krag press conference @ 3 today

[Empire Lindy]

Losing any of the players before this class didn't have quite the impact of this year's. Even when a guy like Shelton left, you knew that you had a Bush still coming back. Bush & Kolby leave... you still have Anthony Allen as a sophomore who proved he could run the rock as a true freshman. The injury hurt a little in that department, but we'll never know the true degree because the coaching staff failed to use the running game to a sufficient degree.

Also, discussing any losses prior to 2007 are a little silly in my opinion because the program already proved capable of moving on and improving without those players. We didn't drop to a .500 mark because Kerry Rhodes or Elvis Dumervil left. With Petrino at the helm and guys like Brohm returning, we didn't miss a beat. If you want to discuss Okoye, Gay, and Smith, that's one thing (Bush might as well not be on the list since he was essentially gone after the 2005 season), but anyone prior was already replaced based on the record we achieved after their graduation.

Next year, though, we have very little proof that there are folks who can adequately replace what we are losing. Cantwell has the arm, but lacks the football studiousness to learn blitz schemes and make quick reads of the opposing defense and his WR progression like Brohm. We haven't had any young LB's step up at all this season. Same for the TE position and the O-line (do you trust Brian Roche or Abdul Kuyateh?).

Next year, with the returning players we see, there is very much reason to not expect a successful season. More than any time since I moved to this city (Petrino's first year), there are a lot of questions and lots of reasons to believe that we will take a step back in the talent department.

[bling49]

Originally Posted by Empire Lindy

Also, discussing any losses prior to 2007 are a little silly in my opinion because the program already proved capable of moving on and improving without those players. We didn't drop to a .500 mark because Kerry Rhodes or Elvis Dumervil left. With Petrino at the helm and guys like Brohm returning, we didn't miss a beat. If you want to discuss Okoye, Gay, and Smith, that's one thing (Bush might as well not be on the list since he was essentially gone after the 2005 season), but anyone prior was already replaced based on the record we achieved after their graduation.

The program proved in 2007 that what we lost from 2006 wasnt replaced.

Allen never preformed to his 2006 totals with the exception of his 275-yard rushing game.
After the injury he sustained he wasnt the same back the rest of the year.

Bolen wasnt the answer or he was knicked up too, whatever the reason we had no rushing game in 2007.

Obviously Stripling isnt going to run effectively between the tackles, his game is outside rushing & screen/swing passes.

We had no other RB capable of carrying the running game from the loss of Kolby & Bush.

Originally Posted by Empire Lindy

Next year, though, we have very little proof that there are folks who can adequately replace what we are losing. Cantwell has the arm, but lacks the football studiousness to learn blitz schemes and make quick reads of the opposing defense and his WR progression like Brohm. We haven't had any young LB's step up at all this season. Same for the TE position and the O-line (do you trust Brian Roche or Abdul Kuyateh?).

We also lost two offensive lineman from 2006 (Foster & Quarterman) that werent drafted but signed free agent contracts and are in the NFL so I agree with you the O-line for 2008 is a big question mark.

We didnt adequately replace a lot from 2006 maybe Brohm and Douglass 3 - 200-yard recieving games hid that fact in the early season.

We obviously werent the offense we were in 2004, 2005 or 2006, we couldnt win in a shootout not only because of the defense, the offense played a part in that too.

I also agree no LB's stepped up in 2007 and I think it's doubtful any true freshman would step in and make an impact at that position. I suppose it is possible someone already on the roster could through spring & summer practice step up and improve.

41 Eugene Sowell 6-0 220 LB RS FR
50 Josh McDonald 6-1 220 LB SO
54 James Bryant 6-3 250 LB RS JR
54 Rashad Roberts 6-0 244 LB SO
57 Mozell Axson 6-1 230 LB JR
96 Patrick Grant 6-4 218 LB FR

There were a couple 6 foot 210 lb LB's listed on the roster but unless the put on 15 lbs in the off season I dont consider them as serious starters who would make an impact at LB at that size.

I do hope that Cantwell, in his time in the U of L program and learning from Brohm that he can play at game speed and pick up blitzes next year.
I doubt he will be a mirror image of Brohm but he proved he can play in the VT bowl game 2 seasons ago.

At Tight End losing both barnage & Kuhn will hurt.

I like how they listed Victor Anderson as RB/Ath on the roster.

[Empire Lindy]

I just see the running game differently, bling. Yeah, we had injury issues there with Bolen and Allen as well as Stripling's suspension. But now that those guys are back playing, we still can't run the ball with any effectiveness. The whole approach to running has just changed under Stubbs. Allen shouldn't be going out to the flats 6+ times a game to catch screen passes. Stripling shouldn't be running the ball right up the gut on one play much less consecutive plays like we saw against West Virginia. To me, it's hard to get a good read on how much of the drop-off was injury/player loss (only Kolby counts in this discussion... we had no problems playing without Bush all last year) and how much was just bad coaching and playcalling.

Other than that point, it sounds to me like we agree on the prospects for next season. What young talent we have (that we didn't run off the team or had their careers ended with freak injuries or medical conditions) hasn't been coached up to make anyone confident that they can replace the departing seniors and improve on this likely 5-7 season. Both lines are going to be less talented and thinner, the LB unit is down to almost nothing, the QB & WR positions are taking a hit, and the secondary and running game are total wild cards from both a coaching and talent standpoint.

I'm not looking for a winning record next season.