The Bobcat Nation

BleedsBlue&Gold wrote:We will miss Wolf at TE. He was a huge threat. Other then that, I think we will only be better. Could it be the Cats might have the Big SKy leader in Offense, while struggling on Defense???
My how the times have changed.

I don't think Eastern Washington is going to be too shabby!

True that. Eastern should be great on Offense too. I think the MSU/EWU game could be another overtime shoot-out. My stomach hurts already.

BleedsBlue&Gold wrote:True that. Eastern should be great on Offense too. I think the MSU/EWU game could be another overtime shoot-out. My stomach hurts already.

I think that the Griz are going to lose to Eastern Washington this year. They will also lose to the Cats of course.

I do too. They are were we were a few years back. Decent defense so so offense. I don't see them being real strong on the offense this year with no maturity at quarterback. My 2 cents.

The griz defense will be very good, and will keep them in most games (sound familiar?). Their offense is going to struggle BIG-TIME, though. I just can't see their present offense putting up enough points to win against anyone decent. They do have the benefit of playing most of their games in Washington-friz (surprise, surprise), which I think gives them at least a 2-TD advantage. However, if they lose a couple games early, that advantage will dissipate because the fans will be too busy booing the coaches and players and equipment managers and players' parents and anyone else who has even the slightest link to the program. In all reality, I just think that if the griz lose a couple early on, the players will quit on Hauck. They HATE him! I've talked to some absolute die-hard grizzly fans up here in Missoula, and they told me they are actually rooting for the Cats to beat the griz because they hate Baby Hack so much. Some of the stories I have heard... lets just say that I didn't give Beavis enough credit --- he's a WAY bigger jerk than I ever gave him credit for!!!

BC: You can hear garbage on lots of different coaches for lots of different reasons..even Kramer...there is a reason no Spokane area kids are playing for the cats...he burned a lot of bridges with the high school coaches in the GSL and they have a long memory...Most of the issues happened while he was at Eastern. Does the name Harry Leon strike a bell??

info197176 wrote:BC: You can hear garbage on lots of different coaches for lots of different reasons..even Kramer...there is a reason no Spokane area kids are playing for the cats...he burned a lot of bridges with the high school coaches in the GSL and they have a long memory...Most of the issues happened while he was at Eastern. Does the name Harry Leon strike a bell??

Yeah, but when it is coming from the horse's mouth (current players & employees), you start to listen...

BozoneCat wrote:The griz defense will be very good, and will keep them in most games (sound familiar?)...

I really believe this is the conventional wisdom regarding the Griz D, but I think the jury will be out on them until October. Remember, this is a unit that was DEAD LAST against the pass last season, 117th out of 117 schools. They were also below-average against the run. Their saving grace was they took the ball away a ton. Some people believe that when a unit does this one season, it means they "have a knack" for taking the ball away.

I'm not saying they don't or won't have that knack, but I don't think you can automatically assume they do. I do know that it will be next to impossible for them to duplicate their turnover margin from last year; that ALONE may put a couple extra L's in the column...

Offensively, I believe they have more question marks than anytime in the last 15+ years. Does that mean their O will suck? Possibly; if they do turn out to be effective offensively, it will be because a bunch of unknowns come through. Talmage & Hilliard are the only KNOWN guys at skill positions; Talmage doesn't scare me at all & Hilliard was a no-show in the semi's & the NC game last season. Teams are going to DARE their new QB (whoever it ends up being) to beat them through the air and will start every game loaded up against the run. If their passing attack is successful early, teams will have to back off and then Lex will be very effective. If not, however, Lex's tendency in High School was to get frustrated & quit in games. Also, Lex never ran effectively if he got dinged up in HS; I'm curious to see how he responds if he gets nicked up this season because he is going to get a lot of carries early in the year...

Overall, I think the nod goes to EWU, with the Cats playing them for the BSC title. The Griz will have to settle for 3rd this season and HOPE that they don't suffer enough L's to break their playoff run...

[/quote] The Griz will have to settle for 3rd this season and HOPE that they don't suffer enough L's to break their playoff run...[/quote]

That is assuming they can beat Ft. Lewis at home!!!

Since I like poker, I'll stand pat. Our team is special this year. The team I'm most concerned with is McBrides. After playing Fresno tough, NDSU and getting screwed in Mazzola, they'll be pizzed when we roll into Odgen. About the fourth game of the year, we're going to see just how good Roos from EWU is and was for the nice bunch of farmers from the Palouse. They coast except for getting screwed--you know where. Wish we could get them early in the year. PSU has most of their OL back. Maybe we'll finally get them in Portland when it really counts. NAU is in trouble, but the middle of October should be kind of wet in Bozo and Muriatta (?) doesn't do a good job unless he's on carpet. ISU always plays us tough. dUMb finally feels the pain. Suck State was young last year and after starting 0-4 by playing at California, Cal Poly, PSU and Davis at home, they'll quit. Hope I'm right for once. At least this year, we've only got two night games away and they're not back to back! We've also got the advantage of having a bye after getting back from Portland before we play NAU/

El_Gato wrote:Offensively, I believe they have more question marks than anytime in the last 15+ years. Does that mean their O will suck? Possibly; if they do turn out to be effective offensively, it will be because a bunch of unknowns come through. Talmage & Hilliard are the only KNOWN guys at skill positions; *snip*

All the naysayers on egriz are worried about our offense next year -- personally, I think we'll be fine as long as one of our QBs steps up. Yeah, we've got "question marks" -- but that happens every year, and someone always steps up. The year after Joe Douglass graduated, we weren't supposed to have any threatening receivers either, but Raul Pacheco & Co. did a fine job. After those guys graduated, the cupboard was "empty" again...until the following year, when Etu Molden and Jimmy Farris came along.

I guess my point is, losing players is part of college football, and the Griz have never had a problem reloading. I don't know who the stars will be next year, but I'm confident someone will step up and assume the role. The Griz offense might not be the offense of 95-96, but it will be fine.

lawman,

I think the point is that it's a lot more comfortable KNOWING what you have returning. I don't think anyone here is assuming automatically that the Griz QB's will suck. But they MIGHT. The advantage we hold this season is we're pretty sure our QB won't suck.

I'm would PAY to see what's going to happen at dUMb if/when the "annointed one" struggles in a game. I'm curious how Booby would handle a full-blown QB controversy; I'm sure he will do so in his inimitably tactful & respectful style...