Reader Questions
This segment is on you, the reader, and I am tackling your questions. The questions have been great, so far......And I am hoping you all can keep them coming. If you have a question/comment you can post to our Facebook page or leave them as a comment......or send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com
I almost called this segment "The BigTen Segment" because of all the questions and comments related to teams in that conference. However, there were some other questions I received that I was able throw into the mix.
Tim Shay writes: So I have a few questions about my Wolverines. Obviously Devin Gardner impressed at the Manning Camp a couple weeks ago, and as he goes, I am betting, so will our offense. My question is on the defensive side of the ball. With Jake Ryan - undisputably our best Linebacker from 2012 - out until October, how do you think the Maize and Blue will address his absence in the linebacking corps, and do you think they will be able to survive until he returns in mid-October?
As always, Tim, thanks for reading and your questions. Okay, while Jake Ryan may have racked up 94 tackles (ESPN Stats), I think Desmond Morgan will help 'mask' the absence of Ryan until his return. Morgan had 82 tackles (ESPN Stats) last season and could perform at the same level as Ryan when called upon. Outside of Morgan, though, I understand your concern. There isn't much experience behind those two. Joe Bolden recorded 30 tackles last season. He will be depended on a bit more until October. Royce Jenkins-Stone saw limited action last season and will most likely be a key player in the mix. Mark Lawson and Dan Liesman have solid size for first year players, 6-2 215 lbs. and 6-2 220 lbs respectively. Nothing could make fans more nervous about the linebackers than having freshman coming in to replace a guy like Jake Ryan. So...... surviving until Ryan's return is the next key.....
Looking at the schedule, most of it is manageable except for ONE BIG GAME. I think Michigan will be 4-1 heading into October. The one loss? Notre Dame. Is it possible that Michigan could get it done against Notre Dame? Yes, it's college football and anything at this point is possible. Replacing a linebacker should be the least of their worries, though, in my opinion. What about replacing a guy who is responsible for over 2500 yards and 16 TDs. Sure, Michigan played pretty well with a different QB, but that's still a guy who drew attention from opposing defenses. Thanks Tim, for your questions.
Drew from Seattle writes: Is Ohio State gonna have a team left by the time the season starts?
1. Hyde possibly the best RB in the conference dismissed - due to possible pending arrest
2. Roby starting CB being held out of media activities - potential suspension for an arrest.
3. true freshman tight end Marcus Baugh has been suspended from all team activities, stripped of offseason aid and will miss the first game of the season on Aug. 31 for his arrest for underage possession of alcohol and possessing fake identification.
4. freshman Tim Gardner has been sent home and won't be part of the program this season following the offensive lineman's arrest on Saturday for obstruction of official business.
Is this going on everywhere or is Ohio State just getting all the media attention because they are gonna be so Ballin' this fall?
Drew, thanks for the question. Simply put, yes, a lot of this is going on at other schools as well. Take Florida for example, Antonio Morrison was arrested for barking at a Police Dog. Yes, you read that right, the Police Dog wasn't barking at him.....it was the human-being that was BARKING at the dog. Now, I think Ohio State is getting much of the attention for a couple reasons. One, obviously because how good this team was a year ago and how good they could be this season. Second, the recent story of Ohio State tattle-tailing on Florida for some NCAA Recruiting violations. So the media is all over both schools right now for every possible story. Maybe another reason is that Urban Meyer has taken criticism for having thug players and maybe he is trying to clean that up a bit. After all, he did recruit and coach Aaron Hernandez. Mmmmm Too Soon?
Jason Lee writes: Big Noles fan here, and I am very excited about what this season could bring. You touched a little bit on what their season could be like in your countdown, so could you really break it down a bit more? Jameis Winston hasn't been announced as the starter yet. Why? Media days were earlier this week and Clemson was voted to be the preseason favorite to win the ACC. What you think?
Thank you for reading and for the questions. I think the media does what is the safest prediction in a lot of situations. I won't name the teams but I will give you a brief description of the changes that have been made to each team and let's see which looks like the safest pick.
-Team A lost 12 players to the draft and had to replace SIX coaches, including a defensive coordinator. Team A also has to replace a 3 year starter at QB.
-Team B returns their coaching staff, their star QB, and one of the fastest players in college football. Team B's defense remains solid and is now in the second year of the system put in place by a very good D Coordinator. Team B also gets home field advantage against Team A this season; the home team has won the last 6 meetings and the Atlantic Division.
Which one sounds like the safe pick, Jason? And after reading about some interviews at ACC Media days, I think most Florida State players prefer it that way. The attention and expectations aren't as high from the media. Which is more motivating? Being the underdog? Or being the favorite?
Winston not being announced as the starter is a good thing. The amount of hype about him right now is HUGE. I expect Fisher to keep his starter unknown until the week of their first game. It will keep both guys focused and may relieve some of the pressure one or both are feeling.
A little more on what to expect from the Noles? Well, here is a little valuable piece of info about the Noles..... Everybody keeps talking about the players that FSU lost this off-season. How can FSU reload with all that talent gone? Fisher pointed something out that I never even considered (nor did the rest of the media)....This team will have more junior and senior players in starting roles this season than they had last season. May not seem like much at first, but think about that for a minute. There will be more experience on this team than last season, even with the 12 players lost to the draft. And they are all just as talented. Isn't that just a little bit scary for teams and their fans that remember what it was like in the 90's when the Noles never rebuilt, but just reloaded? When your team has 4 straight seasons in the top 10 recruiting and 2 of them are in the top 5, suddenly you aren't rebuilding every season.... you're reloading. Obviously the biggest question mark for FSU is the QB position but whoever the QB will be, they have the talent around them to take some of the pressure off. A great offensive line, deep receiving group, and two very talented running-backs.
I still would keep the excitement as a cautioned excitement. There are sure to be some growing pains with a new QB and a new defensive coordinator, but the upside is bursting with potential. Thanks for the questions, Jason.
Okay, I am going to break this week's Reader Question segment into two parts. If I didn't get to yours today, don't worry, I will hit it later this week. I still have a few BigTen questions left too. Thanks for reading and thanks for the questions and feedback. Don't forget to check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day Post your questions there or send them to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com
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