Vegas has Hog's over/under win total at 4.5

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Right behind Tennessee at 5

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But recruiting.

I do not have any worries we will go on a 5-7 streak like Tennessee has, yes, this year will not be the best of years, but next year should turn some heads.

Not that that would be a surprise, really, the last time we had back to back bad seasons, we won the west in the third year.

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The .5 makes me think that they consider one game a toss up, or win one that we maybe shouldn't. Guess they think we win all the OOC, and 'maybe' upset one conference foe?

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I'd have a tougher time trying to decide on it if the over/under was at an even 5. This team could win anywhere from 3 to 7 games, and I wouldn't be shocked either way.

However, I keep reminding people that that awful 3-8 team we all saw last year was a meltdown away from beating Rutgers (without a QB, I might add) and a busted play from beating a 10 win LSU team, and both games were on the road. Not to be an apologist or always point to the "coulda," but we were a hair away from winning 5 games with one of the worst and shallowest Hog teams we've ever fielded.

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Brandon Allen

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That is my biggest concern of the season.
IF we can get just adequate and reasonable play at the QB position this year, I think we can win as many as 6 (scared to say more.)

I think the defense will be better, and only other question is the center/LG position. Maybe we have the LG covered with the transfer. WR may not be great, but I think the position will adequate enough to have a passing game IF BA can get the ball to them.

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WR may not be great, but I think the position will adequate enough to have a passing game IF BA can get the ball to them.

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I look at it a bit differently -- I'm no Brandon Allen apologist, but he was done absolutely no favors by our stone hands receiving corps last year. Everyone talks about the busted play at LSU, but our receivers lost that game because they all dipped their hands in crisco before taking the field and proceeded to drop like 8 or so passes, most of which would have been 3rd down conversions down the stretch.

I think we'll be okay if we utilize Hunter Henry more (Bert said we will), if our existing corps can step up their game from how deplorable it was last year (looking at you Cowan, Hawkins, and Hatcher), if Wilson comes back to pre-injury form, and if at least one of the newcomers is ready, then we should be okay on that end.

I'm basing a lot of my receiver optimism on Edwards, Cornelius, Henry and Hollister.

ETA: And not certain where they'll line up JoJo, but he will be a threat out of the slot I'm thinking...

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I look at it a bit differently -- I'm no Brandon Allen apologist, but he was done absolutely no favors by our stone hands receiving corps last year. Everyone talks about the busted play at LSU, but our receivers lost that game because they all dipped their hands in crisco before taking the field and proceeded to drop like 8 or so passes, most of which would have been 3rd down conversions down the stretch.

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Not just that game, but they can share a large portion of the blame for the Rutgers, Ms. State, aTm, and LSU games.

That is four right there, not saying they should have won all of them, but 3 for sure, that is a 6-6 record for the year, not great, but not 3-8.

If the WRs can help out the QB, if the QB can utilize WRs, that is at least one win more than last year, most likely two.

If the staff can fix the problems at LB, CB, and S to be serviceable, not world beaters, but decent, then the team will be a possible bowl team.

Call me delusional, then call bert fat, tell me how he will never win a SEC game, and the rest of the rant logic.

Lol big 12? We might be able to get an AAC invite.

Most money is going to be on the under, smart money is going to be on the over

I'm interested to see how the offense shapes up this year, or how effective it can be doing what the staff wants to do.

I still agree with Petrino that the offense can be turned around very quickly, it basically took him 3 years to go from "OK" to great on the side of the ball, so if the staff can get it to OK-Great this year that is right on par.

The difference is the other side of the ball, Petrino, obviously, never paid much attention or put much effort into it, if the staff can bring the defense to par along with the offense, 21-5 isn't an unrepeatable feat, or a a level of success that can not be sustained.

This isn't a make or break year for the staff, but we should see the direction the program is going to go, that is an advantage to taking over a team with no talent, you can see the philosophy with of the coaching staff pretty quick. Example was Petrino's first two years, no talent, see what he was going to do in first two years. With talent you get Nutt who ran a more open, balanced, offense until the talent ran out and you saw his true skill/philosophy as a coach.