Griz in 08 Update

[crazycat]

Their O Line returns everyone except Balogh, but their skill positions are average. Lex, Bagley and Allen are all done. Plus their kicker and punter are both done.

Actually, the only position on offense I am worried about is RB. Yes, we lose Bagley and Allen at WR, but we have Ferriter, Mariani, and Schulte coming back -- Ferriter and Schulte have already had significant playing time, and Mariani has the speed and athleticism to be awesome after having another year to learn the offense. At RB, Brooks-Fletcher has speed, but he's not really a power runner, nor is he a great blocker. He either needs to improve, or we need to go get someone (actually, we probably need to get someone regardless -- even if TBF becomes a complete stud next year, we'll need someone to take some of the load).

In short -- I am a Griz fan with acknowledged maroon-colored glasses, but I'm not that worried about our offense next year. If we can get some more playmakers, it'll be gravy, but with Cole, an improved o-line, and some solid receivers, I think we'll be ok.

Defense is a complete wildcard -- I wouldn't even care to speculate as to who will be starting. We'll see...

Yeah, the offense is the strongest unit of the bunch. I like Ferriter. Another good receiver is Palmer, he looked good against MSU. I'm not real high on Schulte, but Mariani is a good player.

Tough time replacing Carpenter and Johnson, those guys were great. I'd say a kicker like Carp comes around once in a lifetime, but you had Snyder before that, so who knows. Snyder and Carpenter won some games for you over the past eight years, that I know for sure.

Your defense was your best unit last year and right now it's shaky. Hauck has a lot of work to do this off season.

[catatac]

Their O Line returns everyone except Balogh, but their skill positions are average. Lex, Bagley and Allen are all done. Plus their kicker and punter are both done.

Actually, the only position on offense I am worried about is RB. Yes, we lose Bagley and Allen at WR, but we have Ferriter, Mariani, and Schulte coming back -- Ferriter and Schulte have already had significant playing time, and Mariani has the speed and athleticism to be awesome after having another year to learn the offense. At RB, Brooks-Fletcher has speed, but he's not really a power runner, nor is he a great blocker. He either needs to improve, or we need to go get someone (actually, we probably need to get someone regardless -- even if TBF becomes a complete stud next year, we'll need someone to take some of the load).

In short -- I am a Griz fan with acknowledged maroon-colored glasses, but I'm not that worried about our offense next year. If we can get some more playmakers, it'll be gravy, but with Cole, an improved o-line, and some solid receivers, I think we'll be ok.

Defense is a complete wildcard -- I wouldn't even care to speculate as to who will be starting. We'll see...

You lose the best running back in school history, the best kicker in school history, one of the best punters in school history, Bagley and Chambers, and all conference lineman, your 2 best backup RB's... and I'm sure I'm missing some players. You had all that talent this year and face it, your O just wasn't that good. It was pretty decent at times but nothing spectacular. Do you think you will actually be better in 08 with the loss of all that talent, yet the same Offensive coaches and playcalling?

[GrizinWashington]

I doubt the Griz will be better in 2008 (it's hard to be better than undefeated). But to suggest that they will lose 4 or 5 games simply shows that you either know little about football, or haven't studied Griz history over the last 20 years. The Griz played a number of guys on defense this year with their rotational style. It's not like they'll be plugging in guys who don't know the field is 100 yards long.

I agree with Grizlaw. My only real concern is running back (and my thougth there is that the Griz morph more into a ball-control passing team). LB is a concern on defense, and of course they'll be growing pains. But the Griz will be very, very solid next year.

[Grizlaw]

You lose the best running back in school history, the best kicker in school history, one of the best punters in school history, Bagley and Chambers, and all conference lineman, your 2 best backup RB's... and I'm sure I'm missing some players. You had all that talent this year and face it, your O just wasn't that good. It was pretty decent at times but nothing spectacular. Do you think you will actually be better in 08 with the loss of all that talent, yet the same Offensive coaches and playcalling?

First of all, we didn't have Chambers this year, either, so I wouldn't count him as a player that we're "losing" next year. We did lose Bagely and Allen, and that will hurt...but we return Ferriter, Mariani, Schulte, Troxel, and a few younger players at WR. Of those, if I had to predict right now, I think Ferriter and Mariani will step up and be our playmakers, and the others are all servicable players who can play roles on the team.

Second of all -- you're putting words in my mouth if you're suggesting that I said the Griz would be better next year than they were this year. When I posted, I was responding to a Cat fan who suggested that, aside from Cole and our o-line, we don't really know what we have on offense. To the contrary, I think we have several WRs who have played and can get the job done, and we have at least one running back (TBF) who can shoulder at least some of the load at RB (he has the speed to be a good scatback-type runner; I'm not sure if he has the power to help us in short yardage situations, or the blocking ability to help us in obvious passing situations).

I'm not saying our team is going to be awesome next year; I'm just saying we have enough talent coming back that we should be alright, and if we can fill some of the holes (either by getting transfers or by having young players step up), then we could be back in contention. Whether we'll be able to fill those holes or not remains to be seen, but given our team's history, I wouldn't be quite as excited about our "demise" as the Cat fans here seem to be. If I were a betting man, I would bet that some combination of transfer players plus having some of the young players on our roster step up and become stars will result the Griz being right back in the mix for the BSC title next year.

[crazycat]

A load of talent just walked off the field, but it's not impossible that Hauck can replace it. But it is improbable.

This past year this team was expected to possibly give you a little trouble before the season started: @MSU.

Unless some ringers are brought on board, this coming year these teams will be expected to give you trouble: @Cal Poly, @WSU, @EWU, @PSU and MSU.

We all may have caught a break when Wulff went to WSU, but EWU will still be a serious contender next year along with MSU. Next year won't be as easy as this year was.

[crazycat]

First of all, we didn't have Chambers this year, either, so I wouldn't count him as a player that we're "losing" next year. We did lose Bagely and Allen, and that will hurt...but we return Ferriter, Mariani, Schulte, Troxel, and a few younger players at WR. Of those, if I had to predict right now, I think Ferriter and Mariani will step up and be our playmakers, and the others are all servicable players who can play roles on the team.

Second of all -- you're putting words in my mouth if you're suggesting that I said the Griz would be better next year than they were this year. When I posted, I was responding to a Cat fan who suggested that, aside from Cole and our o-line, we don't really know what we have on offense. To the contrary, I think we have several WRs who have played and can get the job done, and we have at least one running back (TBF) who can shoulder at least some of the load at RB (he has the speed to be a good scatback-type runner; I'm not sure if he has the power to help us in short yardage situations, or the blocking ability to help us in obvious passing situations).

I'm not saying our team is going to be awesome next year; I'm just saying we have enough talent coming back that we should be alright, and if we can fill some of the holes (either by getting transfers or by having young players step up), then we could be back in contention. Whether we'll be able to fill those holes or not remains to be seen, but given our team's history, I wouldn't be quite as excited about our "demise" as the Cat fans here seem to be. If I were a betting man, I would bet that some combination of transfer players plus having some of the young players on our roster step up and become stars will result the Griz being right back in the mix for the BSC title next year.

I don't know if you're refering to me, but all I said was that your returning skill players are average. I'll stand by that collectively. I like Ferriter. Mariani looks like he'll be good. Palmer looked good against us, but too soon to tell. Schulte seems to be regressing. TBF seems to have hit a plateau. I think you guys will be alright, too, but at this time last year you were a lock to win the Big Sky with all the guys you had coming back.

[GrizinWashington]

A load of talent just walked off the field, but it's not impossible that Hauck can replace it. But it is improbable.

This past year this team was expected to possibly give you a little trouble before the season started: @MSU.

Unless some ringers are brought on board, this coming year these teams will be expected to give you trouble: @Cal Poly, @WSU, @EWU, @PSU and MSU.

We all may have caught a break when Wulff went to WSU, but EWU will still be a serious contender next year along with MSU. Next year won't be as easy as this year was.

The Griz will bring in very, very few transfers.

And what's new? At the start of EVERY season, those are the games on the schedule that could give the Griz (and every other team) trouble. And fortunately, in the vast majority of years, the Griz go 7-1 or 8-0 in those gamese.

I truly don't believe there is anyone asscoicated with the Griz program (except Alpha, of course) shaking in their boots about next year, if that's your point.

[crazycat]

A load of talent just walked off the field, but it's not impossible that Hauck can replace it. But it is improbable.

This past year this team was expected to possibly give you a little trouble before the season started: @MSU.

Unless some ringers are brought on board, this coming year these teams will be expected to give you trouble: @Cal Poly, @WSU, @EWU, @PSU and MSU.

We all may have caught a break when Wulff went to WSU, but EWU will still be a serious contender next year along with MSU. Next year won't be as easy as this year was.

The Griz will bring in very, very few transfers.

And what's new? At the start of EVERY season, those are the games on the schedule that could give the Griz (and every other team) trouble. And fortunately, in the vast majority of years, the Griz go 7-1 or 8-0 in those gamese.

I truly don't believe there is anyone asscoicated with the Griz program (except Alpha, of course) shaking in their boots about next year, if that's your point.

Well I didn't think you'd have much trouble winning the league this past year. I, of course, figured out a way to predict us to win, but didn't really believe it would happen with the team you had coming back.

Hey, if you can pull it off again next year, more power to ya. I'm just saying you take a big hit on defense. (Don't you think so?) Not too many teams have ever absorbed a huge graduation like that. Nine starters and three key backups, not to mention Carpenter and Johnson. I'm not saying it can't be done, because obviously there are some transfers that could fill these holes. (Do you think you can replace all these guys with their backups and be just as good w/ very, very few transfers (how many is very few?).

Here’s the 2-deep on defense, according to montanagrizzlies.com:

LE – Pitcher, Mercer
LT – LaMantia, Bender
RT – Mettler, Carlson
RE – Palmer, Mullins
OLB – Martin, Lebsock
MLB – Corwin, Pelluer
OLB – Campbell, Gonzales
CB – VandenBerg, Campbell
S – Schillinger, Fisher
S – Colt Anderson, Anderson
CB – Olson, Dwyer

I think the secondary will be OK. Schillinger and Anderson are a nice safety combo. Last year it was those with Cooper, Jr. and Torrey Thomas. Fisher is going to be good.

The LBs are the biggest loss. Not saying they’re bad, but just a far cry from Utterback, Joyce, Ryan, Foreman and Hawthorne.

The DL should be OK, but you can’t expect to replace Biermann.

[catatac]

A load of talent just walked off the field, but it's not impossible that Hauck can replace it. But it is improbable.

This past year this team was expected to possibly give you a little trouble before the season started: @MSU.

Unless some ringers are brought on board, this coming year these teams will be expected to give you trouble: @Cal Poly, @WSU, @EWU, @PSU and MSU.

We all may have caught a break when Wulff went to WSU, but EWU will still be a serious contender next year along with MSU. Next year won't be as easy as this year was.

The Griz will bring in very, very few transfers.

And what's new? At the start of EVERY season, those are the games on the schedule that could give the Griz (and every other team) trouble. And fortunately, in the vast majority of years, the Griz go 7-1 or 8-0 in those gamese.

I truly don't believe there is anyone asscoicated with the Griz program (except Alpha, of course) shaking in their boots about next year, if that's your point.

No, I don't think Griz fans, other than the ones with unrealistic expectations should be "shaking in their boots", but they should be prepared for a probable "down year". My final question to you on this thread... simple Yes or No answer will do... "Does the 2007 team lose far more talent than any other Griz team in the past 10 years?"

[Grizlaw]

My final question to you on this thread... simple Yes or No answer will do... "Does the 2007 team lose far more talent than any other Griz team in the past 10 years?"

Seriously, man -- have you thought about going to law school?? The "please limit your answer to a simple 'yes' or 'no'," followed by a question framed in precisely the best possible way to get the answer you want, is a textbook cross-examination technique. And, the textbook response to that technique is to never answer the question in the way your opponent tells you to. So I won't.

Here's my answer: yes, we lose a lot of talent next year. I'd have to do a lot of research to figure out whether there's a year in the past 10 where we lost more than this year, so I don't know the answer to that question, but we do lose a lot of good players. But as I've said in my other posts, I also think we have some good players coming up, and I'm confident we'll make the best of it.

[GrizinWashington]

The Griz lose a lot of talent, Catatac, no doubt about it. But frankly I think there is more experience coming back than there was in 2003. Remember, the reason this class is so large is because THAT class was so large (e.g. we lost so many seniors that year as well). And I believe the Griz are a lot deeper and have had that depth play many more downs than the team in 03.

[bpcats]

I expect the Griz to be very tough next year. They are basically bringing back their entire offense including their O-line and a senior quarterback.
The problem they have is their play calling is not that imaginative (of course when Lex was averaging 4 yds a carry you don't have to be a genius). I do see the Griz losing 2 conference games next year but I can't you who it will be against. They will probably at least tie for the championship.

I think next year that the Big Sky will be very competitive.

Before losing Wulff and their OC to WSU I would have picked them first but now they are still a top 3 team.

Portland State - Glanville can recruit and their offense is scary but their defense has a lot of questions

Weber - Brings back the whole team. Plays tough defense. Good running back and a good looking quarterback but something is always lacking.

NAU - Probably not going to be a factor

NC - No need to worry

SAC - If they ever found an offense to go with that defense they would be scary but it won't be next year.

Idaho State - Won't be a factor

MSU - We have talent but need playmakers at QB, LB, K, O-Line (I am talking dominant O-Line that allows a better finish than 7th in the Big Sky for rushing). Depending on how we answer those needs we could finish 1st or 4th.