My glass? Half full, please ...

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 8:56 am

Optimism is free, so I'll take some. There's nothing to lose by looking at the glass as being half full right now and I have plenty of PITAs (work, mortgage, et al.) to worry about. Being negative about Falcon football only adds something else to the list of things that hike my blood pressure.

We lost a lot of assistant coaches. Disappointing? Yes. But it creates opportunity - opportunity for someone else hungry to make a name for themself. Ward has been an assistant for a long time. Now it's his chance to prove what he's probably believed all along - I can be a damn good DC if given the change. Same with McCall. We hired an assistant from a small school in Michigan who's ready to show the world that he can, indeed, coach at the highest level of college football. Same with Campbell, who is ready to show folks that coaching at Mount Union is a way to learn how to do things the right way.

I check out the SeboCam thread every day, because I can't wait to see the structure completed. It will have such a dramatic impact on the look and feel of our stadium and I can't wait to see it.

I'm excited about our recruiting class. We didn't get everything we probably needed, but we added our third class in a row that was heavy on speed and athleticism. That is going to show up, big time, this year. We also added some players who will have an immediate impact - Ransom, Davis, the kicker & punter.

I'm excited about the development of the players who endured a difficult 2006 season. Turner and Sheehan will be better. Turner showed flashes that lead me to believe he can be the QB we've also hoped for. Bullock had a ton of touches and will only get better with an off-season workout program. Corey showed that he's ready to take his place among the legion of great BGSU receivers. Freddie Barnes can focus on one position and have a breakout year. Defensively, our backfield is no longer full of first-year players. They have an entire season of experience under their collective belts. I'm stoked to see Briggs become a terror and for Young to be the disruptive force we need in the middle of the line.

Will it all come to pass? Maybe not. But in the bone-chilling cold of February, a little optimism warms my days. I'd rather look back and say things didn't go as well as I'd hoped than make myself miserable now so that I can say "I told you so" later.

So I'll be humming Ay Ziggy Zoomba around the office today, excited that the 2007 season is one day closer.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 9:06 am

Let me add that Gregg Brandon did not have the demeanor of a guy on his way to the gallows last night. I've made a career out of reading people one on one (I even helped a few find their way to jail in the process) and I do not think he was putting up a brave front. I think the man is genuinely excited about the prospects for next year.

I envision Zach Charles and Corey Partridge lined up wide with Barnes in the slot. There isn't a LB or safety in the league (outside of Barry Church) that's gonna cover Barnes one on one.

Get that new field in place and we're gonna have the fast track we need to show all that speed we've recruited.

I'm really looking forward to next year

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 9:14 am

I hope you are both right. It would be absolutely awesome to be standing at the Doyt this November and watch us roll over the Rockets to clinch our division title. I really hope we are back.

rocketfootball · Post by **rocketfootball** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 1:37 pm

Flipper wrote:Let me add that Gregg Brandon did not have the demeanor of a guy on his way to the gallows last night. I've made a career out of reading people one on one (I even helped a few find their way to jail in the process) and I do not think he was putting up a brave front. I think the man is genuinely excited about the prospects for next year.

I envision Zach Charles and Corey Partridge lined up wide with Barnes in the slot. There isn't a LB or safety in the league (outside of Barry Church) that's gonna cover Barnes one on one.

Get that new field in place and we're gonna have the fast track we need to show all that speed we've recruited.

I'm really looking forward to next year

Wow, thanks for the high praise of Barry Church. If speed is an indication, we just signed Tamawi McGhee as a safety yesterday and he has legit 4.4 speed. My guess is he will replace Tyrrell Herbert at free safety in 2008 as Herbert will be a senior this fall.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:27 pm

I love barry Church (as a player...I'm not getting all John Amaechi, retail falcon logo). Forget the "lock doiwn corner"...for me the foundation of a secondary is a good sized safety who can motor and smack you in the mouth if you try to get cute over the middle.

Even an average corner can play like a "lock down" guy if the WR is afraid to go over middle.

I mentioned that notion to coach Brandon last evening. He said that PJ Mahone is really growing up back there at safety. I was glad to hear that...I think Mahone has the potnetial to be a Church type guy.

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:30 pm

Flip:

I think our defensive backfield is really going to grow up a lot this year. A number of our DBs looked pretty good last year and I expect that having a year of experience under their belt, as well as going through an off-season conditioning program, will help propel them to another level.

And I'm really keyed up to see Briggs this year. If you had seen him on the sideline of the Temple game, you'd know he's exerting himself as a vocal leader on the defensive side of the ball. I expect him to be a one-man wrecking crew in 2007.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:50 pm

1987alum wrote:Flip:

I think our defensive backfield is really going to grow up a lot this year. A number of our DBs looked pretty good last year and I expect that having a year of experience under their belt, as well as going through an off-season conditioning program, will help propel them to another level.

And I'm really keyed up to see Briggs this year. If you had seen him on the sideline of the Temple game, you'd know he's exerting himself as a vocal leader on the defensive side of the ball. I expect him to be a one-man wrecking crew in 2007.

Our DBs just need to play more disciplined...our problem was way too many BIG plays last year.

I, too, expect big things from Briggs; and Dozier as well. Those guys are entering their Junior seasons, so this is when I expect to see them start developing into the type of player their potential says they can be. I expect the defense to improve some over last year, no doubt.

Still the keys for this team are going to be (IMO) if Corey & Barnes can step it up a level (or anyone else at WR) and if Turner can step it up a level. If those 3 guys make big strides I think we can see a much improved overall team next year. If our pass offense continues to be nonexistent then I expect more of the same.

da3mite · Post by **da3mite** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:18 pm

Get that new field in place and we're gonna have the fast track we need to show all that speed we've recruited.

I'm really looking forward to next year[/quote]

Is the new field turf a guarantee? (I don't mean to change the subject of the thread, just one quick question).

falconfan1999 · Post by **falconfan1999** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:39 pm

Well put guys! We have some great athletes in the program with some more fresh faces set to join them! We are getting some new Field Turf, so no longer will even Turdledo be able to cut on our playing surface. The Sebo Center is going to be complete this Spring. AND we have what looks to be an AMAZING home schedule this year.

How can you not be optimistic about the 2007 season?

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 4:03 pm

hammb wrote: I expect the defense to improve some over last year, no doubt.

I did too, then Lovett left. Will Ward keep the same schemes? Terminology? Players in their current positions? If the answer to any of those questions is "no", and I suspect they will be, we have to expect yet another transition period. It's too much to expect from a very young defense to be able to swallow a whole new way of doing things and improve right off the bat.

Sorry to get away from the optimism theme of the thread, but I think the Lovett loss hurts our 2007 D in a big way.

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 5:27 pm

'87,

I'll have another BiG serving of Optimism. Seems I'm one of the most optimistic every year cuz it's my nature.

When I talked to Coach B at the banquet, he was already jacked to get 2007 underway. 2006 was a difficult season.

Coach knows what's on the line...produce or else. It's no different than any other job, per say. I say Coach comes out swingin' in 2007 with his hair on fire doing everything possible to restore the great BG tradition. I'm still in his corner 100%.

BTW, great points about the new assistants. There were plenty of folks here that bitched about these same assistants that have moved on...and now are bitching cuz they aren't here anymore. Talk about trying to have it both ways.

C'MON GB! Get er done!!!

GO FALCONS!!!

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 8:09 am

falconfan1999 wrote:We are getting some new Field Turf, so no longer will even Turdledo be able to cut on our playing surface.

The opinions of Toledo fans are a silly reason to do anything.

RobbyFalcon · Post by **RobbyFalcon** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:49 pm

Thanks 87 Alum. Well said.

falconfan1999 · Post by **falconfan1999** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 4:36 pm

Schadenfreude wrote:
falconfan1999 wrote:We are getting some new Field Turf, so no longer will even Turdledo be able to cut on our playing surface.
The opinions of Toledo fans are a silly reason to do anything.

The point was, we're improving all around and that is just one step pointing towards a better season. Bancroft High is not a concern of mine!