Rittenberg best-case worst-case rewind
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/9381/best-case-worst-case-rewi…
Slightly painful to recap the pitfalls of this season but it would be interesting to hear what people believed at that point in the season to now. I don't know if I've just been broken down by the past two seasons but a mediocre/bad/missed bowl season still would not get me to my neighborhood pitchfork and torch store. Not even because I drink the RR-Kool Aid but just that I don't believe coaches can win and just simply fall on their faces for 3 years straight. Fall into mediocrity? Absolutely. Go from BCS to bowl-less for 3+ years? No.
Anyways, I had to shift the post away because I accidentally reposted old info so I thought this would open the floor to something productive.
What is one thing you're almost positive on for next year? Tate starting all season? A position shift for the city's Fastest Man? Etc.
January 18th, 2010 at 6:37 PM ^
If these predictions don't come to pass I'm going to crawl up in a ball and cry and cry.
1) We outgain a team in big 10 play.
2) We have a better than -13 turnover margin in Big Ten play.
January 18th, 2010 at 6:54 PM ^
Unfortunately, until we start winning the battle of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball consistently we are going to struggle.
We need to start beating Big Ten teams and that is how you do it.
January 18th, 2010 at 7:17 PM ^
Positive -
We'll get a strong showing from the Sophmores/RS Freshman. I think Tate, Roh, Turner, Campball, Omameh, and hopefully another o-lineman or two will take a solid step forward (which for some is the only direction they can go). I realize this isn't measurable, but it seems like there's a lot of talent here that needs maturity to catch up with it, which is hopefully taking place right now.
Negative -
I think it will be awhile before anyone will distance themselves from the rest of the running back field. What seems to be a RB by committee will take a while to get going, and it won't be till mid year before one or two of the RBs distinguish themselves as the go-to back(s). Hope they prove me wrong, but this is one area I believe we will be shaky in until they get more reps.
January 18th, 2010 at 10:25 PM ^
I like RR, but I think that we have to make a bowl game or it's time to start looking at new options. I'm not asking for a BCS bowl, just a bowl game. All he needs to do is win 1 or 2 more games over last year and that will do it. Either that, or beat OSU.
I think that having a non-freshman, non-walk on QB will make a lot of difference and IMO having a little continuity will give us a defense that plays better than last year (hard not to beat that sieve).
January 19th, 2010 at 9:06 AM ^
We were *thisclose* to a bowl game last year. There's a ton of "what if's", starting with Molk and finishing at the last second losses against MSU, Iowa, Purdue, etc. And to be fair the last second wins could have gone the either way also.
I think the development of our young players, combined with the consistency on defense, will help us move some of those close games into the W category and send us to a bowl. I don't see a 10 win season (I hope i'm wrong!), but I do see a bowl.