And into the season we go.... CORRECTED****
Well folks, before we take off are your seat belts fastened and tray table in the up-right and locked position? This is going to be a ride.
1) Fitz is the clear #1 RB, but he's hurt. **Edit ***Smith***will get the start.
2) We will know Shaw's status very very soon.
3) My key player to watch in the UCONN game? Mike Martin.
4) DG has the "tentative RS" (which shouldn't be surprising)
5) Our DB's going into week one? JT Floyd & James Rodgers
6) Denard is #1 (should be obvious by now).
7) Smith's knee is worrisome, Hopefully he didn't come back too soon.
8) Cam Gordon will be on a short-ish leash at safety.
***9) Carvin is getting some time as a strong safety kind of guy (not kovacs' spot). expect to see him on sat.
***10) Talbot, and Avery will play this year.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:34 PM ^
Is Fitz's injury a quick healing thing?
August 28th, 2010 at 11:00 PM ^
he may be back for the ND game, MAYBE
August 29th, 2010 at 12:45 AM ^
How comfortable are you with Cox gettting the nod? If you feel fine with it, then I won't pick up the Maalox. Will that change if Shaw is able to play? That would be really telling about both players if Cox gets the start ahead of Shaw IMO.
August 29th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
Interesting thing to remember: Cox is from Connecticut. That's got to provide a little extra motivation in this opener. Not that there isn't motivation for all these guys, but after reading what Fitz said in the Sam Webb interview about Cox, I'm more excited than concerned about the prospect of him starting.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:35 PM ^
inside info? or just predictions?
August 28th, 2010 at 10:45 PM ^
FormerWolv is a former player who's been granted access to practices, so he's probably making predictions based on inside info.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:35 PM ^
Who's Cam's backup?
Get well soon Fitz and V.Smith
August 28th, 2010 at 11:37 PM ^
August 28th, 2010 at 10:36 PM ^
August 28th, 2010 at 10:38 PM ^
On what basis?
August 28th, 2010 at 10:42 PM ^
He has the game experience and his decision making appears to be better than DR's (as of now). I liked what I saw from the Beanie Bowl highlight video..TF made some nice throws. I think he he starts and DR gets a lot of reps too.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:47 PM ^
but they both look comfortable in there. Tate is still a better throwing QB, and there will be times when we need to throw. They will both contribute.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:02 PM ^
you liked what you saw from the 3 minute highlight clip.........................
August 28th, 2010 at 10:42 PM ^
Forcier started all the games last year, he has the experience, if they are "equal" I would give the nod to Forcier.
Either way it shouldn't matter as they both should get significant snaps. People shouldn't get so bent out of shape over the starting QB. Can't believe the guy you responded to was negged.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
Denard is still getting the vast majority of snaps with the 1's.
DG with the 2's
Tate with the 3's
and I ain't trying to argue who should start and why. I just tell it how it is.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:56 PM ^
1- Why (according to yours and other reports) is Tate getting his snaps with the 3's? I don't understand this, particularly if as you say, DG is a tentative R.S. I get Denard with the 1's, but why Tate and 3's? Does that mean DG is ahead of him like it sounds?
2- This is the first anyone has said the Smith's knee is a problem, RR said the other day he was "100%." Is this new?
August 29th, 2010 at 12:01 AM ^
I wouldn't be surprised if Tate received more snaps with the 1's and 2's once camp breaks. I personally think it's tough love.
He is 100% physically. He has to learn to "trust" it again. I explained this a couple of posts down.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:44 PM ^
This is a guy who's a former player and has inside access to practice. He's provided similar info in the past -- he's not just making educated predictions.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
How much does it take to convince you? Jesus, its been Denard since spring
August 28th, 2010 at 10:37 PM ^
How bad is Fitz hurt? What's his recovery time?
August 28th, 2010 at 11:05 PM ^
it doesn't sound too bad, he should be back fairly soon
August 28th, 2010 at 11:33 PM ^
Good to hear he's merely banged up and not blown up.
I want him to blow up in a completely different way this year.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:10 AM ^
he has a neck strain. There were some links to interviews on GBW by Sam Webb and Fitz talked about getting some therapy on his neck. Only thing that sounds like to me is he has a strained/pulled/neck area. He sounded confident about getting back onto the field soon.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:42 PM ^
Thank god, only have a week more of speculative lists until the season.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:51 PM ^
August 28th, 2010 at 11:55 PM ^
With his eyes. Too many eye jokes tonight?
August 28th, 2010 at 10:52 PM ^
If this is accountable info then im happy with all of the list
August 28th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
I'll feel bad for him if they rushed him. Maybe they'll take it slow and medical redshirt if it is bad.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:46 PM ^
From interviews with Smith himself, he appears to be comfortable with it.
August 28th, 2010 at 10:59 PM ^
I'm also curious about Toussaint's injury. Is it something serious that might keep him from being the #1 guy, or does that appear pretty well set in stone ( at least based on practice reps)?
August 29th, 2010 at 8:13 AM ^
from the GBW interview with San Webb, Fitz sounds like he has a neck strain/sprain/pull. He sounded confident about getting back onto the field fairly soon.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
Everything I was hearing about Smith's knee was that it looks to be in pretty good shape? I'd hate to never see his full potential, I love the way he runs for an undersized back.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:43 AM ^
Mike Martin to the ground during one of the CTK video's, was totally awsome....
August 29th, 2010 at 3:49 PM ^
He tried to throw Martin down, I don't remember the attempt succeeding.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
The quarterbacks are not equal. Denard is better. Get over it
August 28th, 2010 at 11:09 PM ^
August 28th, 2010 at 11:11 PM ^
Fitz is the most complete back currently.
August 29th, 2010 at 1:24 AM ^
August 29th, 2010 at 9:01 AM ^
He may have the most ability, but I think he means that Fitz is doing everything well, which sounds like a solid back to me.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:15 PM ^
If all three QBs are awesome, and Denard is the one who showed the most leadership and work ethic in the off season, and Rich intends to play two or maybe all three, why would he not reward Denard with the start in the first game against a UConn team that struggles against the spread?
Denard may not be the starter the next week, or he might. But at the very least he should be rewarded for the opener.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:22 PM ^
Everyone's been saying V. Smith's knee is 100%. What happened?
August 28th, 2010 at 11:28 PM ^
It's healed, or he wouldn't be out there, but, it takes awhile for a guy who had a major injury like that to regain trust in it. I feel it's more this than not being healed.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:19 AM ^
may take a while longer.
They may have come a long way with the allografts they use now instead of using autografts like they used to, but I'm sure it still takes a good portion of a year to get the strength and endurance back into the muscles after being non weight bearing for 6 weeks on a reconstructed knee.
For rehab puproses, think of this. For total knee replacements, they get them up the next day. For ACL replacement (that's really what they do now, take a cadaveric ligament and hunks of bone and graft them in) and they aren't supposed to use the knee for a month and a half. Much stronger ligament than when they took a piece of tendon from elsewhere, but no faster to rebuild strength.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
We predominantly use autografts (own hamstring/patellar tendon). Allografts (cadaver tissue) are only used in certain situations where using your own tissue is contraindicated. ACL's are weightbearing usually right away, but you are correct the strengthening is delayed a while. Asssuming his rehab/post-op course went ok, his knee should be full go at this time. He may get some soreness from time to time but his confidence with his knee will be something that comes with time.
August 29th, 2010 at 7:25 PM ^
allografts than autografts. And I see them in all ranges of ages and weights of people. But I'm not the one doing them. I just sit at the head of the bed.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^
August 28th, 2010 at 11:55 PM ^
It doesn't matter what anyone did last year. We went 5-7, forget about who did what last year. As of know, from what we have heard from the players, coaches, insiders, analysts etc. is that Denard has been working his ass off and he is more comfortable with the offense and Tate didn't work as hard as he should have in the offseason. We know what Tate is capable of, but if he's not the guy to lead us out there it's because the coaches think we have a better chance to win with Denard. And I'm completely ok with that. We shouldn't forget about Tate but I'm sick of people saying _________ should start because of what they did last year. We need to win now, nobody's job is safe.
Sorry. Rant over.
August 28th, 2010 at 11:29 PM ^
How about the O-line and Will Campbell? How's the D look as a unit?
August 28th, 2010 at 11:29 PM ^
Oline is strong.
Will Campbell is behind Martin, a guy who's posed for a BG type year.