasn't the problem...
OL...we are starting to find a rhythm. Jones still seems to be the weak link, but I trust the staff in that they must feel he has the biggest ceiling at OC. Better game in game 4, but still some issues. Elsbury getting healthy is huge. Was told by family members that he had a minor injuries and missed the first two...Like Jones, I think we have to be patient with Colby. I think he has the tools to be a solid OT, but is thinking too much right now and that makes him appear slow in his reaction.
Wr/TE...well, best case scenario we get a couple WR back and healthy...but even then, we are short on scholarship WRs. That won't change this year...we will have to depend on backs and TEs for a lot of our passing game in 2021. I assume Bruce is getting a lot of attention as our only completely healthy scholarship WR right now. Getting Raigini back to the guy who isn't fast, just always gets open will be HUGE! Then Bruce will thrive...
OB- well Petras has been pretty good in the last 2, so like I said, maybe Kirk does know more than all of us (I was one of them who thought we should start someone else). RBs, well, looks like we got 3 good ones- we haven't seen G Williams at full speed yet.
Defense:
Well, we are better on the back end than I would have thought if you told me Harris was out for the season and Roberts would miss a couple games...that is 2/3 of our best CBs! But Schutte, Dejean and now Castro have played well, so surprise in terms of depth on the back end. For the second time in two weeks, Moss has allowed a TD pass and for the second time in two weeks, offensive PI could have been called! However, we need Riley to maintain better balance in those scenarios, and not get pushed out of position or down (I know, easy for me to say, especially to an AA).
The front is looking real impressive and hopefully Shannon get 100% pretty quick (still a nagging injury I am told) and we get Black back as soon as possible. If Graves continues as he has been playing, well, we might have our edge rusher now! Van Ness will continue to play inside and out, giving us a nice interior rush option and a damn good rush defender as well. Saturday made me wonder if Campbell is 100%...he seemed to miss more tackles that usual and nothing says missed tackles from a sure tackler like a shoulder injury (JUST SPECULATION). Anyway, injuries are the only worry with JC and Benson had a solid effort. On Saturday, someone told me we cannot give up that many yards...but Iowa is bend, don't break.
Okay, Michigan is over rated, IMHO...no, there good for sure, just not #5 kind of good...maybe 10-15th. If we play good defense and clean football, we can beat Michigan in Kinnick like we have before. There will be NO UPSET, just an Iowa win!
