What a difference a year makes...

[Ineedbotox]

I don't know what it is, but everyone seems much more guarded in their predictions for BG & the Mac this year. Maybe there was too much stock put in Omar, and even the pre-season Heisman talk last year. Maybe it was the actual end result. But it seems to me everyone has backed way off of their high hopes from last year. What gives?

[Rightupinthere]

We have a LOT of young players moving into starting roles. They are talented, but still young.

The defense was a huge disappointment last year. They started showing some glimmers last year, but the unit is still a question mark in my mind.

BGAlum1987 said i perfectly, "12-0 and 0-12 would surprise me. Anything else is a real possibility." I'm paraphrasing, but it nails my thoughts at this point.

[kdog27]

Maybe it is a good thing.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I don't know what it is, but everyone seems much more guarded in their predictions for BG & the Mac this year. Maybe there was too much stock put in Omar, and even the pre-season Heisman talk last year. Maybe it was the actual end result. But it seems to me everyone has backed way off of their high hopes from last year. What gives?

I don't know -- let me see. Could it be losing a record-breaking QB? Or maybe it's losing our two best wide receivers...or perhaps our top 2 rushers? Senior defensive leaders? Maybe it's having perhaps the youngest team in the MAC? Maybe it's because we had a down year that tempered expectations?

Is this really a hard question?

[hammb]

I don't know what it is, but everyone seems much more guarded in their predictions for BG & the Mac this year. Maybe there was too much stock put in Omar, and even the pre-season Heisman talk last year. Maybe it was the actual end result. But it seems to me everyone has backed way off of their high hopes from last year. What gives?

We lost a TON of talent off last year's team. Combine that with the fact that last year's team far underachieved it's potential, and you get a group of people that aren't real optimistic about this coming season.

Last year we were returning our superstar QB, a pair of elite WRs, and a guy who looked as though he'd go down as one of the best RBs in BG history. This year we're replacing all those guys. We return a good deal of our defensive starters, but that was a unit that was very poor last year.

It is natural that we'd have far lowered expectations this year after watching last year's team underperform, and then losing the percieved stars off that team.

[1987alum]

We have a LOT of young players moving into starting roles. They are talented, but still young.

The defense was a huge disappointment last year. They started showing some glimmers last year, but the unit is still a question mark in my mind.

BGAlum1987 said i perfectly, "12-0 and 0-12 would surprise me. Anything else is a real possibility." I'm paraphrasing, but it nails my thoughts at this point.

Thanks and thanks for accurately summing up the post. I stand by it, too.

[TG1996]

I don't know what it is, but everyone seems much more guarded in their predictions for BG & the Mac this year. Maybe there was too much stock put in Omar, and even the pre-season Heisman talk last year. Maybe it was the actual end result. But it seems to me everyone has backed way off of their high hopes from last year. What gives?

There was alot of excitement from what had been accomplished the previous two years, what Omar had done in '04, and a group of accomplished seniors coming back. Not to mention the schedule seeming to line up somewhat in our favor (UT at home, what was perceived to be a bit of a down Wisky and Boise St. team, etc.)... optimism was taken to an extra level.

This year, there is alot of skill turnover, and I don't know that alot of questions have been answered on defense. The optimist in me wants to think things will come together, and I'll go on believing that, but it's definitely a different kind of hope than last season.

(There. Now let the "I told you we wouldn't be good last year" comments commence.)

[TG1996]

I knew you bastards would beat me to the punch when I started doing work in the middle of my post.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

We have a LOT of young players moving into starting roles. They are talented, but still young.

The defense was a huge disappointment last year. They started showing some glimmers last year, but the unit is still a question mark in my mind.

BGAlum1987 said i perfectly, "12-0 and 0-12 would surprise me. Anything else is a real possibility." I'm paraphrasing, but it nails my thoughts at this point.

Thanks and thanks for accurately summing up the post. I stand by it, too.

I don't know. 2-10 would surprise me. So would 10-2 I guess. Anything in between those is fair game.

[kdog27]

I knew you bastards would beat me to the punch when I started doing work in the middle of my post.

That is why I gave a one liner. Plus I am lazy

[Flipper]

Screw all those factual dsicussions about lost talent and youth...I think the tone is more subdued because falconboy has brought everyone down a bit.

That kid is a human buzzkill

[Ineedbotox]

Personally, I think a lot of people overestimated our talent last year. I think this year, they are just being pragmatic.

[TG1996]

Personally, I think a lot of people overestimated our talent last year. I think this year, they are just being pragmatic.

In hindsight, maybe. But I think there was ALOT to be excited about, and I still don't think that some of the preseason expectations from folks around here were all that off-the-wall.

[BGSUFootballFan]

It's only natural for people to quiet down when all signs point to greatness and then it doesnt happen. However last season shouldnt have anything to do with this season and I think that we'll be fine. I'll be bold and throw out a prediction. How about 8-4, losses to Wiscy and OSU, and then 2 losses in MAC most likely on the road. I'll say we manage to go 1-2 against Akron, CMU, and UT. I dont think Ohio will be too much of a threat, and we play Miami at home this year and they arent as scary with TH gone to coach IU. What do you all think?

[1987alum]

It's only natural for people to quiet down when all signs point to greatness and then it doesnt happen. However last season shouldnt have anything to do with this season and I think that we'll be fine. I'll be bold and throw out a prediction. How about 8-4, losses to Wiscy and OSU, and then 2 losses in MAC most likely on the road. I'll say we manage to go 1-2 against Akron, CMU, and UT. I dont think Ohio will be too much of a threat, and we play Miami at home this year and they arent as scary with TH gone to coach IU. What do you all think?

Anything between 1-11 and 11-1 is possible, I'll stand by that.

Spart43 brought up an interesting scenario about the early part of the season, basically that Buffalo will come in here, likely off a win over Temple, with its hair of fire, ready to make a statement. Meanwhile, our boys will be coming off a very difficult game against Wisconsin, with AT probably making his first start of the year. Remember that we had our trouble with Buffalo last year, real trouble.

Speaking of Temple, don't think we're going to hang 70 on them again. It's too early to tell how much of a difference Golden will make, but I don't think we're looking at the glorified scrimmages of the past two years.

Miami always gives up fits. I'm thrilled we won last year, but we need to prove that we can do it again and that the monsoon and Butterfingers The Punter weren't the only reasons. UT at the Glass Bowl? Yikes.

And while I'm not sold on Solich quite yet, I wouldn't dismiss the Snobkitties, either.

Anyway, 8-4 is plausible. But so is just about anything else.