Uncle Iroh wrote:

It's not '08 that gets me excited, it's '09.

Now, I know this is said with huge blue goggles on. (But for those that have seen my Cougar Room, you know I tend to look through the blue goggles quite a bit.) Any who. If we go undefeated in '08, that sets up '09 for great things. That'll be the key guys, minus Harvey, senior years.

I think '08 is shaping up to be special, but '09 could be ................I don't have the words for it. Let's just say it would be friggin' awesome.

I'm really excited about both years. 09 I think they will be even better then in 08 and I predict right now that next year the cougs will go undefeated! I think the defense might struggle just a little! But I think the offense will more then make up for it! Overall though I think the defense will be better. Minus Bryan Kehl who is a stud and we will miss him!
But the secondary will be faster next year, and more athletic. And we still get David Nixon back. Who no doubt will be a captain! Go cougs!

Wouldn't it be nice if we could just go by the season averages. Offense scored an average of 30 points this year and defense gave up an average of 18. It would seem like we should be able to get more offense out of the 2008 team, but what of the defense? Can they hold teams to an average of 18 points?

splitbamboo wrote:

Wouldn't it be nice if we could just go by the season averages. Offense scored an average of 30 points this year and defense gave up an average of 18. It would seem like we should be able to get more offense out of the 2008 team, but what of the defense? Can they hold teams to an average of 18 points?

I think we will hold them too less. Just the talent that are coming back that are under classmen on the defense! We will not give up 55 points another team like we did against Tulsa! I'm not worried about the linebackers! The secondary is a concern because there is always a concern with a young secondary, but they will faster, quicker and more athletic then this years group! I think the defense will give up somewhere in between 15-17 points. The offense will average somewhere in between 35-40 points a game. more experience and most of them are underclass men! Go cougs!

2008's success all hinges on one thing...

MAX HALL HAS TO STAY HEALTHY

An injury to Hall causing him to miss a few games, or even a few quarters, would put the cougars ina tough spot. They might be able to compete with the MWC, but certainly would struggle against BCS opponents.

Mine:

The coaching aspect will be big next year. There will be plenty of experience and talent on the offense. All aspects of the offense should be much improved and be more consistent. No more of this 35 points in one game, 17 in another.

The defense will probably be down a little. Which means Bronco will probably be more conservative than he was this season. Run defense is going to be an issue with so much churn in the linebacker corps.

Combine all of this stuff with games against UCLA and Washington and its obvious that why Anae and the offense have to come out firing and scoring from day 1.

I think a key to 2008 is to not get overconfident. The conference schedule will be much tougher in 2008 than 2007 with away games at Utah, TCU, AFA and CSU - the first two the most difficult MWC opponents, Air Force on the verge of being a conference top-tier player and CSU with the possibility of being in the same boat as Air Force was this year. True, the OOC games are all winnable, barring a monster fourth opponent, but the conference schedule will make for a difficult year.
The fly in the 2009 ointment is the away game at Arizona State on Sept 12. I assume we'll play Utah State at LES on Sept 5 as the season opener. If not and our second OOC away game is tougher than expected (and on Sept 5), it could set up a problem with the Sept 19 game that year against Florida State at LES. A loss to Az State could mean the team is down against Florida State. Getting through the OOC in 2009 could mean a special year along the lines of 1996 or 1984 because two of the toughest conference opponents will be Utah and TCU, both at LES.